Category Archives: Entertainment

Free Friday Night Concert: Danny Brown and the Bourbon County Revival August 16

Danny Brown and the Bourbon County Revival will be performing this Friday evening in downtown Fort Scott at 1st and Main Street.

“One of our best,” said Ralph Carlson, organizer of the free concerts. “They are pretty eclectic and have a lot of variety. We are glad to have them.”

The concert starts at 7 p.m., and the audience is asked to bring lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be at Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall.

The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and organized by Carlson.

 

Friday Night Free Concert at FSCC Features Mariam Tucker Self

 

This week’s Friday Night Concert will feature Mariam Tucker Self, Kansas City‘s only female Elvis tribute artist. Singing with professional studio tracks recreated by the EPProject, the evening will feature songs from Elvis’ famous 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii Concert,” plus additional favorite hits. The free concert, held in the Round Room at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 Horton, begins at 7:00 p.m.

 

“I’ve known this young lady since she was a child singing in church at the age of three. Her mother stood her up on the piano bench and she sang in perfect pitch. Born and raised in Fort Scott, she now resides in Peculiar, MO, with her husband Levi and their three daughters. She is the lead vocalist for the Tucker Family Band, performs solo gigs,  and sings in the church worship team in Lee‘s Summit,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “I am pleased to welcome Mariam onto the stage to perform for our great community. You won’t want to miss this lively show. Bring a neighbor and join your friends for a fun evening of musical entertainment.”

 

The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and organized by Carlson.

 

 

Bike Repair Stations Installed in Riverfront Park Donated by the Fort Scott Rotary Club

 

Riverfront Park, North National Avenue, past the orange bridge over the Marmaton River.

Riverfront Park has slowly been transforming from the unmaintained area it once was to a public space for concerts, weddings, and other gatherings and also beautiful tree-lined walk/bike trails.

Along the trails are resting areas and as you go under the Hwy. 69 Highway, some colorful historic murals have been painted by  local artist, Stephen Toal.

City workers install the bike repair station that was donated to Riverfront Park by the Fort Scott Rotary Club. Submitted photo. Pictured during installation were city employees Norman Mackley and Chris Tourtillott.

 

Recently another enhancement has been added to the park.

“Due to the increased bicycle traffic, the need for bicycle repair and the ability to air tires has been met by the Fort Scott Rotary Club,” said Jerry Witt, president of the Riverfront Authority, which oversees the area. “Two bicycle repair stations have been added to the park. One station has been installed on the Belltown Walking trail on the north side of Marmaton River and a second station has been installed on the south River Loop Road.”

One of the new bike repair stations at Riverfront Park.

 

“The concrete foundations were funded by the Riverfront committee at a cost of $2,400.,” he said. “The repair stations consist of a bike rack, air pump, and various tools  and were funded and donated by the Fort Scott Rotary Club.”

What’s Happening in Fort Scott

What’s Happening in Fort Scott! July 25th Weekly Newsletter

Trolley Tours every Friday and Saturday on the hour.

Fridays 11am-3pm, on the hour, last tour leaves at 2pm

Saturdays 10am-3pm, on the hour, the last tour leaves at 2pm

$6 adults, $4 children 12 & under

UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS

________________

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Daily Guided Tours: 10am & 1pm

Currently closed Wednesdays & Thursdays

until further notice.

Visit your National Park!

Click here to see all the FUN classes at The Artificers, classes for ALL ages!

BINGO hosted by the American Legion Post 25 every 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month unless it falls on a holiday. Doors open at 6pm and Bingo starts at 7pm at Memorial Hall.

Farmer’s Market at the Gathering Square Pavilion every Tuesday from 4-6pm and Saturdays from 8am-12pm over 15 returning vendors and 11 new ones!

7/25-27 ~ Summer Garage Sale & Open House at Presbyterian Village, garage sale hours: 25th 4-7pm/26th 8am-7pm/27th 8am-12pm, open house hours: 26th-27th 10am-3pm, see flyer below for more information.

7/26 ~ Aging Forward hosted by First United Methodist Church located at 301 S. National, Fellowship Hall from 1pm-4pm, click here for more information.

7/26 ~ Flower Class by Sunshine Boutique at Common Ground Coffee Co., 6-8pm, click here for more information.

7/27 ~ Second Annual End of Summer Craft Creations at the River Room, food/drinks/crafts, 10am-4pm

7/27 ~ Paint & Pizza – Paint Party Horse at Papa Don’s Pizza, $5 to reserve your spot with $20 due at party, food and drinks available for purchase, click here for more information.

7/27 ~ Care to Share Golf tournament at Woodland Hills Golf Course, silent/live auction items, music, food, good company, see flyer below for more information! Community encouraged to come out and enjoy the fun, live music 6-9pm on the tennis courts!

7/27 ~ Jim Meech Agri-Med Crisis Foundation Inc. presents the Inaugural Agri-Med Crisis Fundraiser Event at Sharky’s Pub and Grub, silent/live auction items with live music featuring Trevor Holman and the Haymakers, pre-sales for smoked pulled pork meals $15/meal, see flyer below for more information and to order!

7/30 ~ Bourbon County Republican Candidate Forum, 6pm, Empress Event Center.

8/1 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Chamber Member Jim Harris at Empress Event Center, 8am

8/1, 2, 3 ~ Bourbon County Community Theatre performs Holy Mother of Bingo!, Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of FSCC, tickets are $12 for adults/$10 for children and Senior Citizens, click here for more information and to order tickets.

8/3 ~ Ride for Lils at Fort Scott Munitions, food trucks and other great things happening, 9:30am, click here for more information.

8/3 ~ 2nd Annual Bourbon County REDI Gala, dinner/live entertainment/online auction/live auction, all proceeds will be dedicated to providing scholarships for local students, single ticket/$50 and table of 8/$375, click here to purchase tickets and for more information.

8/2-4 ~ No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend – Shop Local in Fort Scott, receive a 9.4% discount on all purchases at participating locations TBA, shop local promotion organized by Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

8/8 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by FSCC – John Deere, 8am.

8/9 ~ Burlington Recreation Travel Group Daytrip to Fort Scott, over 14 guests. Welcome!

SAVE THE DATE!

8/16-18 ~ Sunflower Ride at Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, raffle items/BBQ lunch/vendors, click here to pre-register and for more info.

8/17 ~ Pen and Ink Class with Philip Ortiz at The Artificers, 10am-12 or 1-3pm, click here to register or for more information.

8/20 ~ Fort Scott Community College Business Expo in Bailey Hall, 8am-11am, contact Tanya Potthoff if your business/organization would like to participate, see the flyer below for more info.

8/31-9/1 ~ Alumni & Friends Weekend at Fort Scott Community College, alumni social/hall of fame induction dinner/activity and athletic team/so much more, click here for more info.

8/30-9/2 ~ Uniontown Old Settler’s Picnic, car show/horseshow pitching/parade/vendors/food trucks, street dance begins at 7pm, click here for more information.

_________________

SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!

Boutiques-Antiques-Flea Markets & more!

Click here for Chamber member

specialty shopping & other retail in

Downtown & other areas of the community.

Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue

Calendar of Events

Special Event Features

THANK YOU Chamber Champion members!!

Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.

Summer Garage Sale and Open House at Presbyterian Village!

Care to Share Golf Tournament ~ Come out and enjoy food, music, silent/live auction items!

Second Annual End of Summer Craft Creations at the River Room!

Inaugural Agri-Med Crisis Fundraiser Event at Sharky’s Pub and Grub!

No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend – Shop Local, Shop Fort Scott!

Upcoming Movie Schedule @ Fort Cinema

THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPION MEMBERS!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
231 E. Wall Street
Fort Scott, KS 66701
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Due to Popular Demand, Bourbon County Community Theatre Adds Additional Performance

The newly formed Bourbon County Community Theatre is adding an additional performance to its production of “Holy Mother of Bingo!” by Patrick Walsh., according to director Angie Bin in a press release.
Due to popular demand and nearly sold-out performances for Aug. 2 and 3, BCCT is adding a third performance for 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College.

 

A scene from the Bourbon County Community Theatre “Holy Mother of Bingo” from its Facebook page.
The interactive murder mystery comedy involves five real rounds of Bingo with prizes donated from many businesses in the area.
In a scene from Holy Mother of Bingo,
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children and senior citizens. The purchase of a table of 7 or 8 gives audience members a $2 discount per ticket. Tickets are available at bcct.ludus.com, from the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, or at the door if tickets remain. Seating is limited.
The show is directed by Bin with Assistant Director Mark Bergmann.
More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page. BBCO Community Theatre, LLC is a non-profit community organization formed last year whose mission is to bring education, community, and culture to southeast Kansas through theatre.

Bourbon County Community Theatre President Matthew Wells said he has been involved in the performing arts his whole life and it brought “joy…to the community and… brotherhood and bonds… amongst those who participated in the community theater.”

A scene from the Holy Mother of Bingo Theatre production rehearsal from its Facebook page.

REDI Gala Is August 3

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Bourbon County REDI…..

You are cordially invited to the

2nd Annual Bourbon County REDI Gala

featuring Right on Red, a variety band from Kansas City

Saturday, August 3rd, 2024

Liberty Theatre

113 S. Main St.

Fort Scott, Kansas 66701

6:30pm

Cash Bar, Dinner, & Live Auction

$50 single ticket

$375 reserved table of 8

Suggested cocktail attire, theme is an “End of Summer Soiree”, suggested colors: purple, blue, and other floral shades.

Attention All Swifties!

Enter for a chance to win a Taylor Swift Hand-Signed Acoustic Guitar!

Tickets are $20/each or $100/for 6.

(Winner does NOT have to be present to win)

All proceeds go to the Bourbon County REDI Scholarship Fund!

Click here to purchase tickets or call 620.215.3546

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Ongoing Revitalization of 110 S. Main Has Target of Fall Completion

Kathy and Tracy Dancer own the former Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main. Submitted photo.
The former Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main, is in a constant stage of revitalization.
Kathy and Tracy Dancer, who purchased the building at a public auction, plan an “ongoing effort to revitalize the building and increase the useable commercial space.  We also want to improve the energy efficiency of the building.”
Terry and Kathy Dancer. Stock photo.
The work will be a combination of restoration and renovation.
“The first project is new signage for the front of the building,” she said.  “We will be removing the blue plastic lettering designating the building as the Scottish Rite Temple and replacing it with a new sign for the cafe and retail store.  We are also installing a new ceiling and lighting in the south half of the building.”
The ceiling is being replaced in the south half of the building. . Submitted photo.
“Because the building is part of the historic district, we are working with the Fort Scott Design Review Board,” she said.  “Any changes to the exterior of a building in the historic district including painting, windows, and signage must go through the Design Review Board.  They have been very helpful during this process and a great source of feedback for our plans.”
Completed mural in the south side of the building by local artist Rudy.Castillo. Submitted photo.
New windows, heating, and air conditioning are coming.
“Next, we will be installing glass windows in archways to restore the storefront appearance,” she said.  “The new windows mean you will be able to see into the cafe and retail store if you are walking or driving down Main Street.”
” We are also adding several new HVAC…  Once HVAC is installed, we will be moving and expanding our retail store into the south portion of the building.  Moving the retail store to the south side of the building will more than double the amount of space we have for the Mercantile and Market store.  The additional space will allow us to add new vendors and craftspeople to the retail store.”
“New HVAC will also be installed for the Speak Easy space we created on the second floor,” she said.  “This will allow us to operate the Speak Easy year round.”
Speakeasy was a term used during Prohibition for drinking establishments and illegal bars,  Dancer said in a prior interview. “They were usually hidden away in a building and sometimes you needed a password to be allowed to enter. Fort Scott had several speakeasies including The Green Lantern, operated by J.D. McClintock.”
On the horizon
“The Speak Easy will reopen in the Fall after we have installed new HVAC.  We plan on being open  two evenings a week for cocktails and light food.  We had an excellent response to our soft opening in the Spring so we are really excited to reopen on a regular basis.  While we wait for reopen, we have been working on the cocktail menu and working with suppliers to provide additional Kansas made wines, beers, and spirits.”
“We will also be hosting another Murder Mystery Dinner in October.  The dinner we hosted this past spring sold out quickly and was very well received.  Tickets for the October show will be available in mid-August.”
 
They are in the process of applying for grants focused on energy efficiency to defray the cost of adding HVAC and energy efficient windows and lighting.
“We might need to adjust the scope of some of the work based on the grant amounts, but we still plan on completing these projects,” she said.
” The new ceiling and lighting for the south half of the building has already started,” she said. “New sign letters for the front of the building have been ordered and should be ready for installation in August.  The HVAC and storefront will take a bit longer since we will be ordering equipment and materials for these projects.”
“We hope to have the work completed by late Fall this year,” Dancer said.
“Our other BIG project is the distillery.  We are in the final stages of the Federal licensing process to open the distillery and then we will file for state licensing.  We do not have a projected opening date yet but we hope to be in production by the end of this year.”
Artist rendition of the new sign at 110 S. Main. Submitted photo.

Care to Share Golf Tournament: Golf, Auction, Raffle, Live Music on July 27

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Care to Share “The Sharing Bucket”…

Join Care to Share for a fun filled day while supporting your favorite golfer and Care to Share THIS Saturday, July 27th starting at 7am!

*A Community Smashburger lunch & Brickstreet BBQ Dinner, both requesting a freewill donation!

*Silent and Live Auction Items

*50/50 Raffle

*Live music featuring Vic Vaughan & Souled Out, 6-9pm.

If you like to golf, eat, drink, dance or just want to support Care to Share–this event is FOR YOU!

First round of the tournament starts at 7am, with the second round starting at 1pm!

If you can’t make it and want to donate–click here!

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

First Production of Community Theatre Group: An Immersive Murder Mystery

A group of like-minded Fort Scottians have banded together to do theatre in Bourbon County.
It all started with a social media suggestion.
“Bourbon Co Community Theatre came about based on a suggestion on Facebook for a community theatre in Fort Scott,'” said Angie Bin, who is the public relations person for the group. “Melissa Guns took that suggestion and ran with it, creating a list of interested individuals who met for the first time last summer.”
The group set about organizing.
They created a list of bylaws and a board and established its non-profit status. The current officers are President: Matthew Wells, Secretary: Sandy Abati, Treasurer: Danette Popp, Public Relations: Angie Bin, Production Coordinator: Katie Wells, and At-Large Board Members: Barbara Woodward, Eric Popp, and Regen Wells.

The first production is called  Holy Mother of Bingo! by Patrick Walsh and will be at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 3 in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. 2108 S. Horton.

Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

“The immersive murder mystery allows audience members to play five full rounds of Bingo with prizes donated by local businesses,” according to a press release from Bin.

“Pioneer Drama describes the show this way, “’An innocent bingo fundraiser at the Our Mother of Mercy church goes awry when parishioners mysteriously drop dead!” according to the press release.  “‘The evidence suggests well-calculated murders, but who is to blame?  Tensions rise as everyone begins identifying suspects.  Past feuds rear their heads as the members of the parish try to state their innocence one by one.  Who could be behind the elaborate spree?  The disgruntled choir director?  The magician turned youth minister?  The ex-convict that has recently turned to the power of prayer?  It couldn’t be one of the Cookie Cadets selling their beloved cookies!  Everyone’s a suspect…  even the audience in the zany comedy that takes interactive theatre to a whole new level!'”

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children and Senior Citizens. A purchase of an entire table of 7 or 8 gives audience members a discount of $2 on each adult ticket. Tickets are at bcct.ludus.com, at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, or at the door, but seating is limited and advance purchase is suggested.

More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page. BBCO Community Theatre, LLC is a non-profit community organization formed last year whose mission is to bring education, community, and culture to southeast Kansas through theatre.

The production is directed by Angie Bin along with Assistant Director Mark Bergmann. Bin is the drama teacher at Fort Scott High School.

“We wanted our first actual production to be a fun family-friendly show that would generate a lot of interest in the community, but also be a show that our very limited budget could afford,” Bin said.
They formed a committee to select their first production.
“We had a script-reading committee that read many murder mystery-themed plays and decided on Holy Mother of Bingo! as the best choice. It is a brand new play that just recently won the 2024 Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest. We have cast members ranging from elementary school to senior citizens.”
Bin praises the cast.
“Even though we have several adults who are in their very first production ever, this has been a stellar cast to work with,” she said. “Everyone has been so energetic and willing to help out the production of the show in so many ways.”
A live Bingo game will weave through the play.
“Cast members have been very proactive about meeting with local businesses to request donations for prizes for the live Bingo games that take place during the show and we have so many tremendous prizes from a very large number of local businesses,” Bin said.

Notable roles include the character of Father Ron Culpepper played by Ben Self, Sister Helen played by Katie Wells, Marabelle Manson portrayed by Regen Wells, and Detective Quinn played by Bradley Whitehead, she said.

One of the prizes for bingo during the murder mystery: cookies by Bree Spurgeon, owner of B-Licious Cookies LLC. from the theatre groups Facebook page.
The gift basket with a pink gnome is from Flowers by Leanna, another Bingo prize. Submitted photo.
A gift basket from After Effect Salo as a Bingo prize. Submitted photo.

 

Museum of Creativity Will Close For One Month

The Museum of Creativity is about to get even better! We are closing from August 4th to September 5th so that we can update and add attractions.

If you haven’t been in lately, I highly recommend visiting this month to see the new Morphing Mini Golf attraction. We built 3 holes and have many obstacles that you can change to create a new challenge each time you putt.

Our prices have remained low @ $1-$2/ visit for the past 3 years as we’ve been making changes here and there and adding things slowly. After this closure we will be opening up for a $5 entrance fee.
We will be initiating memberships and if you visit once a week they definitely reflect our old price more than the new one. Stay tuned for more information!
Along with this revamp of the museum we are also having a fundraiser. An opportunity for you to become a permanent part of the museum. We are building a picket fence at the museum and you can get your name, a grandchild’s, a business or even a pet’s name put onto a picket. We are asking for a $50 donation for up to 20 characters (including spaces). Our goal is to get at least 100 of these sold by the end of July. You can purchase them here:
You can use this link:
museumofcreativity.ludus.com
to subscribe to our email list and donate to a specific project, improvement or just in general. We are dedicated to using your money wisely to improve the museum for all to enjoy. Now is the time that you can make a huge difference!
We appreciate any and all help this next month as we prepare for this huge update. If you would like to donate time or labor, we would love to include you in our plans. Just reply to this email or shoot us a text. We have never paid employees to manage or improve the museum. Everything we do is through volunteer service. Any and all help is very much appreciated. Here is a list of some of the different projects we are hoping to tackle as part of this revamp:
We hope you will come visit us this month and that you will join us for our grand opening event in September to see all the new changes! (flyers attached below)
As always, please help us spread the word!
Thank you for your support!
Lorina Bowman


Museum of Creativity
209-204-9743

102 S. National Ave

Fort Scott, KS  66701