Our family experienced our second Prairiesta. The last one we attended was in 1991, as this celebration only happens every 10 years, we missed the 2001 and from what we could tell we did not miss much. We had a great time taking in all that a small town USA celebration has to offer. In fact, this picture of Lindsey and Anna is actually taken on Main Street where they close it down for the entire weekend and put up a tent for a beer garden. Seriously, people are walking around downtown with beers. It was strange to us as in Kansas City you would be arrested for open container. Needless to say, this was where the crowd was at.
The talk of the town was the 100 head of long horn cattle that open the parade. Cowboys herd these fellows right down the middle of town, the potential for tragedy is great and I think that's what made the spectacle so exciting.
Russell, KS is the hometown of Bob Dole and of course a celebration would not be complete without him leading the parade, that is right behind the 100 head of long horns.
Oh and looky, there is Grandma Sturman on a float with her classmates from 1959. And what would a Prairiesta be without some German food. The class of '59 served us up some fabulous bierock for lunch after the parade.
Here is another opportunity for tragedy. They did an anvil shoot. What is more exciting than someone taking an 80 lb anvil and shooting it into the air with hundreds of people standing around watching. The excitement is never ending at a small town USA celebration.
We had to go check out the long horns one more time at the high school's FFA corrals and barns.
Lindsey and Anna could not get enough of this rural celebration. Seriously, we had so much fun, you cannot get this kind of entertainment just anywhere.
After talking with folks at the prairie life demonstrations, Anna is pretty sure she wants to participate in a wagon train to gain experience to teach her students one day.
We could not go to western Kansas without stopping at the Dorrance cemetery, where a number of Jeff's relatives are buried.
Oh wait, here are a couple that aren't buried yet. How many people have a picture of themselves with their headstones and their grandchildren? You gotta love those Sturman's, they are real planners.
We are from the midwest and love having raised our family here although I am very thankful that we are in the Kansas City area and get to visit rural Kansas from time to time. What a great weekend of family memories.
Why am I not surprised that Jack and Karen already have their headstone? Here's to hoping they won't need it for many years to come!
Posted by: Nancy | June 14, 2011 at 02:45 PM