BonnerSprings.com

Chalk up another winning weekend for Tiblow Days.

The three-day festival beginning Thursday night, produced and sponsored by the Bonner Springs Chamber of Commerce, featured a couple of new events and even golf carts for a shuttle service so that festival-goers could more easily come and go.

"I think Tiblow Days was the best I've seen in the four years of my term as president," said Mike Clouse, general chairman of Tiblow Days. "The barbecue went over gangbusters."

The biggest new event was the "Smokin' on Oak" barbecue contest, which drew 13 teams including some famous in the Kansas City-area barbecue circuit, and featured a first-place prize of $750.

Despite the rain that caused the Tiblow Trot to start 45 minutes late on Saturday morning, Clouse said the parade that day was still "nice," and the car show attracted some 65 cars.

Also this year, the carnival brought some extra rides, which attracted "bigger kids," Clouse said. "It was well-attended."

Clouse wasn't alone in his glowing assessment of the event.

Speaking in his capacity as a member of the chamber, City Council member Jeff Harrington said, "I thank the city for their involvement in Tiblow Days. I received comments on it all weekend. Tiblow Days is big for us, but not just for us."

Harrington also thanked local businesses that may have had to deal with inconveniences as a result of increased traffic and closed-off streets.

"We know the impact on businesses and we ask their patience," Harrington said. "It takes a lot of manpower, a lot of hours."

Another new Tiblow Days activity was the "Flamin' Hot" Art Fair at Women's boutique Magnum Opus, 129 N. Nettleton Ave., which featured live glass art and jewelry making demonstrations by local artists.

Bonner Beautiful Commission chair Betty Rehm also gave this year's Tiblow Days a thumbs-up.

"I talked to a lot of people from out of town and they were very impressed with Bonner," Rehm said. "I think a lot of people were impressed with the barbecue teams : I think the whole thing was great. There was such good turnout at all the activities."

Not a group to rest on its laurels, the Tiblow Days planning committee is already looking to next year.

In the barbecue contest, there were 13 teams and Clouse said, "We're looking forward this year to expand to 25 teams."

This year the chamber rented out four golf carts and one limousine to shuttle people to and from their parked cars.

"Next year we'll try and double that amount, to cut down on the cost for Tiblow Transit," Clouse said.

But perhaps the biggest news is that the Tiblow Days committee is in talks to get either of two recognizable names in pop music for next year: 1980s rockers Foreigner or Survivor.