Visit Emporia

07/18/2025

Big congrats to Peter Pan Park and Aric Kenyon! Lookin' good, Emporia! 💙

07/18/2025

Get ready for a week full of fun, food, games, and community events for all ages! Here's what's happening around town:

Friday, July 18
ParTee on the Lawn | 6–9 PM | at ESU Front Lawn
Celebrate the PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships with disc golf vendors, carnival games, food trucks, and more! Hosted by Emporia Main Street, Dynamic Discs, and ESU — everyone’s invited!
https://emporiamainstreet.com/events/partee/

Saturday, July 19
Maker’s Market & Munchies | 10 AM–4 PM | at Flinthills Mall
Craft show + food truck rally = the ultimate combo!
https://visitemporia.com/event/makers-market-munchies-at-flinthills-mall/

Saturday, July 19
Vamos a Explorar | 1–3 PM | at Jones Aquatic Center | Emporia Spanish Speakers
Cool off with a free group swim day at the pool with the Emporia Spanish Speakers
https://visitemporia.com/event/vamos-a-explorar-2/

Tuesday, July 22
Cardboard Cruisers | 6:30–8 PM | at Emporia Public Library
Build your own “car” and enjoy a drive-in screening of Cars! A free family-fun event that’s sure to spark creativity.
https://visitemporia.com/event/cardboard-cruisers/

Friday, July 25
60-Second Showdown | 3:30–4:30 PM | at Emporia Public Library
Teens (Grades 6–12): Race the clock in rapid-fire challenges full of laughs and team spirit!
https://visitemporia.com/event/60-second-showdown/

Friday, July 25
Lotería Night | 6–8 PM | at Emporia Arts Center | Emporia Spanish Speakers
Play Lotería for a cause! $10 entry (includes 1 card). Extra cards $5. Fun, prizes, and community vibes all around.
https://visitemporia.com/event/loteria/

Friday, July 25
Honor Flight Jam | 7–9 PM | at 890 Road L, Olpe, KS| Front Porch Jams
An evening of live music featuring Savannah Chestnut and more! All to benefit the USD #252 Honor Flight. Entry by donation.
https://visitemporia.com/event/front-porch-jam-6/

07/17/2025

Emporia is proud to be part of the Sunflower Summer Program, giving Kansas K–12 students + one adult FREE admission to incredible destinations across the state through August 3rd!

Tucked inside ESU’s Science Hall, the Schmidt Museum of Natural History is a hidden gem featuring 600+ stunning wildlife mounts and 2,500+ research specimens, from majestic birds of prey to colorful reptiles and prairie mammals.

🔎 Inside you’ll find:
• Birds, mammals, reptiles & fish native to Kansas
• Rare, uniquely colored specimens
• Historic taxidermy tools & techniques
• Hands-on learning about wildlife biology & conservation

Crafted by legendary ESU taxidermist Richard H. Schmidt (1925–retirement), this one-of-a-kind collection brings the natural world to life!

🕘 Open M–F | 8AM–5PM
📍 ESU Science Hall Room 043 | 1320 Merchant St
🎟️ Free

https://visitemporia.com/place/schmidt-museum-of-natural-history/

🌻 More Emporia stops in the program:
• David Traylor Zoo
• Red Rocks State Historic Site
• Johnston Geology Museum
• Prophet Aquatic Research & Outreach Center

Sunflower Summer is a FREE program for Kansas families brought to you by Kansas Tourism . Learn more at SunflowerSummer.org

07/17/2025

To celebrate the amazing athletes, families, and fans of the PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships, it’s party time, Emporia-style!

Come and hang out for the PartTee on the Lawn, a family-friendly evening of fun, food, and festivities, on Friday, July 18, from 6–9 PM at the Emporia State University front lawn (1 Kellogg Circle).

This event is open to everyone, Junior Worlds competitors, their families, and our incredible Emporia community. It's a way of saying thank you for being here and for making Emporia part of your Junior Worlds journey!

You can expect an evening full of fun with disc golf vendors, carnival games, and kid-friendly activities, local food trucks, and a beer garden for guests 21 and over. There will also be games, giveaways, and plenty of space to unwind on the shady, grassy ESU lawn, perfect for relaxing and celebrating together.

More Details here: https://emporiamainstreet.com/events/partee/

Let’s close out the week with laughter, connection, and small-town magic that you can only find in Emporia, Kansas.

hosted by Emporia Main Street, Dynamic Discs, and Emporia State University

07/16/2025

Tomorrow is the Downtown Sip 'n Shop Sidewalk Sale! Sponsored by Emporia Main Street! 🍷🛍️

Come on down to Commercial Street, Thursday, July 17, from 5–10 PM in Downtown Emporia for an evening of shopping, sipping, and celebrating community!

Explore Emporia’s incredible local shops, boutiques, and businesses. As you browse, sip on refreshing beverages from participating CCA (Common Consumption Area) locations, you're welcome to take your drink with you while you shop (if permitted by the business)!

Whether you're a Junior Worlds visitor or a proud Emporia local, this is your chance to support small businesses and experience the heart of our downtown.
Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to fall in love with our community all over again.

More Details and Participating Businesses: https://emporiamainstreet.com/events/sidewalksale/

07/15/2025

Tonight’s the night to paint tiny canvases!

Let your creativity run wild at Read it! Paint it! Mini Edition—a hands-on arts & crafts night for adults & seniors at the Emporia Public Library.

🕡 6:30–8:00 PM
🔗 Register ASAP: https://emporiapl.librarycalendar.com/event/read-it-paint-it-mini-edition-1892

Space is limited, so don’t wait!

07/15/2025

Weekly Event Showcase - PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships & more! -

Weekly Event Showcase

07/14/2025

Starting tomorrow, let your creativity fly at the Emporia Arts Council! From Tuesday, July 15 through Friday, July 18 (10 AM–6 PM daily), kids are invited to stop in at the Emporia Arts Council and decorate their very own disc!

📍 Emporia Arts Council – 815 Commercial St
🗓️ July 15–18 | 10 AM – 6 PM daily
🎁 Prizes awarded for top designs
🎉 Kids keep their disc!

This hands-on event is open to all children, including PDGA Junior Competitors, their siblings, and local Emporia families. It’s a fun, free-flowing way to celebrate the week with art and disc golf combined!

For the full Disc Golf Event Schedule, check out: https://www.pdga.com/2025juniorworlds/eventschedule

PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships

07/12/2025

Emporia First Fridays are always something special!
From vibrant local art to one-of-a-kind experiences, you never know what you’ll discover around town!

🗓️ Don’t miss the next one—come see what makes Emporia shine!

Emporia First Friday

07/11/2025

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome the PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships to Emporia! Over 400 youth athletes and their families from across the country are coming here to compete—and experience everything that makes Emporia special.

Throughout the week, there will be plenty of events happening around town, encouraging our guests to dine at our amazing local restaurants, explore unique shops, and discover all the things that make Emporia one of a kind.

Let’s show our visitors the warm Emporian hospitality they won’t find anywhere else!

Full Disc Golf Event Schedule:

https://www.pdga.com/2025juniorworlds/eventschedule

*Photos from Dynamic Discs*

Professional Disc Golf Association

07/10/2025

🌻 Sunflower Summer Starts THIS Saturday! 🌻
Looking for FREE summer fun? Starting July 12, Kansas families with K-12 students can explore amazing Kansas attractions—for FREE—thanks to the Sunflower Summer program!

Each student (Pre-K–12) AND one accompanying adult get free admission to participating venues when you use the Sunflower Summer app.

Right here in Emporia, you can visit:
🦁 David Traylor Zoo
🦖 Johnston Geology Museum
🏛️ Red Rocks State Historic Site
🐟 Prophet Aquatic Research & Outreach Center
🦉 Schmidt Museum of Natural History

This is the perfect time to enjoy everything Emporia has to offer—without spending a dime.

Download the free app, claim your tickets, and start exploring on Saturday, July 12!

➡️ Learn more at sunflowersummer.org

Kansas Tourism Red Rocks State Historic Site Emporia Zoo
https://visitemporia.com/place/schmidt-museum-of-natural-history/
https://visitemporia.com/place/johnston-geology-museum/

07/10/2025

Downtown Emporia is the place to be tomorrow night (7/11) for the Emporia First Friday Art Walk!
From 5–8pm, explore local art in all shapes, sizes, and formats, enjoy food and drinks from downtown favorites, and soak up the creative energy all evening long.