National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day is observed annually on March 29. This day honors all small business owners.

Can you identify the business in this photo?

Eisenhower Marathon - Saturday, April 6

The Eisenhower Marathon is right around the corner! 

Runners at the Eisenhower Marathon and Half Marathon wind through the territory south of Abilene that cattlemen followed when bringing their herds to Abilene on the Chisholm Trail in the 1800s.

This all paved course is mostly flat and fast and USATF sanctioned and certified.

Save the Date! Reitz & Rust Vintage Market


Vintage is my Jam Market Bags! Be one of the first 100 in line at the April 27th market and get yours. They will be stuffed full of goodies, coupons and information about our awesome local businesses!



Throwback Thursday
 




On this day in 1969, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the nation's 34th president, died of congestive heart failure at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. He was 78.

5 Star Reviews - Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum
 
2019 Calendar of Events

2019 marks 150 years since the City of Abilene's official incorporation. Community events make Abilene not only a great place to live, but also a great place to visit. Make plans now to visit Abilene, Kansas and enjoy these great events! 

Take the Abilene Event Challenge - how many can you attend? Snap a photo and tag us in your Facebook posts @VisitAbilene.


EVENT

WHEN

LOCATION
LEARN MORE
Most Hallowed Ground with Tom Tudor Thursday, March 28, 
Noon - 1 pm
Eisenhower Presidential Library Visitors Center Auditorium
Kansas State Geography Bee Friday, March 29 Eisenhower Presidential Library
KS Gift & Craft Show Sunday, March 31 @ 1pm Sterl Hall
Eisenhower Marathon
Saturday, April 6 @ 7 am
St. Andrews Parish Hall
Easter Bunny Train Saturday, April 13 @ 1 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
National Greyhound Association Spring Nationals April 15-20 National Greyhound Association
Eisenhower Easter Egg Roll Saturday, April 20 @ 1 pm Eisenhower Presidential Library grounds
Eisenhower with Louis Galambos Thursday, April 25 @ Noon - 1 pm Eisenhower Presidential Library Visitors Center
Reitz & Rust Vintage Market
Saturday, April 27 @ 10 am
Dickinson County Fairgrounds (Abilene)
Arts & Ales Saturday, April 27 Downtown Abilene
Abilene Aviation Association Fly-In  Saturday, May 4 Abilene Municipal Airport
National Travel & Tourism Week May 5-11
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Holm Automotive Car Show May 11
Holm Automotive

Antique Fest Saturday, May 11 Downtown Abilene
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, May 11 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Mother's Day Tea Saturday, May 11 Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Road to Abilene with Tim Rives and William Snyder Thursday, May 23 @ Noon - 1 pm Eisenhower Presidential Library Visitors Center Auditorium
Dinner Train (Fried Chicken by Brookville Hotel) Saturday, May 25 @ 6:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Steam Locomotive)
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides Saturday, May 25 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Sunday, May 26 @ 2 pm
Monday, May 27 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Symphony at Sunset
Saturday, June 1
Eisenhower Presidential Library grounds
75th anniversary of D-Day Thursday, June 6 Eisenhower Presidential Library
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides Thursday, June 6 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Friday, June 7 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Saturday, June 8 @ 10 am & 2 pm


Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Steam Locomotive)
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, June 8 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad 
Dinner Train (Prime Rib by Mr. K's Farmhouse Saturday, June 8 @ 6:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Steam Locomotive)
Pirates of Penzance June 14-23 Great Plains Theatre
Heart of America Greyhound Gathering June 20-22 Sterl Hall
Dinner Train (Fried Chicken by Brookville Hotel) Saturday, June 22 @ 6:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Diesel Locomotive)
Disaster! July 12-21 Great Plains Theatre
Old Fashioned 4th of July celebration July 4 Eisenhower Park
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides
Thursday, July 4 @10 am & 2 pm
Friday, July 5 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Saturday, July 6 @10 am & 2 pm
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Dinner Train (Prime Rib by Mr. K's Farmhouse Saturday, July 6 @ 6:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Steam Locomotive)
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, July 13 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Wild Bill Hickok PRCA Rodeo
Wednesday, July 31 - Saturday, August 3
Dickinson County Fairgrounds (Abilene)
Central Kansas Free Fair
Wednesday, July 31 - Monday, August 5
Dickinson County Fairgrounds (Abilene)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
August 2-18 Great Plains Theatre
National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo August 2-3 Shockey & Landes Building
Vintage Base Ball Game Saturday, August 3 Eisenhower Presidential Library grounds
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, August 10 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Dinner Train (Fried Chicken by Brookville Hotel) Saturday, August 31 @ 6:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Steam Locomotive)
Chisholm Trail Days Saturday, August 31 - Sunday, September 1 Old Abilene Town
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides
Saturday, August 31 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Sunday, September 1 @ 2 pm
Monday, September 2 @ 10 am & 2 pm
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, September 14 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Dinner Train (Prime Rib by Hitching Post Restaurant)
Saturday, September 14 @ 6 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Diesel Locomotive)
Dinner Train (Fried Chicken by Brookville Hotel) Saturday, September 28 @ 6 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Diesel Locomotive)
Heritage Day Saturday, October 5 Dickinson County Heritage Center
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides
Saturday, October 5 @ 10 am - 3 pm (hourly departures)

Dickinson County Heritage Center
Steam Locomotive #3415 train rides
Sunday, October 6 @ 2 pm (last steam run of the year)
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Historic Home & Barn Tour Saturday, October 12 @ 12:30 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Dinner Train (Prime Rib by Mr. K's Farmhouse Saturday, October 12 @ 6 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Diesel Locomotive)
Empires Fall October 18-27 Great Plains Theatre
Dinner Train (Fried Chicken by Brookville Hotel) Saturday, October 26 @ 6 pm Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Diesel Locomotive)
Tombstone Talks Saturday, October 26 Abilene Cemetery
Makin' Magic - 25 Years of Fun November 29 - December 15 Great Plains Theatre
Abilene's Victorian Inn Christmas Afternoon Tea Saturday, December 7 Abilene's Victorian Inn
Heritage Homes Association's Homes for the Holidays Tour Saturday, December 7
Sunday, December 8
Varies each year
Night of Christmas Magic Saturday, December 7 Downtown Abilene
Share your news!
Have an upcoming event? Help us, help you. We do our best to stay up-to-date, but please make sure to include us in your event and special promotions. Please send announcements to  Julie@abilenecityhall.com.

ATTRACTION & EVENT UPDATES

Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home

Lunch & Learn: "Most  Hallowed Ground: Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns" with Tom Tudor

** Please note: Tom Tudor will speak in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 27, and in Abilene, Kansas, on March 28. See times below.
 
Kansas City, Missouri Wednesday, March 27 | 6:30 p.m. | Meet and Greet reception at 6:00 p.m.
Central Kansas City Public Library |  RSVP 

Abilene, Kansas  Thursday, March 28 | 12:00 p.m. | Visitors Center Auditorium
Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Lunch & Learn series is made possible by the Eisenhower Foundation with generous support from the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.
Free and open to the public. Light lunch provided; first come, first served. RSVP not required. 

Program Summary:
Arlington National Cemetery evolved from a place of necessity - set aside for a mounting wave of Civil War casualties - to sacred ground, the final resting place for more than 400,000 men and women who gave service and sacrifice to our country.

Tom Tudor, once a sentinel and commander of the relief at the Tomb of the Unknowns, the most hallowed of the cemetery's many landmarks, traces the story of this special, 624-acre plot on the Potomac River. Included is a look at President Eisenhower's place in the history of the Tomb of the Unknowns, presiding over the interment of World War II and Korean War soldiers in 1958.

This continues a series coinciding with the exhibit "Eisenhower's Middle Road" at the Central Kansas City Public Library, courtesy of a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, MO. Produced by the archival and curatorial staff of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Eisenhower's Middle Road, explores the many ways President Eisenhower, whose leadership style reflected his Midwestern upbringing, led America from the middle to accomplish what those on the extremes thought impossible. This exhibit will be on display in the Central Library's Rocky and Gabriella Mountain Gallery ( Central Kansas City Public Library - 14 West 10th Street, Kansas City, MO) through May 24, 2019.

2019 National Geographic GeoBee Kansas and GeoChallenge Regional Competitions

The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is hosting two National Geographic student contests. Both the the GeoBee Kansas State Competition and Kansas GeoChallenge Regional competition will take place in Abilene on Friday, March 29. Hosting both events is a first for the state of Kansas.
 
The competition rounds will be held at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Greyhound Hall of Fame, and St. Andrew's Parish Hall. All venues are within walking distance of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, 200 SE 4th Street. The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is offering free admission all day.
 
The public is invited to watch the contests as approximately 100 students each compete in the GeoBee and the GeoChallenge competitions. Students are competing for prizes and a chance to advance to national competitions held at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, DC, May 19-22. Additional information is available at NatGeoEd.org.
 
GeoBee (grades 4-8)
Preliminary rounds: 1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Final round: Eisenhower Visitors Center Auditorium at 4 p.m.
The GeoBee competition focuses on knowledge of geography, cultures, physical features, history and earth science.
 
GeoChallenge (grades 5-8 representing parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa)
Project appraisals: 8:50 - 11 a.m. (Eisenhower Visitors Center and St. Andrews)
Showcase: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at St. Andrew's Parish Hall
GeoChallenge is a team project-based competition addressing a critical issue facing the planet. This year's challenge is tackling plastic. Students investigate the urgent issue of plastic pollution in our waterways. Working in teams, the students design a solution to make an impact.
About us
The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau  is the marketing arm of the City of Abilene and provides services to tourists and groups convening in Abilene.
Sign Up!
Receiving this email from a friend? 
Join the Abilene Tourism Advocate e-newsletter list. 
Click  here to sign up!