Chisholm Trail Day Festival

The Heritage Center Museum, 412 S. Campbell in Abilene, Kansas from 10 am to 4 pm. The admission is $5 per adults and children 12 and under is $2. The festival includes live entertainment, historical presentations, folk craft demonstrations and an antique farm show featuring the Intrantional Tractors this year. Held annually the first Saturday of October on the grounds of the Heritage Center, this annual festival celebrates Dickinson County's role in the massive cattle drives, especially Abilene, the trailhead at the "End of the Chisholm Trail" where the cattle finally met their ride to the eastern markets. The festival spills over from Heritage Center grounds into the street and the Eisenhower Center and Old Abilene Town.. FEATURED MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT FOR 2012: Classic Heart - Music of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s Tallgrass Express String Band- Bluegrass and Folk Music Dave "ZERF" Zerfas - Cowboy and Kansas Ballads Wilma and Lori Howie - Bluegrass Joe Basso - The Origins of Old Expressions Randy Schumock - Country and Western Songs ANTIQUE FARM SHOW: There will be living history demonstrations, farming demonstrations and antique gasoline engines, antique car and antique farm shows. The Antique Farm Show in 2012 features the International tractors and equipment, but all makes of tractors are welcome to participate. There will be threshing demonstrations throughout the day and don't forget the Parade of Power scheduled for 1:00 PM. There will also be tractor games. Kids Pedal Tractor Pull - Registration at 8 am Pull begins at 10 am KIDS AREA: Kids Area to include an inflatable. LIVING HISTORY DEMONSTRATIONS: Among the living history demonstrations will be cane squeezing, saw mill and cider press. Pioneer cooking demonstrations will include molasses cooking, break baking, and pioneer cooking. See Quilting demonstrations. There also will be blacksmithing, rope-making, corn shelling, chair caning, spinning and weaving, and the saw mill all on the grounds. Don't forget the rides on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Train with pickup at the Heritage Center. The 1919 Baldwin Steam Locomotive will be running that day. For the special price you will need to purchase the Festival button. Special rate is $15.00 for adults and $7.50 for those 12 and under. 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM The 1903 Band Organ will be playing the traditional Carousel music as you ride the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel. The restored Band Organ was built in 1903 by the Deklestian Band Organ Company, the company that later would be known as the Wurlitzer Company. When Rudolph Wurlitzer purchased the company in 1907 he converted the band organs to a roll mechanism. The Carousel will be steam powered during the festival. This caoursel is a National Historic Landmark; a National Historic Carousel and was voted as one of the Top Eight Wonders of Kansas Customs. Rides are $1.00 (half-priced that day only) Don't forget to visit the Heritage Center Museums and the special exhibits while at the Festival -- admission to museum is free during the festival. Also remember there will be several food vendors on the grounds. Entertainment is funded in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, The Arts Council of Dickinson County, and local businesses and sponsors.