North Central Kansas will take center stage in the Big Kansas Road Trip May 2-5 as visitors explore Ellsworth and Lincoln counties, plus the community of Lucas in Russell County. The Kansas Sampler Foundation organizes the event.
The Big Kansas Road Trip, which started in 2018, is a multi-day event highlighting unique points of interest, museums, attractions, shops, and restaurants. Last year, it covered Jewell, Republic, and Smith counties.
Local organizers have been preparing for several months for this year’s event. The first task was educating communities, local businesses, and organizations on the event and how they can get involved.
“We wanted to give everybody a chance to show off what makes their attraction or community unique,” says Kelly Gourley, Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director.
Organizing the ideas into a user-friendly format for visitors to plan their itineraries took time. Volunteers, community stakeholders, local business owners, and nonprofit groups have all been instrumental in preparing for the weekend.
The Kansas Sampler Foundation considers several factors when selecting the host locations each year.
“We look for areas that may have lesser known but awesome attractions that deserve attention,” says Marci Penner, Kansas Sampler Foundation Executive Director. “We look for places with scenic back roads, unusual things to see and do, and friendly people. We are thrilled with the participation of businesses, restaurants, organizations, and attractions, plus the activities added by community members to help share the story of who they are and what they have to offer.”
Locals in the 2024 communities are ready to welcome visitors.
“Ellsworth County is delighted to share the opportunity with Lincoln County and Lucas to showcase all of our amazing attractions, mom-and-pop shops, and the welcoming spirit of our communities,” says Stacie Schmidt, Grow Ellsworth County Executive Director. “We can’t wait to roll out the welcome mat to our visitors.”
For more information or to plan your trip, visit bigkansasroadtrip.com.
This article appeared in the Quarter 1 2024 NCRPC Newsletter.
