Visit Great Bend and find a wide variety of things to do while enjoy-ing a small town with all the amenities of a small city. History buffs, bird watchers, drag racers, hunters and tourists of all types looking for a new experience will find a unique destina-tion here on the Great Plains. Get more information about Great Bend with information on events, accommodations, group tours and attractions by contacting the Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau.

If you are traveling in Kansas, get a free copy of the official KS Getaway Guide and the Kansas State Highway Map by calling 1-800-2KANSAS.

Something For Every Season in Great Bend.

Spring. March brings the Central Kansas Spring Expo to Great Bend and it's a Great Show - home and garden ideas, entertain-ment, food and so much more for a nice spring weekend of family fun. Every even-numbered year (in April or May), Great Bend hosts the 3i Show - the largest farm show in the Midwest. Admission to the show is free and visitors can stroll through over 600 booths and exhibits of everything from the latest gadget to huge, state-of-the-art combines. May is Great Bend's Fiesta month when the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration explodes in the Great Bend's Courthouse Square with dancing, singing, traditional crafts and games, and spicy Hispanic cuisine. Each April in odd-numbered years visitors spend a weekend of bird watching and other natural pursuits at the Wings & Wetlands Weekend and if that isn't enough for spring fun, the National Hot Rod Association brings excitement and fast cars to Great Bend for world-class racing.

Summer. Hot, clear days and starry nights make summer in Great bend a real treat. The community adds to the festivities with weekends full of championship drag racing at the Great Bend Drag Strip, a Shelby Car Show & Race, a Downtown sidewalk sale, the Barton County Fair, and one of the most elaborate free 4th of July Fireworks displays in the state.

Fall. Balmy days and crisp nights usher in a lush season beginning with Polka Days and the annual Wheat Bowl (college football bowl game). Visitors also enjoy Hoisington's Annual Labor Day Weekend Celebration -- one of the largest Labor Day celebrations in Kansas.

Winter. Everyone comes home to Great Bend for the holidays! The award-winning Trail of Lights holiday light displays are the main attraction but they share space with holiday concerts, a huge craft mall, a lighted parade, a special holiday planetarium show, a holiday home tour, and "iceless" outdoor skating rink, and a welcoming retail open house. And with the addition of the fabulous life-size Santas Around the World Museum (featured on A&E's 2003 Ultimate HolidayTown USA), coming to Great Bend for the holidays is like coming home to a perfect little midwestern Christmas village.

Year-Round. The respected Shafer Art Gallery has a vital rotation of art and artists throughout the year. Traveling exhibitions and local artists grace the gallery, and each show is highlighted by an artist's reception open to the public. Another year-round attraction is Great Bend's Community Theatre featuring a well-rounded season of plays and musicals performed in the historic Crest Theatre in Downtown Great Bend.

Make Your Next Event a Real Homecoming. Are you planning your class or family reunion, a meeting or convention for your club or organization? Great Bend is a perfect choice for groups. Along with plenty of comfortable hotel rooms and full-service convention center, Great Bend also has many unique meeting places suitable for large or small groups. Contact the Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau for meeting planning assistance, services, and suggestions tailored to your group or event.

To find out more about Great Bend's shopping/business community, history, population/climate, lodging & RV parks, restaurants, churches or to see a city map - click one of the links at the top of this page.

Great Bend has many Things to See & Do. Come see for yourself.