By Ryan Duey

The Kansas Sampler Foundation, in collaboration with the Blue Rapids Round Town Square Festival, will host the first Big Kansas Road Trip Pop-Up on Saturday, Aug. 24 in Blue Rapids.

The pop-up event is the first of its kind, a one-day experience for Kansas Explorers to get to know the community of Blue Rapids by celebrating one of its most famous features – a town square in the shape of a circle, known locally as “the squircle.”

“What better way to experience this landmark than to roll around it?” said Marci Penner, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. “We’re inviting explorers to get out and take a few laps on roller skates, bicycles, scooters, or those riding in strollers, wagons, or wheelchairs to enjoy this historic feature.”

The Kansas Sampler Foundation created the Big Kansas Road Trip six years ago to provide the public firsthand experiences in rural communities and to give these cities a chance to showcase who they are and what they have. The one-day event in Blue Rapids is the first of a series of “pop-up” events designed to help more Kansans experience and enjoy the state.

Attendees of the event will have special access to ride, roll, or walk around the round town square beginning at 10 a.m. The day will celebrate all things that are round in the area – including a round trip on the Central Branch Railroad, visiting a round barn, learning about a historic baseball game played between major league teams in 1913, and visiting Alcove Spring to learn about the wagon trains that frequented this spot.

The event is open to the public with a special invitation to members of the Kansas Explorers Club, also organized by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. An Explorer Club meeting featuring Kansas trivia led by Marci Penner from the stump will take place at 10:30 in the round town square. Passports to inspire and guide explorers can be downloaded from the Big Kansas Road Trip site to plan the day in advance, or picked up between 10-11 a.m. at the Kansas Sampler Foundation table in the town square.

Blue Rapids is located in Marshall County, 12 miles south of the county seat of Marysville. Explorers are invited to experience the city’s Round Town Square Festival throughout the day in downtown Blue Rapids. The event, organized by the Blue Rapids Community Action Team with support from many community organizations and businesses, will include a locally sourced fish fry and beer garden, a craft fair, bouncy houses, and live music from Eric Johanson, sponsored by the Marshall County Arts Cooperative.

“Blue Rapids comes together in many ways throughout the year to build community,” said Sarah Green, Kansas Sampler Foundation co-director. “We’re grateful for their invitation to join them for a full, fun day in their historic city.”

The Kansas Sampler Foundation’s mission is to preserve and sustain rural culture. For over 30 years, members of the Inman-based non-profit Kansas Explorers Club have explored and appreciated rural communities across the state and had fun doing it. Blue Rapids and its round town square earned recognition as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Customs Finalists for it custom

of cruising around the round square. For more information, visit bigkansasroadtrip.com or follow Big Kansas Road Trip on Facebook.