The Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet attendees learned of upcoming events, grants, and advertising opportunities on July 8 at the meeting, hosted by the Landmark National Bank.
Upcoming events:
Attendee John Hill commended the recent Fort Scott High School All Class Reunion committee for scheduling the majority of the events downtown.
Sales Tax Holiday, August 1-3, with a 9.65% discount on purchases from participating stores
Fall Fest is September 5; the Chamber staff is asking for ideas for this event.
The annual downtown Halloween Parade is on October 25, the Saturday before Halloween.
The Holiday Open House is November 6-8, with Thursday night the big event.
Small Business Saturday is November 29.
Christmas on the Bricks is December 4-7, when stores will be open late, and lots of activities for the community to enjoy.
July 25 is the Chamber Golf Classic fundraiser at Woodland Hills, and they are still taking sponsorships.
At the July 15 Fort Scott City Commission, a new downtown business will be announced, according to Mary Wyatt, Planning, Housing, & Business Development Director for the City of Fort Scott.
The Hedgehog INK Bookstore is for sale in the downtown district. Contact Randi Witt.
Jill Jaworski, Superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site, said that the site’s buildings remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday. They hope to have three seasonal employees by the end of August. A new executive order set a hiring freeze that affects the Fort until October 18.
The city and the chamber are having tourism meetings in preparation for the World Cup Soccer Game that is coming to Kansas City in 2026, in an effort to encourage people to come to Fort Scott.
The new Fort Scott Baseball Team, the Dragoons, will join the Mid-America League next season as the league expands to eight teams, according to a KOAM news report. The events surrounding the announcement of last weekend’s LaRoche Baseball Stadium events were given by Mary Wyatt at the meet and greet.
Evergy Kansas Central, Inc. spokesperson Kari West said there are business energy efficiency updates available at /ways-to-save/incentives-link/business-energy-savings
Grants available:
Fort Scott Area Community Foundation offers grants to local 501(c)(3) public charities, schools, government agencies, and religious institutions, with applications starting in August, said Becky Tourtillot.
E-Community Loans are available through www.networkkansas.com with 6 % interest for 10 years, a minimum is $5,000 and, maximum is $50,000.
Grow KS grants are 4% interest for five years, 6% for 10 years, maximum $100,000.
Advertisement Opportunities
New, revised downtown maps are being devised, with business card-sized ads available on them.
The Chamber Community Guide and Membership Directory is getting ready to launch by the first of 2026.
4 by 9-inch rack cards are available from Sekan Printing Company for Chamber distribution to visitors.
About the Host
The Landmark National Bank has two locations in Fort Scott: one at 2nd and Main Street in the downtown area, and another at 23rd Street and Highway 69. Statewide, there are 29 branches. Currently, a teller position is available. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.