The weekly summer Friday Night Concert at Heritage Park, 1st and Main streets, downtown, was moved indoors July 6 because of the heat. Temperatures were in the 90s.
The Cherry Jammers, a singing group from Cherry Grove Baptist Church, performed in the basement of the First United Methodist Church, Third Street and National Avenue, instead.
A large crowd attended the annual 4th of July Burke Street Parade.
“We had a huge crowd,” Deb Halsey, a resident on the street said.
Deb and husband Frank Halsey hosted the cookie reception that always follows the parade each year. The reception is hosted by a different family each year.
The following are submitted photos.
A miniature white convertible is driven by Ella Walker and Olive Ellis.
Fort Scottians are invited to join in the fun and entertainment Saturday, July 7 for a local mountain bike race, that this year includes the Kansas championship race and live music in the evening.
“The 5th Annual Marmaton Massacre Festival / Kansas State Mountain Bike Championship starts Saturday at noon with our Marathon Race, a 4-hour endurance event,” Frank Halsey, who originated the race several years ago, said. ” At about 6:30 pm, the Kid’s Race is free and open to kids 10 and under. This race is not on the trails, rather we cut a trail out in the open field, to avoid the exposure of wooded trail riding.”
The volunteers at Gunn Park Trails, as part of the Marmaton Massacre Festival, would like to invite the public to the shade of Gunn Park on Saturday, July 7, for the evening of free entertainment, according to a press release from the volunteers.
The 10 years of age under Kid’s Mountain Bike Race will begin about 6:30 pm, followed by a performance of balance and agility, by Ryan Braxton and Ed Schilling on their trials bike.
“A free concert will follow by Paul and Leslie from En Power & Light. They’re really good!” according to the release.
Bring your lawn chairs and coolers and take advantage of this relaxing evening in the park.
“It’s free, and we’d love to see you there!”
There will be Independence Day fireworks tonight at Crawford State Park near Farlilngton.
The event will start at dusk, around 9 p.m. July 2.
Submitted by
Chris Wilson
Crawford County Convention & Visitors Bureau
[email protected]
Symbols of Sacrifice Commemoration and Fourth of July Activities to be held at Fort Scott National Historic Site
FORT SCOTT, Kansas: As the nation reflects on its freedom on Independence Day, Fort Scott National Historic Site honors those who have lost their lives fighting for this freedom with Symbols of Sacrifice.
The Symbols of Sacrifice commemoration features thousands of American flags displayed in a Field of Honor on the historic Parade Ground. Their purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces who have died in all wars that Americans have fought in.
The flags will be displayed from Friday, June 29, through Friday, July 6.
The park is pleased to welcome musicians Pat and Steve Harry, who will perform a special concert of patriotic music on Saturday, June 30 at 7:00 pm. Following the musical performance, you are invited to participate in an evening cannon firing.
On Wednesday, July 4 at 10:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m., the staff at the historic site will honor the fallen through a discussion of the meaning of the Field of Honor, followed by an artillery salute.
At 11:00 a.m., visitors can join a 1840s Infantry Soldier and an Officer’s Wife as they share perspectives on “What Independence Day Means to You?” at 2:00 p.m., or come and witness infantry soldiers as they fire a salute to the 13 original colonies. You are welcome to fall in with the soldiers and assist in taking down the 30-star flag at 4:00 p.m.
The schedule of activities is as follows:
SATURDAY, JUNE 30 (EVENING)
7:00 p.m. – Patriotic Musical Performance by Pat and Steve Harry
8:00 p.m. – Evening Cannon Firing
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
10:00 a.m. – Honoring the Fallen: A Salute to Sacrifice
11:00 a.m. – “What Independence Day Means to You?” Guided Discussion
2:00 p.m. – 13 Gun Salute: The Pursuit of Liberty
3:00 p.m. – Honoring the Fallen: A Salute to Sacrifice
4:00 p.m. – Flag Retreat
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
“The Most EPIC Birthday Party Ever” will happen Friday, June 22 at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center, 503 N. Pine. Directed by Megan Gabehart. The music will be directed by Fort Scott music teacher Mary Jo Harper.
The 36th Annual Burke Street Parade is July 4th on the city’s west side, near Gunn Park.
The event is pretty disorganized, said Margaret Doherty Humphrey, but lots of fun. The Humphreys live at 1024 S. Burke.
The parade starts with patriotic singing led by Phil Hammonds, Jill Gorman, and Susan Foster.
“We started the singing after 9-11 (the terrorist bombings in New York), Humphrey said.
People wear patriotic attire, kids decorate their bikes, scooters or buggies and line up at 10th and Burke streets at 10 a.m.
There is no parking on Burke Street between 10th and 12th streets during the time of the event.
The public is invited to sit or stand on the curbs lining the street during the parade.
And people are invited to don a patriotic outfit and join in the fun.
“Frank Halsey will line them up at 10th and Burke,” Humphrey said.
Frank and his wife, Deb are hosting the cookie social following the short parade at 1222 Burke Street. People may donate cookies for the social the day before the parade, to the Halseys home.
“Every year someone (on Burke Street) hosts the cookies and drinks,” Humphrey said.
“Please no big vehicles and watch for children who are all over the place,” Humphrey said. “It’s very disorganized, they go up and down and back and forth.”
For more information call Margaret Humphrey 223-0388 or Theresa Bahr 223-1582.
“Or Barbara Albright, the official distributor of information,” Humphrey said.
“Severe storms or lightning cancels the parade…but we conquered the rain last year,” Humphrey said.
The Fifth Annual Marmaton Massacre Mountain Bike Festival is July 7-8. It is also the Kansas Mountain Bike Championship.
For more information check out the Marmaton Massacre Facebook page or contact Frank Halsey at [email protected] and 620-704-2730.
John Edwin Mason, professor of African history and the history of photography at the University of Virginia, will speak on at 1 p.m. June 26 at the Gordon Parks Museum, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Free movies are offered at the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College on Saturdays at 1 p.m. until the end of July.
The Gordon Parks Museum presents Wine & Design: Create a Masterpiece June 29 and July 27 at the museum located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
For a $25 fee receive art supplies, one complimentary glass of a beverage and your printed artwork. The classes are from 1-4 p.m.
Call 223-2700, ext. 5850 to register.
Youth Ministries of Bourbon County Inc, known as the Keyhole, has a new director.
Bethany Hartford, 24, became the director in March 2018.
Hartford has lived in Fort Scott for 14 years and has worked with the youth group at her church, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, for about three years, she said.
She formerly worked at the Common Grounds Coffee Shop and saw a flyer on the bulletin at the shop of the position and applied.
The Keyhole is located at 1002 S. Main, across from Fort Scott High School and targets middle school through high school youth.
“The Keyhole is a place to hang out with friends,” Hartford said.
The Keyhole offers gaming systems, board games, ping pong, pool and an outside basketball hoop, in addition to a concession stand.
But most of all, the ministry hopes to be an encouragement to the youth to be “good members of society and love Jesus,” Director Bethany Hartford said. “I want to lead by example and show you can be a positive person in working with others.”
Caring, adult volunteers are always needed at the Keyhole, Hartford said. The phone number is 620-223-4700.
This month through July 29 from noon to 1 p.m. free sack lunches are available at the site as well.
Thursday the Keyhole hosted the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee, with Keyhole board members present.
Board member Ben Workman said the goal of the ministry is to instill Godly principals in the lives of the youth.
