The 45th annual Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days Celebration runs Saturday, June 6, 2026 in Downtown Fort Scott. Bring the whole family out for the parade, craft and food vendors, camel rides, trolley rides, live music, street dances, kids activities, the Red Garter Show, melodrama performances, Farmers Market, Safety Fair, Car and Bike Show, and more.
Saturday highlights
Farmers Market — 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Kids Fair and bounce houses
Car and Bike Show
Magicians, caricatures, balloonist, live music, shows, and more
Live music at 4 p.m. — DJ Brown & Bourbon County Revival
The Railroad Is a Comin’ melodrama show at the Episcopalian Church, 123 S. National Ave.
Street Dance at 7 p.m. featuring Bound & Determined
The Chamber wants to take a moment to thank all of the donors, sponsors, volunteers, committee members, vendors, performers, local businesses, city crews, first responders, and community members who help make Good Ol’ Days possible. Events like this happen because of so many generous people giving their time, talents, resources, and hearts to the community.
A special thank you goes to the family of Janet Braun, who will be riding as Grand Marshal in the parade in her name. Janet was part of Good Ol’ Days from the beginning, and the Chamber is honored to celebrate her legacy and the many memories she helped create for Fort Scott.
A crowd of 172 attended the 2026 Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation annual spring fundraiser on Friday, May 1st. Doors at the SEK Impact Center opened at 5:30 pm. Décor was provided by Lisa Wolverton of Hitch and Hoedown Rentals. Approximately $15,000 was raised during the evening from stretch, silent, and live auctions. Following last year’s successful appearance, Robbie Bell once again provided entertainment throughout the evening.
Attendees were treated to a delicious meal of barbecue chicken, pulled pork, potato salad, baked beans, lettuce salad, and roll furnished by Mark Hall. Dessert was cobbler, provided by Brenda Harrison of Sassy Chef’s. Neosho County Community College students helped serve the meal. Door prizes were courtesy of the TVDS greenhouse in Fort Scott and Jennifer Deitsch State Farm.
As in year’s past, the live auction was the highlight of the evening. Dave Petersen served as auctioneer and did a fantastic job. For 2026, our featured trips were courtesy of Monarch Cement and included a trip for two to Nashville and a trip for two to San Antonio. Other items auctioned off include: a Breckenridge CO vacation package courtesy of Home Savings Bank; a Branson MO vacation package courtesy of Community National Bank; a full-size recliner courtesy of Ruddick’s Furniture in Fort Scott; and Dinner for 10 courtesy of Brenda Harrison. Thank you to the local merchants that provided gift baskets for both the silent and stretch auctions. Thank you to Larry Holman for serving as the evening’s photographer. The pictures are amazing.
Submitted photo.
All money raised from the evening will go towards the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation projects. Since 2001, the Foundation has built six homes and acquired nine additional homes and a duplex. The houses are located in our communities of Buffalo, Chanute, Fort Scott, Humboldt, Iola, Moline, and Neodesha. These houses are home to 92 of our neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by Tri-Valley Developmental Services.
“The evening was fantastic”, said Bill Fiscus, CEO. “The food, drawings and conversation were phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you had an enjoyable evening and look forward to seeing you all in 2027.”
A big thank you goes to the evening’s sponsors. Promenade Level: Monarch Cement Company
Colonnade Level: Acrisure; Cardinal Drug Store & Gifts; Community National Bank – Chanute; Hofer & Hofer & Associates; Larry Holman; IMA; Dave Peterson Auction Services; and Smith Law Office, LLC
Arcade Level: Bank of Commerce; CASA of the 31st Judicial District; Cheney Witt Chapel; LeRoy Coop; Mertz Tax Service; SEK COOP; and Shields Motor Company
On Friday, April 10th, Tri-Valley Developmental Services held their 2026 Award Ceremony celebrating achievements from individuals and community support in Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson Counties. The ceremony began at 1 pm and was held at Central Park Pavilion in Chanute. Awards were presented to the following:
Business of the Year – Arby’s of Chanute, McDonald’s of Fort Scott, Mertz Tax Service, Fort Scott
Achievement Award – Dylan Lawrence, Bryan Packard, Josh Wilson
Ed Bideau Advocacy Award – Daniel Smith
Jenny Masterson Family Award – Tiffany Tiegreen
Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation Visionary Award – Mike Hofer
Winfred Jent Board Award – Joel Norris
Lifetime Achievement Award – Mike Reid
Employee of the Year Award – Laurel Hall
CEO Award – Jim Jesseph
During the ceremony, Ginger Jakee, Kelsey Meza, and Wendy Henderson were recognized as graduates in the DSP+ Apprenticeship Program.
Photos taken from 2016 Veteran’s Day Program at Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Help Us Welcome Our Honor Flight Heroes Home!
This evening (June 4th), join others on the east side of Fort Scott High School as we welcome home our Honor Flight veterans and their high school guardians who have spent the last three days in Washington.
The expected time of arrival is 7:15 p.m. , possibly earlier.
Please consider arriving a little early, as they may be running ahead of schedule.
Let’s line the street, wave our flags, and show these heroes just how much their service and sacrifice mean to our community. There is nothing quite like seeing our veterans return home to a crowd of grateful Americans.
Bring your family. Let’s give them the welcome home they deserve!
from left: State Treasurer Baron Rodvold; Lieutenant Governor Beckett Romain; Governor Bo Barkley; Attorney General Raj Gugnani; and Secretary of State Jackson Roberts. Submitted photo.
June 2, 2025 — Bo Barkley, a resident of McPherson, Kan., and a senior-to-be at McPherson High School, has been elected governor of the 2026 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas. The announcement was made this evening during the Kansas Boys State evening retreat at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
Barkley, the Kansas Boys State Federalist Party governor candidate, and his lieutenant governor running mate, Beckett Romain, a resident of Wichita, Kan., and a junior-to-be at Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, won the election over the Nationalist Party governor candidate Burklee Jackson, a resident of Concordia, Kan., and a senior-to-be at Concordia High School and his lieutenant governor running mate, Alexander Caldwell, a resident of Overland Park, Kan., and a senior-to-be at St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
Election results for other state offices:
(Name, Party, Hometown, High School – all cities/high schools in Kansas unless noted; all are seniors-to-be)
Secretary of State — Jackson Roberts, Nationalist, Spring Hill, senior-to-be at Spring Hill High School, defeated Keaden Yim, Federalist, Lenexa, senior-to-be at Olathe Northwest High School.
Attorney General — Raj Gugnani, Federalist, Fort Scott, senior-to-be at Fort Scott High School, defeated Jace Daugherty, Nationalist, Andover, senior-to-be at Andover High School.
State Treasurer — Baron Rodvold, Federalist, Wichita, senior-to-be at Derby High School, defeated Alex Ray, Nationalist, Winfield, senior-to-be at Winfield High School.
Kansas Boys State Governor Barkley will give his inaugural address tomorrow (Wednesday, June 3) at 8 p.m. at K-State’s McCain Auditorium. The event will conclude with the Kansas Boys State band, chorus and talent show.
Wednesday evening’s festivities kickoff at 7:30 p.m. with a flag retirement ceremony at the World War II Memorial in front of McCain Auditorium. The event is an observance of the proper respect for the American flag and how unserviceable flags are properly disposed. The honor guard from the American Legion Pearce-Keller Post No.17 in Manhattan will present the ceremony. Dr. John Lindholm, a 1949 KSU graduate who provided the dog tags as a model for the “Tags of Honor” sculpture at the World War II Memorial, was a longtime Kansas Boys State staff member as a Legionnaire advisor before passing away in January 2020. Both events on Wednesday night are open to the public.
High school students from across the State of Kansas are participating in the 2026 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas, which started on Sunday (May 31) and ends Saturday, June 6, at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This is the program’s 34th consecutive session at KSU and 88th overall. The Kansas Boys State program includes students who have just completed their junior year of high school (will be seniors in the fall) and sophomore year of high school (will be juniors in the fall).
The objective of the ALBSK is to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to community, state and nation. Kansas Boys State provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility. Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.
— #KSBoysState —
The American Legion Boys State of Kansas is an interactive simulation that teaches high school seniors-to-be the value of democracy and civic duty. Participants form mock governments and campaign for positions at the city, county and state levels. After the elections, participants find out firsthand the difficult decisions made daily by those in government through a series of challenging simulations. Delegates, nominated to attend by their high school counselors and other influential people in their lives, are sponsored by American Legion posts and various civic organizations from across the state. All delegates demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities in student government, athletics and/or other activities.
The Boys State program was founded by Legionnaires Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card in Illinois in 1935, and was first held in Kansas two years later in Wichita. The Kansas program moved to the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1963 and remained there until 1991. The following year, it moved to its current location at Kansas State University in Manhattan. For more information about the American Legion Boys State of Kansas, visit ksbstate.org.
I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing to invite you to join me for a live teletown hall tonight, where I’ll be discussing the latest developments in Congress and answering your questions directly.
This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts, hear updates on the issues that matter most to our community, and engage in an open conversation about the direction of our country.
Teletown Hall Details: Date: Tonight (June 2) Time: 5:30 p.m. CDT How to Join: You can participate by answering the call if you receive it, or by dialing in at 855-920-0552.
I always value hearing from you, and your input helps guide my work in Washington. I hope you’ll be able to join me for this important conversation.
Fort Scott, Kan. June. 2, 2026 – The Gordon Parks Museum, in partnership with photojournalist and documentary filmmaker D. Michael Cheers, recipient of the 2025 Choice of Weapons Award, proudly presents the encore screening of Fort Scott Stories, the theatrical version. The feature-length documentary is inspired by Gordon Parks.
The screening will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as part of the 23rd Annual Gordon Parks Celebration that is taking place October 1 – 3, 2026. General admission doors will open at 12:30 p.m., followed by the film screening at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public; however, advance registration is required.
Fort Scott Stories offers a compelling and intimate portrait of present-day Fort Scott, capturing the heartbeat, character, and vibrancy of a community rich in history, resilience, and diverse cultural experiences. Through the voices of residents spanning generations, from youth to elders, business owners to church members, the documentary weaves together authentic narratives that reflect both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life in Fort Scott that reflects the city’s enduring spirt.
“Fort Scott Stories is about honoring the everyday lives that shape a community,” said D. Michael Cheers. “Gordon Parks taught us that there is power, dignity, and beauty in telling people’s stories with honesty and care. This film is my creative way of continuing that conversation, by listening deeply, bearing witness, and allowing Fort Scott to speak for itself.”
Inspired by Gordon Parks’ unpublished LIFE magazine assignment in Fort Scott in 1950, this film continues his legacy of truth-telling through art, empathy, and vision.
“We are very fortunate to have this film being shown once again here in Fort Scott with the shortened length theatrical version.” said Kirk Sharp, Executive Director of the Gordon Parks Museum. “We had a had packed house for the premiere of the film this past April, and we expect even a larger crowd for the encore screening. Fort Scott Stories will make you smile, cry, and feel inspired and empowered. It is an honest and deeply human reflection of a community, seen through compassion, memory, and hope. The film is both a continuation of history and a living conversation about where we came from, and who we are today.”
The documentary also features actor Kyle Johnson, who portrayed Gordon Parks in the 1968 film The Learning Tree and is a 2021 Choice of Weapons Award recipient.
Ticket registration is available through the Gordon Parks Museum website event page at https://www.gordonparkscenter.org/events or by calling 620-223-2700, ext. 5850.
Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.
Limited Edition DVDs will be on sale following the showing.
For more information about the Fort Scott Stories Feature Documentary Premiere in Fort Scott, Kansas, please contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700, ext. 5850, or email gordonparkscenter@fortscott.edu.
Submitted photo. Back row – John Doherty, Father Yancey Burgess, Faber White; middle row – Kendrick Simon, Jake Lewis, Cole Casper, David Regan, Beckham Fox; front row – Jhett Lyons, Avery Meeks, Jaxon Lyons
A spring tradition at St. Mary’s Catholic School is for the outgoing students to help beautify the area. These projects have included planting spring bulbs and annuals in front of the building, tending a pollinator garden behind the school, and filling pots with blooming flowers. Each group has learned about gardening while adding to the beauty of the school grounds. This year’s group is particularly noteworthy because these ten boys have been together as St. Mary’s students since they started kindergarten.
*In case of inclement weather, stay tuned for location updates.
We hope to see you there!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee hosted by the Good Ol’ Days Festival Committee this Thursday, June 4th at 8am, on Skubitz Plaza in Downtown Fort Scott. In case of inclement weather, stay tuned for updated information. Coffee, juice, and refreshments will be served, and attendees may register for a special door prize drawing.
Trey Sharp, Good Ol’ Days Chairman, and the committee are excited to celebrate the 45th Annual Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days, taking place June 5-6 in Downtown Fort Scott. This year’s theme, Red, White, & Good Ol’ Days, is a fitting tribute as America celebrates its 250th birthday, while also honoring the traditions that have made Good Ol’ Days a community favorite for 45 years.
One of those traditions is the popular vendor fair, featuring more than 100 booths offering food, crafts, shopping, family activities, and much more.
Plan to attend the parade, which kicks off Good Ol’ Days at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 5. Before and after the parade, stroll along Main Street north of Wall Street and throughout Skubitz Plaza to explore the many vendors, who will open at 5 p.m. Friday evening will also feature live entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. with a DJ, followed by The KC All Stars live band at 8 p.m. on Skubitz Plaza.
On Saturday, vendor booths open at 9 a.m., with a full day of activities, entertainment, and live music planned throughout downtown. For a complete schedule, visit www.fortscottgoodoldays.com or follow Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days on Facebook.
The Good Ol’ Days Committee extends its sincere thanks to the sponsors, volunteers, donors, and supporters who help make this annual tradition possible. Everyone is encouraged to join the fun and help celebrate 45 years of Good Ol’ Days memories in Fort Scott.
For more information, contact the Chamber at (620) 223-3566 for more information. Visit fortscott.com Events Calendar and category of Chamber Coffees for upcoming locations
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