By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
For 28 years, the Kansas Sampler Foundation hosted the Kansas Sampler Festival where thousands of people gathered at a location to learn about what Kansas has to offer. The festival ended in 2017 and the following year the Big Kansas Road Trip was created to have hundreds of people explore the same area over a few days.
Kansas Sampler Foundation Co-Director Marci Penner said the
Big Kansas Road Trip gets people further into the communities and provides
first-hand rural experiences.
"The people that come to this event, they really appreciate small towns," said Penner. "They like to go to places where they might not know about. The public loves to spend money and love to get to know the area as it is. All we ask for the communities that are showcased is to be good at being themselves."
Participants do not have to sign up and can decide where and when they want to
go, but there is a menu of activities that accentuates what the area has to
provide.
After exploring north central Kansas this year, The Big Kansas Road
Trip will include stops in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties and the community of
Lucas next year.
"There's Mushroom Rock, Faris Caves, Fort Harker and the unincorporated town of Denmark," said Penner. "I think people will be surprised with all the post-rock structures they will see. The backroads in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties are just full of gems."
Next year’s Big Kansas Road Trip is May 2-5, 2024. View bigkansasroadtrip.com for more information.