In 2017, the 28th and final Kansas Sampler Festival was held in Winfield. This had been a beloved event in which representatives from about 130 communities came annually to help the public know what there was to see, do, hear, taste and buy in Kansas. We decided it was time to hit the refresh button while the event was still going strong. So, a year prior to that last event, dozens of rural community doers from across the state gathered at the Kansas Sampler Center barn to help brainstorm a new event, name it, and decide where to hold that first new event. A bold step by committed Kansans.
The Big Kansas Road Trip was created to be active, to be fun, to bring people together AND to make an economic and social difference in the showcase counties. It was designed to help people understand rural culture and to bring urban and rural folks together.
The Big Goal is to get people addicted to exploring Kansas so they'll want to do it year-round in a way that will help sustain communities.
The showcase counties have been Barber, Comanche and Kiowa (2018) Cheyenne, Sherman and Wallace (2019); Brown, Doniphan and Nemaha (2021 -due to covid, the event was moved from 2020); Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford (2022); Jewell, Republic and Smith (2023) and Ellsworth and Lincoln counties and the community of Lucas (located in Russell County)(2024).
After we tried the three-county format for a few years, in 2024 we decided to change to a new one-county/town format. Our first one was held in August in the northeast town of Blue Rapids (Marshall County).
In 2025 we will have three Pop Ups with the first located in Morton County (southwest Kansas), May 3.
The second Pop will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2025 in the south central community of Halstead (Harvey County). We'll be coming out with a list of activities and attractions soon. We'll also be doing a "barely-competitive" picnic. Details to come!
On Saturday, October 4 we'll be in northwest Kansas in Hoxie (Sheridan County). We've chosen an "explorer-y" place to hold an Explorer songfest after a day of getting to Hoxie, Selden and Studley.
Are you a member of the Kansas Explorers Club? We send out six print newsletters a year and regular e-blasts with information about our activities and places to explore around the state. We often use a theme to organize the suggested places to explore. If you'd like to learn more about how to join please click
here.
The Kansas Sampler Foundation was established in 1993 as a 501c3 public non-profit. Our philosophy recognizes rural culture and the contributions communities have made to the history and ongoing drama of rural Kansas. We define rural culture as the combination of
eight elements: Architecture, Art, Commerce, Cuisine, Customs, Geography, History and People. We encourage and support communities to preserve and sustain their rural culture in a way that will help them be the best they can be at being themselves. Marci Penner is the director, WenDee Rowe, Project Manager and Simone Elder, Power Up and Engagement Manager.
Learn more here.
The Kansas Sampler Center is located on the family farm homesteaded in 1874, located near Inman in McPherson County.
kansassampler.org.
