Flamingos, Cannonballs, and Community Fun! NWKS Radio's Ultimate Pool Party Raises Money for Colby Play 315

The 2026 pool season ended with a splash Saturday night as hundreds of people packed the Colby Aquatic Park for the NWKS Radio Ultimate Pool Party!

From 5:30 until 10:30 p.m., the aquatic park was transformed into a tropical flamingo paradise after the public pool closed for the day and reopened exclusively for the special fundraiser. Nearly every corner of the pool featured bright pink flamingos as families gathered for one last swim of the season.

With temperatures still hovering around 105 degrees, the cool water was exactly what everyone needed. As the sun went down, guests enjoyed something even more special... night swimming! It was the final opportunity to swim at the Colby Aquatic Park before it closed for the 2026 season, making the evening even more memorable.

For just $5, guests enjoyed admission, a barbecue hot dog supper served by the Thomas County EMS crew, chips, and bottled water provided by Pathway Ag. Nex-Tech Wireless kept everyone cool by serving up free snow cones throughout the evening.

Of course, it wouldn't be an NWKS Radio event without plenty of games and laughs!

Participants tested their balance during the "Stand Like a Flamingo" contest, raced inflatable flamingos across the pool, bent backwards in limbo, and tried their luck tossing rings onto their partners flamingo hat!

Then came the event everyone was waiting for...

The Dad Cannonball Contest!

About ten dads stepped up to prove they still had what it takes to create the biggest splash. Chad Jones emceed the competition while Garrett Wellbrock and Jerad Lange joined one of the Colby Aquatic Park lifeguards as judges, offering hilarious commentary after each jump.

Meanwhile, kids packed the opposite side of the pool chanting "CANNONBALL! CANNONBALL!" as each dad launched into the water. The crowd's energy made it one of the biggest highlights of the entire evening.

Music from the NWKS Radio Rolling Radio kept the party going all night with fun summer hits echoing throughout the pool area.

One of the most anticipated events was the Flamingo Race benefiting Colby Play 315. Participants purchased rubber flamingos for $10 each, with proceeds split 50/50 between the winning ticket holder and Play 315.

Hundreds gathered around the lazy river to watch dozens of flamingos float toward the finish line. Addison Stoddard and Kristina waited at the end to stop the floating flock and capture the winning bird. It came down to an exciting finish between two flamingos before a winner was finally crowned.

One lucky little girl took home an impressive $200 from the winning flamingo!

By the end of the evening, 280 people had attended the Ultimate Pool Party, with all proceeds benefiting the Play 315 project, helping move Colby's future inclusive playground one step closer to reality.

NWKS Radio extends a huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the event and make it such an incredible success.

Special thanks to our major sponsors:

• Hoover Lumber, LLC

• Nex-Tech Wireless

• Vanderbilts

Prize sponsors:

• Walmart of Colby

• Gambino's Pizza

• Sonic

• Nex-Tech Wireless

Additional thanks to:

• City of Colby Aquatic Park

• Thomas County EMS for serving supper

• Pathway Ag for providing bottled water

  
  

The Ultimate Pool Party was the perfect way to celebrate another summer, support a great community project, and send off the 2026 pool season with plenty of laughs, cannonballs, and flamingos. We can't wait to do it again next year!