News
Whisker Roundup Names Dodge City's First Mr. Mustache
DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 26, 2022) – Nearly 100 people packed the Depot Theater on Saturday, July 23, when the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the first Whisker Roundup Mustache Contest. Sponsored by the Rusty Edge Tonsorial Parlor, eight contestants took to the stage to flaunt their pruned, shaped, and waxed mustaches in their bid to claim the crown of Dodge City’s first Mr. Mustache.
“This event has been so much fun to put together,” said Megan Welsh, manager of the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Our partners at the Depot Theater and Boot Hill Museum, have been amazing to work with. Offering support and expertise to make this event a successful.”
National Day of the Cowboy was also observed during the event. Miss Kitty spoke to the crowd about the meaning behind the day and recited the Code of Conduct for Cowboys & Cowgirls. Attendees were also treated to performances from Miss Kitty and Doc from the Long Branch Variety Show, the Boot Hill Medicine Show, and warm peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
The mustache contest saw contestants answer silly questions and present their mustaches to the crowd and judges. The panel of judges consisted of Shawn Nguyen from the Rusty Edge Tonsorial Parlor, Clinton Contant from Red Beard Coffee, and Lee Griffith from the Boot Hill Distillery. The judges graded each mustache on a scale of one to ten across four categories: size, quality, color, and style/presentation. When the dust had settled, and the scores had been tabulated Loren Ashlock was named the winner and crowned Dodge City’s Mr. Mustache.
Mr. Ashlock was presented with a trophy, 2022 Mr. Mustache sash, and his mustache will be immortalized on the Dodge City Convention & Visitors Bureau 2022/2023 Mustache Fan. The Mustache Fans are distributed at various local and regional events as a fun way to promote Dodge City events and attractions.
Founder's Weekend Concludes Successfully
DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 22, 2022) – As part of Dodge City’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, Dodge City hosted Founder’s Weekend, a three-day commemoration honoring our city’s founders, from June 17 through June 19. The event included a concert in Wright Park, a five-mile run, an all-day celebration at the Boot Hill Museum, and the dedication of the Bat Masterson statue at the Home of Stone.
The five-hour concert featured seven bands playing a variety of music, from face-melting surf punk to soulful country. The crowd swelled as the sun went down. By the last performance of the evening, concertgoers filled the area in front of the stage. Some concert attendees lingered in Wright Park long after the concert had concluded.
“This was a great event. Everyone from the musician, the vendors, and attendees had a great night,” said Coral Lopez, Main Street Director, and Dodge City 150th Anniversary Events Chair. “We estimate nearly 400 people attended the concert throughout the evening. The crowd even sold out two of the food trucks. We couldn’t be happier, and hope bring back this event!”
Saturday’s festivities started with the Whiskey Run, a five-mile run that took runners past some of Dodge City’s most historic sites. The fun continued at the Boot Hill Museum with Hoover Day, an all-day celebration of George Hoover, one of the founders of Dodge City. At least 1,200 people flooded the museum throughout the day to enjoy medicine shows, gunfights, can-can lessons, deputizings, an ice cream social, the chance to meet Buck Taylor, and mini-performances of the Long Branch Variety Show and a concert from the Dodge City Cowboy Band.
The weekend concluded on Sunday, June 19, at the Mueller-Schmidt House/Home of Stone with the unveiling and dedication of the Bat Masterson Statue. In addition to a crowd of over 75 spectators, the statues sculptors, Carson and Charlie Norton and family, Ken Masterson, the great-great nephew of Bat Masterson, and Buck Taylor and his wife Goldie, attended the ceremony.
Upcoming events for the Dodge City 150th anniversary include the first Whisker Roundup on Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. in the Depot Theater, Dodge City Days beginning July 28 and running through August 7, and the return of Ham Bell’s Pioneer Picnic in September in Wright Park. To get involved or for more information about Dodge City’s 150th Anniversary, visit www.dodgecity150.com.
Founder's Weekend Three Days of Fun & Excitement
DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 9, 2022) – The Dodge City 150th Anniversary Celebration Committee will be hosting Founder’s Weekend on June 17 through 19. These three days of fun and excitement will include a concert in Wright Park, a five-mile run, free admission and special shows/events at the Boot Hill Museum, and the unveiling and dedication of the Bat Masterson statue.
The weekend kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 17, with a free concert in Wright Park featuring Aether, Esper Winds, Ghost Town Strays, Lane Haas Band, Thunderbird Hotel, Weston Wilkerson, Andrea Luna, and more. Food trucks will be selling food to hungry concertgoers, and Eclectic Bistro will be hosting a cash only beer garden. ID will be required for alcohol purchases.
The fun continues Saturday at 6:30 a.m. when registration opens for the Whiskey Run, sponsored by Boot Hill Distillery. This five-mile run will take participants past some of Dodge City’s most historical sites. The run begins at 7:30 a.m. Registration is $5 if registered on or before June 17 and $10 on June 18.
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, the Boot Hill Museum will be hosting Hoover Day. Hoover Day will feature free admission to the museum, medicine shows, can-can lessons, deputizings, performances of the Long Branch Variety Show throughout the day, gunfights, a new exhibit ribbon cutting hosted by the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce, appearances by Buck Taylor, an ice cream social, a concert from the Dodge City Cowboy Band, and much more.
Events conclude at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, at the Mueller-Schmidt House/Home of Stone (112 E. Vine), where the Ford County Historical Society will host the unveiling and dedication of the Bat Masterson Statue.
For more information about Founder’s Weekend and other Dodge City 150th anniversary events visit www.dodgecity150.com/events.
Year-Long Celebration Planned for City’s 150th Anniversary
DODGE CITY, Kan. (Jan. 5, 2022) – The Dodge City 150th Anniversary Committee announces plans for a year-long celebration of the “wickedest little town in the west.” The committee, comprised of city employees, members of civic and historical organizations, and private business owners, has been developing a series of events to celebrate the city’s rich history and the cultural significance it played in shaping the west. The anniversary will also celebrate the community’s cultural diversity and how it has empowered and bolstered the city. A kickoff event is planned for Jan. 28 at the Boot Hill Museum, beginning at 4 p.m.
“There were many milestones that impacted the founding of Dodge City,” said City Manager Nick Hernandez. “Numerous historical events allowed the city to maintain its relevance long after the cattle drives and, our diverse community helped keep us strong. So, to us, it makes the most sense to celebrate this anniversary as long as we can.”
As new events are solidified, details will be available on the anniversary’s social media pages (DodgeCity150) and a dedicated website, made possible through a partnership with the Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce. One new event that has already been confirmed is Founder’s Weekend, set to take place from June 17 through June 19, and will celebrate George Hoover and the establishment of the first business, as well as the city’s rough and rowdy early years. Also being planned is the return of Ham Bell’s Pioneer Picnic.
“America’s favorite icon, the cowboy, has securely cemented Dodge City’s place in wild-west history,” Dodge City Mayor Kent Smoll said. “Having been the home of some of the greatest heroes and villains, both real and imagined, of the wild west, people travel from all over the world to experience our city’s western charm. The 150th anniversary represents the chance for us to showcase not only the best of our past but celebrate the community that makes us great in the present.”
