2011 car cruise-in schedule

Downtown Bolivar Association is kicking off a series of five monthly car cruise-ins in downtown Bolivar Saturday, April 16.
The cruise-ins are at 5:30 p.m. the third Saturday of each month from April through August on the west and south sides of the Bolivar square. Future events are May 21, June 18, July 16 and Aug. 20.
Bring your antique, classic or decked-out vehicle and park it for others to see. Then visit with other car enthusiasts.
“We want everyone to come out and just have a good time — not just car enthusiasts,” said Susan Sparks, DBA president. “The Local Folks will provide musical entertainment, and we'll have food concessions available. Bring your lawn chair and plan to stay for a couple of hours.”
For more information, contact Sparks at 770-1989.
Car show
Also mark your calendar for the Polk County Picnic Car Show — complete with trophies — sponsored by the DBA Saturday, Sept. 10.
About DBA
Downtown Bolivar Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a five-member board of directors.
Membership in DBA is open to anyone with an interest in downtown Bolivar preservation and revitalization, and there is no membership fee. The association meets at 6 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the Polk County Genealogical Society Library on the southeast corner of the Bolivar square.

Car show in Bolivar Sept. 11

The 2010 Polk County Picnic Car Show is Saturday, Sept. 11, in downtown Bolivar. The Downtown Bolivar Association is organizing the car show in conjunction with the 10th annual Polk County Picnic.

Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon, with awards presented at 3 p.m. Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 entries, as well as door prizes and goody bags.

Entry fee is $15 in one of 19 classes: Antiques up to ’48, stock/restored ’63-’90, muscle car (factory), G.M. ’59-’90, Ford ’58-’90, Mopar ’58-’90, all makes ’56, 56 and ’57, street rods up to ’48, T-buckets, convertibles, custom/lead sleds, special interest, mini-truck, low rider, stock truck, custom truck, under construction, rat rod and motorcycles.

The show will be in the parking lot north of the Bolivar Post Office between Main Avenue and Springfield Avenue. Entrance will be allowed only on Main Avenue to avoid traffic backups on Springfield Avenue.

Proof of insurance will be required at registration.

For more information, call David Gray at (417) 839-1932 or Susan Sparks at (417) 770-1989 or send e-mail to downtownbolivar@gmail.com.

In addition to the Sept. 11 car show, an online People's Choice Car Contest begins Sept. 10 at www.BolivarMoNews.com, the Web site of the Bolivar Herald-Free Press.

Polk County Picnic

The car show is being held in conjunction with the 10th annual Polk County Picnic, a downtown festival sponsored by the Bolivar Community Betterment Association. The event will begin with a breakfast for alumni of Polk County’s rural schools in the community rooms at Citizens Memorial Hospital. The rest of the day’s events will be on the square and will include the annual Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce auction, free rides for the kids and live performances throughout the day.

Victorian Christmas Dec. 5

Make plans now to celebrate Christmas in Bolivar during the Victorian Christmas event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, sponsored by the Downtown Bolivar Association.

Carolers will put shoppers in the holiday spirit with performances throughout the day. Carriage rides will be given by Shires for Hire for a small fee, and all other events are free.

First-, second- and third-place prizes will be given for entries in a gingerbread house decorating contest. Gingerbread houses must be dropped off in the basement of the Polk County Courthouse between 10 and 11 a.m. Dec. 5. Judging starts at 11. The houses will be on display throughout the day and must be picked up between 3 and 4 p.m.

A Victorian costume contest is at 1 p.m. in the courthouse. Prizes will be given to the winners.
Santa Claus will be at the courthouse from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and the Grinch also will make an appearance.

Store windows will feature live mannequins, and a prize will be given to the business with the best window display.

Featured artists

Here's pictures of the featured artists who demonstrated their talents in different businesses on the square.

It's a success!

Turnout was good for the first Art in the Alley Saturday, May 9, in downtown Bolivar. From kids' activities to the loft walk, everyone who came had a good time. We're already thinking about changes we want to make next year to make the event even better. Were you there and have an idea for making it better? Send an e-mail to us at downtownbolivar@gmail.com.

And in case you missed it, here's some photos from the event.

Big thank you to our sponsors!

We want to give a BIG thank you to these businesses for their monetary and in-kind donations to make the first Art in the Alley event possible: Citizens Memorial Healthcare, Bolivar Herald-Free Press, KYOO Radio, The Country Hearth and Tea Garden Café, Village Boutique/Munchkin Outfi tters, Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar, Polk County Genealogical Society, Family Institute of the Ozarks, Roweton’s Home Center, Douglas, Haun & Heidemann, Horton’s, We Frame It & More and Studio 106.

Special art exhibit

Creative Images Portrait Gallery, a sponsor of Art in the Alley, will be open Saturday at 207 E. Jackson St. and host paintings from two local artists: Elaine Ballard, featuring nature scenes, and Jenni Bayless, a Bolivar High School graduate and former art teacher. Several of her featured pieces were created while her son, Granton, underwent treatment for SCID, a rare genetic disorder in which the immune system fails to develop.