reator s of Cult
e r u
Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Charlie Norton Jim Richardson Kevin Willmott Wyatt Townley Tallgrass Express String Band Ballet Folklorico de Topeka Grassroots Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 Arts Center Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Phil Epp
summer 2014 | vol 70 | issue 2 $4.99
kansasmag.com
s
summer summer contents
features
24 | Creators of Culture
A celebration of the arts in Kansas— from painters and poets to filmmakers and photographers
| Kansas, Then & Now: 37 A Photo Essay 42 | Under the Stars
Some of the most fun Kansas has to offer comes after the sun has set
56 | 8 Wonders
From the first 8 Wonders to all 626 cities, the Kansas Sampler Foundation highlights all that Kansas has to offer
on the cover
Photograph: Harland J. Schuster
Liza Charay of Ballet Folklorico de Topeka Photograph by Jason Dailey
01 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
departments
04 | Field Guide
salina reasons we love kansas Vinyl Renaissance riley county Kansas! Gallery
kansas city in season Culinary Center of Kansas City
70 greensburg Creators of Culture 5.4.7 Arts Center
135
35
topeka then & now The Capitol Rotunda
wichita under the stars Garden City in season The Big Pool
Liberal Creators of Culture Baker Arts Center
inman 8 wonders Kansas Sampler Foundation
06 | Editor’s Letter 09 | In Season
10 | Eat 13 | Shop 14| Don’t Miss 17 | Culture
18 | Reasons We Love Kansas 22 | Summer 2014 Events 46 | Tour Kansas:
find us on facebook: facebook.com/kansasMagazine follow us on twitter: @kansasMag
02 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
Celebrating Our Heritage
From popular events to a restaurant’s roots—here we uncover the celebrations of our past
50 | Kansas Gallery 61 | Taste of Kansas:
Inside the Picnic Basket
Make the most of your picnic with these homegrown products
64 | Milestone of Kansas
Photograph: Michael C. Snell
nicodemus tour kansas Celebrating our Heritage
Lucas creators of culture Grassroots Art Center
summer 14
Feeling
“Received my new Kansas! magazine this past weekend. It’s awesome. I read it cover to cover that evening and now need to go back and read it again. Great articles and pictures. I especially loved the ‘5 Roadtrips’ article and can’t wait for warmer weather to get our motorcycles out to ride these.” - Linda Brown Wilson (Thanks for reading, Linda!)
Do you have a friend or loved one who loves history? Then now is the time to get them a subscription to KANSAS! magazine. Coming up this fall is our Frontier Issue, which will look at Kansas’ unique history, the plains, cowboys, Indians and much more! And this winter we’ll celebrate 70 years in print! (You wont want them to miss these issues.) travelks.com/ks-mag/
Photographs: Jason Dailey (2)
summer 2014
sketch artist
Magazine
photographers
Kansas!
writers
04
10 1
Did you know KANSAS! magazine is also on Pinterest? Be sure to follow along with our people, places, photos and more among our boards for unique travel ideas and items seen in the magazine! pinterest.com/kansasmag/
Giddy Up … Next
Creators of
11
This season we highlight just a few of the well-known “Creators of Culture” in Kansas. From sculptors to musicians, exhibitors to filmmakers, these creative thinkers catch our attention and inspire us to value Kansas’ cultural arts. Share your favorite “Creators of Culture” with us online at Facebook.com/ KansasMagazine or Twitter @KansasMag. #creatorsofculture
up
“Taste of Kansas” gives you the lineup for a perfect summer picnic built from homegrown Kansas products. Order these items online and surprise your sweetheart or friends with an afternoon in the park.
This summer we couldn’t have made these pages flip without the help of our fantastic contributors.
fieldguide
pin
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KANSAS!
Kansas
KANSAS!
summer 2014 Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Jennifer T. Haugh editor
Sam Brownback governor
Robin Jennison
KDWPT Secretary
www.sunflowerpub.com lawrence, kansas
Local Kansan,
MARK WENTLING
design & production
brings you
AFRICA’S EMBRACE
Katy Ibsen
managing editor
Shelly Bryant
THE JOURNEY BEGINS HERE
Designer/art director
Jason Dailey photographer
Midland Railway Historical Association Bert Hull Joanne Morgan
Follow the story of a young man from Kansas who travels to Africa, where he discover his mystical destiny and a larger-than-life adventure.
marketing, (785) 832-7264
general 1515 W.manager High Street KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published quarterly Baldwin City, KS 66006-0005 by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612; Phone (913) 721-1211 (785) 296-3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: (785) 296-3487. Depot (785) 594-6982 Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices. www.midlandrailway.org Newsstand price $4.99 per issue; subscription price $18
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Railway operates excursion ne originally constructed in rides feature an over 20ip from Baldwin City via Kansas” to Ottawa Please Junction, mail all editorial inquiries to: eling through scenic Eastern KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612 land and woods via vintage e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com pment. The Midland Railway The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! ely volunteer-staffed, non-profi t 501c3, carrier magazine may not be broadcast, published orcommon otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of erated to preserve display Kansas and Department of Wildlife,transportation Parks and Tourism or thehistory as an copyright owner. Unauthorized use is prohibited. demonstrationappropriate railroad. Join us for a train ride – bring the Additional restrictions may apply. y! We are in easy reach of Kansas City, Overland Park, awa and Lawrence, Topeka, and nearby communities. ormal excurions trains June-October every year.
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Midland Railway Historical Association Join us for a train ride -bring the whole family! Normal excursioN traiNs Midland Railway Historical JuNe Association - october
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1515 W. High Street Baldwin City, 66006-0005 • RailKSFest Phone (913)Halloween 721-1211 Train • Haunted Depot (785) • Santa594-6982 Express www.midlandrailway.org
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extras from the editor
ure
Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Charlie Norton Jim Richardson Tallgrass Express Truckstop Honeymoon Kevin Willmottt Ballet Folklorico de Topeka Grassroot Arts Center Baker Arts Center Greensburg Arts Center Walnut Valley Festival Wyatt Townley Phil Epp
kansasmag.com $4.99
summer 2014 | vol 70 | issue 2
summer 2014 vol 70 | issue 2 kansasmag.com
Creat ors of Cul t
of
Summer is such an exciting season in Kansas—from the many Independence Day celebrations to the myriad of outdoor activities. Pools are splashing with activity and farmers’ markets are bustling with local produce. We can’t miss the artful celebrations along Main Street or the concerts on the prairie. $4.99
creators of
culture
Whichever cultural offerings you prefer this season, we celebrate them all in this edition of KANSAS! magazine.
summer 2014 | vol 70 | issue 2 $4.99
kansasmag.com
The Cover Story Way back in January we received an email from Deb Warne about sketch artist Gavin Snider, boasting about her nephew’s artistic accomplishments and showing samples of his work. We immediately thought, “This would make a great cover!” So began The Culture Issue. Snider was not only up for the challenge of submitting a cover image, he was excited about it, and away he went sketching familiar scenes. Meanwhile, photographer Jason Dailey was running down the list of Kansas artists, dancers, filmmakers, and so forth, capturing them in their cultural habitats--Snider included. So when it came time to choose a cover, we sent the choices on to editor Jennifer Haugh for some deliberation.
Discover some fine creations and ideas in our “Creators of Culture” feature. Painters, sculptors, and filmmakers—as well as the museums and art centers that exhibit their work—are just a few of the “creators of culture” that we applaud for their influence on art in Kansas. If you’re feeling the international bug, look no further than page 46, where we discover international celebrations across the state in honor of cultural heritage. And that’s not all: The list goes on at TravelKS.com/blog. And for those looking to indulge in homegrown products, be sure to read our story on the perfect Kansas picnic featuring accouterments from all over the state. Enjoy your summer and thanks for reading!
Jennifer Haugh, Editor “Choosing an iconic cover each issue is almost like being asked to pick your favorite child! Picking a cover image is one of the toughest decisions because you want to tell so many stories all at the same time,” says Jennifer Haugh, editor.
Looking for events? Visit TravelKS.com all year long.
Katy Ibsen, managing editor
send your thoughts to: Editor, KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612 or e-mail ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com
06 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
Photograph courtesy of 5.4.7 Arts Center
Among our final choices for the cover were Katie and Mike of Truckstop Honeymoon, Ballet Folklorico de Topeka’s Liza Charay, and Snider’s sketches—and you can tell which one we finally decided on.
KANSAS!
Manhattan
Wichita
Topeka Humboldt Lawrence
Fine Arts Unique • Affordable • Functional Featuring the original handmade works of local, regional and national artisans. Pottery • Blown Glass • Jewelry • Woodwork • Textiles and much more
Visit us in beautiful downtown Lawrence, Kansas! 825 Massachusetts street Lawrence Ks - 785.843.0080 Also shop at:
www.phoenixgalleryks.com
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in KANSAS! Magazine For details contact Sunflower Publishing (888) 497-8668 sunpubads@sunflowerpub.com
There is plenty to see and do in Kansas. Be sure to call ahead for complete details.
summer 2014
in season
Photograph: Harland J. Schuster for the Kansas Sampler Foundation
10 eat / 13 shop / 14 don’t miss / 17 culture
Welcome to KANSAS! magazine’s “In Season.” Here we explore what’s new and buzzing throughout the state—from restaurants and shopping to cultural happenings and don’t-miss events and attractions. And this season, we’re diving into the deep end at the big pool in Garden City.
09 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
in season
eat
written by Gloria Gale
Get to Know your Butcher This little piggy went to market A real mom-and-pop shop is thriving in Lucas. Doug Brant, third-generation owner of the 92-year-old Brant’s Meat Market, says,“There’s nothing artificial in our wood-smoked sausages, Czech bologna, beef jerky and other fine cuts of meat.” Have a bite and stay for a chat with Doug.
Brant’s Meat Market 125 S. Main, Lucas | (785) 525-6464
Let’s dish: Culinary Center of Kansas City
Chop chop Cara Thomas, co-owner of Bolling’s Meat Market & Deli in Iola, hasn’t seen a vegetarian in ages. It’s because her family-owned butcher shop perfects mile-high sandwiches, fresh cuts of beef, pork, turkey, chicken, lamb, buffalo and seafood.“Besides our delicious products, we wrap our meat in a traditional butcher wrap so the product can be frozen with no freezer burn,” says Thomas.
Bolling’s Meat Market & Deli 201 S State St., Iola | (620) 380-6328
10
Packer-upper Yes, Steve’s Meat Market in DeSoto claims to have the best-looking butchers in the state. Check them out yourself and, while you’re at it, pick up a side of beef and chops of pork, goat, buffalo or lamb. In 1969, Steve Prudden started the market, where in addition to domestic processed products, Halal and game processing have also become available.
Steve’s Meat Market 32685 Lexington Ave., DeSoto | stevesmeatmarketks.com
Follow the smoke Looking for brats, andouille, Leberkase, Schinkenwurst, Jagdwurst or Krakauer? Werner’s in Mission is just the ticket. Smoking and twisting the finest sausages and German specialty meats since 1972, Werner’s makes everything by hand—Old World style. On Saturdays the line forms early when outdoor grilling draws a crowd.
Werner’s Specialty Foods 5736 Johnson Drive, Mission | wernerswurst.com
Photograph: Jason Dailey
There are those who are perfectly comfortable in the kitchen wielding tongs and spatula. Then there are others who are intimidated by a saucepan. The Culinary Center of Kansas City, located in downtown Overland Park, offers plenty of joy and relief to those seeking to hone their cooking skills. “We take our students as we find them and teach them what they need to know,” says Laura Laiben, owner. Laiben’s dream of starting a culinary arts center that began 16 years ago has become a whopping success. Today the public is invited to choose from 650 cooking classes annually; explore Kitchenology, a retail shop filled with an array of culinary accoutrements; or book an interactive cooking party for friends or coworkers—all with the guidance of a roster of talented chefs armed with knowledge, humor and patience. Give it a go by participating in the Center’s Culinary The Culinary Center Teambuilding, Midwest BBQ Institute of Kansas City or Public Staff Lunch the first Tuesday of every month. 7920 Santa Fe There’s more. Grab a delicious Overland Park Dinner-on-Demand from their pre(913) 341-4455 prepared case. And, if your youngsters kcculinary.com have a hankering to become handy in the kitchen, enroll them in the Junior Chefs Academy. Laiben welcomes all to the joys of cooking and reminds us, Kansas! “You can’t lick the bowl watching the Magazine food channel.” summer 2014
The
bed & breakfasT inn
a PlaCe To GeT THaT MuCH needed R&R. visit with other guests or your friends in one of our three living rooms or over a great evening meal.
Great for family reunion, quiltinG retreats and scrap bookinG.
For reservations call
(785) 945-3225 14910 Blue Mound Rd. Valley Falls, Ks 66088 thebarn@embarqmail.com
www.thebarnbb.com
HOME OF THE KANSAS WHEAT FESTIVAL
WELLINGTON IT’S THE RIGHT TURN AT EXIT 19
Join us for the official Kansas Wheat Festival,
July 9-13, 2014 5 days of food, fun, music and more!!
See a first run movie at the
historic regent theater or stroll through downtown Wellington during our First Friday Art Walk.
Visit one of our three great museums, the Panhandle RR Museum, National Glass Museum or the Chisholm Trail Museum.
shop
written by Kimberly Winter Stern
in season
Photographs: shutterstock
Perhaps nowhere in the country does produce shine like in a Kansas farmers’ market. Stalls overflow with cartons of ruby-red tomatoes, plump melons and bushels of berries. And that sweet corn— well, it looks good enough to eat on the spot. Grab your tote bag, because here are four of our favorite Sunflower State farmers’ markets, just ripe for the pickin.’
Overland Park Farmers’ Market
Downtown Lawrence Farmers’ Market
Old Town Farmers’ Market
Parsons Farmers Market
Overland Park
lawrence
wichita
parsons
7950 Marty St. This vibrant farmers’ market has served as a community gathering spot for more than 30 years, and for good reason. More than 70 growers, producers and food artisans from the region truck in their bounty to sell on Saturday mornings through November and Wednesday mornings through September. New this year: three evening markets. opkansas.org
New Hampshire St. between Eighth and Ninth Streets One of the state’s oldest produceronly markets, the Lawrence Farmers’ Market boasts more than 90 vendors selling everything from nuts to eggs and elk to beef, with the season’s best veggies, fruits and much more. In December join in the holiday spirit that defines this market, and don’t miss out on the crafts, prepared foods and made-in-Kansas treasures. Shop on Saturday mornings or Tuesday evenings through mid-November. lawrencefarmersmarket.com
Old Town Wichita Farms, ranches, dairies and nurseries display their wares in what is dubbed “Wichita’s Front Porch.”Through October 11, you can wander the Old Town Farmers’ Market for fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and more, in addition to watching chefs’ demos, munching on fair-style food and tapping your toes to live music. Supporting your local growers has never been so much fun. oldtownfarmersmarket.com
1618 Broadway This town of 10,500 friendly folks rolls out the red carpet for its weekly farmers’ market, located at 1618 Broadway in historic Downtown Parsons. Shop on Saturday mornings or Tuesday afternoons for farm-fresh produce, dairy, and locally-grown, USDAinspected Dexter beef, in addition to home-baked goods and handcrafted arts. parsonsks.com
Shop Local
Buy Well Feel Great
Sure, we need those big-box stores for bulk purchases of paper towels, but we need the one-ofa-kind businesses established by entrepreneurs and craftspeople to sustain our culture, character and sense of place. Shopping and buying local not only feels good, it helps fuel the economy and communities, ensuring that our Kansas charm and flavor continues to flourish. Supporting your local businesses means supporting a way of life with the values that define our unique Kansas spirit and pride. See you on Main Street!
13 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
in season
don’t miss
written by Marci Penner
The
At the Jim Smith Family Children’s Playscape, located at Dillon Nature Center in Hutchinson, kids can pump as much water as they’d like into the bed of sand and make castles, roads, tunnels or mountains. There’s a sand pie kitchen, a huge upright xylophone and bongo drums, grassy mounds and more. Dirty, happy youngsters clean up in a wading stream. Open 8 a.m.dusk Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-dusk Saturday-Sunday. Located at 3002 E. 30th Ave., Hutchinson. hutchrec.com
the
Big Pool
504 E. Maple, Garden City Admission $2, slides an additional $1 Open seasonally Monday-Thursday 1-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday 1-7 p.m. Facebook: The Big Pool Garden City KS
14 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
Picture a football field, but double the width. Imagine people with shovels digging down at least five feet and, with the help of horses, removing all the dirt. Picture them pouring in a trainload of cement, mixing it with sand to make concrete, and then adding two-and-a-half million gallons of water.The result was the Big Pool, Garden City’s first municipal swimming pool, which is 8 feet deep at the south end and 4 feet deep at the shallow end, with an 11.5-foot diving well.To commemorate the opening in 1922, hundreds of people lined the sides of the pool and, in unison, jumped in. In 1921, Mayor H.O.Trinkle had come up with the big idea that Garden City needed a pool.The cost of construction was formidable, so the mayor proposed that the townspeople chip in with labor, materials and money. And they did. For decades this 220-foot-by-330-foot pool was known as the “World’s Largest Free Outdoor Concrete Municipal Swimming Pool.” It was big enough for a boat to pull a skier. And for several years, two elephants, Moki and Chana, from the nearby Lee Richardson Zoo, got to play in the water after the pool had closed for the season. Five slides were added in 2006, and the admission cost is up to $2 now, but it is still one of the largest city-owned pools, and there is still enough room to splash around to your heart’s content.
quick hits one Pack your horseshoes and pitch your way to some fun on one of Russell’s 18 horseshoe courts. Find them at Parkside Avenue and North Copeland Street. russellcity.org/parks.php
two Bring a dozen friends and you can take over this four-lane bowling alley in Wamego, Lincoln Street Lanes. Open Sunday-Wednesday 1-6 p.m.; ThursdaySaturday 1-10 p.m. Located at 313 Lincoln. visitwamego.com
three Go for a ride on one of the two tree swings in the Mount Allen Cemetery in Hays at 26th Street and Vine.
haysusa.net
Photograph: Harland J. Schuster for the Kansas Sampler Foundation, Shutterstock, the Kansas Sampler Foundation, Shutterstock
Sandbox
Convention & Visitors Bureau There is plenty to see and do in Lindsborg. Be sure to call ahead for complete directions.
Home of National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson
Jim and Kathy RichaRdson www.smallworldgallery.net
CloCk and MuSiC Box ServiCe & repair
Small Town. Smal Business. Big Talent.
785-819-5198
124 N. Main Lindsborg, KS wr.chestnut@yahoo.com
131 N. Main St Lindsborg, KS www.connectedfairtrade.com #ConnectedFT opeN daiLy aNd LaTe Fresh Cut Flowers
Enjoy a quiEt and comfortablE rEtrEat from EvEryday lifE.
GIFT SHOP
Bouquet Shoppe Inc Floral-Apparel-Gifts-Tanning
785.227.2202
www.bouquest-shoppe.com
The Good MerchanT UniqUe boUtiqUe
with home decor, fashion accessories & gifts for everyone
• 19 guest rooms • Swedish breakfest buffet served every morning www.swedishcountryinn.com 800-231-0266
785-212-6134 / www.thegoodmerchant.net
135 N Main Lindsborg Open 7 days a week!
culture
written by Nathan Pettengill
in season
Joyce
DiDonato 101 Online introduction: Hear DiDonato perform “Over the Rainbow” at her 2009 concert in Baden Baden.
A longer listen:
Old-World
Ten for Ken! The Salina Symphony celebrates 10 years with conductor Ken Hakoda at a special concert featuring some of his personal favorites on May 4 at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts. In turn, Hakoda will honor one of the area’s favorite sons at the 70th-anniversary D-Day concert on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene on June 7.
salinasymphony.org
Photograph: Nick Heavican
70th Anniversary of D-Day Commemoration Along with the D-Day concert, a full weekend of activities is planned to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. Programs and activities will include reenactors, vintage vehicles, lectures, and more. June 6-8.
eisenhower.archives.gov
& New-World Divas
Many Kansas musicians have topped charts and packed concert halls. But now the state can boast having two female vocalists at the top of their genres. Opera star Joyce DiDonato, who grew up in Prairie Village and studied opera at Wichita State University, is set this year to begin a series of performances called Perspectives that The New York Times billed as one of the highlights of Carnegie Hall’s upcoming 2014-15 season. DiDonato, whom the BBC called “opera’s ruling mezzo-soprano,” is coming off a year in which she released ReJoyce, a 31-track album featuring her best work of the past decade, and she will be featured on this fall’s album Here/After, which is in part a
tribute to those who died on September 11, 2001. What Joyce DiDonato has done in opera, Janelle Monáe has begun matching in the world of R&B and soul. Growing up on the right side of the Kansas-Missouri border in Wyandotte County, Monáe studied voice in New York and Philadelphia before breaking out from Atlanta with the 2010 release of the doubleGrammy-nominated album The ArchAndroid. She topped this success in 2013 with The Electric Lady, an album that Kansas-based music critic Nick Spacek says “solidified her as a force” in the industry. Her music is alternatively romantic, soulful, danceinfectious and full-throttle.
Check out her album ReJoyce for a range of songs.
Where you can hear the next Joyce DiDonato: Maybe at her alma mater, the Wichita State University opera program; they will announce their 2014-2015 lineup this summer.
Janelle
Monáe 101 Online introduction:
Hear “Tightrope,” with its music video that is part Harry Potter, part Michael Jackson and all Janelle Monáe.
A longer listen: Listen to her album Electric Lady and be prepared to jump out of your chair for “Dance Apocalyptic.”
Where you can hear the next janelle Monáe: She is entirely her own tradition, according to music critic Nick Spacek, but ultimately her roots are in Wyandotte County church choral music. His advice? Head to the pews.
17
Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
reasons
we love kansas written by Fally Afani We search Kansas far and wide to find even more reasons to love our Sunflower State. Share your Reasons to Love Kansas (see page 21).
1
Where’s the Fire … Engine?
2
A piece of history has been reborn in Seneca, thanks to its Volunteer Fire Department. The 1922 Stutz Fire Engine was purchased in March of 1922 for $6,650 by the Seneca Volunteer Fire Department. The truck weighed 8,500 pounds with a 58-horse power engine and the pump was capable of 400 pounds of pressure. The Stutz went out of service in 1942, but was brought back to life a few years later. “In the ’70s, there were a few older firemen that had used it, and they decided one night it’d be neat to restore and have it for a show model,” says Allen Henry, chief of the fire department. The engine has even received first place honors at a car show. The 1922 Stutz Fire Engine, as well as the Ladder Wagon and the Boyer Fire Apparatus, can be viewed at the Seneca Fire Department Museum. 19 N 6th St., (785) 336-2747.
18 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
Capturing the Flint Hills
Creative Kansans can bring their original visions to life thanks to the Flint Hills Photography Workshop. Photographers-in-training will learn basic camera operation, composition, image editing and printing. The workshops, originally based out of Alma, are generally held in early summer. “A big part of our decision to host them in Alma was because of its historic connection to the Flint Hills, and it is near many great photographic spots,” says organizer Wayne Rhodus. Anyone interested can contact Rhodus or Scott Bean through their Facebook page. Facebook: Flint Hills Photography Workshops
Photographs (Clockwise from lower left): Courtesy of the Seneca Area Chamber/SDI, Chris Soupene, courtesy of Old Prairie Town, Larry Harwood for Sunflower Living, Shutterstock, courtesy of Around the Corner Coffee
3 Perk Up
Around the Corner Coffee in Iola has just started brewing, and it’s already turning heads thanks to its delicious treats. The coffee shop boasts outdoor seating and an impressive menu filled with homemade pastries and brunch items. Come for the Honey Chicken wraps and homemade soups; stay for the lattes that have customers buzzing. 110 S. Jefferson Ave., Iola (620) 228-5779 Facebook: Around the Corner Iola
5
reasons
we love kansas
Old Prairie Town
Sprawled across more than five acres in Topeka’s Ward Meade neighborhood lays a vivid piece of history. Old Prairie Town is home to a restored 1874 Victorian Mansion, Santa Fe Depot, 1854 Ward cabin, botanical garden and more. This summer visitors will also hear bluegrass and folk music ringing in the air, thanks to the Wheat Stock Festival. “We have over 25 musicians that participate, and it’s a really good time,” says John Bell, operations manager. Wheat Stock kicks off on June 21 at noon. 124 NW Fillmore St. Topeka, (785) 368-3888. topeka.org Facebook: Old Prairie Town at Ward Meade Historic Site
4
Vinyl Renaissance What started as a passion for vinyl records inspired Chad Kassem to launch a successful national and international business: Acoustic Sounds. The company remanufactures rare and out-of-print recordings on vinyl and other formats. “Our customers are audiophiles who want the richest, best sound possible from the music that they listen to,” says David Clouston, communications associate at Acoustic Sounds. The company is based out of Salina, and operates its own vinyl-reissue label and LP pressing plant, as well as nearby Blue Heaven Studios. acousticsounds.com Facebook: Acoustic Sounds Twitter: @Vinyl_Lives
184 Pounds!
The weight of the heaviest watermelon at the 2013 Kansas State Fair! Don’t miss this year’s lineup of fun and exciting Fair events. September 5-14. kansasstatefair.com Facebook: Kansas State Fair Twitter: @KansasStateFair
19 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
reasons
7
we love kansas
Movie Buffs Unite
There really is no better way to learn the traditions and history of the Sunflower State than from actual Kansans. That’s the message from the Kansas Humanities Council’s FLIKS Short Films. Each documentary takes us along a rich cultural ride as told through the eyes of local filmmakers. Visit their website to lose yourself in these fascinating narratives. kansashumanities.org Facebook: Kansas Humanities Council Twitter: @kshumanities
8
We scream for Gelato
9
Outstanding in the Field
Farm to table is truly alive as Outstanding in the Field makes its way to Kansas. This October the mobile event will set up at Crum’s Heirlooms in Bonner Springs and welcomes chef Andrew Sloan of Room 39. Kansas is the 49th state in which OITF has hosted the culinary event. outstandinginthefield.com Facebook: Outstanding in the Field Twitter: @out_inthefield
20 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
When you visit Paciugo, the mission is spelled out loud and clear: “real sugar, real milk, real Italians.” The popular gelato franchise began with the founder’s love for her family’s handmade Italian dessert, and it is now operating in locations all over the U.S. That includes a store in Leawood, where hundreds of colorful flavors using fresh ingredients are concocted—the Italian way. 5260 W. 116th Place, Leawood paciugo.com Facebook: Paciugo Gelato Twitter: @paciugotweets
10
In bloom
It’s Sunflower Season!
1113 reasons
we love kansas
Photographs (Clockwise from left): Courtesy of the Kansas Humanities Council, Shutterstock, Harold Gaston, courtesy of Liberty Hall, Alan Apel, Jeremy Fenske
Homage to History
Every summer, Council Grove comes alive when Washunga Days takes over the historic downtown. The celebration honors the Kaw Indians and the community through music, a parade, a colorful car show, powwows and even a 5K run. The $5 admission for the three-day long event is a steal, considering the endless fun and notable entertainers that the summer party attracts. washunga.com Facebook: Washunga Days
12
Scene Stealer pedal power
If you’re looking for an exhilarating way to experience the beauty of the Flint Hills, put on your helmet and sign up for the Cottonwood 200. The three-day bicycle tour covers 200 miles over the Memorial Day weekend. The tour starts and ends at Washburn University in Topeka, taking riders on a thrilling and scenic tour of one of the greatest wonders nature has to offer in the state. This year’s event will be held May 24-26. cottonwood200.org Facebook: Cottonwood 200 Bicycle Ride
Reasons
We Love Kansas
You could call Lawrence’s Liberty Hall a jack-of-all-trades. On one side of the massive building, located in historic downtown Lawrence, it’s an independent movie theater. At the other end, Liberty Hall is your hometown video store. “The people who work here are not just film nerds, they are oracles,” says manager Maggie Allen. “We know that good movies can change the world, and even not-so-good movies can at least provide sanctuary.” Liberty Hall also welcomes some of the biggest names in entertainment on its colorful stage nestled between two brightly painted murals. 644 Massachusetts St., Lawrence. libertyhall.net Twitter: @libertyhall
Send your “Reasons We Love Kansas” to ksreasons@sunflowerpub.com or to Reasons, KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612.
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events kansas summer
Lucas Oil Divisional Race
Creative Workshop
Lavender Harvest Festival
Great Bend
Matfield Green
Bennington
May 16-18
May 31-June 1
June 21
Thunder on the Plains returns to historic SRCA drag strip for a series of drag races. visitgreatbend.com
Pioneer Bluffs welcomes poet Pramila Venkateswaran to host a creative workshop—“Release your creative spirit: words, images, movement”—in the heart of the Flint Hills. Registration required. pioneerbluffs.org
The 6th annual Lavender Harvest Festival will feature farm tours, demonstrations, plant sales (lavender and other herbs), live music, food and more. Admission is $5. Begins at 9 a.m. prairielavenderfarm.com
Second Annual Tri-Yak-a-Thon Derby Kite Festival
2014 U.S. Open Clay Shoot Fort Scott
Derby
Columbus
May 17
June 2-8
Kites flutter about at High Park, where kite clubs will showcase their skills. Begins at 1 p.m. derbyweb.com
Witness the nation’s premier clay shoot right here in Kansas at the U.S. Open Clay Shoot. Competitors have qualified for this special competition. Begins at 7 a.m. claythorne.com
June 21
NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship
Racers, solo or by team, will find their way through the Gunn Park Trails on a 4-mile run, 2-mile kayak ride, and 6.5mile mountain-bike ride. Registration required. Begins at 10 a.m. facebook.com/triyakathonks
Chingawassa Days Hutchinson Marion May 23-28 June 6-8 Prairie Dunes hosts the 2014 NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship with Wichita State University. Tournament format includes 30 teams and six individuals who will compete over 54 holes. prairiedunes.com
Riverfest
18th annual event with family entertainment for all ages, including contests, rides, games, animals, races, prizes and food. chingawassadays.com
SWAN Arts Festival
Kicker Country Stampede
Wichita
Ottawa
Manhattan
May 30-June 7
June 20-22
June 26-29
Nine days of the best that Wichita has to offer, including food, concerts, family activities and fantastic fireworks displays! A $5 button grants admission to more than 60 events. wichitariverfest.com
This regional arts festival features three days of fine arts, live music, children’s activities, delicious food, art demonstrations, vendors and so much more. Times vary. swanartsfestival.com
The largest country music festival in the Midwest brings the hottest names in country music to Kansas: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Joe Nichols, Joe Diffie, Logan Mize and many more. countrystampede.com
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find more events at travelks.com
events kansas summer
Play Day in the Park
Shop the Night Away
Junction City Rodeo
Salina
McPherson
Junction City
July 4
July 11
July 18-19
This patriotic picnic in Oakdale Park celebrates the Fourth of July with free hot dogs, chips and ice cream. Listen to the band play patriotic songs while you play old-fashioned games and enjoy fireworks. Begins at 10 a.m. salina-ks.gov/ParksandRecreation
“Shop the Night Away” in downtown McPherson, where the stores will remain open until 10 p.m. Food, free movie at the Opera House, and entertainment for the whole family. visitmcpherson.com
Recognized as one of the “largest open rodeos in Kansas,” with contestants coming from all over the state to compete. See the saddle broncs, bareback riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and more. Tickets are $8 for adults. Begins at 7 p.m. junctioncity.org
Automobilia Highlights in History Wichita Fort Scott National Historic Site July 4 Features talks, tours, demonstrations and living history programs about Fort Scott’s role in the pivotal events of American History—right in the place where it happened. nps.gov/fosc
3i Show—A North American Agribusiness Tradition
69th Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo
July 12
Abilene
Marvel at more than 1,000 vehicles along a two-mile stretch of downtown Wichita. Among the amazing rides, the show includes multiple stages of live music and a midnight cruise. The moonlight car show is free to the public and starts at 6 p.m. automobiliausa.com
July 30-August 2 Put on your boots and hat and attend the exciting PRCA Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo, which will thrill audiences with fast-moving events starring bullfighters, clowns and specialty acts. Events vary each day. wildbillhickokrodeo.com
Honey Badger 100 Mile Ultra Race Great Midwest Balloon Festival
Dodge City
Cheney
July 10-12
July 12
The 60th anniversary 3i SHOW is a salute to industry, implements and irrigation. Organized and managed by Western Kansas Manufacturers Association, the show provides an opportunity for exhibitors from all over the world to showcase their agribusiness products at the Western State Bank Expo Center. Begins at 8 a.m. 3ishow.com
Challenge yourself for this 100-mile foot race, starting and ending at Cheney State Park and traversing roadways through Kingman County, Kansas. Registration required, begins at 6 a.m. honeybadger100.com
Kansas City, Kansas
Illustrations: Shutterstock
August 8-10 The Kansas Speedway will host this up, up and away family fun event. Begins at 4 p.m. midwestballoonfest.org
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Folklorico de Topeka Grassroots Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 nter Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Phil Epp Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Cha rton Jim Richardson Kevin Willmott Wyatt Townley Tallgrass Express String Band Ballet Folk co de Topeka Grassroots Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 Arts Center Walnut Valley Festi ckstop Honeymoon Phil Epp Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Charlie Norton Jim Richardson K lmott Wyatt Townley Tallgrass Express Band Ballet Folklorico de Topeka Grassroots A If you’ve String lived in Kansas for each nter Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 ArtsofCenter Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Phil E the four seasons, you know that the scenery is beautiful and stin Goering Gavin Snider Charlie Norton Jim Richardson Kevin Willmott Wyatt Townley Tallg evokes a variety of emotions. press String Band Ballet Folklorico This delandscape, Topeka Grassroot Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 along with our perfect nter Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Epp Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Cha sunsets and fluffy clouds—andPhil our welcoming spirit—has served as an inspiration for creative Express String Band Ballet Folk rton Jim Richardson Kevin Willmott Wyatt Townley Tallgrass artists in Kansas, from painters to filmmakers co de Topeka Grassroots Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 Arts Center Walnut Valley Festi to musicians and more. ckstop Honeymoon Phil Epp Kristin Goering These creators of Gavin culture areSnider stretching Charlie Norton Jim Richardson K a new canvas to put a beautiful, creative andFolklorico de Topeka Grassroots A lmott Wyatt Townley Tallgrass Express String Band Ballet artistic Kansas on the map, and this summer nter Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 Arts Center Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Phil E we celebrate that spirit. stin Goering Gavin Snider Charlie Norton Jim Richardson Kevin Willmott Wyatt Townley Tallg press String Band Ballet Folklorico de Topeka Grassroots Art Center Baker Arts Center 5.4.7 nter Walnut Valley Festival Truckstop Honeymoon Phil Epp Kristin Goering Gavin Snider Cha
7 Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass 7 Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass 7 Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass 7 Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass 7 Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass Arts arlie kival Kevin Art Epp grass 7 Arts arlie
KristinGoering
painter
Kristin Goering’s paintings of shadow-dappled landscapes and sweeping Technicolor sunsets beckon and seduce. Her brushstrokes challenge the clichéd notion that the Kansas prairie is static; in her work, it is instead a vibrant collaboration between heaven and earth. A fifth-generation Kansas girl who grew up in rural Hesston, Goering became enamored with sensuous ribbons of crop rows, the seasons’ timeless rhythm and the growly spring and summer thunderstorms that rumble the earth. Goering puts her vivid imagination to use embodying the beauty of natural Kansas in her work. “Growing up in Kansas, and especially in a small town and the neighboring countryside, I see beauty in big, open spaces, in the color of grasses, the rhythm of crop rows and shadows cast by trees and the Flint Hills,” says Goering, who paints in her Fairway studio. Goering’s inspiration may be simple, but the artist’s translation of vast swatches of wheat—punctuated by jagged-edge storm clouds and gently rolling hills
kristingoering.com
stitched to a sky layered with the hues of a sunset—generates energy, complexity and excitement. A preservationist of sorts, she captures the endless array of color, line and shadow found in natural landscapes, the cacophony of insects, birds and animals and the ever-present wind. “I often view my work as a way to preserve a moment and feeling in time,” says Goering, who counts among her mentors Kansas regional artist Phil Epp. “People often overlook the wild places of the plains, and I hope by painting them I build awareness of and interest in our compelling surroundings.” Goering is an improviser who prefers to riff on a descriptive framework based on sketches and photos that she’s constantly shooting from her car during scouting drives or on walks. She hopes her work inspires observers to see beyond typical representation and extend the concept of what is natural or organic. “I hope people consider the Kansas landscape differently once they are exposed to my work,” says Goering. “Maybe a nuance they’ve never seen before, a detail they’ve discounted.” – Kimberly Winter Stern
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Magazine summer 2014
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kevinwillmott
filmmaker
“Kansas people, they want to help. We all get together and raise a barn together. It’s really great to see the different combinations of people together to make that film.”
– Kevin Willmott
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millermeiers.com/kevinwillmott
For filmmaker Kevin Willmott, there really is no place like home. The popular director with an activist background has used his home state of Kansas to bring controversial issues to the forefront. From The Only Good Indian to the recently released Jayhawkers, Willmott’s focus has always been on contentious tales from our nation’s history. One of his most popular films, the mockumentary C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America, hypothesizes what would have happened if the South had won the Civil War. A lot of eyes all over the world saw the film, thanks to Sundance Film Festival and the Independent Film Channel, and it subsequently sparked heated discussions everywhere. Exposing these aspects of American society, no matter how uncomfortable they may be, is what prompts Willmott to make calls to action through his films. “Usually the subjects that I deal with, that I expose, are elements that I feel are underexposed or misunderstood,” says Willmott. “With C.S.A., there’s still a lot of people in America that believe the Confederacy was a good thing.” Willmott hopes the film will continue to move people forward.“The fun thing is, you hope to entertain people at the same time you try to enlighten them on some level.” The Junction City native studied film in Kansas and later on in New York. But when it came time to decide where he would pursue his work, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind. He planted his feet firmly in Kansas because that’s where his roots were. “You’ve got to go back to where you have a base of support,” he says. “So I decided to come back. That’s when I really learned that for what I wanted to do, Kansas was the place to do it from.The stories I tell are more ruralbased. I’ve got the best of metropolitan cities right down the road.” Now, with several films under his belt, he’s plowing forward with more state-based films and encouraging others to do the same.“I would love the see the arts supported as I think they should be in Kansas,” he says. Despite the state resources,Willmott is convinced that what makes most films possible in the state is the attitude of its citizens.“Kansans are not jaded by film,” he says. “They’ll help in any way they can to get the film made. There’s a real opportunity to make films in Kansas.” Willmott’s always been one to go against the Hollywood grain; it’s one thing that prompts him to keep making challenging films.“You’d like to believe that you are making people think about some things that they don’t often think about,” he says.“You’d like to believe the stories you tell will affect someone the way those stories affected me as a kid.That’s always the hope.” – Fally Afani
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tallgrassexpress String band musicians
TallgrassExpress.com
In the Midwest, folk and bluegrass bands are an entertainment staple. But to date, none have created such a distinctly native experience as Kansas’ Tallgrass Express String Band. Evoking the landscape and time periods of which they sing, they’ve dedicated their tunes almost entirely to the Flint Hills. Their sound can best be described as a mix of folk, Western, bluegrass and old-time string band, says Annie Wilson, who plays guitar and sings. “Our music helps to celebrate the land and people of the Flint Hills,” Wilson says. In fact, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback named the singer-songwriter “Flint Hills Balladeer” in January 2013. Along with string-based acoustics, they focus heavily on vocals, often taking on three-part harmonies.“It really adds versatility to the music,” says Wilson, emphasizing the band’s dynamics and willingness to perform anywhere for anyone. Though they’ve performed covers in the past, the band released its first all-original album, Clean Curve of Hill Against Sky, in 2010. Their second album, Sky & Water,Wind & Grass, featuring 30 original songs, was recently released. And this year marks their 10th anniversary, after meeting at a Friday night jam session hosted by the Emma Chase Café, in Cottonwood Falls. “I enjoy being able to bring optimism into people’s lives through music. It’s something people enjoy, and I’m so happy if I can give them that,” Wilson says.“If someone wants to listen I’m glad to play for them.” – Bethaney Wallace
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grassrootsart center
The Grassroots Art Center in Lucas is on a mission to document, exhibit and preserve the work of “outsider artists” in Kansas and the Midwest. “These artists are just a different breed of people,” says Rosslyn Schultz, executive director of the Grassroots Art Center. They have not had any formal art education or training, but for whatever reason, Schultz says, they have been inspired to create their own works of art.“They truly love what they’re doing and they are driven to create.” Schultz adds that examples of outsider art, self-taught visionary art, exist from one end of Kansas to another. She urges people to be aware of such unconventional artwork. “Examples of outsider art can be over the next hill or around the next corner,” she says. – Lou Ann Thomas
visionary arts
grassrootsart.net
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Irene Dillon Baker had a passion for art and culture, which today is shared with visitors to Liberal’s Baker Arts Center, dubbed the “cultural oasis on the prairie.” Baker bequeathed her home, her personal art collection, and her appreciation for sharing art to create the Baker Arts Center in 1986. Prior to her death in 1984, she established funds and plans to create the Center, which opened in 1986 and today serves as an educational source for schools, a gallery for many works of art and exhibits, and a growing resource for the community.
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Read more on the Walnut Valley Festival at travelks.com/blog
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bakerarts center
Along with Mrs. Baker’s collection, featuring works by Salvador Dali and John Steuart Curry, the Center also displays new pieces by local artists every six to eight weeks. The Center boasts a unique blend of local art and treasured pieces from all over the world. Art director Diane Marsh helps develop different events and workshops to get children involved in art.“The kids’ point of view is very refreshing,” she says.“Their little jewels of wisdom teach me every day.” – Bethaney Wallace
gallery
walnutvalley festival
Every year, right as the heat subsides but before the leaves change, comes a landmark occasion for music lovers in Kansas. If your grass is blue, then the Walnut Valley Festival is the place for you September 17-21. Winfield, in the south-central part of the state, becomes a home away from home for thousands of folk and flatpickin’ fans every September. It’s almost become a rite of passage for any native Kansan.
event
bakerartscenter.org
wvfest.com
“We have people from all around the world that come for the competitions,” says Rex Flottman, a longtime coordinator of the event, who adds that some fans come from as far as Japan, Australia and the Philippines. “Basically they’re recognized as international championships and national competitions. So it generally draws the top players of those particular instruments in the world here.” – Fally Afani
Gavin Snider spends Sunday afternoons exploring Kansas. He leaves the urban canyons of Kansas City to drive into the wide-open expanse of prairie that feeds his soul and artistic sensibility. Snider, an architect by day and a musician-artistwanderer the rest of the time, grew up in the south-central Kansas town of Mulvane.The roots of small-town living and Kansas’ vast sky and rural disposition got under his skin. As a youngster, Snider spent time painting and drawing on the opposite side of an artist’s easel from his twin brother, Grant. Using past issues of KANSAS! magazine supplied by their mother as visual reference material, the boys recreated landscapes from the publication’s pages. “My aunt and uncle had a picture I drew when I was around 4,” says Snider. “I saw it several years ago and recognized an element of life, energy, excitement. I wanted to rediscover that.” Later in life Snider launched the self-motivated “Travelogue” project. On his Sunday excursions, sketchbook in hand, he captured a farming community’s deserted main street, an ornate brick bank building from the 1800s, and the triple stacks of a grain elevator towering above one- and two-story buildings like crude skyscrapers. What Snider records are details—the features of his native state that, he says, he didn’t fully appreciate until recently. “My sketches are a celebration of what these small towns like Mulvane and Mankato have,” he says. “I channel a heightened observation of what’s there—quiet beauty, history—things I passed up before.” Snider considers his weekend jaunts as priceless opportunities to recalibrate his surroundings. “As an architect, I think about buildings all the time,” he says. “‘Travelogue’ encourages me to take a closer look, peel back the layers, see the bones.” The next step of Snider’s visual travelogue is to embrace the stories and voices of people who live in the small Kansas towns he draws.“There’s a rich culture no one hears,” he says. “I’m inspired to capture those words, intimate recollections of life.” Snider’s work embraces not only the Sunflower State but the world. His sketches include scenes from Kansas to Brazil to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee. But his affinity is for the small town.“Kansas has hundreds and hundreds of them,” says Snider, “and each one has a story.” – Kimberly Winter Stern
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gavinsnider
illustrator
gavinsnider.com
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Magazine summer 2014
Traveling along Highway 83 near Oakley, it’s difficult to miss one of sculptor Charlie Norton’s best-known works, The Birthplace of the Legend, Buffalo Bill. The bronze sculpture portrays William F. Cody and his mustang, Brigham, together moving at full speed, taking aim at a buffalo. At over 9,000 pounds, the bronze is more than two times life size and accurate in every details. Norton has spent most of his life studying Western history and turning that knowledge into art. As a young boy growing up on the high plains of Kansas, he remembers listening to the old-timers telling stories about Indians, pioneers and buffalo. “As they told their stories, I would sketch them all as I saw them in my mind. It’s a way of life when you grow up around the old men who were spitting and whittling while they told these
5 Read more on 5.4.7 Arts Center at travelks.com/blog
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stories of the past,” says Norton, who in 2010 was inducted into the Cowboy Artist category of the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He cast his first bronze in 1973 and has been creating sculptures that reflect his interest in the historical West ever since. “My paintings and bronze have always been centered around the buffalo,” says Norton. But his work also includes bronze sculptures of eagles, beavers, elk and other wildlife, as well as Native Americans, such as his recent sculptures of a Navajo Indian with silver jewelry and blanket. He and his wife, Pat, also an artist, lived in Santa Fe for a short time, and although they say they enjoyed their time there, they returned to Kansas. “I guess we are used to more space and appreciate a little more of the grassroots culture here,” he says. The location of the Buffalo Bill sculpture in Oakley illustrates an 1868 buffalo-hunting contest that, according to Cody took place in Logan County. Cody won the contest, earning the name “Buffalo Bill” and in turn, deeming Logan County “The Birthplace of the Legend, Buffalo Bill.” “People from all over the world stop and take pictures of it and are then telling others of early life in Kansas,” Charlie says. – Lou Ann Thomas
charlienorton
sculptor
5.4.7arts center
inspiration
May 4, 2007—a day Greensburg will never forget. As the sun rose on May 5, it gave the city’s 1,400 residents a clear view of the havoc caused by an F-5 tornado. Despite the loss and devastation, the city persevered to rebuild—but rebuild a new and environmentally friendly city. Soon after Greensburg was hit by the tornado, 250 miles to the northeast in Lawrence professor Dan Rockhill and 22 of the best and brightest graduate
charlienortonbronze.com
547artscenter.org
students at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning huddled to draw their own blueprint on how they might help with the rebirth of this not-so-distant city. The group, known as Studio 804 would become an integral part of rebuilding Greensburg. “Designing and building a structure in Greensburg gave Studio 804 an opportunity to give back and provide an inspiration to the city,” Rockhill says. – Richard Shank
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philepp
painter
For young Phil Epp, the formative years on a farm near Henderson, Nebraska, were filled with chores and working the fields. Even so, early in life he grasped the real beauty of rural America and learned new ways to entertain himself. Two elements on the Epp farm were constant: an abundance of horses and beautiful cloud formations visible across the horizon. Soon, on those cold Nebraska nights or on a hot summer evening, he found himself with pencil in hand, drawing pictures of horses and clouds. Those who observed his handiwork probably thought the young lad had a gift—or that he might even be on his way to something much larger. At 18 he found himself 200 miles south in North Newton, Kansas, where he honed his skills as an art major at Bethel College. Epp quickly developed an affinity for Harvey County, and he stayed for nearly three decades, teaching art in the Newton school system.
philepp.com
Epp’s paintings of Kansas cloud formations are iconic, and his passion shows. Such was the case, for example, when a February snowstorm paralyzed south central Kansas—but not Epp. He was driving the byways and highways in the area, searching for his next subject, which could have been anything from a cold-weather cloud to a group of horses racing across a pasture. Since his retirement from teaching in 2004, Epp has more time for lengthy projects. When the Kansas City Chiefs came calling, requesting his services to paint a landscape scene with lots of clouds in the background, he was up to the challenge; six months later, he delivered the final product. Those seeking their fortunes at the Kansas Star Casino near Mulvane now gaze across the room to a Phil Epp landscape scene. For Epp, the world is in a transformational stage, and as a result people are developing a greater appreciation of art. Meanwhile, he continues doing what he does best and the world anxiously awaits his next piece of work. – Richard Shank
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Ballet Folklorico de Topeka
In a remodeled building in Topeka’s NOTO Arts District, men and women, young and old, practice dances that preserve Mexican heritage year-round. With its rhythmic tapping, twirling and colorful dress swirling, Ballet Folklorico de Topeka moves dancers and audiences alike with kinetic artistry that rekindles memories for older generations, while creating new fans of the form with every performance. “Our dancers see people brighten up because they are bringing them something that they thought they had lost from their cultural heritage,” says Ed Gonzalez, director of Ballet Folklorico de Topeka since 1976. Cultural heritage is important to Gonzalez, a Kansas native whose parents moved from Mexico to Topeka when his father took a job with the Santa Fe Railroad. He and his wife, Dolores, are both first-generation Americans. Gonzalez, whose mother introduced him to dance when he was a child, believes maintaining cultural ties is a key component for keeping families close and values intact. His three children and two of his grandchildren have all danced with Ballet Folklorico de Topeka, and a great-grandson may dance this year at the Fiesta Mexicana (July 15-19), an annual showcase for the troupe. Last year, for the beloved Fiesta’s
dance
80th anniversary, 25 former Ballet Folklorico de Topeka members, who were scattered throughout the world, came back to perform.Their desire to participate exemplified the commitment to tradition that Gonzalez has fostered. Ballet Folklorico de Topeka comprises about 50 people ranging in age from 4 to 70, who often perform outside during First Friday art walks and conduct after-school workshops for local elementary students, creating pride and enticing new dancers to join the fold. “Once you learn how to dance, it comes from the heart,” Gonzalez says. “Some people are a little afraid to try it, but when they do, it takes them over. It’s fun.” Gonzalez, a registered nurse, relocated the studio from the Oakland neighborhood to NOTO in 2012 to complement the area’s music and art renaissance. “If you’re going to have an arts district, you have to have movement too, and that’s what we provide,” he says. With bright walls adorned with artwork, the Ballet Folklorico de Topeka building provides space for presentations and receptions. Gonzalez hopes it eventually will evolve into a multicultural center, an inviting, inclusive community setting for creative expression and exchange. – Kim Gronniger
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JimRichardson
photographer
Raised near Belleville, Jim Richardson used a pawn-shop camera purchased by his father to capture the family farmstead for a Republic County Fair display. Since then, the National Geographic photographer and contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler has spent decades documenting microcosms around the world, from aquifers and adolescents to festivals and prairie fires. Whether on assignment for an artful angle on genetically modified foods or a depiction of families striving to sustain their way of life, Richardson tackles the work with a keen eye and, he says,“pencil-blunting research.” He thrives on the story-development process, considering not just the physical aspects of his varied subjects but also the economic and political factors that may enhance relevance for readers. To ensure that his visual narratives are fair, he interviews both everyday people and experts to gain perspective. “You have to speak the language of the people you’re dealing with,” says Richardson.“Whether that’s astronomers talking about night skies or historians knowledgeable about the King James Bible or people in Cuba, Kansas finding value and meaning in their lives.” His wanderlust fueled by childhood library books, Richardson has traveled throughout North America and visited the other six continents as well—“all fascinating
jimrichardsonphotography.com
but not home,” he says. Retracing Marco Polo’s footsteps on China’s Silk Road and visiting Scotland, his ancestral homeland, are highlights; but his most treasured possession is a carved wooden key to Cuba, the community he chronicled for more than 30 years as a photographer. And the key to his own success? “Doggedness wins over talent,” he says, laughing. Having enjoyed a rural upbringing complemented by global experiences, Richardson says,“I like those things in tandem and wouldn’t want one without the other. But fundamentally what goes on in small-town Kansas isn’t that different from what goes on in an Eskimo village. Wherever you go, people think their sunsets are better.” In 1997, he and his wife, Kathy, a jewelry designer, moved from Denver to Lindsborg, and in 2002 they opened the Small World Gallery, where they enjoy interacting with visitors seeking their distinctive creations. Richardson delights in the changing seasons and the participatory nature of Lindsborg life, where pickup trucks are frequently pressed into service to help others and residents collaboratively “make things happen.” He also finds it refreshing to visit with Kansas artists “lacking in the bluster that occupies so much of the art world,” he says.“It’s encouraging to find folks who are deeply invested in Kansas and want its legacy of progressive development to continue.” – Kim Gronniger
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truckstophoneymoon
musician
truckstophoneymoon.com
When relocating to a new state, it’s important to acclimate to your new surroundings. But when Hurricane Katrina drove Truckstop Honeymoon’s Mike and Katie West out of their New Orleans home—destroying all their belongings—their traditions were all they could pack up and bring to Kansas. What they didn’t expect was how quickly their customs, primarily the annual Mardi Gras parade, would become embedded in their new home. The husband-and-wife duo known as Truckstop Honeymoon are a wildly popular band, regularly touring the U.S. and even landing gigs across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. But Lawrence is where they set up shop after encountering a supportive musical community in 2005. “That’s why we landed in Kansas. These people all reached out and pooled their resources,” says Katie. “So we just landed.We had bedding, pots and pans, crates of preserves. Fans and friends from all over this state—they were just so generous.We were like,‘All right, we can just park it here’— Kansas.Who’da thunk it! It’s where we are and it’s home.” Transitioning was hard enough on Mike, Katie and their children. But what really came as a shocker was the absence of Mardi Gras celebrations. “We’re very accustomed to the fun of the parades, the costuming, the craziness of Mardi Gras in our old neighborhood,” says Katie. So despite the cold March in 2007, the couple kicked off a new local tradition.Today Fat Tuesday has become a staple in downtown Lawrence, where musicians gather with all the bells and whistles to play Mardi Gras music while marching up and down the sidewalks, stopping in at every other business.
“In this state—Wichita, Lawrence, Manhattan— everywhere people just open hearts to music, and they’re ready to be a part of it.” —Mike West
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The community has rallied not only around Truckstop Honeymoon’s parade antics, but all their musical endeavors. They play regularly throughout the state and on longer tours, all while toting their four kids along for the ride; and Mike and Katie are putting out two albums this year. The melodic family also plans on touring the Southwest and eventually making their way to United Kingdom and Berlin. “We used to make a record, a baby, a record, a baby,” jokes Katie. Mike says they’re now “trying to make some records back to back.” In just a few short years, living in Kansas became the best possible outcome for a family so engrossed in the arts.“This town and this area, there’s a lot of people willing to support art and make art happen at our level,” says Mike.“Nobody’s making lots of money, but people are out there and doing it, and it supports and allows the arts to happen.” – Fally Afani
W
wyatttownley
poet
Wyatt Townley is a master engineer of words and a creator of worlds that are beautiful, mysterious and compelling. As poet laureate of Kansas, Townley—who is charged with promoting the humanities as a resource for all Kansans—is simply describing the world, as she sees it, through the unique prism of her multifaceted looking glass. “Poetry underlies all life,” says Townley, a fourth-generation Kansan.“It is everywhere around us, all the time. It’s really a matter of tuning—of appreciating the crunch of gravel underfoot or the wind in the cottonwood. The sky and nature and weather are available everywhere. Whenever I’m stuck, I head outside to be inspired or soothed.” Townley’s work has gathered an appreciative audience over the years, appearing in venues from the iconic Paris Review to Newsweek. Celebrated storyteller Garrison Keillor has recited her poetry on NPR, and she was nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. Townley will serve as poet laureate through April 30, 2015, with an ambitious, twofold mission in mind: to bring people home to poetry, and poetry home to people. “I’ll be traveling around Kansas, talking to
wyatttownley.com
folks about things that matter—what is home, what is poetry, and how they intersect,” says Townley, who lives in Leawood.“To get folks writing and reading poetry, I’ll be initiating a program called HomeWords.” Wyatt was a dancer and a yoga instructor for more than 30 years, and motion impacts and intersects her work, both literally and figuratively. She founded Yoganetics, a therapeutic system practiced in 10 countries, and she says she yearns to move and be moved. Through her poetry, Townley hopes to move others, whether on the page or mat. “Great writing is kinetic,” she says.“Its very mission is to move off the page and into the reader.” For Townley, poetry should inspire us, move us, cause us to sigh or give us chills.“The goal is to connect, word by word, breath by breath, person by person,” she says. Townley is finishing her new book of poems, Rewriting the Body, and teaching yoga classes to maintain her sanity. And for true relaxation, she enjoys Kansas sunsets—bar none—with a glass of wine. – Kimberly Winter Stern
35 Creators of Culture Photography Credits: Aaron East 31; Doug Stremel 27 (2), 30; Courtesy of Kristin Goering 25; Courtesy of Baker Arts Center 28; Courtesy of Walnut Valley Festival 28; Courtesy of 5.4.7 Arts Center 30; Jason Dailey 24-25, 26, 29, 32-33, 34; Terry Weckbaugh 35
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then & now: a photo essay monument rocks /chalk pyramids Monument Rocks has the longest perspective of “then” and “now.” These structures, near Oakley, began their existence as decaying, one-celled organisms on the bottom of the Cretaceous Seaway—the body of water that covered a large swath of Kansas some 100 million years ago. Obviously not content to be ocean-globs for eternity, they solidified as a layer of chalk, which was gradually eroded into the rather rough-hewn chunks of rock rising from the flat, grass-tufted prairie seen today. There are no historical records of what native Kansans made of these lonely wonders, but geologists circulated reports of them in the 1850s and were scratching, sniffing and pondering around them by the 1870s amid a scientific fever of fossil-hunting. Their verdict, published in bulletins of the Kansas Geological Survey, was that the rocks seemed to be rather ancient and rather likely to endure the curiosity directed at them. But—notes Rex Buchanan, current director of the Kansas Geological Society, in his book Roadside Kansas—portions of the formations collapsed in 1986, 1998 and 2001. As a result, scratching marks on the monuments, as the early geologists did, is definitely no longer encouraged. Considerate visitors are welcome to drive up to the monuments and walk around them for photographs and explorations.They might even enjoy the company of the area’s newest residents—congregations of swallows who have built their nests into the natural nooks and crannies of the ancient formations. Barbara Shelton, co-owner of the nearby Keystone Gallery, suggests visiting during the months of May-June to catch the rocks and the birds. “One year we had hundreds of swallows,” she says. “And when the babies hatched they were feeding all the time, always flying back and forth.” – Nathan Pettengill
“This sunrise shot was taken on a very cold winter morning from one of the other rocks. [The pyramids] are a great ‘go to’ place for me, and I love working my camera out there trying to show them in a fresh or unusual way. For someone from the mountains who moved to the flatland, they hold a very special place in my heart as they rise out of the plains to reach the sky.” —Tina Schmitt, photographer
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the capitol rotunda “As I set up to photograph the dome, I was struck by the concentric circles. For me, this represents the unending quest that Kansas government must undertake to achieve equality for all our citizens.” —Mark Greenberg, photographer
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Visitors to the Kansas Capitol will know the building’s signature dome is actually two domes—an interior one that canopies the rotunda in the center of the building and then an exterior cupola that rises above the Topeka skyline. Both domes have survived a multi-year, $300-million renovation, which concluded in early 2014. Teams of architects and artisans have brought back the polished brass and marble to the dome, working extensively with experts from around the nation (and several from abroad) to painstakingly restore or replicate details at every step of the process—from lighting fixtures to carpet features, from door handles to stonework at the top of pillars. It is, perhaps, easy to forget the ambitious scope that this building represented when construction began in 1866. At that time, the 308-foot-high structure would have measured gigantically against a Kansas skyline of sod houses and pioneer shacks. But even now, having lost its grandeur of scale when measured against skyscrapers or stadiums, the Capitol has gained gravitas in terms of colorful history and art. Public tours welcome visitors to explore this heritage in stories such as the 1893 standoff and in art treasures such as the John Steuart Curry murals. Cynical souls who walk through the Capitol each day have been known to scoff at first-time visitors who cluster in the rotunda, gobsmacked with their necks arched back admiring the allegorical murals and bright pillars in the vast, open space above them. But that’s their loss. The dome is a beauty—and it has stood there, then and now, to be admired. –Nathan Pettengill
kansas storms
“A Kansas Vision of Hope” Poem by Maril Crabtree Water drips and dances through years of drought and rain. Neighbors argue over wells that threaten to run dry. Still, harvest comes each year, grain-laden fields compete with oil-rigged earth, dark beaks that dip and plunge into other shrinking pools, the vast land scrubbed by dust, wiped clean with light borrowed from a blazing sun, buttered with an effervescent taste of yellow, incense of sunflowered soil.
“This image was taken southeast of Holton. I was out this day, trying to photograph some storms rolling across the Kansas landscape when I came upon this storm. It had plenty of winds, small hail, and lots of rain. A typical Kansas storm.” —Jason Soden, photographer
This poem originally appeared in the book To the Stars Through Difficulties, A Kansas Renga in 150 Voices, edited by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg and named a Kansas Notable Book for 2012.
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“The Prairie: Its Seasons and Rhythms” Statement by artist Louis Copt To truly understand the Flint Hills, they must be experienced in every season— not just the eye-numbing green of spring, but also during the explosion of the summer wildflowers the red and golden grasses of fall the deep purple and mauve shadows of winter.
“Winter is my favorite season to photograph the Flint Hills. The dormant grasses express with an unseasonally warm glow when our big Kansas sky explodes with vivid sunrise color, like on this day.” —Wayne Rhodus, photographer
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Archive images courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society. www.kshs.org
flint hills
chase county courthouse The bloodshed of the Civil War and the division of the Reconstruction years seemed to underline Chase County’s willingness to move forward. Its residents had registered strong support for the failed 1867 state referendum that would have extended the vote to women and men of any color. And its farms were filled with people such as William Keller, who had fought alongside abolitionist John Brown. It seems fitting, then, that when Cottonwood Falls residents approved bonds to build a new courthouse in 1871, they tapped the wildly inventive John G. Haskell.Though he would go on to become the state’s official architect and complete portions of the Capitol building, churches, schools and public buildings across eastern Kansas, Haskell was already developing his eclectic style when he finished the Chase County Courthouse in 1873 as a Renaissance-style building emulating the period of Louis XIII—if the king’s men were to build in vernacular limestone. Writing in 1882 in his History of the State of Kansas, A.T. Andreas declared Haskell’s project to be “the best courthouse” in the state, giving considerable attention to the building’s jail sections, which he felt “admirably fitted up for the convenience and safety of its prisoners, being furnished with the best of cells.” Visitors can see those fine jail cells—still standing, but no longer used—during daily tours scheduled through the Chase County Chamber of Commerce. The emphasis on prison cells was not by chance, but rather heralded a national interest in judicial and penalsystem reform that would capture the attention of thinkers and reformers in the late 19th century. In that sense, the courthouse seemed to be going beyond “then and now” and was literally landscaping the future. – Nathan Pettengill
“Bad weather makes for good photographs. The Chase County Courthouse is arguably the most beautiful—and perhaps the most photographed—courthouse in Kansas, so it’s a challenge to find an angle or situation that hasn’t already been used to photograph the building. A passing late-summer storm gave me an opportunity to capture the courthouse in a unique way.” —Harland J. Schuster, photographer
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Some of the most fun Kansas has to offer comes after the sun has set
Story by Seth Jones
Photograph by Scott Bean
stars the Under
Stars above
Sure, there are plenty of adventures to embark on in the summertime. But we can all agree that some of the most fun comes after the sun has set and the stars are shining. From summer fireworks to music festivals, a nighttime Kansas sky makes the ideal backdrop for a memorable evening. Here are just a few fun activities and events happening across the state.
Might as well start with the obvious: stargazing. It’s a well-known fact that the stars can be brilliant in the many rural areas of the state. With no city lights to compete with, the quiet areas of Kansas make for fantastic star-watching. And all it takes is a blanket and a clear night with agreeable temperatures to enjoy the show. If stargazers want to get an even better view and learn about what they’re seeing, the Powell Observatory in Louisburg is the place to go. Only 25 miles south of Kansas City, the observatory is the home to one of the most powerful telescopes in a five-state area, standing 16 feet tall and gathering 11,000 times more light than the human eye. It’s fun for the entire family, young and old. “We get everyone from little kids to 91-year-old kids,” says Steve King, director of the Powell Observatory. “We field any and all questions, from what the rings of Saturn are made of to discussing what is dark matter.” King notes that this summer will have several celestial highlights, including prime viewing of Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s cloud formations and Mars. The observatory is staffed by volunteers and open to the public every Saturday from the beginning of May through the end of October. The observatory asks for donations: $6 for adults, $4 for children. For additional information on Powell Observatory as well as general starwatching in Kansas, visit askc.org.
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Ring of fire
In a simpler time, before moviegoers had to decide between 2-D, 3-D or IMAX, there was the drive-in theater.You could cram a car full of friends and park under the night sky while a triple feature unfolded through the windshield. It may seem archaic compared to what the multiplexes of today offer, but according to drive-in aficionado James Starkweather, an IT consultant in Hutchinson, the drivein theater offers something the new theaters just can’t: nostalgia. “It takes you back to a time before text messages, before social media, before people had home theaters,” Starkweather says.“It’s an event. There’s a social aspect to being out there among your neighbors. Sure, you don’t have hi-fi sound, but it’s a great way to enjoy a beautiful night and just catch a movie.” Fortunately for us, there are still several drive-in movie venues across the state. Find them at drive-ins.com.
At the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers stands the 44-foot-tall Keeper of the Plains. The sculpture has become the symbol of Wichita, as well as a tribute to Native Americans. Created and donated to the city by artist Blackbear Bosin in 1974, the sculpture underwent a $20-million restoration and beautification project in recent years. The project raised the Keeper onto a 30-foot rock promontory outfitted with fire pots and two bow-and-arrow-inspired pedestrian bridges for access. Every summer night, from 9-9:15 p.m., a “ring of fire” is lit, throwing huge flames into the air and majestically lighting the Keeper. “If you haven’t seen the Keeper at night, you haven’t seen Wichita,” says James Williams, communications manager for the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau.“The flames are 4-feet tall, you’re standing only 10 feet away—you can really feel the heat. There’s also water flowing, making for a serene experience. And it’s all free.” Find out more at gowichita.com.
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There is also fun for the foodies. For some of the best nighttime grub, the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa is the place to be. Happening this year on June 27-28, the event includes live music, children’s activities and competitive grillers from all over the country. lenexa.com
For fans of fireworks, the Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison is recommended. The town honors its favorite daughter with a carnival, live music, children’s activities and the grand finale “Concert in the Sky” fireworks show. Pilots perform stunts over the Missouri River before the fireworks begin. atchisonkansas.net
For the sports nuts, summer baseball is always a sure bet. But how about catching a game with a first pitch at 3 a.m.? It’s possible for attendees of the annual National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita. “Baseball ‘round the clock’” happens on the weekend of August 1, when they’ll play 17 games in 56 hours. nbcbaseball.com
Photographs (from left): Michael C. Snell, Harland J. Schuster
Drive-in theaters
From popular events to a restaurant’s roots— here we uncover the celebrations of our past
T
hroughout its history, Kansas has been a haven for diverse ethnicities, cultures, religions and races. The common thread in all their stories is a desire to live in freedom and seek a better life for their children. Immigration isn’t simply a relic of the past. Cultural groups continue to settle in the state, enriching the business and spiritual community, and building global bridges but most importantly, celebrating their traditions. Where will you immerse yourself this year?
written by Sally Snell
For the wonderment October 23, 2014
diwali
htccofkc.org
Each fall, the Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City lights up with Diwali Fireworks and Mela, marking one of the most important festivals on the Hindu lunar calendar. The “Festival of Lights,” as it translates, signifies “the victory of light over darkness,” says temple member Bhaskar Krishnamurthy. “We light the lamp to overcome the darkness—good over evil.” Diwali also marks the closure of financial accounts for a new accounting year, a time to celebrate. “It’s almost compulsory for people to buy new clothes” along with jewels and precious metals, in reverence to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, says Krishnamurthy.
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“Food is a major part of our [religious] festivals,” says Krishnamurthy. And Diwali is no exception: The event draws between 2,000 and 3,000 people, and everyone is served before the fireworks. The event is a unique experience with another celebrated culture in Kansas.
Photographs (Clockwise from left): Bhaskar Krishnamurthy, Ze Bernardinello, Michael C. Snell (2)
Celebrating
our heritage
Tour Kansas
For the foodies
For the family
N&J Café & Bakery
5600 E. Lincoln St., Wichita
Little Balkans Festival
August 29-31, 2014
njcafebakery.com
littlebalkansfestival.com
The Lebanese community has played a significant role in Wichita since the first groups arrived in the late 1890s. Jay Price, co-author of the book Wichita’s Lebanese Heritage, says the Lebanese community in Wichita is “hidden in plain sight,” evident in the names of local businesses and other cultural markings.
Employment in the coal-mining industry of southeast Kansas drew a worldwide immigrant workforce, largely from the Balkan region of southeastern Europe—an area ravaged by war and economic crisis in the early 20th century.
“Probably the biggest way you see it is in food,” says Price, noting the prevalence of high-end Mediterranean restaurants. “The foodie Wichitans debate over who has the best hummus.” And for readers of the local newspaper, that honor often goes to N & J Cafe & Bakery.
To celebrate the rich heritage and tradition of their forbears, the Little Balkans Festival is held in downtown Pittsburg every Labor Day weekend. Now in its 30th year, the festival has become a robust music and art venue. Ice cream socials, train rides, golf tournaments and spaghetti-eating contests are perennial favorites, as well as a quilt show and indie film festival.
The chicken shawarma (marinated grilled chicken wrap) and the gyro (a pita wrap of slowcooked lamb with a cucumber-yogurt sauce) are popular menu items. As for the bakery, the choice is simple—baklava.
For the generations
Though over the years the festival has strayed from tangible signs of its Balkan roots, this year organizers are striving to include some ethnic food options as well.
Chanute Mexican Fiesta
September 12-13, 2014
chanutechamber.com
Now in its 97th year, the Chanute Mexican Fiesta is the longest-running fiesta in Kansas. The fiesta kicks off on a Friday night in September with a procession and the crowning of the Fiesta Queen, then resumes Saturday with authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors, and performances by dance and musical groups.
For the beer-lover October 10, 2014
Oktoberfest haysoktoberfest.com
The soaring spires of St. Fidelis Catholic Church are one of the most recognized landmarks along Interstate 70, near Hays. “The Cathedral of the Plains” was built by Volga German settlers, a group of ethnic Germans who settled in Ellis and Rush Counties in the 1870s.
“In a sense, the [Volga German migration] put an end to the Old West or Wild West phase of Hays/Ellis County history,” says Donald Westfall, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society. “We moved into a much more settled and traditional sort of lifestyle here. A highly-churched group of people, needless to say.”
Celebrating this heritage is the Volga German Society Oktoberfest, in Frontier Park. An opening ceremony is followed by the tapping of the first keg when the beer garden opens. And no German celebration is complete without brats, bierocks, galuskies, stuffed cabbage rolls and a range of pastries—which are all found here.
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For the Dala Horses June 21, 2014
Midsummer’s Festival
lindsborgcity.org
Swedish immigrants settled in the city of Lindsborg in early 1869. Nearly 150 years later, the Swedish culture still permeates the fabric of the community, from Dala horses to lingonberry pancakes. The Midsummer’s Festival features Swedish food, dancing and two stages of live entertainment. Of course, Swedish food and gifts can be found year-round at local restaurants, retail establishments and grocers.
For the reunions July 25-27, 2014
Emancipation Celebration nicodemuskansas.org
Formed in 1877, Nicodemus was the first town west of the Mississippi built by and for black settlers, and the only such community that still survives today. Descendants of its earliest settlers return every year for the Homecoming Emancipation Celebration. The three-day event includes family reunions mixed with a community festival. The Nicodemus National Historic Site honors this valuable cultural landmark with walking tours to view the five historic buildings in the town. The Nicodemus Historical Society Museum and the Nicodemus Livery Company also offers private tours of the town and historic township, which is where visitors learn the story of this community.
The List Goes On
Of course, this is only a sampling of heritage celebrations and cultural hubs in Kansas. Visit TravelKS.com/blog to see more.
June 14-15, 2014
Fiesta Filipina
filipino-association.org
The annual Fiesta Filipina in Overland Park is a celebration of the signing of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. According to Edward Tumanut, president of the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City, “The Philippines have had a long history of influences,” as reflected in the Filipino dances performed at the event: Spanish Colonial, Muslim, Chinese and tribal indigenous. “The dance that we’re most known for is called ‘tinikling,’” where a pair of dancers beat long bamboo poles on the ground and clack them together as additional dancers step in and out in rhythm to music, Tumanut says. “This kind of dance is supposed to mimic a bird that’s kind of dancing in rice paddies.” The festival is organized by the Filipino Association, whose cultural dance troupe and choir perform along with musicians and dancers from the community. The event also hosts a food and craft fair at the Filipino Cultural Center, which are popular among participants.
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Czech heritage in Wilson and Cuba Known as the “Czech Capitol of Kansas,” Wilson hosts a threeday Czech Festival with traditional Czech music, dancing, and food, as well as sporting tournaments, games and children’s rides. July 24-26 Scottish celebration in McPherson Don’t miss the many heavy athletic events that involve throwing hefty objects for height or distance—all while wearing a kilt, of course. September 27-28 Haskell Indian Art Market More than 100 Native American artisans from federally recognized tribes sell a wide range of art during the two-day event. September 13-14 Amish and Mennonite heritage in Yoder Horse-plowing demonstrations, draft horse pulls and a quilt auction are among the events scheduled for Yoder Heritage Day in August. August 23 Schonhoff Dutch Mill in Wamego The mill was moved to Wamego City Park, where it stands today, serving as a focal point among thousands of tulip blossoms during the annual Tulip Festival. April 11-12, 2015
Photographs: Michael C. Snell (2)
For the dance enthusiast
Croatian & Eastern European heritage in KCK One of the culinary traditions brought by the Croatians is povitica, a rich, hand-rolled pastry loaded with a variety of sweet and savory fillings, available at the Strawberry Hill Povitica Company. povitica.com
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A Flint Hills Sunset Scott Bean, Pottawatomie County
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Swoyer Barn Lightning Mike Stephan, Jefferson County
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Sunset Reflected Bruce L. Hogle, Riley County
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Wooly Bear Bruce L. Hogle, Leavenworth County
Clay County Rodeo Phil Frigon, Clay County
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The Bison Harland J. Schuster, Chase County
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Visit 8wonders.org to find locations that carry the 8 Wonders of Kansas! Map.
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I
t’s been nearly eight years since a simple contest, selecting eight Kansas wonders, roared through the state like a twisting tornado. Introduced in 2007 by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the original contest has blossomed into a guidebook and eight additional contests, each chapter featuring eight different winners in their respective categories, as well as several community and county spin-offs. “Cities and counties started doing their own 8 Wonders, which has been fun,” says Marci Penner, executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The original 8 Wonders of Kansas will always stand as a unique archive of what was popular and interesting to Kansans in the early part of the 21st century, according to Penner. Now in 2014, Penner believes the ongoing project has become a woven part of the state’s fabric.
From the first 8 Wonders to all 626 cities, the Kansas Sampler Foundation highlights all that Kansas has to offer
The Original 8 Wonders That Started It All (Announced Kansas Day – January 29, 2008)
Big Well, Greensburg Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, Hutchinson Kansas Underground Salt Museum (known now as Strataca), Hutchinson Cheyenne Bottoms/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Barton and Stafford counties Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Abilene Monument Rocks and Castle Rock, Gove County
In the beginning Sometime in 2000, a craze had begun around choosing 7 Wonders from a multitude of regions to mirror the 7 Wonders of the World. In Kansas, Penner took it one step further and went for the 8 Wonders to highlight the eight rural-cultural elements used by the Kansas Sampler Foundation to identify a community’s tourism assets: architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people. The original 8 Wonders contest had 24 finalists in June 2007—determined by a combination of publication nominations and a handpicked Selection Committee. Of those, the 8 Wonders were determined entirely by popular vote over the course of four months, with the winners announced by then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius during Kansas Day festivities in 2008. Linda Schmitt, executive director of the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, now known as Strataca, says she remembers that award-winning day well. “We were thrilled to be named one of the original 8 Wonders, as it happened less than a year after we opened and we were a very young attraction, just trying to get our feet on the ground,” Schmitt says.
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St. Fidelis Catholic Church Cathedral of the Plains, Victoria Tallgrass Prairie Natural Preserve and the Flint Hills, Chase County
Story by Amy Conkling
Photography courtesy of the Kansas Sampler Foundation
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Statewide notoriety Since that initial announcement, the Kansas Sampler Foundation has run a four-month contest cycle for each of the culture elements, going in alphabetical order. The program’s winners and finalists—totaling 216—have gained statewide fame that has been a boost for tourism. Stacy Barnes, Convention and Tourism director for the City of Greensburg and the Big Well, says being named an original 8 Wonder only helped in their advertising efforts. “We have included this designation in a lot of the advertising we do,” Barnes says. “Every day, visitors ask about this designation and about the other 8 Wonders of Kansas. This program is a great way to promote all of the great attractions, people, food, customs and geography of our state.” Schmitt agrees. The 8 Wonders publicity helped put Strataca on the map and, more than five years later, it has hosted about 380,000 visitors worldwide, including thousands from across the state. For state residents, the contest provided a sense of pride and adventure. Penner says the Kansas Explorers Club members’ quest is to visit all 216 attractions, or break it up and visit all attractions in a Wonder category. Teachers use the 8 Wonders contests as teaching tools in their classrooms. Penner says she goes around the state presenting slide shows for groups and organizations who still buzz about the program. Birth of a guidebook Because the contests were so successful, Penner penned the Wonders of Kansas! Guidebook highlighting the 216 winners and finalists—an idea that didn’t even take off until people started asking for one. In a matter of seven months, freelance photographer Harland J. Schuster took photographs of all 216 for the guidebook. More than 14,000 copies of the guidebooks have been sold, primarily in independently-owned bookstores. And with the buzz still going, Penner and the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s assistant director, WenDee LaPlant, are in the process of updating the 2005 Kansas Guidebook for Explorers as they visit 626 incorporated Kansas cities to highlight even more attractions that our state has to offer. “We’ll have to continue to figure out how to keep it fresh, but once you present a concept in guidebook fashion, it’s the audience that keeps it exciting,” Penner says. “They tell their friends and they tell theirs. It’s been self-perpetuating up until now.” kansassampler.org
ERV Marci Penner says ERV is more than an acronym. It’s two acronyms in one—“Explorer Research Voyage” and “Explorer Research Vehicle”—and they’re coming to your city. A decade ago, Penner traveled to each of the 627 incorporated Kansas cities doing research for the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers, which was published in 2005. But it’s now time for a new adventure—an updated guidebook—so Penner and WenDee LaPlant are hitting the road in style to visit 626 cities (Treece, Kansas is no longer incorporated), covering 40,000 miles in two years’ time. The guidebook is due out Christmas 2015, but Kansas residents don’t have to wait to get the behind-the-scenes look at their adventures. That’s where the ERV blog, Facebook and Twitter posts come into play. “Since it takes a while to make this journey, we’re blogging about our visits as we go,” Penner says. As of January, the pair has visited cities in 24 counties with only 81 to go. “We’re trying to have fun exploring and researching and spreading the good Kansas word.”
kansassampler.org/erv/ facebook.com/ERVoyage
KANSAS!
Wamego Manhattan Abilene El Dorado Topeka Lecompton
Historical Lecompton Civil War Birthplace Where slavery began to die
Visit Constitution Hall & Territorial Capital Museum 10-5 pm Wed-Sat • 1-5 pm Sun Tours (785) 887-6148 www.lecomptonkansas.com
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60 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
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There is plenty to see and do in Kansas. Be sure to call ahead for complete details.
Taste of kansas
Inside the picnic basket Make the most of your picnic with these homegrown products
O
n the most superb of Kansas days the wind is calm, the temperatures are cool and there is that wonderful scent of fresh air. No one wants to be indoors on days like this—so it’s time to pack a picnic. To build the perfect Kansas picnic, you’ll need a local spot to throw a blanket, that quintessential basket (likely from the attic) and plenty of Kansas goodies to fill it. The only thing missing is a companion—friend or honey—anyone worth soaking up a beautiful Kansas day with.
written by Bethaney Wallace photography by Jason Dailey
61 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
Kansas Wheat House Just about all the grain-based offerings from Kansas Wheat House will take your picnic to a new level. Wheat for sweets? Yes, Kansas Wheat House’s desserts, known as “s’wheats,” include a variety of cookies and candies made from homegrown wheat. The Cow Pattis are a best seller—a combination of grains with caramel, fashioned in their namesake’s shape (hint hint). The Cimarron-based company also offers snack items such as Wheat Nubs (think sunflower seeds) and Ti Piks, a trail mixlike combo of grains, fruits and yogurtcovered pretzels. Owners Shirley Voran, “the Cow Patti lady,” and her husband David say the Nubs are great alone or on a salad, especially when using flavored versions. Combine ranch-flavored Nubs with picnic dishes for an extra bit of tang with each crunch. kansasgrown.com/kswheat/
A grassy spot City parks and grounds are a great choice. Visit your county website for a list of approved venues (and whether or not they allow alcohol, if you’re a wine enthusiast), or search locations by name. Signs should also be posted at each spot, including rules for you and fellow picnickers to follow. Next, choose a food-carrying contraption. Coolers are a practical option, as are baskets and canvas bags. Whatever your preference, the containers should be large enough to hold the goods, while allowing for chilled or spillable items. Finally comes the delicious part: building your picnic. Choose your favorite eats or be adventurous and try new things—even if they don’t “go” together. Finger foods are always an excellent choice, whether it’s Grandma’s fried chicken or snacks from
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your favorite co-op. It is a picnic, after all; food simply complements the outing. Not only have we taste-tested the following Kansas products, they are also basket-approved. Rabbit Creek If cooking from scratch isn’t your forte—consider the simplicity of Rabbit Creek’s mixes. From breads and brownies to cakes and soups, they’ve created a delicious line of homemade mixes. Based out of Louisburg, owner Donna Cook has been creating unique recipes for 30 years. Consider one of their dip mixes to go with elegant crackers and veggies, or a gourmetflavored brownie, such as black forest, to top off your picnic. Rabbit Creek’s mixes are easy to make, often requiring only one or two ingredients, and they pack up great for an outside meal. rabbitcreekgourmet.com
Our Daily Bread Whether you’re having sandwiches for lunch or snacking on bread and cheese, choose Our Daily Bread for the perfect pairing. Our Daily Bread’s no-preservative recipes create fresh loaves of bread that are as delicious as they are healthy. Choose from sweet cinnamon breads, Whole Grain Health Bread, or their Harvest Grain Bread, made from honey, seeds and whole grains. Based in Barnes, Our Daily Bread also offers cakes and pies, including their trademark gooseberry pie. By going the healthy route, Cindy Hiesterman says, they’re able to deliver on taste and nutrition—a sure way to add depth to any picnic menu. Hiesterman runs the Bake Shoppe with her sister, Connie Wilkens. our-dailybread.com Don’t Forget the Wine Wineries across Kansas sell beautiful blends of vino that are made right here in the state. One such vineyard and winery is BlueJacket Crossing in Eudora. Creating a variety of award-winning selections, BlueJacket and its proprietor, Pep Selvan, have a passion for Kansas bottled into every wine. This summer they will re-release their popular Moscato, appropriately named Kansas Transplant. Other summer favorites include the award-winning Veritas, a dry red wine made from Chambourcin; and the popular Norton with its full-bodied, deep fruit flavors and a hint of chocolate. But any Kansas wine will add a hint of luxury to your picnic. bluejacketwinery.com
63 Kansas!
Magazine summer 2014
60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education This Supreme Court decision, which originated with a legal challenge from Topeka families and the NAACP, redefined the standards for equal opportunity in the U.S. public education system. Today, exhibits commemorating this historic ruling are on display in Topeka at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site (administered by the National Park Service). On May 17—the anniversary of the ruling—the site will host commemorative events including legacy walks with park rangers, guest speakers and dignitaries. As with all of the site’s regular exhibits, admission is free and open to the public. Not able to visit Topeka this summer? You can still experience and learn about this historic event through the virtual Brown v. Board of Education reenactment. Follow @BRVB_NHS on Twitter to see the events unfold and read the reaction of historical figures and observers. – Nathan Pettengill
1515 SE Monroe St., Topeka nps.gov/brvb
Photograph courtesy of the Wabaunsee County Historical Society
milestone of kansas