I've heard it from the tourists: "No more rain please."
I've heard it from the farmers: "No more rain until we get the wheat harvested, please."
And now, it's coming from the event organizers: "No rain this weekend, please."
With the heat turned up (not quite full blast, wait until late July and August and check back then), it feels now like summer is in full effect.
Just a reminder for those of you looking ahead to the Fourth of July, Crawford County feature three days worth of celebrations for those of wanting to set your holiday plans.
Events for this year include:
• On Thursday, July 2, the Crawford State Park Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration will feature a large fireworks display, food, musical entertainment, games and activities for all ages. The show is free, but a Kansas State Wildlife and Parks Vehicle Permit is required to attend. For more information, contact Crawford State Park Office (620) 362-3671, www.kdwp.state.ks.us, crawfordsp@wp.state.ks.us.
• On Friday, July 3 the 22nd annual Independence Day Celebration & Fireworks Display in Girard will feature a food, arts and crafts and live music. For more information, contact the Girard Chamber of Commerce at (620) 724-4715, girardchamber@ckt.net.
• Starting on Friday, July 3, the 39th annual Hepler Ruritan Club 4th of July Celebration & Rodeo will feature a large rodeo with bareback riding, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, bullriding and breakaway roping, mutton bustin’, calf scramble and bull chariot races. A dance follows the rodeo on July 3 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. On July 4, the Hepler 4-H Club sponsors a parade followed by kids games, Hillbilly Games and more rodeo. For more information, contact Kim Harris with the Hepler Ruritan at (620) 368-4792.
• And on Saturday, July 4, the City of Pittsburg Independence Day Celebration will include a large fireworks display and family day in the park. Baby contest, 5K run, tennis tournament, golf tournament, bike ride, horseshoe and bocce tournaments, disc golf tournament, a mock battle by the 772nd Engineer Company, the Summer Sing Off Competition, Red, White and Blue Parade, Kids Festival, a hot dog eating contest, dog show, car and motorcycle show, food, arts and crafts, live music by Area 51 and activities for all ages. For more information, contact the Pittsburg Parks and Recreation Department at (620) 231-8310 or log onto http://www.pittks.org.
New Brochure
After making a smashing debut in 2008, the sophomore edition of the Kansas Flint Hills Travel Guide is just as eye-catching and well-produced as its rookie predecessor.
Similar to 2008 cover, the cover of the 2009 guide features a wide angle photo of the rolling prairie of the Flint Hills, but instead of catching the sun setting on the Flint Hills, this photo has the sun peeking out from behind the clouds as it begins its evening slide toward sunset.
The 48-page guide has a series of feature stories, including a four-page spread on Chautauqua County’s Bill Kurtis, the renowned journalist best known for his cable program Investigative Reports on A&E.
Another story highlights the Konza Prairie and Konza Prairie Trials, with a special section on the flowers and birds that can be found in the Konza Prairie.
Other stories featured include a Flint Hills Culinary Road Trip, a map of the Flint Hills, the Music Festivals of the Flint Hills and a calendar of events taking place in the Flint Hills.
The new 2009 Flint Hills Travel Guide is now available for free at the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau located at 117 West Fourth Street inside the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
The CVB also has features state travel guides for Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas, state maps for the four states, visitors guides for large regional destination cities and lakes, baseball pocket schedules, visitor’s guides for a variety of smaller destinations, Kansas State Parks Guides, Kansas Parks and Wildlife Fishing Guidelines and Kansas State Hunting and Fishing Guide Books.
8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine
Online voting ended Monday, the final paper ballots are being tallied and from early indication, some 13,000 total votes were cast during the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine contest conducted by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
An announcement is expected any day now to reveal which of 24 finalists (including all six fried chicken restaurants in Crawford County: Chicken Annie’s, Chicken Mary’s, Gephardt’s Chicken Dinners, Barto’s Idle Hour, Girard Chicken Annie’s and Pichler’s Chicken Annie’s) will earn distinction as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine.
The Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau would like to thank all residents for voting and encouraging family and friends to vote.
Special thanks goes to all six fried chicken restaurants in Crawford County who came together as one nominee for the contest and for their efforts to encourage customers to vote by placing posters inside the restaurants and place table tents on all tables.
A press release will be issued and an announcement will be made on the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s website at www.kansassampler.org and the 8 Wonders website at www.8wonders.org.
The next contest schedule to begin in early July will be the 8 Wonders of Kansas Customs. The nominations window will open July 1 and nominees can be submitted online through July 31. Local residents should begin thinking of local and regional customs that are unique to Crawford County and Southeast Kansas to nominate for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Customs contest.
Upcoming Events
One of the busiest summer weekends in Crawford County is on tap with the annual Jock’s Nitch Softball Classic, but it’s not the only show in town, literally. Be sure to get out and about and enjoy these activities this weekend and on into next week:
• Today, the 22nd annual Jock’s Nitch Softball Classic gets underway at the Don Gutteridge Sports Complex in Lincoln Park. With 70 teams set to participate, the tournament will feature some of the best men’s and coed teams in the Midwest. Admission is free. For more information, contact Jock’s Nitch at (620) 231-3552 or log onto www.jocksnitch.com.
• Today, the Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation will present the first of its Friday Flicks with the movie "Twilight" starting at dusk on the north wall of the Colonial Fox Theatre. A $3 donation is suggested. For more information, contact the Colonial Fox Theatre at 235-0622.
• Today, the Southeast Kansas Special Olympics Fishing Championships will be held in Pittsburg. For more information or to register, contact John Lair at (620) 231-9895 or jmlair73@yahoo.com or log onto www.ksso.org.
• Saturday, the Kansas Cycling Association will host its annual Kansas State Time Trial Championships in Walnut. For more information, contact Roger Lomshek at Tailwind Cyclists, (620) 231-2212, roger@tailwindcyclists.com, www.tailwindcyclists.com.
Craig Hull is the director of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is the purpose of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote travel and tourism in Crawford County, Southeast Kansas and the Midwest. He can be reached at chull@pittsburgareachamber.com or at 1-800-879-1112.
