Category Archives: Entertainment

Opportunity to Be In Live Outdoor Theatre AND Tell Some Local Fort Scott History

For anyone who loves learning history and acting, an opportunity is being offered.
 You can be a part of the local theatre’s group production of historical vignettes in beautiful Riverside Park in October.
This Wednesday, October 2, there will be auditions from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Fort Scott High School auditorium for the upcoming
Bourbon County Community Theatre  “Voices From The Grave”.
Voices From the Grave is a guided tour around Riverside Park on Fort Scott’s North National Avenue, across the orange bridge.
The tour consists of acted scenes and monologues based on real historical events from the Fort Scott area.
“The Bourbon County Community Theatre came up with the idea after seeing tours like it in Nevada and Eureka Springs,” said Regen Wells, who will be directing the vignettes. “Anyone over the age of 14 who is interested is more than welcome!”
Regen Wells. Submitted photo.
“I am the director for Voices From the Grave,” Regen said. “I directed four children’s plays at Fort Scott High School.”
“The BCCT was created a little over a year ago with the intent of bringing community theatre back to Fort Scott,” Wells said. “Not too long ago we had a community theatre program. Many communities near us have very successful programs with many members! The joy of performing should not be something that only those enrolled in Fort Scott High School or Fort Scott Community College can access! Prior to the creation of BCCT the only opportunities open to actors in our area would be to travel to places like Pittsburg or Nevada to join their community theatre groups.”

“Any endeavor from the BBCT is about furthering the reach of theatre in our community! We hope to provide the community of not just Fort Scott but also the greater Bourbon County area with opportunities to be active and involved participants in the arts! Activities like this also contribute to commerce and engagement. However, largely it is about fostering an outlet for creativity in our community. This particular project also provides a look into some interesting local history.”


The mission of BCCT is to bring education, community, and culture to Southeast Kansas through theater.
In addition to Regen Wells, the board consists of Angela Bin, Matthew Wells, Katie Wells, Mark Bergmann, Barbra Woodward, Sandra Abati,  and Danette Popp. Regen is the daughter of Matthew and Katie Wells.
More information will be provided on the group’s Facebook page.
About the Production
“Voices From The Grave” will be presented to the public at Riverfront Park on October 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
There will be 45-minute guided tours with ghostly stories from Fort Scott’s past.
Cost is Adults, $10, Youth, $7. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets can be purchased at bcct.ludus.com or the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
See the poster above for more payment options.

The 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration Schedule of Events

 

 

Fort Scott, Kan. September. 27, 2024 – Kokayi Ampah, Art Evans and Fred Watkins will be the recipients of the “Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” at the annual celebration on October 3rd -5th, 2024 in Fort Scott, Kansas. The celebration is in honor Fort Scott native Gordon Parks, noted photographer, writer, musician, and filmmaker.

 

The Choice of Weapons Award was established in Parks’ honor to be given annually at the celebration.

This year’s celebration will feature several events to include presentations, special events, tours, music performance, barbeque and a celebration tribute dinner. The schedule of events is available at the Gordon Parks Museum or online at https://www.gordonparkscenter.org/2024-celebration-schedule and the facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fsccGPmuseum/.

 

This event is for everyone and open to the public. Please reserve tickets early by Wed, Oct 2, 2024 for all the reserved events. The 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration this year will have a wide range of great events and activities for all to enjoy. The Celebration kicks off on Thursday, Oct 3 with a chamber coffee at the Gordon Parks Museum and ends with a Tribute Celebration Dinner at The River Room in Fort Scott, Kansas on Saturday, Oct 5, 2024.

 

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the museum by phone at (620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or by email at [email protected]..

 

 

I Needed Paris will make its premier screening on Friday, October 4, Ellis Family Fine Arts Center.

Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, Host Screening of  Tall Grass Film Festival- Selected Documentary, I Needed Paris

 

Fort Scott, Kan. September. 27, 2024 – The documentary I Needed Paris will make its premier screening on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11:00am to 12:00pm at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. This film is an official selection for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kansas. The screening is free admission and open to the community to the attend. This screening is part of the 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration.

 

We are very fortunate to have this film make its debut here in Fort Scott.

 

“We are very fortunate and excited to host this film and having the film’s premiere debut here in Fort Scott.,” said Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director, Kirk Sharp. “This is a great opportunity for our everyone community to have a chance to see this film that has been officially selected for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival for free. We encourage everyone in the community to attend.”

 

This film follows the journey of a small group of photography students from the Gordon Parks Academy in Wichita, KS, through Paris, France, in late May 2024, traversing the same streets and neighborhoods as Gordon Parks when he worked in the Paris bureau of Life magazine in the early 1950s. These students along with other photographers will take a deep dive into Gordon’s world of fashions, portraits, street photography, music and poetry. They will also incorporate some fashion images using the same type of camera Gordon used – twin lens reflex film cameras. The screening is free and open to the community to attend.

 

Produced and directed by Michael Cheers. Associate Professor, Photojournalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University. Cinematographer/Editor, B. Kameron Lawson.

 

For more information about the film or the Gordon Parks Celebration visit us at

https://www.gordonparkscenter.org/2024-celebration-schedule or the museum by email at [email protected] or by phone at 223-2700, ext. 5850.

 

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FortFest Blues Festival Starts Tonight, September 27

FortFest 24

Blues Festival

This weekend, Rain or Shine!

Friday, September 27th-29th

Riverfront Park in Fort Scott

NEW this year!

Expanded Kids Fair & Gospel Celebration on Sunday

Click HERE for the FortFest Facebook page!

Like & follow the page for weather updates!

See event flyer below!

Encore performance at Holmtown Pub after the final band plays at FortFest!

Holmtown Pub

Tim Hoggard & Bow-Legged Roosters

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!

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

Bourbon County Community Theatre Seeks Actors for Voices from the Grave

 

Bourbon County Community Theatre is still holding auditions for Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.

An open audition will take place October 2nd from 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the Fort Scott high School Auditorium.Those who audition must be age 14 or over and rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.

Voices from the Grave is from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Riverfront Park in Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short acting vignettes centering around stories of murder and mayhem in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by the students in the Advanced Drama class at Fort Scott High School and are based off of stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 15 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.

More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.

Ice Skating Is On The Horizon For Christmas On The Bricks: 1st Fundraiser Is Oct. 9

 

Diane Striler and her husband Dean at last year’s Christmas on the Bricks. Submitted photo.

There will be an added event coming to the 2nd Annual Christmas on the Bricks event,  ice skating!

The rink will be a daw to Fort Scott and help with local commerce, according to Diane Striler, who is spearheading the rink project.

The rink will be in the new Gathering Place Pavilion on North National Avenue of the Fort Scott Downtown Historic District.

Striler has been talking to people since the first of 2024 about the project, an ice skating rink with no ice (it is a synthetic surface) that is not dependent on cold weather since the surface does not need to be frozen.

An anonymous couple is donating approximately $18,000 of the $37,000 total for the rink which includes the skating surface, railing, 60 skates of various sizes, and a sharpener for the skates.  Additional donors have totaled approximately $3,500, and she has applied for a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant.

In addition to those for the rink, other funds will need to be raised to purchase materials to build a storage facility.  Striler has talked to a group that is willing to build the facility. It will be used to house the skates and provide a place for skaters to check in, sign their waivers, make payments, and access the rink.

“The whole project will be funded by private donations and grants, there are no tax dollars involved,” she said.

To bring the rink to Fort Scott, Striler had to get approval from the City of Fort Scott Commission and have a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City and the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is overseeing operations.

The kick-off for the opening of the rink will be the weekend of Christmas on the Bricks, Dec 6-8th.  The plan is for the rink to be open that weekend and the following Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturdays, and part-day Sundays through January 5th.  The cost to skate is $5 per person.

“We have talked to an individual who may help run the rink and oversee individuals involved,” she said.  “We would like to allow different organizations to help staff the rink and receive part of the proceeds for their groups.”

In addition, Striler has been talking with Fort Scott Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker about creating some aids to use at the rink to make it more accessible for children with disabilities.

The rink can be reused for up to 15 years if cared for, she said.

 

First Fundraiser For the Project

To add to the needed ice skating rink funds, the first fundraiser is 6 p.m. on October 9 at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main, Fort Scott.

It is called a Puzzle, Pizza & Pub Challenge!

The first team of 4 people to complete a 300-piece puzzle, a large pizza, AND a bucket of beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) wins!

The cost is $100 per team ($25/person)

The event is Wednesday, October 9th, at  6 p.m.

at the Liberty Theatre in downtown Fort Scott.

Register a team by calling or stopping by the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or online here! Limited to 20 teams!

If you can’t attend and still want to donate to the rink: click here to make a payment to the Fort Scott Area Chamber Foundation, 501c3, via PayPal or Venmo @fschamberfoundation, please note the Rink in the notes! Checks may also be made payable to the FS Area Chamber Foundation and mailed or dropped off at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St with Rink in the memo.

Submitted graphic of a similar skating rink being purchased from Kwik-Rink, Maple Grove, Minnesota.

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Is October 3-6: A History of Rural American Culture

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta began from an interest in rural American cultural history and some early members’ interest in steam power which they had experienced in railroad employment and farm use, according to Davin Reichard, Vice President of the PHF board.

“The PHF is an organization interested in equipment, machinery, and other technology characteristic of rural American culture particularly during the first half of the twentieth century, and in sharing this with others,” Reichard said. “Typical exhibits include steam engines, tractors and stationary engines, quilts, threshing machines and other farm equipment, hand tools, and other items used in rural life in the early to mid-1900s.”

The PHF organization began in 1956 and their first show was in 1957.

Visitors will experience educational and historic exhibits, refreshments, and live musical entertainment all weekend, according to https://pioneerharvestfiesta.com/

All three days are alive with Steam Engines, Blacksmiths, Food and Flea Market Vendors, Drag Saw Demonstrations, Tractors & Gas Engines on Display, Baker Fan Demonstrations, Tractor Pull, and a Garden Tractor Pull.  Quilt Show, Straw Bailing, Wheat Thrashing, Corn Husking/Shelling, Sorghum Making Demonstration, Rock Crushing, Saw Mill Operation, Car Show, and many more exciting events! It’s one great weekend to kick off Fall in the 4-state’s region! It’s the 68th annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Historic Fort Scott, Kansas.

New at the event this year is a demonstration of sorghum cane processing and cooking.

Sorghum is an ancient grain and pro-planet protein source packed with nutrients. Sorghum is a versatile crop that can be grown as a grain, forage, or sweet crop and is one of the top five cereal crops in the world, according to https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/sorghum-101/

Photo from Sorghum Checkoff.

This will be the second year of the car show at PHF.

The Bourbon County Fairgrounds are located at 2102 S Huntington Blvd., Fort Scott, KS 66701

The annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Parade is  Thursday, October 3 at 6 p.m. in downtown Fort Scott on Main Street.

The main fairground event is Friday through Sunday, Oct. 4 -6, 2024.

Admission

This year’s full weekend admission is only $5 per person and includes a collector button and the Friday Bean Feed at 5 PM. For children under age 12, admission is FREE, but admission does not include a button. Prior year collector buttons are available for $1.

Officers

Current officers of the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Board are  President Craig Shikles; Vice President Davin Reichard; Secretary Betsy Readinger; and Treasurer Delphine Parks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FSHS Thespians Host 7th Annual Royal-Tea & Friends Party

The Fort Scott High School Thespians host their 7th Annual Royal-Tea & Friends Party from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 12 in the FSHS Commons and Courtyard.

Children can join their favorite princesses and princes, queens and kings and other members of the royal court. They are invited to take photos with favorite characters as they make crafts, have treats, and play games. Over thirty Fort Scott High School Thespians will be dressed in character and leading the event.  New this year: the inclusion of superheroes, villains, and other cartoon characters. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume as well.

 

Tickets for the Royal-Tea & Friends Party are $5 per child and all must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased online in advance at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door.

 

Featured characters are the stars of the FSHS Fall Musical – Frozen Jr. They include Junie Fisher as Elsa, Chris Newman as Anna, Theodore Bowman as Olaf, and Mykael Lewis as Kristoff. FSHS performs Frozen Jr. on Nov. 12 and 14 at 7 p.m. and on Nov. 16 at 2 and 7 p.m.

 

For more information, please see the Fort Scott High School Thespians Facebook page or contact Angie Bin at [email protected] or 620-719-9622.

Friday Night Free Concert: Four Musical Couples

This Friday night, September 20th, the concert at Heritage Park will present four different musical couples: Larry and Judy Snow from Mound City, Allen and Connie Edgerton from Kincaid, Kevin and Kathy Woods from Prescott, and Jack and Sandy Hemphill from Fort Scott.

The featured emcee will be Floyd Feezell and the featured drummer will be Kristen Weeks.
The concert will start at 7:00 at the pavilion and will include a range of country and gospel music. It will be a couple’s jam session! Each performer will select songs to sing for the crowd. It should be a fun time for all present.
The Friday night concert in the park series, headed by Ralph Carlson, has limited seating so please bring a lawn chair.  In case of bad weather, the concert will be moved to Common Ground Coffee Shop. Come out for a fun night of entertainment!

Friday Night Free Concert: Second Hand Strings

Free Friday Night Concerts are sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and coordinated by Ralph Carlson. The event is usually at First and Main Streets, Fort Scott. In case of inclement weather, the event is moved to indoor venues.

This Friday at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion Second Hand Strings will perform.

They are a local group that plays for us often,” said Ralph Carlson, facilitator of the free Friday Night Concerts, which is sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce. “They are one of my favorites. They perform country and popular songs. In addition, they perform some original music.”

The group includes Tammie Helm, Mike Buller, Rosemary Harris, Jean Strader and Paul Milks.

Bring a lawnchair.

 

Auditions for Voices From The Grave Are September 19, 20

Bourbon County Community Theatre Announces Auditions for Voices from the Grave

 

Bourbon County Community Theatre is holding auditions for Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.

 

Auditions are 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 19 or 20 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. Those who audition must be age 14 or over and only need to attend one evening of auditions. Rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.

 

Voices from the Grave takes place from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Riverfront Park in Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short acting vignettes centering around stories of murder and mayhem in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by the students in the Advanced Drama class at Fort Scott High School and are based off of stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.

 

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 15 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.

 

More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.

Auditions for Voices From the Grave Are Sept. 19

Bourbon County Community Theatre Announces Auditions for Voices from the Grave 

 

Bourbon County Community Theatre is holding auditions for Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.

 

Auditions are 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 19 or 20 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. Those who audition must be age 14 or over and only need to attend one evening of auditions. Rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.

 

Voices from the Grave takes place from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Riverfront Park in Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short acting vignettes centering around stories of murder and mayhem in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by the students in the Advanced Drama class at Fort Scott High School and are based off of stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.

 

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 15 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.

 

More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.