Organizers of the annual Maine Street Bash in Eads have announced this year’s street festival will be held, as always, on the last Saturday of July—this year it’s JULY 29th. The Bash is an annual festival held on Maine Street in Eads attracting people from across southeastern Colorado. It’s free to the public to come in and explore and it represents an array of activities, fun, good food, and good music coming at the end of summer after all the kids’ ballgames and other activities have wrapped up and the wheat has been sold or is now in storage. It comes right before everyone goes back to school to begin the next school year.
It’s a celebration at the end of an always glorious summer for the community!
And it looks like the 17th Annual Maine Street Bash to be held in Eads on Saturday, July 29 is going to deliver. This year the Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center (CLCEC), the local non-profit that created the Maine Street Bash in 2006 in order to raise money to re-open the Plains Theater and save three historic buildings on Maine Street in Eads, is introducing another new feature at the Bash—the Ping Pong Ball Drop whereby ping pong balls are purchased, a buyer’s number written on it, and then added to a hopefully large collection of other ping pong balls. Then it’s like a giant beer pong game where the ping pong balls are dropped from two points at the top of the buildings in the Bash area on Maine Street. More coming on how to buy a ping pong ball and get in on the chance to win some great prizes and maybe some cash!
There will be a lot going on in Eads on Bash Saturday so we asked the Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center (CLCEC) planners to help us run down the action so everyone can make plans to attend.
Betsy Barnett, CLCEC Chair, said, “Generally, the Bash is a street festival that includes vendors, food, a beer garden, live stage, KidZone, a cornhole tournament, horseshoe tournament, free movies and lots of talking, laughing, dancing and plain ol’ fun. This year there is even more to do. This is one of two main fundraisers that CLCEC does each year. We’re thrilled to be back at it again!”
The Bash will be open from 11 am to 10 pm on Saturday, July 29 and it will encompass more of Maine Street as for the third year in a row the Maine Street Bash Car Show will be held in Eads. Some access roads will be closed off and parking will be available off of Maine Street on the side streets. The Bash area includes the Horseshoe Park, the Plains Movie Theater, the Kiowa County Museum, the Eads Senior Citizen’s Center, and then down the next street to Kiowa Pharmacy and Crow’s Stop & Shop Grocery. In between those blocks many local businesses and the museum plan to be open during the celebration.
The following is a visitor’s guide to the Bash supplied by CLCEC:
2nd Annual Gloria Peck Memorial Quilt Show – The CLCEC is excited to work with the Colorado Prairie Quilters Guild, Eads Senior Citizens and the Kiowa County Museum to bring back a new idea to Maine Street on Bash Day! The quilt show was a success last year and is back for another year—this time it will benefit the group who create those breathtaking Quilts of Valor for our Veterans—the Colorado Prairie Quilters. The Quilt Show includes a contest with different categories: Bed Size (Twin to King) Quilt, Small Quilt, Barn Quilt, Wall Hanging, Antique Quilt, Baby Quilt, Table Topper, Place Mats, Miscellaneous. Two different age groups – 18 and Under and Adult—will have prizes for each category. There will be three top prizes in each category and the entry fee is just $15. The Quilts in the show will be hung along Maine Street in the Bash area.
In addition, special consideration will be given to Vintage Quilts and Quilts of Valor. If you would like to enter a special quilt there will be a hanging fee of $5 and they will be presented inside the Eads Senior Citizen’s building in the Bash area. A People’s Choice Award will be voted on for the special quilts inside by the amount of money that is put into each quilt’s money jar. Bring your change and $1/$5 dollar bills (or bigger) and get in on the fun choosing your favorite Quilt of Valor and Vintage Quilt. Other events in conjunction with the Quilt Show:
- Quilt Displays of local Quilts of Valor and Quilts by Gloria Peck in the Senior Citizen’s Center
- Antique Quilts on Display in the Museum – These are community signature quilts.
To enter into the Quilt Show, pick up a registration form at the Kiowa County Independent, Eads Museum, or the Eads Senior Citizens Center in Eads. Or contact Carole Spady at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 719.691.5292 or go to the Plains Theater website to submit a form at www.plainstheater.com/quilt-show-2023-registration. The Quilt Show runs from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on Maine Street. Registrations are due July 15.
Car & Motorcycle Show – This is the 3rd Year for our Bash Car & Motorcycle Show! Registration begins at 9:30 am and runs until 10:30 by the old swimming pool located on Luther Street and 7th Street in Eads. At 10:30 am the cars and motorcycles will parade the town eventually coming down Maine Street from the north and lining up for the show on Maine Street between 12th and 13th Streets. There will be cash prizes for 1st through 3rd place overall. No individual categories will be used. It costs $20 to enter a vehicle in the show and $15 for Motorcycles. To enter more than one vehicle or motorcycle it will cost $10 more. The Car Show runs from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. For questions contact Krystal Eikenberg at 719-232-6614, Karl Eikenberg at 719-355-5588, or Casey Eikenberg at 719-468-3862.
The Bash Car & Motorcycle Show is sponsored by S&K Fuel & Repair and Buckskins & Black Powder.
Wholey Healthy 5K Event – Plans are still in the works for a 5K Healthy Fun Walk to take place as the Bash opens its doors. There are still many details to iron out and more solid information will be available in the coming week.
KidZone – opens at 11 am near the intersection of 14th Street and Maine Street. There will be a large array of games and water activities as well as art stations and face painting.
Vendors in the Street – CLCEC says they are still collecting a number of vendor applications as currently there will be a lot of interesting booths set up and ready to show off their products and services. There’s still time to get in by just contacting Alicia James at 719-688-9942 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This year it is FREE to reserve a 10x10 space. Electricity can also be available for an extra $10 and tables available for $20. Vendors can sign up at plainstheater.com/maine-street-bash-2023-vendors.
Food Vendors & Beer Garden – CLCEC is very excited that so many food vendors are going to be on the street this year creating a selection that will please any type of taste. There will be Mexican Food, BBQ, and Hamburgers/Brauts. In the morning Café Bean coffee shop will be open and then the Maine Scoop Ice Cream Shoppe will be open starting in the afternoon and serving all kinds of summertime cold refreshments. The vendors will be situated in a convenient food court area, close to the beer garden and close to the live entertainment stage. Seating will be available, but you might consider bringing a lawn chair for comfort.
Cornhole Tournament – Registration begins at 4:30 near the beer garden. Find Kim Richards who will get you and a partner lined up. The tournament begins at 5:00 pm. The fee is $30 per team and the tournament is double elimination. Prizes will be awarded. The first 30 teams who sign up will be accepted into the tournament. Call Kim Richards at 719.688.1437 with any questions.
Horseshoe Tournament – Registration begins at 10:30 am in the Horseshoe Park and the tournament starts at 11:00 am. The Entry Fee is $20 and prizes will be awarded based on the number of competitors.
Free Movies in the Plains Theater – CLCEC will be playing movies throughout the day starting at 11 am. They are free to the public and the concession stand will be open as well. CLCEC asks anyone watching the movies to please clean up their own trash as the volunteers will be spread thin on Bash Day. At 7:00 pm the new movie Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny will be shown. This year’s theme for the day-long free movies is “Indiana Jones” and will feature Raiders of the Lost Ark, IJ & the Temple of Doom, IJ & the Last Crusade, and IJ & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Live Entertainment on CLCEC Stage – The Bash volunteers are still working on organizing the music but will enjoy the services of local DJ Trent Rittgers during the early hours of the Bash. More to come later on the nighttime entertainment.
Barnett emphasizes if you want to get involved and help out there are plenty of opportunities to do so. They still need a number of volunteers so don’t be shy and give CLCEC members a call.
