SJ Media

The Brewster Heritage Center is encouraging community involvement for America’s 250th anniversary, celebrating “Flags of the Revolution” June 13-14 in Brewster, Kansas.

The June 13 festivities will include a fun run, formal opening with a presentation of the colors, a parade, street dance, food and live music. 

“The 14th, we’ll have a union church service,” said Commissioner Michael Baughn, Heritage Center co-founder and board member. “We will have a worship service down at Hunter Park, and that will be followed with a community potluck.”

A kids’ rodeo will also take place Saturday at Hudson Arena at 2 p.m., featuring mutton busting, goat tying, barrel racing, pole bending and boot races for ages 18 and younger.

Brian Eicher, president of the Heritage Center, said there will be a special appearance by The Tresgrassers, a Kansas bluegrass band, along with a show-and-shine featuring cars, bikes and antique tractors.

“It’s going to be an open cattle call,” Eicher said. “We’re just going to encourage people to bring out their toys and let other people look at them.”

Entry fees for the 5K and one-mile fun run organized by the Brewster Beta Club range from $10 to $15, depending on participant age.  

“Come enjoy and leave a donation if you want to,” Eicher said.  

Baughn said the event will be fully funded using community donations and grant applications to the Dane G. Hansen Foundation or the Thomas County Community Foundation.

“Our problem is trying to find people to help – to find somebody that will run some of these events,” Baughn said.

The Heritage board meets every Thursday at the Brewster Heritage Center Library and Museum to organize the celebration and recruit vendors and volunteers.

“It started out as my idea,” Baughn said. “I wanted to have something that Brewster could recognize and celebrate the 250th year of this great republic and there wasn’t anybody else around doing it.

“So, I mentioned it to the board, and they thought it was a good idea.”   

Baughn said when he pitched the idea to the Heritage board, board member Lynn Fulwider presented the concept of “Flags of the Revolution.”

“I’m a member of the Sons of the American Revolution,” Fulwider said. “I did a presentation, I’ve done a few, of the flags of the American Revolution.”

In 1975, Brewster hosted a U.S. Bicentennial celebration that attracted approximately 3,000 people and featured parades, a carnival and other attractions.

“We had planes flying over Main Street dropping ping-pong balls with prizes,” Baughn said. “We had a whole year of activities.”

Eicher said he was a senior in high school when Brewster celebrated America’s 200th anniversary, and he hopes to bring unity back to the community.

“I remember how the whole town turned out for that and what a big thing it was,” Eicher said. “With the decline in the rural population, I just hope people will show up.”

Baughn said the Heritage Center will continue its annual Hot Dog and Watermelon Feed but will consider hosting celebrations for other historical milestones, depending on the success of the upcoming event.

“We’ve invited the Betas and the Lions and the businesses and the city,” Baughn said. “We’ve invited everyone.”