The annual Ring of Fire returns to Indian Lake Sunday, marking the end of summer and welcoming the beginning of fall.
The tradition began in 1965, during the years when Indian Lake’s amusement park was still operating.
A.M. Brown, who managed the amusement park and served on the Indian Lake Area Chamber of Commerce board, proposed a “Red Flare Spectacular” to Chamber President Warren Edwards.
That idea eventually became the annual Ring of Fire.
The celebration was inspired by a tradition associated with Native American harvest observances, although the specific historical connection is generally described as local lore rather than a thoroughly documented tribal tradition.
At Indian Lake, the event came to symbolize the end of the summer boating season and the arrival of fall.
Each year on the Sunday evening of Labor Day weekend, residents, businesses and volunteers place lights around Indian Lake’s approximately 5,800 acres.
At the designated time, the lights are illuminated together, creating a red ring reflected across the water.
Traditional roadside flares were used for many years, while LED flares are now used at many locations.
Once again, the Grimes Flying Lab Beech 18 will kick things off with their spectacular lighted flyover, signaling the start of the flares around the lake at 9:00 p.m.
Flares are available at Aries Pharmacy, Winner’s Lakeview Market, Bud’s Marine, Spend-A-Day Marina, Lakeside Pro Bass Shop and Gene’s Marine, Bait & Tackle.
What began as an amusement-park-era promotion has grown into one of Indian Lake’s most recognizable community traditions.
The Indian Lake Area Chamber of Commerce continues to coordinate the event with shoreline residents and volunteers.
