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Abilene Tourism Advocate
March 24, 2022
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Best Historic Small Town - USA Today Readers (2021) |
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Celebrate Ag Month in Abilene |
"You know, farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
March is Kansas Ag Month, and Abilene has several events and attractions that celebrate the state's largest industry.
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If you love all things quilts, make sure to add March 26-27, 2022, to your calendar to visit Abilene, Kansas. From shopping for the latest quilt supplies to seeing century-old quilts or following the Eisenhower Barn Quilt Trail, Abilene is a quilter's destination!
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Wagons Ho! - True West’s historians reveal the real history behind Taylor Sheridan’s 1883.
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Abilene became Kansas’s first “queen” of the cowtowns when the first Texas herds arrived in 1867 at the frontier village on the Smoky Hill River. Four years later, after more than 440,000 beeves were shipped out of the former stage stop, Texas drovers shifted their herds to new railheads in Newton, Ellsworth and Wichita.
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Eisenhower Marathon Update |
Check. It. Out! Runners from 50% of states in the United States + Washington, D.C. + El Salvador + the Republic of Kenya will be attending the 2022 Eisenhower Marathon!
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Ida Stover-Eisenhower Memorial Quilt Show
1945 Kansas Mother of the Year, Ida Stover Eisenhower was a woman of many talents, one of which was quilting. For the past 26 years, Ida’s name has been associated with the quilt show at the Dickinson County Heritage Center. This annual event features some amazingly talented women and their beautiful works of art. New, antique, and vintage quilts are displayed for the public to feast their eyes upon.
The Ida Stover Eisenhower Quilt Show will be held beginning Wednesday, March 16 and will run through Sunday, March 27. The hours for the event are March 16 through March 18 and March 23 through 26, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and March 27, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to come to the museum and vote on their favorite quilt. The entry fee into the museum will be $6 for ages 15-61, $5 for ages 62 and up, $3 for members, and $2 for ages 2-14, which also includes a carousel ticket.
The winner of this event will receive two prime rib dinners courtesy of the Hitching Post Restaurant in Abilene. Make sure to come to the Heritage Center and feast your eyes upon a variety of colorful quilts that know Ida would approve of.
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Sunflower Journey Quilt Show
Join us for the Sunflower Journey Quilt Show on March 28th & 29th. Saturday's hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM and features an amazing Merchant Mall, Silent Auction, Door Prizes, Lunch Available for purchase, and more. Admission is $5.00 - 10 & Under free.
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National Greyhound Association Spring Meet
The Greyhound Capital of the World, Abilene invites you to celebrate the world's fastest canine. Watch the timed trials and see these incredible dogs in action!! More Info
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Eisenhower Marathon
The Eisenhower Marathon returns on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Join runners from across the country to run through the same territory cattlemen followed when bringing their herds to Abilene on the Chisholm Trail in the 1800s. Runners love this mostly flat and all-paved course.
Will you join others in setting a personal record at the Eisenhower Marathon? There’s only one way to find out! Register today! More Info
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Saturday Mother's Day Brunch Train
Enjoy a leisurely mid-morning brunch with Mom as you enjoy a round trip train ride through Smoky Hill River valley between Abilene and Enterprise.
Amanda's Bistro is catering a great meal for you to enjoy.
You will ride and dine in our 1902 "Enterprise" dining car or our 1940s "Chicago" dining car.
The Ride takes about 2.5 hours. At Enterprise you will have an opportunity to visit the Hoffman Grist Mill and gift shop to see how flour is made and learn of the Hoffman Mill history. More Info
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Meadowlark Concert - Kansas All Star Big Band at Dickinson County Heritage Center
The Kansas All Star Big Band has emerged! The All Stars include the very best jazz musicians in the state of Kansas. Many of our members are jazz educators from Hays to Wichita to Lawrence and everywhere in between. Several musicians have doctorate degrees in jazz studies or their respective instruments. Coming from the military, cruise ship or professional big band backgrounds, these professional jazz musicians bring to Kansas the very best in big band entertainment! They all have a connection to the state in some way. Whether they are former students, natives of the area or highly sought after talent making a rare appearance, they are pleased to call Kansas home.
Gates open at 6:00 pm and the concert starts at 7:00 pm.
Come out to the Meadowlark Concert fundraiser for the Dickinson County Historical Society! There will be a dance floor set up so come on out and enjoy all your favorite big band tunes from Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Thad Jones, Count Basie and more.
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Abilene Downtown Antique Fest / Holm Automotive's Annual Free Car & Truck Show / Meadowlark Swap Meet / Arts & Ales
Save the date! Abilene is the place to be for lovers of all things old and classic. From shopping dozens of booths at Abilene Downtown Antique Fest to seeing hundreds of classic cars and trucks at Holm Automotive's Annual Free Car & Truck Show to celebrating the makers and demonstrating at the Dickinson County Heritage Center's Meadowlark Swap Meet, there will be plenty of things to see and do!
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Summer Kick-Off Concert
Enjoy food, activities, and an event concert featuring Sunset Sinners at Old Abilene Town.
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Footloose the Musical at Great Plains Theatre
Kick off your Sunday shoes with this classic movie turned musical about inspiring a town through the importance of love and dance while witnessing the powers of wisdom and forgiveness. Gotta cut loose! Learn more
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Showdown at Old Abilene Town
Professional boxing, pro/am MMA and kickboxing event by Never Surrender at the historic Old Abilene Town!
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Matilda the Musical at Great Plains Theatre
Follow the classic Roald Dahl story of an astonishingly witty girl with special powers that teaches us to use our extraordinary imaginations to change our destiny. Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty! Learn more
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Jersey Boys - The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at Great Plains Theatre
Join us for the international musical phenomenon that takes you behind the story and music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Come be a part of the challenges, the rise, and the ultimate triumph a group’s music that became symbolic of a generation. Oh, what a night! Learn more
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Kansas Media Event - Abilene Night
Kick-off the return of the Central Kansas Free Fair with the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kansas Tourism, and travel writers from throughout the country. Enjoy seeing a longhorn cattle drive through Old Abilene Town, cowboy poetry from Ron Wilson, live music and more!
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Central Kansas Free Fair
Located in Abilene, the Central Kansas Free Fair is one of the largest in the state. This family-friendly event offers educational activities and entertainment for all ages, including the Wild Bill Hickok PRCA Rodeo (August 3-6), which has been frequently voted one of the top outdoor rodeos. Join us for family fun in Abilene! Learn more
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After Rodeo Dance
Visit Old Abilene Town after the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo to enjoy the Lazy Wayne Band (Friday) and Savanna CHestnut and the Field Hands (Saturday).
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Chisholm Trail Days
Celebrate the historic cattle trail at the end of the Chisholm Trail.
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Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at Great Plains Theatre
The classic literary character of Sherlock Holmes is teamed up once again with John Watson and over 40 other characters to solve a kooky and educational whodunnit. “Elementary, my dear Watson, Elementary.”Learn more
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Abilene Oktoberfest
Abilene Oktoberfest is excited for its 5th Annual Oktoberfest held in Downtown Abilene. There will be German Dancers, Music, Authentic German Food, & Drinks. This year we will have 3 beer gardens, multiple food vendors, Masskrugstemmen, Hammerschlagen, a corn hole tournament, and a Kids Korner that will feature bouncy houses, outdoor games, crafts, face painting, and much more. Downtown Abilene has several wonderful stores that will be open for you to explore before and during the festivities! We will have a lot of exciting announcements coming soon! Make sure to mark September 17th on your Calendar! We are excited to see you at this year's Abilene Oktoberfest.
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Heritage Day Festival
Enjoy living history, steam engine carousel rides, antique tractor show, classic car show, food, and much more at the Dickinson County Heritage Center.
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Wild West Gravel Fest
In its third year, this premier gravel ride attracts riders from across the country! The Wild West Gravel Fest is a gravel bike race in Dickinson County, KS. With races ranging from 200k to 5k, Wild West Gravel Fest appeals to racers who are new to gravel and those who dare to push themselves to the extreme. And make sure to stick around for the after-party at Old Abilene Town. Learn more
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Haunted Cowtown
The ghosts of Old Abilene Town have returned. Take a walk, if you dare, through your worst nightmare, the cursed schoolhouse, the possessed cabin, the haunted cemetery, the spooky saloon, and much more.
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Pink Friday
We've all heard of Black Friday, American Express Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, but what about Pink Friday?
Pink Friday is a small business spin on the traditional Black Friday shopping experience, reminding people to #ShopSmallFirst.
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The Christmas Schooner - A New Musical at Great Plains Theatre
This Holiday treat will have you leaving the theatre with warm fuzzies about a story of the Great Lakes voyages of Christmas Tree ships and a family’s positive spirit to share the power of classic inspiration and Christmas miracles. The heartbeat of life is in our stories and our songs! Learn more
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Cowtown Christmas
Visit Abilene December 3-4, 2022 for the Heritage Homes Association’s Homes for the Holidays Tour, enjoy an Old Fashioned Christmas at the Dickinson County Heritage Center and Old Abilene Town, tour the historic Seelye Mansion and see more than 60 beautifully decorated Christmas Trees, ride the rails with Santa and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, see the live production of The Christmas Schooner - A New Musical at Great Plains Theatre, take an evening cruise and see Griswold-style decorations, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see Santa, and remember to shop small all season long at Abilene’s small businesses.
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Have an Abilene tourist-related event that isn't listed? Submit it here!
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Experience Art & Culture
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Journey to the Old West
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Live the American Story
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Explore Ike's Life & Legacy
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Enjoy Family Fun and Learning
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5 Ways to Explore Abilene's Cowboy Culture
Visit these sites to learn about life as a cowboy and Abilene’s Wild West history when millions of longhorn cattle were herded up the Chisholm Trail here from Texas to be shipped east by rail:
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201 NW Second St.
Abilene, Kansas 67410
785-263-2231
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Office Hours:
Monday - Friday:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday : Closed
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