Museum Ready For Street Fair

The Smoky Hill Museum is ready to throw a party on Saturday, its annual street fair. The Street Fair is a FREE day of celebration with music, participatory crafts and activities, demonstrators, food vendors and, of course, tours of the museum itself.

The Street Fair celebration begins at 10 am with a Salina tradition; a parade down Santa Fe, from Elm to the Masonic Temple. This year’s theme is “Sparking Imagination.” The parade will feature bands, dancers, businesses, military and much more.

The museum gallery is open 10 am – 5 pm for everyone to enjoy the new hands-on interactive exhibit, The Curiosity Shop. There is also a special exhibit: Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity and Stereotypes in Thrift Store Donations.

This year’s entertainment is concentrated on one stage with the addition of a roaming performer. Brady Weston Band starts off the entertainment, followed by Signal Ridge, and then Cheryl Rutz and Lewis Street Soul. Our roaming performer is crowd-favorite Richard Renner.

Based in Salina, Brady Weston Band brings southern soul and rock & roll. According to sources, the band is pushing the envelope for today’s country music and rock-n-roll. “The band entices audiences with energetic performances, an army of guitars, and songs so honest they could only come from truth and experience.” Brady Weston Band will have two performances – 11 am and 3 pm.

Signal Ridge is a progressive bluegrass band out of Lawrence, KS that formed in the campgrounds of the Walnut Valley Festival eight years ago. Drawing inspiration from the likes of John Hartford and Doc Watson, these young pickers have grown up on the traditional road of bluegrass and are now ready to pave their own path in Americana folk music. Signal Ridge performs at noon and 2 pm.

Cheryl Rutz and Lewis Street Soul perform blues with an attitude and rock-n-roll with style. Vocalist Cheryl Rutz and Lewis Street Soul formed to have a good time and enjoy each other’s talents. Lewis St. Soul hopes you will jump in and enjoy the ride with them! They perform at 1 pm.

Richard Renner, The Vodvill Klown, a Smoky Hill River Festival favorite, entertains in a multitude of ways to make fair-goers laugh, giggle, clap and guffaw as they are awed by the merriment he creates.

Demonstrators will be on hand from 10:30 am – 4 pm featuring a potter, woodworker, zentangle artist and gourd artists. Caricaturists and face painters will also be on hand.

Favorite activities for kids of most ages include free make-and-take crafts and, with the purchase of a $5 wristband, they can jump on the inflatables the whole day.

And what is the Street Fair without food? You will have your choice of Dinky Dunkers, Navajo Tacos, Texas Reds BBQ, kettle corn and good old American fare with Skips Concessions.

Thanks to sponsorships from many dedicated Salina residents and businesses, there is no cost to attend this day of celebration. The museum especially wishes to thank the following generous businesses and organizations for their sponsorship: Salina Downtown Inc., Cox Communications, Mowery Clinic, Rocking M Radio, Precision Electrical Contractors, Jim’s Formal Wear, Medexpress Urgent Care, OCCK, INC, Salina Ortho, Salina Regional Health Foundation, Salina Journal, Friends of the Smoky Hill Museum and the City of Salina.

Check the museum web site, www.smokyhillmuseum.org, for the most up-to-date information and come celebrate autumn on Saturday the Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair.