Presentation Explores the History and Impact of Community-Owned Carnivals

Courtland Arts Council in Courtland will host “What a Ride! Rural Community-Owned Carnivals,” a presentation and discussion by Erika Nelson on Sunday, June 14 at 2 PM at Irrigation Ales, 414 Main Street, Courtland, Kansas. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact Courtland Arts Council at
courtlandartscouncil@gmail.com for more information. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.

Across Kansas, late summer brings county fair season and all the fun that goes along with it. But what happens when the carnival stops coming? These community connectors have largely gone by the wayside due to economic challenges, but some counties have united to host community-owned carnivals. This talk will delve into the history of the carnival in Kansas, and the recent herculean efforts by small, rural communities to keep this tradition alive and thriving.

Erika Nelson is an independent artist, educator, and director of the World's Largest Things, Inc. Her research interests include roadside attractions and outsider art environments. She explores the back roads of the United States in search of the odd and unique in her mobile museum, the World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things.

“What a Ride! Rural Community-Owned Carnivals” is part of Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau, featuring humanities-based presentations designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.

For more information about “What a Ride! Rural Community-Owned Carnivals” in Courtland contact the Courtland Arts Council at courtlandartscouncil@gmail.com or visit www.courtlandarts.com or the Courtland Arts Center's Facebook page.