The annual Fun Day, hosted by the Oxford Police Department, returns to a spring date after spending last year in September. OPD Communications Director Bridgette Frierson said the fall was “so busy due to the football games” and they’re looking forward to Saturday’s event on Molly Barr Road.

“We do look forward to it each year,” said Frierson. “It is a lot of time dedicated in preparation for the event. We enjoy visiting with the community and getting to know them while having some fun.”

She said it’s also an opportunity for the public to meet officers and employees of the police department, as well as help new officers get to know people in the community.

The fourth installment of Fun Day will include free hot dogs, face painting, bounce houses and the ever popular dunking booth. Last year, funnel cakes were introduced to the event.

“Nothing is new this year, but it will still be a lot of fun to come out and dunk the chief or an officer and get to bounce in one of the bounce houses,” Frierson said.

The weather forecast for Saturday is looking very iffy with a strong chance of rain, but Frierson said the event will be held “even if it rains.”

The event started four years ago when OPD held an Open House to give the community a chance to see renovations made to the department, meet the new administration and Chief Joey East. It was so successful that the OPD decided to make it an annual event and rename it.

The event has grown each year in both participation and activities offered by OPD. This year’s event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the OPD on Molly Barr Road. There will be free hot dogs, snow cones, drinks and free funnel cakes.

Fun Day is centered around children, with plenty of activities to keep little ones busy, with face painting, two bounce houses, a hay ride and a chance to dunk a police officer into a dunk tank. There will be K9 demonstrations and a SWAT obstacle course. The Mounted Patrol horses will be there for viewing and photo ops.

Wings hospital transport will fly in a helicopter that will be on display along with other emergency vehicles.