From bumpers to batons at OHP

Twirling Nationals followed Mecum Summer Special

  • A 2005 Fort GT took the top auction spot at last week’s Mecum Summer Special at Osceola Heritage Park, rolling across the block for $456,500. PHOTO/MECUM
    A 2005 Fort GT took the top auction spot at last week’s Mecum Summer Special at Osceola Heritage Park, rolling across the block for $456,500. PHOTO/MECUM
  • A pair of the youth competitors complete their twirling routine Friday at the U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships at the Silver Spurs Arena. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
    A pair of the youth competitors complete their twirling routine Friday at the U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships at the Silver Spurs Arena. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON

It’s been a hot, unique, eclectic month of July already at Osceola Heritage Park.

First, Mecum Auctions’ Summer Special, back in Kissimmee for the first time in four years, eclipsed $30 million in car and art sales for the third year in a row, the auction company announced.

In total, the 2023 Summer Special auction in the Silver Spurs Arena saw 885 lots sell over the four-day event for a total of $30.6 million during the event at Osceola Heritage Park.

The top ten sales included a 2005 Ford GT at the top of the table, gaveling for $456,500. Two Fords (a 2021 Shelby went for $187,000, good for 10th place), a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner (second at $264,000), 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 (third at $242,000), three Chevrolets, two Dodges and a Pontiac rounded out the top 10 sales.

Then, last week, the best baton twirlers in the county descended on Osceola County for the U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships. Advanced and elite twirlers as young as 5 through post-college adults competed in solo, group, strut and artistic and two and three-baton routines — highly difficult events using multiple batons which must be kept moving at all times.

The National Collegiate Finals, featuring many of the nation’s top men and women collegiate twirlers from across the country, took to the floor Friday. National championships were handed out Saturday.

The national competitors included members of Team USA, which will represent the United States in the World Baton Twirling Championship and Nations Cup competition, to be held August 4-13 in Liverpool, England.

So, what’s next at OHP? Martial arts take the arena floor this week, for the International Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship from Thursday through Sunday. And Orlando City B, the USL Next Pro entry of the Major League Soccer Orlando City Lions — who train at OHP at Osceola County Stadium — will play a match against the