Find Some FREEdom in Emporia

From the time of its original inhabitants, Kansas has treasured freedom. Our free state was founded on the principles of freedom and equality for all. Right here in our hometown of Emporia, William Allen White made a historic gubernatorial run 100 years ago, solely to beat back the Ku Klux Klan, which had insidiously taken root. We are the Founding City of Veterans Day, honoring those who fought and died for the freedom of all Americans. Free thinking and free living are in our DNA. We treasure the freedom to be ourselves.

2025 marks exactly one hundred years since the “Sage of Emporia”–William Allen White, publisher of The Emporia Gazette and Pulitzer Prize-winning author–mounted his campaign for governor of Kansas. White had no desire to be governor, actually. His only reason for running was to eradicate the scourge of the Ku Klux Klan, whose presence was ominously growing throughout the state. White always believed that the precious right of freedom extended to all people in our land, from minorities to women to those enduring almost slave-like existences. He believed in free will, and the ability of each person to govern their own destinies through the choices they make.

It’s likely no accident that a free-thinker like White rose to fame and power in Kansas. Our state was founded on the precepts of liberty and justice for all. The founders chose to establish the Territory of Kansas as a free state, opposing slavery, when Kansas achieved statehood on January 29, 1861. Our state motto “Ad Astra Per Aspera” illuminates that rocky path to freedom: “To the stars through difficulty.”

The Plains tribes were the original inhabitants of this land we now call Kansas. They freely roamed the territory we now call the Heartland, the Midwest, the Great Plains. The Indigenous way of life was based on the reciprocity inherent in a gift economy. That is, a respect for the gifts of Mother Earth and a deep belief in the value of sharing abundance as well as scarcity. Plains families moved from place to place with the seasons, taking their sustenance from the plants and animals and materials necessary to feed and clothe them. Until white settlers appeared, this way of life provided freedom and harmony with nature.

Our town values the concept of “FREE to be YOU”, and that’s evident in the myriad of creative ways our inhabitants express themselves. From colorful murals all over town (use our interactive public art map and find them for yourself!) to unique shopping experiences, performing arts, and a vibrant music scene, Emporia embraces the original, the quirky, and those who might march to the beat of a slightly different drummer. Come find out for yourself!

Looking for FREE things to do during the cold winter season? Here are some to brighten your spirits and warm your heart!

1) “Viewing Emporia: Then & Now” is the current exhibit at the Emporia Arts Center, 815 Commercial St. in downtown Emporia. A collaboration with the Lyon County History Center and Emporia Camera Club, the exhibit features historical images from the Lyon County History Center alongside photographs taken by members of the Emporia Camera Club, offering a unique comparison of Emporia’s past and present. Some familiar places have endured through the years, while others are now only memories, preserved in stories and images. The Trusler Gallery always offers free admittance. Check out the Gift Shop and numerous art classes as well!

2) Good Way Gardens puts art outside! The “Good Way Sunday” free concert series and outdoor community art activities happen the first Sunday of each month, March through October, at the historic Howe House, 315 E. Logan Ave. Learn about Indigenous culture and garden methods and take a turn helping in the native plant-filled Good Way Gardens (“We put the ART in EARTH!”) throughout the growing season and deepen your connection to the landscape in meaningful ways. Good Way Gardens is real people working together to bring land-based cultural enrichment to Emporia.

3) Red Rocks State Historic Site, 927 Exchange St., home of legendary Emporia Gazette editor William Allen White, offers free admission (Wednesdays through Sundays, April through October) and free weekend presentations on the famed author’s porch. Stroll the beautiful gardens, catch sight of an elusive goldfish in the lily pond, check out the jaguar rug and priceless antiquities, and spend time in White’s second-floor study. White, who died on Kansas Day in 1944, was a force for good in Emporia, in Kansas, and throughout the larger world. 

4) Emporia Public Library, 110 E. Sixth Ave., offers a plethora of free programs and book clubs (including a Young Readers’ William Allen White club, featuring books vying for the upcoming year’s William Allen White Children’s Book Award). Got a hankering for laser tag? Check! How about bingo? Gotcha covered! Ooohhh… Crafternoons, for crafting everything from pillows to body scrubs. Plus movie nights, kids’ concerts, seed swaps, wine tastings–the fun never ends! Put it on your calendar to be there for “Haunted Kansas Day” on–you guessed it–Kansas Day, Jan. 29–as the Flint Hills Paranormal Society shares historical ghost sightings and otherworldly Kansas experiences.

For even more free stuff to do in Emporia, check these out!

1. Chick Days at at Bluestem Farm & Ranch Supply, 2611 W. US Hwy 50. Second and fourth Saturdays in the colder months, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
2. Emporia First Friday Art Walk. Stroll through downtown Emporia from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month and check out art displayed in local businesses. 
3. Prophet Aquatic Research & Outreach Center on King Lake at ESU, will host a Kansas-themed Science Saturday on Jan. 25, featuring the Flint Hills Balladeer of Kansas Annie Wilson. 601 E. 18th Ave.
4. Legislative Dialogues, hosted by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters Committee and the League of Women Voters, happen in February and March.
5. St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Emporia. Get your Irish on!

Visit Emporia is the official Visitor Information Center for Emporia offering brochures and maps of Emporia, surrounding areas, and the state of Kansas. Drop in to visit us at 719 Commercial St. in downtown Emporia. We’re open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. See the Visit Emporia website for more information or check us out on Facebook and Instagram for more activities and events.