A first-time hunter found the Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion.Â
According to Salina Arts & Humanities, Courtney Wittenn a first-time treasure seeker, started hunting Friday night, first by interpreting the clues as directions right to the location.
Clue #1: Headin to Aurora, she interpreted as going underneath the overhead lights of Santa Fe. After looking for a bit Saturday morning, she found herself in Lakewood Park and, with a laugh, said, “I was either really right or really wrong,” as she had noticed the park was quiet except for a couple of disc golfers.
After pulling into the park, she spent time near a large tree at the entrance, but soon found the “Big Tree claims Victory” marker, leading her to the spot. Still filled with joy over her prize, Witten said, “It was a lot of FUN!” and was ready to get back out on the hunt again.
The Quest took four days and seven clues. The clues were shared online at festivalmedallionquest.com and posted outside the Eighth Street Salina Arts & Humanities office doors.
The 2026 Medallion was hidden in Lakewood Park near disc golf hole #8, atop a mound of soil just along the tree line, in the end cap of a mostly buried, rusty barrel tightly secured in the ground by tree roots.
The object was magnetized to the inside of the barrel cap and covered with sandpaper to help disguise it and blend it with the barrel’s aged metal. Once the object was removed, the laminated note opened like a folder with directions inside for the winner to claim their prize.
The 2026 Quest winner receives a prize package of $1,000 in cash and $2,000 in Gift Certificates for shopping at the River Festival 2026 Art Show. Other prizes include four Festival admission wristbands, a complimentary on-grounds VIP parking pass, an invitation for four to the Thursday evening PREMIERE Art Patron Party, four River Festival 2026 T-shirts, and two (2) gift certificates for tickets to attend FILI Creative’s theatrical release of the film 4 Days In June at the Salina Art Center Cinema, running July 10-15, 2026.
