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Sock hop adds more to 'throwback experience'
Downtown Fort Scott was bustling with are residents and tourists alike on Saturday.
More than 100 custom cars made their way into Fort Scott Saturday morning to take part in a car show organized by Stray Kat Customs, a Dewey, Okla.-based car company.
Many of the cars were from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. In addition, there were also cars that came from as far away as Texas and California, according to Mickey Bryan, event organizer.
This is the third year Stray Kat Customs has conducted the car show in Fort Scott, according to Bryan. Attendance at this year's event was the best out of all three years in spite of the heat, Bryan said.
"It (attendance) was the best we've ever had," he said. "Well, it was raining the last couple of years. We had rain problems. This year, it was just hot, but it was tolerable. But we were overwhelmed with the response of the people who came to the show in the heat."
Bryan said he and the other drivers really like the historic appearance of downtown Fort Scott and the hospitable nature of the local community. Bryan said after visiting Fort Scott one day more than three years ago and discovering the downtown area, he decided to inquire about conducting a car show downtown. Bryan added he and the other drivers have enjoyed coming to Fort Scott for the past three years to take part in the car show.
"We're just in love with the downtown," he said. "The community is really friendly ... It is a cool little town. A lot of towns spend a lot of money trying to get that (what Fort Scott has). You just naturally have it, and that is priceless."
For the first time, the Liberty Theatre was also a part of the car show, as it was used to conduct a special sock hop. During the sock hop, Kansas City-based music groups Ms. Major and her Minor Mood Swings and the Rumble Jets entertained event attendees. Bryan said he was impressed with the Liberty Theatre and was grateful for the help of Jim and Paulette Smith for making the sock hop possible.
"The Liberty Theatre was gracious enough to work with us," he said. "I think the people enjoyed it (sock hop)."
About the bands performances, Bryan added, "They play at all our car shows. You can't have a throw back experience if you just have the town and the cars. You have to have the music too."
Bryan said he is also grateful for local businessman George Collinge, who hosted an open house for the drivers at a building he is renovating. In addition, Bryan said without the hospitality of community members and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, the car show would not have been so successful.
"I would like to thank everybody," he said. "It is important to all our car guys to feel like everyone wants you there. Cynthia (Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Cynthia McFarlin) worked her tail off. It was really fun to work with her."
According to McFarlin, Bowman's NuGrille, Wal-mart, George Collinge, Country Cupboard, the city of Fort Scott, Jim Shoemaker, Jim and Paulette Smith, Steve and Crystal Duocet, and the chamber tourism committee all helped make the event possible.
"There were many hours of work," she said. "It was definitely a community event. We were so lucky to have so many people help out."