Sugar Mounds Arts & Crafts Festival

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Each year on the second weekend of October Mound City’s population swells from about 1000 people to 10,000, thanks to the work of Danny Smith of Pleasanton. As president of the Linn County Historical Society, he had the idea to of having an art show on the courthouse lawn, when our sugar maples were in full color.  He felt it would call attention to the graceful architecture of the lovely old building.  Due to rain that day it was moved to the Linn County Fairgrounds.

That was the first Sugar Mound Arts and Craft Festival. The annual festivities have grown since that first day in 1971.  Screens and tables have been built, and yards and yards of plastic bought to cover open sided buildings and even to cover dirt floors. In the 45 years since that first day, The Sugar Mound Arts and Crafts Festival has gone from displaying art work by Linn County artists in the 4H building to utilizing all the buildings at the fairgrounds as well as opening space along the walkways for free-standing booths.  We now have over 400 booths displaying all types of hand-crafted items with exhibitors coming from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Colorado and as far as California to join Kansas exhibitors of crafts and art work. We have a ratio of 75% returning vendors and 25% new vendors which gives a great variety to the show.  

To open the festivities a 5-K run will be held at 8:00 a.m. at Jayhawk Linn High School. This fundraiser allows us to award scholarships to  two Linn County high school seniors.  The scholarships are $500.00 per semester and may be received for eight semesters. Promptly at 10:00 a.m. a large, colorful parade is held on Main Street, adding to the color of the opening festivities. 

  Throughout the weekend, visitors come to shop for craft and art work as well as to eat the taste tempting foods which are supplied by Linn County food booths.