Are you ready for some wakeboarding? The national INT league will be bringing competitive wakeboarding to Smith Lake this weekend, July 23-24. The registration is at 9:00 am, and there will be some crowds on hand to watch the event.

For more information on INT, please visit http://www.intleague.com/alabama/

To check out a preview of the event, watch the video below.

Get out on the lake for the poker run!

If you are out on Smith Lake this weekend for the annual Mike Beasley Poker Run, please come visit us at Silverock Cove. We’ll be celebrating with a “Christmas in July” theme, so get ready for some Holly Jolly good times. Now is your chance to ask Santa for that new ski boat or the big gas grill you’ve been checking out.

Proceeds go to the Smith Lake Task Force, fire departments and other deserving organizations around the lake. There are great prizes for the winning hand. The event last year raised more than $30,000–so come out to support a great cause.

Registration takes place in the morning at Duskin Point Marina. We’ll see you this Saturday for the Poker Run!

Thanks to all of the great volunteers who came out to take part in the first Wake the World event in Alabama. Boats took a crew of kids from Big Oak Ranch out on the water, and the kids all had a blast riding tubes, wakeboarding and spending a long day on the lake.

Special thanks to Heath Patton, who organized the event and arranged food and boats for everyone to participate.

Check out a few photos below.

You can't have a 4th of July celebration without fireworks...

Get ready for a big weekend on Smith Lake! There should be some great crowds on the lake, and there is plenty of live music and fireworks lined up to celebrate.

Make sure that you have your cooler stocked, plenty of hamburgers and hot dogs for the grill, and get your boat fueled up for fun on the water. When you’re done grilling, pack up the boat for some great fireworks displays–there is no better place to watch a fireworks show than on the boat.

Here is a rundown of events getting kicked off this weekend:

SATURDAY NIGHT:

OUTDOOR CONCERT AT THE WAKE RESTAURANT AT RYAN CREEK MARINA: Southern Expo begins playing at 7 PM and will be followed by the Southern Boys Band at 8 PM

FIREWORKS AT DUNCAN BRIDGE: Starts at 9 P.M.

SUNDAY NIGHT:

FIREWORKS ON ROCK CREEK: Starts at Dusk.

It's time to take your hot dogs to another level...

Need a recipe to kick your celebration into high gear? Try out some of these recipes to spice up your 4th (Adapted from Susan Nash Gilpin–susannashgilpin.com)

SAN FRANCISCO SLAW DOGS

Serves: 6

Hands-on time: 35 min.
Total time: 35 min.

• 2 tbsp. grated ginger
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce, divided
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 (12-oz.) pkg. broccoli slaw1 (16-oz.) pkg. extra-large beef hot dogs
• 6 sesame seed hot dog bun
• rice noodles
• Srirachi Sauce

1. Preheat grill.
2. Squeeze juice from ginger into a medium bowl; discard solids. Stir in mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce and next 3 ingredients. Stir in slaw.
3. Brush hot dogs with remaining hoisin sauce. Grill hot dogs, covered, 8 to 10 minutes. Boil water, cook rice noodles for 3-4 minutes; drain. Grill buns, covered, 1 minute. Serve hot dogs in buns; top with slaw and noodles. Serve with Steamed Edamame. Apply Srirachi sauce as needed.

CORN & BLACK BEAN SALAD

Cook 2 cups fresh corn kernels over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet until corn begins to brown, stirring often. Combine corn, 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 cup chunky salsa, (try Salsa Senorita Hot), ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro and ¼ cup fresh lime juice. Consider red onion also.

MILWAUKEE GRILLED BRATS

Serves: 5

Hands-on time: 45 min.
Total time: 1 hr.

1 (19.7-oz.) pkg. fresh pork sausages
3 (12-oz.) bottles lager beer or Brown Ale (Good People make a great Brown Ale) or 4½ cups water
5 brat or hoagie rolls
Toppings: spicy brown mustard and refrigerated sauerkraut–consider Jaleponos.

1. Preheat grill.
2. Bring sausages and beer to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain.
3. Grill sausages, covered, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Serve brats in rolls; top with mustard and sauerkraut. Serve with your favorite Zapp’s brand potato chip.

GARLIC FRIES

Bake 1 (26-oz.) pkg. frozen extra-crispy french fried potatoes according to package directions. Cook 4 tbsp. minced garlic and 2 tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley and 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan or (if you’re bold–Cheddar)  cheese; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Have a fun 4th!