Lip-Sync battle ignites stage

Local nonprofit groups lit up the stage like firecrackers on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Eureka’s 1000 Firecracker Charity Lip-Sync Contest, sponsored by the Eureka Community Initiative.

This unadulterated fun entertainment event has been going on since 2018, with time off during COVID. The event is one of the ways the Eureka Casino gives back to the community.

Each nonprofit group that enters receives $250. There are two first-place categories: small group and large group. The first-place winner receives $1,000. The fan favorite receives $500.

The nonprofit groups played to a full house of appreciative, engaged audience members. The room was filled with loud laughter, cheering and applause.

The competing organizations were Mesquite Works STEAM Center, Mesquite Lutheran Church, Preschool and Child Care Center, VVHS Future Farmers of America, Mesquite Showgirls, MS Senior Mesquite Program, Women’s History and Culture Center, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue Arizona Strip Unit and Mesquite Toes Tap Team.

The first-place winner for the small group was the Blues Brothers, Bob Martinez and Thomas Stark, who energetically roused the audience singing and dancing their way through “Everybody Needs Someone to Love” for Mesquite Lutheran Church.

First place for the large group was the SARGY Bottom Boys, representing Mohave Search & Rescue Arizona Strip Unit. Twelve guys and gals enthralled the audience with their costumes, beards, props and howling rendition of “A Man of Constant Sorrow.” The winning team was Jason Easton, Jim Garner, John Middleton, Steve Notar Donato, Nancy Hewett, Ellen Middleton, Rick Benedict, Debbie Benedict, Mark Guertin, Dianna McKinney, Thersa Garner, Larry LeMieux.

All the presentations were wonderful, and the audience loved every one. Judges Roo Arledge, Barbara Brown, Vince Coombs, Barbara Ellestad, Linda Faas, Efren Sandoval and Tony Sandoval had tough decisions to make. The contestants were judged on Lip Sync Abilities, Creativity, Stage Presence and Choreography, and Overall Enjoyment.

Emcee and DJ Mikey Foley kept the ball rolling with his loveable personality and corny jokes. Every year the audience looks forward to his lip-syncing sock puppet. This year he outdid himself. Who knew he could get down and boogie like that?

Gerri Chasko, director of Eureka Community Initiative and the event’s developer, explained that last year’s event was so popular it exceeded room capacity. To comply with fire department regulations and manage attendance, they charged a $10 fee and did not allow walk-ins.

As of this writing, the fan favorite has not yet been determined.

Everyone in the audience who the Progress talked with agreed that this event is the most fun entertainment in Mesquite.