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Shiny cars, food and art at Music in the Park show

By Sue Sitter - | Aug 6, 2022

Sue Sitter/PCT Car enthusiasts discuss a 1936 Chevrolet pickup truck restored by Adam Bohl at The Rugby Lions’ Music in the Park – Art in the Park event, featuring local art, classic cars and a hamburger picnic.

A strong wind dissipated just in time for the Rugby Lions’ annual Music in the Park Arts in the Park show on the evening of July 27 at Ellery Park.

Along with music provided by Bottineau’s “Too Old To Stand” and a classic car show, attendees enjoyed a picnic with burgers grilled and served by the Rugby Lions Club – with help from the Metigoshe Lions Club.

Members of both organizations served up 620 burgers for the picnic. The burgers came with salads and lemonade for $10 per meal.

“There were a lot of people there,” Lions member Dale Niewoehner said after the picnic.

Lions’ members also scooped up ice cream for a steady stream of people. The Lions serve ice cream at every Music in the Park concert during the season for free, but members said they always appreciated donations.

Funds donated go back to the Music in the Park program, a tradition for Rugby every Wednesday from June through August for 27 years.

“This is our 27th year, really,” Lions member Kathy Kirchofner said. “We were forced to cancel in 2020 because of COVID, but if we hadn’t, we would have gone for 27 continuous years.”

Kirchofner, who has organized the event for the Lions since it began in 1995, said Music in the Park has endured throughout the years thanks to hard work by the Rugby Park Board and financial support from area sponsors.

“We wouldn’t be doing this without our sponsors,” she added. “And the park board just does so much not only for Music in the Park, but for parks all over Rugby.”

Vendors selling handmade jewelry, artwork and more set up tables to the left of the Ellery Park stage.

Behind the stage area, visitors walked along a line of classic cars parked for display, courtesy of the Rugby Car Club.

LeAnn Cargo, who makes and sells western-themed jewelry for her business Tumbleweeds and Turquoise, said the wind had been a problem when she first set up her wares.

“It’s been a good day, though,” Cargo said. “We’ve had lots of people stopping by and visiting with us. I’m originally from Rugby, so it’s fun to come back and see people.”

“My folks are here listening to the band,” added Cargo, who lives in Towner.

Onstage, “Too Old To Stand” belted out classic pop and rock songs to an enthusiastic audience.

Marilyn Niewoehner of Tumbleweed Gallery showed a collection of abstract paintings, “just because I wanted to do something different.”

The abstract pieces done with streaks of paint almost resembled strands of grass waving in the wind.

“I’m going to participate in the 90th anniversary of the Peace Garden and bring these up there,” Niewoehner added. “I’m going to have a booth there.”

“The day’s been fun,” she said.

As people strolled past cars ranging from fancy to plain with a touch of rust, Adam Bohl stood next to his shiny red 1936 Chevrolet pickup truck, deep in conversation with a classic car enthusiast.

“He bought this truck 45 years ago when we were just dating,” Adam Bohl’s wife, Twyla, said. “We bought it from a guy in Barton when he was putting up grain bins, and that was the original owner. And (Adam Bohl) said to the guy who owned it before, ‘I’m going to fix it up and take it on our honeymoon.’

“Well, he’d start working on it, then quit, because we had a farm,” she said.

The Bohls farm near Knox.

Work on the car went in fits and starts over the next four decades.

“Then, five years ago, we found a guy who we thought would help do this (project) over in Minnesota,” Bohl said. “We went to pick it up. Adam told the story to the guy, and he said, ‘Forty-five years ago?’ And Adam said, ‘Yep.’ He said, ‘Do you have the same wife?’ And Adam said ‘Yep.’

“The guy said, ‘She must’ve been pretty patient, or that must’ve been one good honeymoon,'” Bohl said with a laugh.

Bohl said over the years her sons had helped do major work on the Chevy, using skills they had learned at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton.

Twyla Bohl said when she and Adam traveled to Florida for a car show, she saw the perfect color for the truck – a deep, red-purple metallic called razzleberry.

Bohl said her husband had leaned toward a dark blue for the truck before he eventually agreed with her on the color.

Son Nathaniel drove his new bride, Morgan Oppen Bohl, from the church where they married in the truck on July 16, Bohl noted.

On the stage, music continued until well after 8:30 p.m.

Before “Too Old To Stand’s” lead singer Shane Parsons announced two encore songs, Kirchofner thanked the band and all who made the concert a success.

Kirchofner reminded the audience the Lions put out collection containers for used glasses and hearing aids at all Music in the Park concerts, Rugby Homes and RV Center and other businesses throughout Rugby.

“We haven’t had a lot of hearing aids, but if you have any, please bring those, too,” Kirchofner said.