Kansas Sampler Festival
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Welcome to Liberal
Facts at a Glance
Visitor Information
Opening Ceremonies 2013
Entertainers 2013
Exhibitors 2013
Food Vendors 2013
Historic Performers 2013
The Stump Schedule 2013
Festival Map 2013
Sponsors 2013
Parking / Shuttle Info
Buy a Festival Program Ad
Kansas Explorers Club & We Kan Exhibitors Meetings
General Information Exhibitors/Vendor
Entertainer / Historic Performer Information
Food Vendor Information
Freestanding & Cultural Heritage Demonstrators Info
Kansas Product Tent Info
Kansas Products in Group Tents
Kansas Wineries/Microbrewery Exhibitors
Travel/Tourism Exhibitors (Non-Group) aka Mixed Communities/Statewide Attractions Info
Travel/Tourism Exhibitors (Group Tents) aka Regional Tourism & County Groups
Group Tent Leader Info
Media Room
Lodging Information
2012 Exhibitor List
Community Flags
Festival Photos
Things to Explore in Kansas
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Facts at a Glance
WHAT: 2013 Kansas Sampler Festival
ANNUAL TIMES: 24th annual (the festival is always held the first full week-end in May)
WHERE: Light Park, 111 W. 11th St., (corner of Kansas Ave. & 11th St.), Liberal, KS 67901
WHEN: Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday, May 5, 2013, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
WHY: The festival is designed to provide the public a sample of what there is to see, do, hear, taste, buy, and learn in Kansas.
WHO: More than 150 communities (of 626 incorporated) in the state are represented. They come from every corner of the state and every size attends from the smallest rural town to the largest metro area.
HOW MANY: Public attendance at the Liberal festival 2012 was 5,500.
WHAT: Primarily this is a travel show to educate the public about what every corner of the state has to offer. Kansas made products are showcased and sold in one tent and scattered throughout other tents. Kansas entertainers and historic performers take the stage at different venues. Food vendors sell Kansas ethnic or specialty foods.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Expect tent after tent of exhibitors placed in geographical regions promoting tourism attractions. Food booths and entertainment stages are placed around the grounds. There are little pockets of surprises such as a row of historical performers, someone on a stump asking Kansas questions, artists at work, a petting zoo, blacksmith demonstrations and who knows what else.
WEB SITE: www.kansassamplerfestival.com. List of exhibitors will be found on web site. News releases will also be on this web site.
CONTACT:
ANNUAL TIMES: 24th annual (the festival is always held the first full week-end in May)
WHERE: Light Park, 111 W. 11th St., (corner of Kansas Ave. & 11th St.), Liberal, KS 67901
WHEN: Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday, May 5, 2013, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
WHY: The festival is designed to provide the public a sample of what there is to see, do, hear, taste, buy, and learn in Kansas.
WHO: More than 150 communities (of 626 incorporated) in the state are represented. They come from every corner of the state and every size attends from the smallest rural town to the largest metro area.
HOW MANY: Public attendance at the Liberal festival 2012 was 5,500.
WHAT: Primarily this is a travel show to educate the public about what every corner of the state has to offer. Kansas made products are showcased and sold in one tent and scattered throughout other tents. Kansas entertainers and historic performers take the stage at different venues. Food vendors sell Kansas ethnic or specialty foods.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Expect tent after tent of exhibitors placed in geographical regions promoting tourism attractions. Food booths and entertainment stages are placed around the grounds. There are little pockets of surprises such as a row of historical performers, someone on a stump asking Kansas questions, artists at work, a petting zoo, blacksmith demonstrations and who knows what else.
WEB SITE: www.kansassamplerfestival.com. List of exhibitors will be found on web site. News releases will also be on this web site.
CONTACT:
Sally Fuller, Director, Liberal Convention & Tourism, One Yellow Brick Rd., Liberal, KS 67905 Phone: 620.626.0171; E-mail: tourism@cityofliberal.org; local information: visitliberal.com.
TICKETS: Adult admission, $5. Children 7-12, $3. Children under 6, free. Week-end pass-$8 adults; $4 children
PARKING: Shuttles help bring people from designated parking lots to festival entrance.
RULES: No dogs and no smoking allowed on the festival grounds.
FESTIVAL FOUNDER: The festival is a project of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. A public non-profit based out of Inman with a mission to preserve and sustain rural culture.
FESTIVAL HISTORY: The pre-cursor to the Kansas Sampler Festival was a book- signing party in 1990 for Mil and Marci Penner's book, Kansas Weekend Guide. The event was held on the Penner Farm near Inman with one tent full of exhibitors. The event was such a success it was given the name, Kansas Sampler Festival.
FESTIVAL ON FARM: The festival was held for eight years (1990-1997) on the Penner Farm near Inman.
MOVING FESTIVAL: The Kansas Sampler Foundation decided to take the festival on the road to expose more people to the exhibitors and purpose of the festival. Hosts are picked through an application process and host for two years. Hosts have been Pratt (1998- 1999); Ottawa (2000-2001); Independence (2002-2003); Newton (2004-2005); Garden City (2006-2007) and Concordia (2008-2009) Leavenworth (2010-2011).
TICKETS: Adult admission, $5. Children 7-12, $3. Children under 6, free. Week-end pass-$8 adults; $4 children
PARKING: Shuttles help bring people from designated parking lots to festival entrance.
RULES: No dogs and no smoking allowed on the festival grounds.
FESTIVAL FOUNDER: The festival is a project of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. A public non-profit based out of Inman with a mission to preserve and sustain rural culture.
FESTIVAL HISTORY: The pre-cursor to the Kansas Sampler Festival was a book- signing party in 1990 for Mil and Marci Penner's book, Kansas Weekend Guide. The event was held on the Penner Farm near Inman with one tent full of exhibitors. The event was such a success it was given the name, Kansas Sampler Festival.
FESTIVAL ON FARM: The festival was held for eight years (1990-1997) on the Penner Farm near Inman.
MOVING FESTIVAL: The Kansas Sampler Foundation decided to take the festival on the road to expose more people to the exhibitors and purpose of the festival. Hosts are picked through an application process and host for two years. Hosts have been Pratt (1998- 1999); Ottawa (2000-2001); Independence (2002-2003); Newton (2004-2005); Garden City (2006-2007) and Concordia (2008-2009) Leavenworth (2010-2011).
NEXT HOST: Wamego will be the next host for the festival in 2014 & 2015. The actual dates will be May 3 & 4, 2014 and May 2 & 3, 2015.
FOUNDATION STAFF: Marci Penner is the executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. marci@kansassampler.org; WenDee Rowe LaPlant is the assistant director who oversees the festival. wendee@kansassampler.org
978 Arapaho Rd.
Inman, KS 67546
Phone: 620-585-2374
Phone: 620-585-2374