About 400 community members gathered Saturday evening to celebrate the grand opening of The Back Lot, a new outdoor entertainment venue at 3 Luster Arcade on the northeast corner of Court Square in West Plains.
The festivities featured a Greater West Plains Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a free concert headlined by regional favorite Ha Ha Tonka, marking a hometown stop on the band's current tour. Local act Broken Knuckle opened the show, and guest musician Molly Healey joined Ha Ha Tonka on stage with her violin for the entire performance.
Sponsors for the inaugural event included West Plains Bank and Trust Company and Stacey Smith of Country Financial, with food provided by local vendors Nadine’s Homemade Ice Cream, Slingerz and Furiosa's Nomad Kitchen. Beverage service and afterparty hosting were provided by Shenanigans, located next door to the new venue.
The Back Lot's next event, Sounds Downtown, is scheduled for Sept. 17. The Downtown House Band will open at 6 p.m., followed by a performance by Molly Healey.
For booking inquiries or event sponsorship opportunities, organizers can be reached via Facebook at @TheBackLotWP or by email at thebacklotllc@gmail.com.
