A man from Colorado has found the 2016 Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion. Patrick Ahern found the medallion early Sunday afternoon.

Ahern, who lives in Colorado Springs, told KSAL News that he planned a trip to Salina this weekend to search for the medallion. His connection to Salina is through his in-laws, who used to live here.

The medallion was found on the east side of North Ninth Street, east of Thomas Park. The round button-shaped medallion was crafted from resin, and was colored and designed to be placed in the center of a sewer “manhole” cover. The manhole was located barely onto  an access road, directly across the street east of Thomas Park.

Ahern wins a Festival Quest Weekend Package. The prize package includes:

• $2,000 cash
• $2,000 in Festival Gift Certificates, to be used toward purchases in the Fine Art Show, Four Rivers Craft Show, or the Art/Craft Demonstration Area
• Four Festival admission Buttons
• One on-ground Festival parking pass (weather permitting)
• Invitation for four to the Festival’s Art Patron Breakfast on June 13
• Assorted Festival T-shirts, entertainer’s CDs, and other Festival memorabilia

Ahern, the eighth winner of the Festival Quest medallion quest, says that he searched for about “four or five hours” when he literally stumbled onto the medallion. He kicked it, picked it up, and then realized what it was.  This was not the first time he has participated in the hunt.