Organizers call Freedom Fest a success

A local youngster wades through water and suds on an inflatable slide during the 5th Annual Freedom Fest event Saturday at Gunn Park. The purpose of the annual Independence Day event is to provide local family entertainment for community members. The event is coordinated each year by the Fort Scott Gunn Park Committee and the City of Fort Scott. (Jason E. Silvers/Tribune Photo)

Fort Scott residents and tourists came out to Gunn Park on Saturday to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday at the 2009 Freedom Fest.

Freedom Fest organizers are calling this year's event a success as attendance was high and everyone seemed to have a good time, according to Gunn Park Event Committee member Kathi Plain.

"We had a nice steady flow," Plain said. "It was great. I think the turnout was as good if not better than last year's."

Plain said many of the event attendees made positive comments about the day, and everyone who was at the event appeared to be enjoying the festivities.

"We had lots of positive comments," she said. "It just seemed like an atmosphere that was really relaxed. They (event attendees) took their time. They weren't rushed, and they just had a really good time. We even had some out of town people who came out."

Once again, the greased pig contest and the mud volleyball were huge hits among participants and spectators alike, according to Plain. In fact, this year seemed to attract even more people to the event than last year did.

"The greased pig contest was really good," she said. "I think that is going to be an event every year if the weather holds because the kids love doing it."

Plain added, there were more mud volleyball teams this year , and spectators seemed to enjoy watching the teams battle it out especially in the final round which became very intense.

According to Plain, events such as Freedom Fest are important to the community as it gives families some place close that they can spend time together to enjoy the holiday.

"I think it is very important to the community," Plain said. "It is nice to have a place to spend time with the family. When we go home at the end of the day, we (volunteers) all feel satisfied that we've done something good for the community."

The Gunn Park Event Committee also conducts similar events during Halloween and Christmas at Gunn Park so community members can have an opportunity to celebrate with their families without leaving town. According to Plain, the committee would not be able to conduct the activities if it were not for the many volunteers who give of their time to make it happen.

"We definitely have a good group of volunteers who step up for all three events," Plain said. "We couldn't do it without that."

Anyone who is interested in making a monetary donation to Freedom Fest, Halloween in the Park or Christmas in the Park can mail the donation to the Gunn Park Event Committee at P.O. Box 151, Fort Scott, KS 66701 and address it to the attention of Kathi Plain.