PraiseFest, an event in Gunn Park on Saturday afternoon, features fun family activities including athletic events, live music, food vendors, inspirational speakers, and featured artist Tasha Layton.
PraiseFest offers activities all day on October 24, with the stage events starting at 3 p.m. and the featured artist, Tasha Layton, at 6pm. Parking will be near shelter house #3 with the events near shelter house #5.
Tasha Layton, Christian music artist, earning three #1 hits, is featured with local artist Megan Thieman, 2026 winner of Recovery Idol in Wichita, opening for Tasha.
Higher Ground, a christian music band, will start the stage events at 3pm.
Jenni Simhiser, CEO of Path of EASE and a 2026 Core Community graduate, will give her testimony.
Pastor David Case, McPherson, will be the guest speaker. He is also founder of Live Free Ministries and the Omega Project.
Cost is $10 for wristbands with 5 years-old and younger, free. This will benefit Bourbon County Core Community, a local non-profit organization.
PraiseFest is partnering with the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism for a Fishing Derby, which will be offered at 1 p.m. All fishing gear will be provided onsite, unless you want to bring your own gear. No license or pre-registration is needed for the Fishing Derby.
There will be a Kiddie Zone with some inflatables and yard games for the young ones.
Food vendors on site will be The Sweet Pitt, Granny V’s , Uncle Tators, Nothing Bundt Cake, Busy Bees Micro Bakery, and the Core Community Lemonade stand.
One can find out more information about the event by visiting Core Community’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/
A disc golf tournament is offered starting at 9 am, cost is $25 one can register here
PraiseFest is partnering with the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism and they will be providing all fishing gear onsite, unless you want to bring your own gear. No license or pre-registration is needed for the Fishing Derby
2026 TRI-YAK-A-THON is a RUN – KAYAK – MOUNTAIN BIKE competition that will be in conjunction with PraiseFest and starts at 12 noon.
Register as an individual for $40 or a team of 2 or 3 for $60.
Equipment is not provided, bring your own equipment (kayak, bike, etc.).
Only single person kayaks are allowed, and life jacket will be required in the boat.
No stand up paddleboards (SUP) will be permitted.
Strava link to map of the 5K Kayak here.
More details on the Tri-Yak-A-Thon and event updates can be found on the Gunn Park Trails Facebook page.
About Core Community
Submitted by Deana Betts, Core Community Liaison.
Core Community believes something powerful: Poverty can be solved when a community comes together with the right tools, trusted relationships, and long-term support.
We equip families by inviting them to participate in a 22- week- long class, mobilize food donors and childcare volunteers to help eliminate barriers during class, and wrap our participants (Core Leaders) with support and proven tools.
After the class and graduation, we invite our graduates into Phase 2 where they are partnered with a community volunteer that comes once a month to class to walk alongside our Core Leaders in their journey as they continue to work on their goals and gain resources from presenters from the community. We meet every Tuesday night from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, 1728 S Horton.