LA CROSSE — The 53rd annual Barbed Wire Festival is set to begin in La Crosse on May 3 to 5 at the La Crosse City Auditorium. The Barbed Wire Festival was originally born out of a small display of barbed wire in the Post Rock Museum. When museum staff observed that a large number of visitors collected the unusual fencing material, they decided to bring those collectors together.
In 1967, La Crosse hosted the first ever convention of barbed wire collectors with 2,000 people in attendance giving La Crosse the distinction of being the “Barbed Wire Capital of the World™”. The Barbed Wire Swap & Sell has evolved into the Barbed Wire Festival, a family-oriented community celebration with events for the entire family. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The festivities begin on Friday, May 3 at 8:00 a.m. when the annual Barbed Wire Swap & Sell opens. Featured will be handmade items, leathercrafts, home décor, jewelry, and of course antiques and barbed wire. The “Tribute to Veterans” exhibit will again be on display with new items featuring military uniforms and collectibles from private collectors including the “Museum for the Common Soldier” also located in La Crosse.
This year, lunch will be available on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. by Chef Lauren Schilleci’s The Kansas Cook Catering Company featuring homemade bierocks, soups, pies, and desserts and more.
On Friday night at 6:30 p.m., events move to the Barbed Wire Museum at 120 W. 1st Street with a Mexican Buffet dinner to benefit the museum’s educational mission followed by “Casino Night” games. Players receive an amount of “Barbed Bucks” that they can use in a variety of traditional casino games. Then, participants will use their “winnings” to bid on a selection of items in a live auction. Cost of the meal is $10 and there is no fee for playing the games.
On Saturday, the festival begins at 8:00 a.m. with additional vendor booths open for business, city-wide garage sales, and more. The Kansas Post Rock Limestone Coalition will make their debut with information about the 18-county coalition dedicated to preserving the history and promoting tourism in this unique region in central Kansas.
At 10:00 a.m. Saturday, the Fort Hays State University Science & Mathematics Institute “Maker Van” will be onsite for kids to learn about the science and technology of bridge construction by building their own Paper Bridge. There will be no cost for the kids’ event.
The World Champion Barbed Wire Splicing Contest™ begins at noon. Contestants vie to repair a simulated broken barbed wire fence in the shortest amount of time with the tightest splice. The Splicing Contest, developed by Roy Ehly and Kansas State University Extension Service in Manhattan over 50 years ago has been a regular event at the festival. Thanks to generous support by the Bison State Bank, this year’s competition will feature a bigger and better prize selection for winners in the Men’s, Ladies, and Youth Categories.
Events on Saturday will conclude with the Live Auction at 3:00 p.m. in the auditorium followed by the annual Candlelight Banquet at the La Crosse Country Club at 6:30 p.m. There are limited tickets available for the banquet and they are available by calling 785-222-2808 or visiting the registration desk during the festival.
The Barbed Wire Festival is sponsored by the Kansas Barbed Wire Collectors Association. For more information, visit our website at www.rushcounty.org/wireshow or call 785-222-2808.
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