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Our Changing Lives blog post
Planning an end-of-summer vacation? Visit, Abilene Kansas!
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In 1992, Abilene hosted its first booth at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. Today, the tradition continues. The Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau booth will market Abilene to fairgoers from across the Midwest.
In 2017, the Kansas State Fair reported an attendance of 322,278 passing through the gates of the 10-day event.
"The Kansas State Fair provides Abilene an opportunity to connect with former and potential new visitors," Abilene CVB Director Julie Roller said.
The theme for the Abilene CVB booth is "come back to Abilene".
"The common theme we hear from fairgoers is that they've been to Abilene five, ten or even twenty years ago," Roller said. "This year we will hand out branded boomerangs inviting these fairgoers to 'return to Abilene' to experience our enhanced attractions and unique businesses."
The fair opens on Friday, September 7 and runs through Sunday, September 16.
"Our presence at the fair is made possible through the partnerships we have with Abilene tourist attractions, organizations and community volunteers," Roller said. "We could not attend without them."
The Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, Dickinson County Heritage Center, Great Plains Theatre, Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum, Old Abilene Town and National Old West Trails Foundation will all share their stories in the Abilene booth.
The Abilene CVB booth is located in the Pride of Kansas building at the Kansas State Fair. Attendees can also use Abilene's Snapchat Filter at the fair!
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Chisholm Trail Days a Success
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Thank you to all who attended, organized and contributed to Chisholm Trail Days at Old Abilene Town!
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Big Idaho Potato Visits Abilene
Despite the rain, school children and visitors from across the region visited Abilene on Monday to see the Big Idaho Potato at the Central Kansas Free Fair grounds as part of an Ag Awareness Day.
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Calling K-State Fans
How well do you know Kansas? Thanks to
Kansas Tourism, you could win suite tickets to the KSU vs. Texas Tech
football game!
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Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden
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Meet In Abilene
Planning a meeting, club or family event? Think Abilene! The Abilene CVB is happy to help connect you with facility and catering options. We will also provide welcome bags for your attendees!
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Save the Date - Oktoberfest
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5 Star Reviews - Greyhound Hall of Fame
Great stop for dog lovers
This museum shows the history of the greyhound and all about greyhound racing, it even has a friendly hound to pet. It explains how humanely they treat and train the animals. No admission, donations only.
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"The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
June 22, 1945
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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
Historic Home &
Barn Tour
Saturday, September 8
Fare - $65.00
Advance reservations required
Depart on the 10am train and return to Abilene by bus!
Ride the regular excursion train to Enterprise departing from Abilene at 10:00 AM. Transfer to the railroad's newly acquired air conditioned bus in Enterprise and proceed to the Historic 1880's J. S. Hollinger Farmstead for a tour of this historic home and a picnic lunch in the limestone barn. After lunch the tour will then proceed to the Prospect Park Farm for a tour of the historic 1880's John Hiram Taylor home. You will then return to Abilene by bus arriving around mid to late afternoon.
This trip is NOT handicap accessible and requires some walking and stair climbing in the historic homes.
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Dickinson County Heritage Center
40th annual Heritage Day Festival
October 6, 2018 - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The 40th annual Heritage Day Festival (formerly known as the Chisholm Trail Days) features living history with demonstrations of threshing, steam engine carousel rides, antique tractor show, classic car show, model trains, blacksmith, and much more.
Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the gate. Children 12 and under are $2. Call the Dickinson County Heritage Center for tickets at 785-263-2681.
Tombstone Talks in Solomon
October 13, 2018
The Dickinson County Heritage Center presents the 4th Annual Tombstone Talks. There will be two Tombstone Talks this year at two different locations. The first installment will be on October 13 in Solomon. The troupe will be paying homage to the great men and women of Solomon, Kansas at the Prairie Mound Cemetery. You will meet at the Solomon Senior Center for refreshments and then loaded onto the bus for the cemetery. You will take a guided walking tour through the cemetery in the evening to hear reenactors tell the stories of some of the more colorful characters of Dickinson County from their own tombstones, lit by lanterns. Get in the Halloween spirit with an evening in the cemetery.
For tickets, call the Heritage Center at 785-263-2681.
Tickets are $5 for all ages.
Tombstone Talks in Abilene
October 27, 2018
Join us for the 4th Annual Tombstone Talks at the Abilene Cemetery. Reenactors will present the life of the more colorful characters of Dickinson County from a first person narrative. Join our tour guides through a evening tour through the cemetery, stopping at the graves of those historical icons in Abilene's history.
Tickets are $5 for all ages, call the Heritage Center for more information at 785-263-2681.
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Great Plains Theatre
Five-Star Cinema Schedule:
- Mamma Mia Here We Go Again - September 7-11
- Christopher Robin - September 14-September 18
Great Plains Theatre Presents "Disgraced"
Great Plains Theatre will be presenting
Disgraced, by Ayad Akhtar, the next production in their After Dark Reader's Theatre Season. This show tells the story of four people with very different backgrounds at a dinner party and has been described as a "combustible powder keg of identity politics" that will have audiences thinking about it long after the show has ended.
The Great Plains Theatre After Dark Reader's Theatre series features more adult contemporary pieces than the traditional season and produces them for one evening only. Disgraced will be performed September 20, at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for the public, FREE for Season Ticket holders.
"Disgraced rubs all kinds of unexpected raw spots with intelligence and humor" (Newsday). "In dialogue that bristles with wit and intelligence, Akhtar puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under a microscope, revealing how tenuous self-image can be for people born into one way of being who have embraced another.... Everyone has been told that politics and religion are two subjects that should be off-limits at social gatherings. But watching these characters rip into these forbidden topics, there's no arguing that they make for ear-tickling good theater" (New York Times). "Add a liberal flow of alcohol and a couple of major secrets suddenly revealed, and you've got yourself one dangerous dinner party" (Associated Press).
The Education Academy at GPT has assembled a local cast from Abilene, Manhattan and Salina which will read the play from music stands with the action and settings described by a Narrator. This play does include very intense situations and adult language. It was the winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Todd Oliver's Funniest Night of Your Life
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Have you ever met a talking dog, a real talking dog? Get ready, because on Friday and Saturday October 12 and 13 at 7:00 pm and Sunday October 14 at 2:00 pm, you're going to meet the funniest comedian on 4 legs! "Irving" with a little help from his friend Todd Oliver, is going to talk up a storm. If you ever wondered how a dog looks at life, this little home-raised companion is going to give it to you straight from the dog's mouth. He won't mince words, and if he does it's Todd's fault anyways. (He's a ventriloquist).
Todd Oliver grew up loving dogs, ventriloquism, music and magic. As a young boy he studied piano, guitar, voice, and the variety arts. Along the way he created some wooden headed characters and performed around the world. You'll also meet a bunny named Alice and 3 beautiful birds.
Todd Oliver and Friends have been featured on Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Today Show, a couple episodes of Walker Texas Ranger, and in 2012 they were a top 4 finalist on Americas' Got Talent.
A major draw for many years on Showboats in Branson MO, and Nashville TN, as well as other major entertainment venues, Todd is now touring, bringing his brand of clean family fun to towns across America.
So sit back and get ready, you might even be on stage yourself, Todd turns audience members into real live ventriloquist dummies! Either way you're going to have a doggone, rocking good time with "Todd Oliver, The Funniest Night Of Your Life ". Tickets $20 for Adults and $15 for students can be ordered by calling 785-263-4574 or going to www.greatplainstheatre.com or visiting us at 401 Cottage Ave Abilene, KS 67410.
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Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum
Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum
Open daily 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Free admission
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Old Abilene Town
Wild Bill's Gunfighters
Saturdays
Noon, 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Sundays
1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
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Seelye Mansion
Abilene's Historic
Seelye Mansion
is a must-see! Furnished with items from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright and home to a wooden
bowling alley that's more than 100 years old, it's no "wonder" this beautiful mansion was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas - Architecture winners by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
Tours Daily!
Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m
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Upcoming events:
- 40th Annual Heritage Day Festival @ Dickinson County Heritage Center - October 6
- Hope Lives @ Sterl Hall - October 10
- Tombstone Talks @ Solomon's Prairie Mound Cemetery - October 13
- Oktoberfest @ Old Abilene Town - October 20
- Tombstone Talks @ Abilene's Cemetery - October 27
- Not Another Christmas Letter @ Great Plains Theatre - November 30-December 2, 4-9
- Night of Christmas Magic - December 1
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The Abilene CVB staff will be out of the office attending the 2018 Kansas State Fair. The Abilene Tourism Advocate will resume on Thursday, September 20.
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