Category Archives: Entertainment

Dance, Song and Storytelling: The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers At The Fort

Carl Brenner, Fort Scott National Historic Site, introduces the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers to the audience on the fort’s grounds on June 1. To the right is the singer/drummer for the troupe.

As part of the Good Ol’ Days event, Native American dancers entertained the audience on the grounds of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, a professional Native American dance troupe from Norman, displayed song, dance, and storytelling on June 1 at the site.
A young audience member converses during the dance troupe performance.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers are a group of powwow champions that formed a professional Native American dance troupe. All the dancers are enrolled tribal members, most full-blood, representing various tribes. The dance regalia worn by each dancer is brilliantly colorful, traditional, and representative of the dancer’s tribe and dance performed, according to:  https://www.arts.ok.gov/Oklahoma_Performing_Artists/Oklahoma_Fancy_Dancers.html?

The audience is asked to join the dance troupe in a social dance.

The dance show was educational, informational, and entertaining, showcasing various traditional American Indian tribal dances and storytelling.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers in their dance regalia.

 

The day also included an artillery demonstration/discussion, some ranger-guided site tours, the Windy Hollow Folk Music group, and the dancers.

Fort Scott National Historic Site, of the National Park Service, has exhibit areas and a visitor center currently open Friday through Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To learn more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please get in touch with the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc. 

Good Ol Days Schedule for This Weekend

GOOD OL’ DAYS THIS WEEKEND!

Get out and enjoy the

43rd Annual Good Ol’ Days Festival

THIS WEEKEND, Friday & Saturday, May 31st & June 1st in Downtown Fort Scott!

Click here for a printable schedule,

or see schedule below.

Visit the Good Ol’ Days website for information.

Follow the Good Ol’ Days Facebook or the Chamber Facebook for updates!

The PARADE IS ON for Friday night, 6pm as planned!

If you are in the parade, the numbers that were marked on the street for the line-up have washed off from the rain, but check in at the Fisher Park concession stand at 7th & Main St. if you need assistance lining up.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND IN HISTORIC FORT SCOTT!

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

Southeast Kansas Library System May Newsletter

The SEKnFind Newsletter
May 2024

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

How to end a love story : a novel
by Yulin Kuang

A best-selling author with writer’s block heads to L.A. for the film adaptation of her book where she must collaborate with a screenwriter who was involved in the tragic accident that bound them together 13 years prior. Original.

The hunter’s daughter
by Nicola Solvinic

A decorated sheriff’s lieutenant serving a rural county, Anna Koray, who is secretly the daughter of a notorious serial killer, finds her suppressed memories returning when a new serial killer emerges, copying her father, and must use her father’s tricks to stop him before everything she’s built for herself is destroyed.

The last murder at the end of the world : a novel
by Stuart Turton

On an isolated island where 122 villagers and three scientists live in peaceful harmony, one of the scientists is found brutally murdered, which triggers a security system, giving the islanders only 107 hours to solve the murder or be smothered by the fog that destroyed the planet.

April May June July
by Alison B. Hart

Four estranged siblings meet up at a family wedding and are shocked to discover the presence of their father, who went missing while serving overseas, leaving the family members to each confront their complicated pasts. 40,000 first printing.

The husbands : a novel
by Holly Gramazio

“A novel about a woman who one day comes home to find her attic is magic and producing an endless supply of interchangeable husbands”

Love, lies, and cherry pie : a novel
by Jackie Lau

Forced to work together for her sister’s wedding, writer Emily Hung and sweater-vest-wearing engineer Mark Chan fake a relationship to put an end to her marriage-minded mom’s meddling, but soon their fake dates become all too real, making her realize an argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all. Original.

The gathering : a novel
by C. J. Tudor

When a boy is found with all the blood drained from his body, Detective Barbara Atkins must determine if a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs, is responsible, or if she’s dealing with a twisted psychopath as she uncovers secrets darker than she ever could’ve imagined.

The Honey Witch
by Sydney J. Shields

On the tiny isle of Innisfree, 21-year-old Honey Witch Marigold Claude, who is cursed never to find true love, is determined to prove to Lottie, a notorious skeptic, that magic is real but soon begins to care for her in unexpected ways, placing her home, her magic and her heart in danger.

Floating hotel
by Grace Curtis

Tells a story of misfits, rebels, found family—and a mystery that spans the stars.

Rednecks
by Taylor Brown

Dramatizing the 1920 to 1921 events of the West Virginia Mine Wars, this powerful story of rebellion against oppression follows a Black WWI veteran and coal miner as he leads a miners’ revolt and a Lebanese American doctor who risks his life and career to treat the sick and wounded miners.

The year of the locust : a thriller
by Terry Hayes

A Denied Access Area spy for the CIA, Kane journeys to the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, where violence is the only way to survive, to exfiltrate a man with vital information, but instead meets an adversary who will take the world to the brink of extinction.

Beans, bourbon, and blood
by William W Johnstone

In a new series, Western legend Luke Jensen teams up with chuckwagon cook Dewey “Mac” McKenzie to dish out a plate of hot-blooded justice.

New Audiobooks

You Like It Darker
by Stephen King

Delving into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal, the legendary storyteller and expert in short fiction presents this exhilarating collection of 12 tales, many never-before-published, about fate, mortality, luck and the folds in reality where anything can happen.

Table for two : fictions
by Amor Towles

“The millions of readers of Amor Towles are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of comprise which operate at the heart of modern marriages. In Towles’s novel, Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September, 1938, with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself-and others-in the midst of Hollywood’s golden age. Throughout the stories, two characters often find themselves sitting across a table for two where the direction of their futures may hinge upon what they say to each other next. Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting historical fiction”

The demon of unrest : a saga of hubris, heartbreak, and heroism at the dawn of the Civil War
by Erik Larson

“On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the fluky victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds; Southern extremists were moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but somehow the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter. Master storyteller Erik Larson offers a gripping account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter-a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals.”

New Nonfiction

Co-intelligence : living and working with AI
by Ethan Mollick

“From Wharton professor and author of the popular One Useful Thing Substack newsletter Ethan Mollick comes the definitive playbook for working, learning, and living in the new age of AI The release of generative AI-from LLMs like ChatGPT to image generators like DALL-E-marks a new era. We have invented technologies that boost our physical capabilities and others that automate complex tasks, but never, until now, have we created a technology that can boost our intelligence-with an impact on work and life that researchers project will be greater than that of steam power or the internet. Mollick urges us not to turn away from AI, and instead to invite AI tools to the table.”

The cure for burnout : how to find balance and reclaim your life
by Emily Ballesteros

Combining scientific and cultural research, a burnout management coach and TikTok influencer shares the tried-and-true strategies she successfully implemented with clients around the globe to demystify burnout for our post-pandemic world—and set us on a path toward a life of personal and professional balance. Illustrations.

Beyond getting by : the financial diet’s guide to abundant and intentional living
by Holly Trantham

The team behind The Financial Diet website presents a guide for women who want to transition to a life where money is a tool for achieving what they want and not just a reflection of their worth. Illustrations.

Amphibious soul : finding the wild in a tame world
by Craig Foster

One of the world’s leading natural history filmmakers shows how we can reinvigorate our lives by developing a deep connection to the Earth, nurture our individual wildness and deepen our love for all living things. 200,000 first printing.

ADHD Is awesome : a guide to (mostly) thriving with ADHD
by Penn Holderness

The couple behind the massively popular Holderness family videos share their story of living with ADHD by rejecting traditional views and embracing creative and life-affirming solutions that focus on how ADHD can often be beneficial.

Hello tiny world : an enchanting journey into the world of creating terrariums
by Ben Newell

“Hello Tiny World will inspire a wide readership to discover the tiny wonder of a different kind of container gardening in their own homes–no outdoor space needed. How can terrariums teach us about the environment? Can working with plants improve our mental health and well-being? How do we learn to express ourselves and our creativity through these wondrous mini ecosystems? Hello Tiny World is Ben Newell’s exploration of these questions as he weaves in his own personal experiences, alongside practical projects with photographed step-by-steps allowing readers to delve into the detail of how to make various terrariums–from beginner terrariums and terrariums on a budget, to more creative and ambitious projects. Those curious to learn about ecology and living sustainably as well as those interested in how plants can help our well-being, mindfulness, and creativity will all be served by this book, alongside horticulturalists who have yet to discover terrariums”

Open wide : a cookbook for friends
by Benny Blanco

The pop music super-producer, artist and actor who’s obsessed with food and cooking for friends teaches you everything you need to know, from kitchen basics to throwing the greatest dinner party of all time, through a crazy collection of recipes that will make cooking your new addiction. Illustrations.

Kansas Families Tourism Program Opens May 25

2024 Sunflower Summer Program to Run

May 25-Aug.11

TOPEKA – Kansas Tourism has announced the 2024 Sunflower Summer program will be open for Kansas families on Saturday, May 25. Designed for Kansas students and their families, the Sunflower Summer program provides complimentary access to over 220 tourism attractions across the state. The 2024 Sunflower Summer season will run through August 11.

To participate, Kansas families with school-age children can download the Sunflower Summer app at the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or at SunflowerSummer.org to claim tickets to attraction venues. These digital tickets are redeemed upon arrival at the participating venue. Each user can only use tickets once per venue during the 2024 season.

“We’re excited to make this year’s growing Sunflower Summer program available to Kansas families,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “Our aim is to encourage Kansans’ to embark on unforgettable journeys and create lasting memories in their home state.”

Exclusive to Kansas families, the Sunflower Summer program is open to all Kansas families with school-aged students, pre-K through 12th grade, including public, private, and homeschooled.

Out-of-state students and families are not eligible to participate in Sunflower Summer.

Participating attractions include museums, discovery centers, historic sites, arboretums, water parks, amusement parks, zoos, guided trolley tours, live theater events and professional sports events. A comprehensive list of attractions participating in the 2024 Sunflower Summer program can be found on SunflowerSummer.org and on the mobile app.

To share your Sunflower Summer experiences on social media, use the hashtags #ToTheStarsKS and #SunflowerSummer as you post your travels. For more travel inspiration and tips about exploring Kansas, go to TravelKS.com.

About Kansas Tourism:

The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

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Fort Scott Soap Box Derby Reunion Race Is June 1

 

Clete Hall, Pete Allen, and Larry Ballou practice their created vehicles on Crawford Street for the race on June 1. Submitted photo.

Pete Allen, Larry Ballou, Clete Hall and Jerry Witt were all Boy Scouts in a Fort Scott Soapbox Derby in 1951.

1951 Fort Scott Tribune photo, which was submitted.

Now in their retirement years, the four will compete in a similar race called the Marmaton Challenge on June 1 at 9 a.m. at the hill on National Avenue at Oak Street.

The Marmaton Challenge is an event organized by Scoutmaster Seth Needham, of Pack 114. Funds raised will help scouts attend a summer camp.

“These are four survivors of the original soapbox racers from 1951, going at it again for a good cause,” Pete Allen said. “We all encourage the people to come down and support the scouts.”

About the Marmaton Classic Downhill Derby

Derby racing returns to Fort Scott Kansas, according to https://allevents.in/fort%20scott/marmaton-classic-downhill-derby

BSA Pack 114 is hosting a downhill Derby on June 1st.

All area cub scout packs and BSA troops are invited to attend. Additionally, there will be an Open Class so your company or organization can join the fun.

Get your team together for a fun day of racing, or just come to watch and cheer on your favorite team.

There will be three divisions: Cub Scouts, Troop, and Open Class

Registration and Check-in will be at 8 a.m., and racing will start at 9 a.m.

There will be many activities to attend throughout the day since the race is being held on the same day as Fort Scott’s yearly festival, The Good Ol’ Days. So get a team together, show your car off in the parade on Friday night, and come to Fort Scott for some downhill racing.

For additional information or to register, please email Seth Needham @ [email protected]

 

Gospel Singing Group The Williamsons At the First Southern Baptist Church May 16

 

Fort Scott First Southern Baptist Church

The Williamsons are coming to town! First Southern Baptist Church Fort Scott Kansas invites you to be a part an incredible night of music and inspiration featuring one of the top groups in Gospel Music-The Williamsons!

Mark your calendars for Thursday May 16th at 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) at 1818 South Main, Fort Scott, KS (across from Briggs Auto.

Free Will Offering!

Come join us for an incredible night of music and inspiration.

Calling All Creatives! Bourbon County Community Theatre Seeking New Members

 

Bourbon County Community Theatre was formed in late June of 2023 and has been working since to get up and running so the people of Bourbon County can soon have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy community theatre again.

This organization is not just for those wanting to act (although plenty of that is needed!). If you are interested in the technical side of theatre, the advertising, the construction, the script reading, the… you name it; if you have an artistic bone in your body, no matter how that looks, BCCT is looking for YOU.

Bourbon County Community Theatre is having their year-end meeting on Wednesday, May 22nd, 6:00pm, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center and they would like to invite anyone with any interest in any aspect of community theatre to come see what they are all about.

There will be discussion about upcoming performances, voting on board positions, and talk about and clearing up odds and ends for the upcoming months. Any current members or those who become members that night will be allowed to vote on board positions for the upcoming season.

Attendance at this meeting will not commit you to anything! Come see the benefits of becoming a BCCT member!

Fort Scott Kicks Off Summer Activities This Saturday

The Gathering Place was completed in 2023.

The City of Fort Scott is sponsoring a free community event this Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 10 p.m. called Hello Summer Luau 2024.

The splash pad will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Fort Scott Farmers Market is under the pavilion from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Fort Scott Sensory Park and Splash Pad is on North National Avenue;.

Starting at 1 p.m. there will be vendors for hot dogs, kettle corn, pork rinds and lemonade. Face painting and hair tinsel will be available.

Free goodie bags will be given to the first 100 kids attending.

In the evening, live music will feature Vinyl Revival and Surfin USA two Kansas City bands.

“The purpose of this event is to have the community come together and be able to kick off summer 2024,” Payton Coyan, the City of Fort Scott Director of Human Resources, said.

Payton Coyan. Submitted photo

“We are excited to host the Hello Summer Luau to strengthen our community bonds. These events help develop a sense of belonging, community, and friendship! This event will be an alcohol and drug-free event. The whole event will be free for all individuals! We hope to see everyone in Downtown Fort Scott to kick off SUMMER 2024!”

The event will be at the Gathering Square in Downtown Fort Scott, on North National Avenue, south the Marmaton River Bridge

The Fort Scott Splash Pad opened in 2023.

The City of Fort Scott is so excited to invite everyone to kick off summer with a splash bash at the splashpad on May 18th, 2024,” she said. “The Farmers Market will kick it off that morning and then there will be over 15 vendors that have face painting, hair tinsel, ice cream, lemonade, snacks and we will also have special guest Sparky the Fire Dog. The City of Fort Scott will have gift bags for the first 100 kiddos and then Surfin’ USA and Vinyl Revival will be highlighting the evening from 6:30PM to 10:00PM. All Hit 103.9 will be there with live coverage, and is our platinum advertisement sponsor for this city-wide event. Come join the fun on May 18th, at the Splashpad in Downtown Fort Scott.”

“If we have inclement weather it will be moved to Memorial Hall,: Coyan said. “However, according to the weather forecast, we look like we are going to have great weather!”

Coyan and Mary Wyatt, the city’s Planning, Housing, and Community Development Director, are facilitating the event.

This is being paid for by the city’s  Fund 206 – Special Alcohol and Drugs (Prevention). This fund can only be utilized when Alcohol and Drugs are not allowed to be sold in the event space.

Mary Wyatt. Submitted photo.

 

Par Tee Girls At Woodland Hills May 15

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
Diane Striler – Par Tee Girls…

Come join us for good food, drinks, and community fellowship! Brickstreet BBQ will be serving food while the club house will be serving the drinks!

Wednesday, May 15th

5:30-9:00pm

Pulled Pork or Chicken Sandwiches: $7

Pulled Pork or Chicken Nachos: $11

Sides (Baked Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad): $3

Carry out available

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

Sign Up To Be In The Good Ol’ Days Parade by May 29

Good Ol’ Days Parade!

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is NOW taking entries for he GOOD OL’ DAYS PARADE that will take place in Fort Scott on Friday, May 31st at 6pm.

We encourage you to get your business, organization, friends, or family together and enter a float, walking unit, golf cart, car/truck, tractor, horse entry, or other! It is FREE to enter the parade and cash prizes will be awarded in each category.

Click here to print the parade entry form, or you can click “Register” on this link to enter online!

The deadline is May 29th.

For more information about the Good Ol’ Days festival, click here!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

FSHS Thespians Perform Comedy Improv Show This Sunday

The Fort Scott High School Thespians perform their annual Spring Improv Comedy Show at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 12 at the FSHS Auditorium.

The show features improvised comedic scenes acted out on the spot using suggestions from the audience. Admission for the show is a free will donation at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Improv Troupe, named Scripted, is directed by FSHS teacher Mark Bergmann and sponsored by Thespian Director Angie Bin. Junior Cooper George serves as this year’s Improv Troupe Captain.

 

Upgrades on Fort Scott’s East Side Are In the Works

 

Third Street Park is east of Hwy. 69. This is the lower level with the ballpark. The upper level has playground equipment, a pavilion and bathrooms.

 

Upgrades to Third Street Park, Nelson Park and the Ellis Park Soccer Field are in the works by the City of Fort Scott.
“The City of Fort Scott is working on upgrades to the 3rd Street Park bathrooms, ” Mary Wyatt, Fort Scott’s Planning, Housing, and Community Development Director, said. “I’ve ordered new bathroom doors, Ron Hurd Construction is going to be framing in the new doors, Stoughton’s Plumbing will be drilling sink holes into the concrete in both bathrooms and installing sinks, we (the City of Fort Scott)are installing motion lights, security cameras, and automatic locks for the bathroom doors. Evergy (the electric utility)  has made a donation of a 35-foot pole to the project and CrawKan (Telephone Cooperative)  has also been involved in the technology aspect of this project.”
Mary Wyatt. Submitted photo.
Third Street Park is located at 600 E 3rd St., a few blocks east of Hwy. 69.
Volunteers John Crain and Josh Jones painted the bathroom at Third Street Park during the beginning of the upgrades last year.  Submitted photo.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team received a grant to install new playground equipment and new concrete stairs that have added better access in the multi-level park in 2023.

Rachel Carpenter. Submitted photo.

“Through funding from Patterson Family Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, HBCAT started the Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods placemaking projects,” according to Rachel Carpenter, HBCAT Director in a prior interview.

This playground equipment was installed last year at Third Street Park.

A Building Up Our Neighborhoods Placemaking project through HBCAT repaired the bathrooms and existing structures, including the basketball goal.

To view the prior story:

“HBCAT initially started the 3rd Street Park project in 2023 and had new playground equipment and fall protection installed, the City of Fort Scott promised assistance on the project in the form of upgrading the bathrooms,” Wyatt said.  “The City of Fort Scott has paid for the bathroom doors and security equipment and will be paying Stoughton’s Plumbing for their services and Jeff Allen for electrical work and CrawKan for the technology work, Ron Hurd Construction has volunteered to donate their time to frame in the new bathroom doors, and Evergy donated a bare 35-foot pole.”
John Crain and Josh Jones paint the bathroom at Third Street Park, in this 2023 photo. Submitted photo.
“The HBCAT 3rd Street Park project was paid for by a grant that HBCAT applied for and were awarded, but the bathrooms portion of the project is paid for by the City of Fort Scott,” Wyatt noted.
The bathroom completion timeline is the end of May.
“There are a lot of moving parts and coordinating of individuals and businesses to make it all come together, but it is my goal to have the bathrooms completed and opened to the public by Memorial Day weekend,” she said.
Wyatt has been working on other projects for youth.
Nelson Park is at Grant and Elm Street in Fort Scott.
“I am also currently working on a project to make upgrades to Nelson Park, I’ve recently attended several Community Development and Grant Writing workshops and have found many resources that could lead to grant funding opportunities to fund the Nelson Park project,” she said. Nelson Park can be accessed from East Wall Street, turning north on Grant Street
“A few months ago, I completed a project that brought flashing school zone speed limit signs to both Margrave Street on the east side of Fort Scott as well as on National Avenue on the west side of Fort Scott and also just received additional flashing school zone signs that will be placed on Horton Street. The cost of the flashing school zone signs were split between the USD234 school district and the City of Fort Scott.”
Ellis Park is located at !12th and Williams Street in Fort Scott. This is a view of the soccer field on Williams Street.
“I am also currently looking into a project that could hopefully help resurface the Ellis Park soccer field this summer,” she said. Ellis Park is near the Fort Scott Middle School, on Twelveth Street.