Committee members James Bell and Brandy Ridgway talks with Gerard Wellbrock of the KAYS Morning Show, giving more insights on why the Wild West Festival Committee decided to end the festival after three decades in Hays.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Many people in Hays have fond memories of the Wild West Festival, the lights, the thump of the music, the smell of turkey legs and bierocks wafting through Municipal Park, the scramble for candy at parades, and, of course, the fireworks spectacular on the Fourth of July.
The Hays Post asked community members to share their memories of the festival after the committee announced this week that it would dissolve, bringing the beloved festival to a close.
The festival’s three nights of music brought many fan favorites to Hays, including Hairball, Blackhawk, and Lainey Wilson, only weeks after she won an Academy of Country Music Award.
For some fans, the Wild West Festival meant crowding close to the stage, shaking hands with their idols, or even snapping a coveted selfie.
Kimberly Weber shared, “My son’s first concert was Hairball, and I got a drumstick and guitar pick from the openers, and the lead singer of Hairball gave me a high five. It was a night I’ll never forget.”
Brenna Garcia shared a photo with Dustin Lynch at Whiskey Creek before his performance at Wild West Festival.
“Pretty neat meeting ‘big timers’ in a small town,” she said.
Brina Robinson shared, “Best memory of the Wild West Fest was when I got to see Trick Pony in concert. The guitarist threw me a pic, but the lady in front of me got the pic and did not give it to me. He met me at the fence after the concert and gave me another guitar pic and also gave me some memorabilia.”
Fans come in all sizes.
Megan Annette Janousek shared, “We have so many great memories from Wild West Fest over the last few years, but my favorite has to be seeing my little guy so ecstatic when Lakeview gave him their set list at this year’s festival! They have a fan for life.”
Dustn Armbruster, Eagle Radio’s The Bull Morning Show co-host, was a longtime festival emcee.
“The Wild West Festival was always one of the highlights of the summer. I always enjoyed seeing so many people come to town to see the concerts and attend the parade. There were many acts that came through that went on to become bigger, and we always got to say ‘We saw them back when,’” he said.
Music was not the only thing in the air at the Wild West Festival; so was love.
Four people shared with the Hays Post they met their future spouses at Wild West Festival.
Vince Griego shared on Facebook that he volunteered with the American Legion Riders in about 2013 or ‘14, providing security for the festival. Someone shot a candid photo of him and posted it on Facebook. That photo caught his future wife’s eye.
“She saw this picture posted and liked my tattoos, so she stalked my Facebook page and then sent me a message. We went for a late-night motorcycle ride and have been together ever since. Lisa Griego, love you more,” he wrote on Facebook.
Aaron Odegard, Austin Schmeidler and Natalie Oborny all said they met their future spouses at the Wild West Festival.
In addition to the many volunteers who served on the Wild West Committee or assisted with set-up and tear-down in the brutal Kansas July heat, the Kiwanis for years volunteered at the festival’s beer garden.
“Wild West Fest will always remind me of the fabulous times the Kiwanis Club of Hays, Kansas, successfully ran the WWF Saloon. Year after year, after year…” Mary Hammond said.
Celeste Sander also recalled the camaraderie among the Kiwanis volunteers, “Wild West reminds me of all the memories of the Kiwanis Club, Hays, KS. … All the volunteers did a great job!”
The Scouting America members were faithful volunteers for the festival as well. They presented the colors and helped with chair rentals.
Brandy Ridgway, committee member for 14 years, said she and her husband, Jeff, who served as festival president, became committee members by accident. She filled out an application to volunteer, and the next thing she knew, she and her husband had been voted onto the committee.
“Remember, I said, “I” filled out the application so “I” could join,” she said in a Facebook Post.
“I had to go home and tell Jeff he joined the WWF committee. Whoops. … Now it’s debatable who voluntold who here? Either way the story goes, I will forever cherish my time on the committee and every day I live is impacted by my experience.”
One of her favorite aspects of the festival was working with the local Scouts of America on the flag ceremony.
“Bringing the Scouts up there and letting them do their thing and representing our community very well and representing our country very well …
“And then looking out at the crowd as the lights start going down and seeing 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 people just get to forget about their daily struggles, their headaches and just enjoy good music.
“It would bring tears to my eyes to see the community we are doing this for. It made all the blood, sweat and tears worth it,” she said.
James Bell, committee member, worked selling tickets at the gate for multiple years, but he would take time at the end of the concerts to watch behind the scenes.
“I would go way back in the back and just watch it,” he said. “Not the bands, but watch the people. Seeing them have such a good time, there is no feeling like it,” he said.