WINFIELD, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Winfield will celebrate its Sesquicentennial on Saturday.
The first Winfield City Council was formed in 1873. It became a cultural center in Kansas by hosting numerous Chautauquas in the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Strother Field became the airbase for over 3,000 Army Air Force personnel and civilian employees during World War II, many of whom called Winfield home. The post-war boom in Winfield led its new ranch-style homes to be featured in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.
The Walnut Valley Festival, founded in 1972, is held each September and has grown into one the largest Bluegrass festivals, with participants and visitors traveling to Winfield from around the world. In 1993, the city was named one of the Best Small Towns in America.
Saturday’s events begin at 10 a.m. at the Cowley County Historical Society Museum, located at 1011 Mansfield St. There will be interactive exhibits both inside and out, along with live music and entertainment, and food.
At 7 p.m. at Island Park Performance Venue, the South Kansas Symphony will perform Kanza: A Winfield Celebration. Both events are free and open to the public.
