Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo

Don't miss the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo on July 3 and 4 in Council Grove, in Morris County. This is a WRCA event.


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Abilene Old Fashion 4th of July

The Abilene Parks and Recreation will sponsor an Old Fashion 4th of July in Eisenhower Park throughout the day on Saturday, July 4.


Check the web site for the wide variety of activities planned for this very special day - ending with the 8:00 p.m. City Band Performance and the Fireworks about 9:45 p.m.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Wilsey Independence Day Celebration

For a special Kansas Flint Hills local experience, join the community of Wilsey on July 3 for their Annual Independence Day Celebration! Wilsey is just west of Council Grove, in Morris County!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Country Stampede

Country Stampede this year runs from Jun 25 through Jun28, at Tuttle Creek State Park, near Manhattan, KS.
While you are there, be sure to look for the Flint Hills RV and Music Raffle booth - with the camper that is part of the prize. Buy several tickets while you are there! Have a great time!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Harvey House Picnic - 2009 - Florence

The 2009 Harvey House Picnic in Florence is June 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. This event by the Florence Historical Society is to help raise funds to continue the operation and maintenance of the Harvey House Museum.


The photo is from a prior year at the picnic. Please try to participate if you possibly can. This is a very good cause, and a fun time for all.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

RV & Flint Hills Music Raffle at the Country Stampede

While you are at Country Stampede next week, be sure to stop by and get your RV Raffle tickets benefiting the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition - promoting the Flint Hills as an International Tourism Destination.

A $50 Raffle puts you in the drawing:

RV & Flint Hills Music Raffle Ticket Sales will be kicked off at the Country Stampede. Package consists of the following (pdf of ticket attached):

• 29' Sportsmen LE 272 pull behind trailer
• 2 - 2010 Tickets to the Country Stampede plus Campsite
• 2 - 2010 Tickets to the Symphony in the Flint Hills
• 2 - 2010 Tickets to the Walnut Valley Festival plus Campsite

What a deal! Buy several tickets, while you are there, and be sure to tell your friends to do so also!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Experience the Kansas Flint Hills

Thought I would share this report, from the President of the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition, Inc., on a recent family visit to the Kansas Flint Hills:

German family experience in the Flint Hills was awesome....they were totally amazed at the venues offered by Kansas (especially the Flint Hills)....they learned to water-ski, hand fed buffalo, rode horses over hundreds of acres to round up & sort cattle, experienced shooting sports, the Tallgrass, hiking & local shopping & other venues.....many photos taken.....great potential for feature story in next Visitors Guide......thanks to all organizations & businesses who cooperated in the success & effort.

Very gratifying, and this is happening every day. I regularly get Geocaching reports from our Flint Hills area geocaching sites from German visitors. Thanks to the Kansas and Oklahoma Travel and Tourism folks for their work over recent years recruiting visitors to our two states from Germany and England. The good work does pay off, over time.

Go out this summer, and experience what they are experiencing, right here in our own back yard!!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Wah-Shun-Gah Days - Council Grove

The 27th Annual Wah-Shun-Gah Days take place in Council Grove, Kansas, on June 19th and 20th this year. The annual celebration is named after the last full blooded Kaw Indian Chief, Chief Wah-Shun-Gah.


Many will perform on the stage under the Main Street Tent and in the area. In addition, there is a Pow Wow, Craft Show, Car Show, Flea Market, Carnival and Food Vendors... something for everyone in every family. Have a great time!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Tom Brokaw and the Kansas Flint Hills

He could be coming, if we each ask nicely.

The Emporia Gazette on Tuesday had a large front page editorial titled: “Will Tom Brokaw come to Emporia?” He is working on a documentary series: “Tom Brokaw Presents: American Character, Along Highway 50” for the USA Network. U.S. Highway 50, of course, covers 3,000 miles across 12 states, including crossing the middle of the Kansas Flint Hills. U.S. 50 goes through or past: Emporia, Strong City, Elmdale, Cedar Point, Florence, Peabody, Walton, North Newton, Newton, and Burton before getting to Hutchinson.

To tell producers of the show about our Kansas Flint Hills and your community along the way, and nearby, go to: www.highway50.tv, to process nominations. Just go to the Web site and click on “Community” along the top horizontal menu. A nomination form will appear.

Here is another great opportunity to tell our story.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Kafir Corn Carnival - El Dorado

The first Kafir Corn Carnival in 1911 drew more than twenty thousand people to El Dorado, a town at that time barely over three thousand.

Check out the current addition. Much has changed, but much is very much the same. You may judge for yourself - and have a great time in the process!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Madison Days

Madison is a small community nestled in the Verdigris Valley and surrounded by the Kansas Flint Hills. At the annual Madison Days, you can enjoy costume contests, a parade, sloppy joe feed, food sales, and much more.

Fun for the entire family.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Flint Hills Folklife Festival

Period reenactors and artisans demonstrate the skill necessary to pioneer life in the late 1800s in Kansas at the Flint Hills Folklife Festival this coming weekend, Jun 12-14, 2009.


Visitors stroll under the trees on the lawn of the historic Chase County Courthose watching demonstrations and listening to period music. This is a charming small festival.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Symphony in the Flint Hills Arts and Crafts Show

Just a week until the Symphony in the Flint Hills - but more is going on next weekend "around" the Symphony event itself. For example, in Downtown Florence, the Arts and Crafts Show in conjunction with the Symphony begins at 1 p.m. on Friday and runs through 5 p.m. Saturday.

All items displayed by the artists must be handmade. Check the website for contact information.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

LifeTiles Murals Dedication - Marysville

Dedication of the LifeTiles Murals in the Pony Express Plaza will be at 10 a.m. on June 10th in historic downtown Marysville.

The 2 murals, produced by Boston artist Rufus Seder, are a rare art form. Each mural consists of 90 individual glass tiles. When the viewer moves from one side to the other, he embedded images appear to depict motion as the viewer moves. Be sure to see them later, if not at the dedication!

Plans for the 3rd mural will be unveiled at the dedication. Check the web sites for more information.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Big Blue Barbeque Championships

If you are, or can be, near Marysville, KS on June 5 and 6, be sure to check out the Big Blue Barbeque Championship held in conjunction with the 19th Annual AutoFest Car Show.


This event is a Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned competition and State Championship.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Second Annual River Suite Dinner and Concert

This Chase County Chamber of Commerce event has a limited number of tables still available for Saturday, June 12th, from 6 - 10 p.m. Contact the Chamber office at: 620.273.8469

Diners will enjoy Kansas beef and locally produced food prepared by renowned chef and owner of the Flying W Ranch, Josh Hoy. The evening music will feature Tiffany Budke and the Doty String Quartet.

They hope you will join them for this lovely prelude to a magical weekend in the Kansas Flint Hills.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Eureka Day's - June 6

Join the fun in Eureka for Eureka Days! Watch the parade, see the car show, and take part in the softball tournament. Be sure to check out the craft show, as well.

For more information call: 620-853-5452

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Annual Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City

This coming weekend is the 72nd Annual Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City. Don't miss it!

Events begin at 5 on Friday afternoon and run through Sunday afternoon. It is a great Kansas Flint Hills tradition!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Book Launch in the Flint Hills

Flint Hills novelist Deborah Vogts, in her Country at Heart Summer Newsletter, has reminded us that her new novel, set in the Kansas Flint Hills, Snow Melts in Spring, will be launched, among other places, right here in the Flint Hills on June 12 and 13. Stop by and meet Deborah and pick up a copy of her book, if you do not yet have one.

On Friday, June 12, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., she will be at the Emma Chase Music Event, 317 Broadway, in Cottonwood Falls, KS.

On Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., she will be at Miss Emma's Emporium, 220 1/2 Broadway.

There will be a registration for a great Flint Hills prize package, as well - please do stop by!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)