New to the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County’s Homes for the Holidays Tour, December 2 and 3, is Presbyterian Village, an assisted living facility at 2401 S. Horton.

“At this location, we are showcasing the Christmas tree decorating contest in Fort Scott where over 15 trees were entered and are all uniquely decorated using creativity and class,” Ginger Nance, executive director of Presbyterian Village, said.

Christmas trees are displayed throughout the facility.

Businesses, organizations, and individuals could enter the tree decorating contest.

Since Presbyterian Village is in the Homes for the Holidays tour the Christmas trees will be on display the same hours on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

For more information contact the village at 620-644-4362.

The theme of this year’s Fort Scott Christmas Parade is Christmas Vacation. The event starts at 6 p.m. at Third and Main Streets, heading north on Main to Skubitz Plaza.

“People can have fun with that,” Lindsay Madison, executive director of Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce said. “They can play off the movie by the same name or what they do on Christmas vacation.”

To register for a parade entry go online to http://fortscott.com 

or stop by the Chamber office at 231 E. Wall.

Prizes will be awarded for first place, $75; second place, $50 and third place, $25. Briggs Automall of Fort Scott is providing the prize money.

New this year is a theme decorated golf cart category, with a $25 prize for the winning entry.

Fort Scott Recreation Department will offer free hot chocolate before and during the parade.

The parade entries will exit the parade at Skubitz Plaza, past the Mayor’s Christmas Tree. The tree will be lit following the parade by Mayor JoLynne Mitchell.

Pre-register for children lucky-draw prizes at Papa Don’s Restaurant, 10. N. Main prior to the parade. Pre-registration is from Friday, Dec. 1 until Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. when the parade starts.

Names for lucky-draw prizes will be drawn following the parade for children. Categories are as follows: ages 3-8, both boys and girls; 9-14, both boys and girls and one prize for children 14-18 years old. The drawing will take place after the Christmas tree lighting.

Mayor Mitchell will give some brief comments, then Santa will go to Papa Don’s Restaurant Celebration Room for children to visit with him.

Each child that comes to visit Santa at Papa Don’s will receive a book, compliments of USD 234.

Fort Scott High School Pride Club students will have Christmas crafts for children to do while waiting in line for Santa in the big room of the restaurant.

Walgreen Drug Store will take a free 4 X6 inch photograph of children with Santa. The photo may be picked at the store, later.

Moonlight and Mistletoe

The Moonlight and Mistletoe Evening, always the first part of the Homes for the Holidays Tour, is December 1 from 6-8 p.m. at the home of Ed and Christine Lundberg, 402 Lees Circle Drive.

There will be appetizers served and a tour of the home. The cost for the  Moonlight and Mistletoe Evening is $35 and tickets may be purchased at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall.

“The theme is a ‘groovy Christmas'”, Rhonda Dunn, president of the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County, said. “A 1970s theme”.

The HPA sponsors the annual Homes for the Holidays weekend.

In addition to the Moonlight and Mistletoe home tour and appetizers, there will be a  preview of the Christmas in the Park event at Gunn Park on Dec. 1.

The December 1 Christmas in the Park event is exclusively for the Moonlight and Mistletoe attendees, Dunn said.

Homes For The Holidays

The three homes featured in this year’s Homes for the Holidays tour will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. December 2 and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 3.

The tickets for the three homes tour can be purchased at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall for $15.

The Nate and Bailey Lyons home at 919 Burke was built in 1924 by the Gunn family. The Lyons have completely renovated the home.

“It’s a beautiful modern home,”  Dunn said.

The Bob and Terri Taylor home at 315 Holbrook is another tour stop and is a 1880s Victorian home.

“It has many of the home’s original fixtures and is a nice modern home,” Dunn said.

The Shiney Studio, 123 S. National Avenue is on the tour also.

“The building was formerly the Episcopal Church that they rescued,” Dunn said.  Dandelyon Vrendenburg is the owner and has her home, a yoga studio, apartments and office suites currently housed there.

See the HPA Facebook page Fort Scott Homes for the Holidays for more details.

• The HPA is also sponsoring a quilt show at the Beaux Arts Center, 102 S. National during the tour weekend.

Do you have a special quilt to show?

Contact Denise Duncan for more information, 620-215-6311.

• The annual HPA Stocking Stuffer shopping event will have 60 vendors at the middle school on 12th Street during the weekend.

“It’s a great way to start holiday shopping,” Dunn said.

• Also, this weekend is the annual Candlelight Tour at Fort Scott National Historic Site. Contact the fort for available tickets still remaining at 620-223-0310.

• In addition is the Presbyterian Village Christmas tree decorating contest this weekend.

“At this location, we are showcasing the Christmas tree decorating contest in Fort Scott where over 15 trees were entered and are all uniquely decorated using creativity and class,” Ginger Nance, executive director of Presbyterian Village, said.

Presbyterian Village is on the Homes for the Holidays tickets for those who purchase their holiday home tours. It’s the same hours on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday. noon to 4 p.m.

The village is located at 2401 S. Horton, phone number: 620- 644-4362.

“Christmas tree displays will be throughout the village,” Dunn said.

• Jared Leek will have a Front Door Christmas at 119 S. Main this weekend as well from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3.

Christmas In The Park is an event that will entertain your family with beautiful lights, a chili feed, a visit with Santa,  craft-making for the children, and gift card giveaways, ALL FOR FREE, according to Diana Mitchell, a member of the organizing committee.

Gunn Park will be closed November 30 through December 3 because of the community event.

Thursday, November 30 will be set up and decorate day for the weekend event.

Friday, December 1 will be a private showing of the park for Moonlight and Mistletoe participants of the Homes for the Holidays Tour. Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center 231 E. Wall Street for $35 including the weekend homes tours.

The public event will start at 5 p.m. Saturday, December 2.  December 3 is the takedown and clean up day.

Mitchell, Todd Farrell, and Tom Robertson are the committee that is spearheading the event. For more information about the event, contact Robertson at Buck Run Community Center, 620-223-0386.

All the picnic shelter houses in the park will be lighted, and the road lined with 1500 luminaries. Because of the luminaries, there will be no walk-in or drive-through visitors allowed that evening. Transportation is provided in buses and vans picked up at nearby designated parking lots.

Shelter No. 3 will be a place for families come for photograph opportunities. The stone shelter will be warmed with fireplaces, trees, and lights for use as a background in photos. Families supply their own cameras.

Also at Shelter No. 3, there will be a gift card giveaway signup.

“Only one winner per household, but everyone can sign up,” Mitchell said. The downtown Fort Scott merchant gift cards range from $30 to $150, and one need not be present to win.

Shelter No. 5 will be a chili supper cooked up by the Fort Scott Fire Department.

Between Shelter No. 3 and No. 5 Bethel Community Church will be performing a live nativity scene.

At Shelter No. 6, children can visit with Santa Claus.

Shelter No. 7 will be a place for children to decorate cookies and make other take-home crafts.

Parking for the event will be located at the Mercy Clinic on Horton Street, the Fort Scott Community College Nursing Department on Burke Street and the Professional Building at Burke and 8th Street.

All vehicles must park in the designated parking lots, for safety reasons.

“Please don’t park in front of peoples houses, use these parking lots,” Mitchell said. “At those lots, people will be picked up in buses and vans.”

“We can drop off people at different shelters. We will transfer you around to see all the park for your fun and enjoyment,” she said.

Mitchell encourages everyone to be patient.

“It could be a little wait, but be patient,” Mitchell said. “Enjoy a free, fun family evening.”

The event is run by volunteers from the FS Fire Department and Police Department, Fort Scott Community College athletes, and Fort Scott Kiwanis. Larry Gazaway is providing the music throughout the park and Rhonda Dunn is organizing the transportation piece.

Two businesses are decorating shelters, Todd and I are decorating the others,” Mitchell said.

“If you haven’t been to Christmas In The Park, it’s amazing,” Mitchell said. “It’s a beautiful park, but when it’s decorated, it’s spectacular.”

“Enjoy a wonderful time of year, without a penny in your pocket,” she said.