Imagine beautiful tree-lined streets, neighbors visiting on sidewalks, children playing in the park and the sounds of a busy waterpark. Imagine having an amazing range of recreational and cultural opportunities for all ages, along with unique shopping, diverse dining experiences and multiple community events. This is life in McPherson!

All Schools Day

(Second week in May)
800-324-8022
www.allschoolsday.com

Started in 1914, the McPherson County All Schools Day is the largest annual event in McPherson. In 2010, it begins Sunday evening, May 9, and continues throughout the week. All Schools Day activities include the two nights of the traditional May Fete event, a huge parade down Main Street on Friday, carnival rides all week long, activities in many locations throughout the city, fireworks, music, tours, and a host of other activities you won't want to miss.

McPherson Scottish Festival

(Fourth weekend in September)
Lakeside Park
Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9:30-4
800-324-8022
www.macfestival.org

Highland dance, heavy athletic, dance and bagpipe competition, entertainment, food, vendors and classes.

When Pigs Fly BBQ Contest/Fly In

McPherson Airport
1000 South Highway 81 Bypass
McPherson, Ks 67460
www.mcphersonchamber.org

A Kansas City BBQ Society sanctioned event sponsored by the McPherson Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee. Planes rides, skydiving, car display, music, bbq & agriculture displays.

Shop the Night Away

(Last Friday night in July)
Downtown McPherson
6-10 p.m.
620-241-7430
mainst@mcphersonks.org

Join shoppers from all over Kansas as they converge on McPherson Downtown for our annual summer sidewalk sale from 6pm-10pm the last Friday in July. Bring the whole family as there is always plenty to see and do with music, food, bargains galore and a Grand Prize drawing for a $500 shopping spree.

Burnin' Down Main

Downtown McPherson
620-241-7430
mainst@mcphersonks.org

The Downtown Plaza is the place to be as Main Street's annual cook-off fires up on the first Saturday of October. Contestants compete for the People's Choice & the Spark Award while attendees listen to live entertainment and enjoy the sight, scent and taste of this fall celebration.

County and Regional Events

Looking for more to see and do? There are numerous events held throughout McPherson County - here is just a sampling:

Lindsborg - Svensk Hyllingfest, Messiah Festival of Music and Art, Millfest at the Old Mill Museum, Midsummer Festival

Inman - Christmas Comes Alive, McCormick-Deering Days Museum

Canton - Prairie Days, McPherson County Fair

Galva - The Galva Museum, the Annual Galva Reunion

Moundridge - Black Kettle Festival, The Old-Fashioned Christmas

Marquette - The Kansas Motorcycle Museum McPherson State Lake - North of Canton

Coronado Heights - North of Lindsborg

Downtown McPherson

“Do it all Without the Mall” in Downtown McPherson where you will experience unique shopping, eclectic gifts, and a variety of culinary delights. Not into shopping? Downtown still has it all with professional and personal services from Accountants to Day-spas, entertainment venues and art gallerys. Throw in a friendly smile and personal service and you have the total experience that is McPherson.

Shopping

Specialty shops and wonderful customer service provide shoppers the ultimate experience.

Restaurants

A delightful range of dining choices await you. Everything from Mediterrean cuisine, a wine bar, top-notch BBQ, cafes, private catering and numerous franchise restaurants.

McPherson Public Library

214 W. Marlin
(620) 245-2570
www.macpl.org

The McPherson Public Library strives to enrich, inspire and enlighten our community through exceptional collections, services and program. Completed $4,000,000 renovation & expansion provides patrons a relaxing environment.

Parks

Awaiting your family are twelve meticulously groomed parks scattered throughout the city, featuring walking paths, an outdoor bandshell, ponds, a skateboard park, and numerous ballparks and playing fields.

McPherson Airport

1000 S Hwy 81 Bypass
620-241-0684
www.mcphersonairport.com

McPherson Airport serves a variety of needs in the area including business and personal travel, medical transport, military training, and sport aviation. An active flight training program brings aviation to life for area residents as well as Central Christian College aviation students. In August, the community comes out to enjoy the annual "When Pigs Fly" BBQ Contest and Fly-In.

McPherson Opera House

219 South Main Street (offices)
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-1952
620-504-6318 (fax)
www.mcphersonoperahouse.org
info@mcphersonoperahouse.org

The McPherson Opera House offers first-class entertainment in its intimate 488-seat auditorium as well as arts instruction in the Mary Anderson Arts Center. Rental spaces include the Grand Ballroom, NCRA Community Meeting Room, Rose Morris Room, and the auditorium and arts center. The beautifully restored 1889 building offers historic charm coupled with 21st-century amenities.

McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation

1130 East Euclid
McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-8464
www.mcphersonmuseum.com

Open Tuesday - Saturday 1-5p.m. Closed major holidays. Admission fee.

McPherson Museum and Arts Foundation is home to collections of art, local history, and displays of other cultures, such as Chinese and African artifacts as well as Native American pottery and tools. Housed in a three-story 1920s Tudor Revival home, the Museum has many scientific treasures as well, including La Brea fossils, meteorites, and rocks. A hands-on Learning Center is fun for all ages.

Performing Arts

The performing arts flourish in McPherson, with theaterical and musical productions offered by the local community theater group, McPherson College, Central Christian College, the McPherson Brass Choir and the Arts Council Choir, as well as numerous musical acts and other entertainment shows offered by the McPherson Opera House.

McPherson Arts Council

219 S Main
McPherson, KS 67460

(Located in the McPherson Opera House, Mary Anderson Arts Center.)

The mission of the McPherson Arts Council is to support, promote and enhance the arts and arts education in the McPherson area. We offer exciting arts events and creative arts education programs for youth.

Be certain to browse the Community Arts Calendar, located on our website, for a listing of all the arts opportunites that are available in the McPherson area.

We welcome new community members and hope that you will find a way to participate in the many arts opportunites that are offered in McPherson!

Art Galleries

Art galleries, shows and exhibits are complimented by extensive art collections displayed by the McPherson Opera House, the McPherson Museum, McPherson USD #418, McPherson College, Central Christian College, and private collectors and artists.

McPherson Family YMCA

220 North Walnut
(620) 241-0363
(620) 241-0315 Fax
www.mcphersonfamilyymca.com

McPherson Family YMCA is united in a common effort to put Christian principles into practice to enrich the quality of spiritual, mental, physical and social life for ourselves and community. We are a non-profit charitable association and we welcome all regardless of race, religion, age, gender, income and ability to pay.

McPherson Recreation Commission

220 North Walnut
(620) 241-0363
(620) 241-0315 Fax
www.mcphersonrecreationcommission.com

The McPherson Recreation Commission provides recreational programs, services, facilities and opportunity of the highest quality for the McPherson community.

Golf Courses

Two public courses and a country club offer golfers of all ages and skills plenty of fun and challenges on the links.

Parks

Awaiting your family are twelve meticulously groomed parks scattered throughout the city, featuring walking paths, an outdoor bandshell, ponds, a skateboard park, and numerous ballparks and playing fields.

McPherson Waterpark

511 Lakeside Dr.
(620) 245-2578 In Season
(620) 241-0363 Non-Season
www.mcphersonwaterpark.com

The McPherson Water Park offers fun for all ages. It is a family, quality of life water experience. You can select from an assortment of activities; cruise the 500 foot lazy river, take a deep breathe as you scream your way down the Giant Water Slide, experience the deep driving area, or get set go in the 8 lane 50 meter pool, then , ease your way to a zero depth entry pool and everyone's a kid in the children's spray recreation area. For those family members who just want to relax, there are sun bathing areas as well as shade, with concession and eating areas.

Our Traditions

From exceptional industrial development to high and youth sports and activities to the attractiveness of residential neighborhoods, McPherson has a long-standing tradition of being one of the best communities in the state of Kansas, the Midwest and the nation. Join us in continuing those traditions in McPherson - Where Success Matters! Where You Matter!

Industrial

Already blessed with great agricultural ground, oil production and a centralized location, McPherson had the foresight after World War II to develop a strong and diverse industrial base. Led by progressive city fathers, the McPherson Industrial Development Company, and the McPherson Chamber of Commerce, McPherson is perhaps the most industrialized per capita community in the state of Kansas, with over one in five employees in McPherson County working in various manufacturing industries. For more details, see MIDC.

Business

The Chamber is committed to growing business and building community by providing numerous opportunities for businesses to build new contacts throughout the area. A constant advocate for investment in our community assets, the Chamber believes that through building a stronger community, broadening educational opportunities and enhancing the quality of life, our quality work force will continue to grow. McPherson is a place where business is successful and could be the hometown you’ve always wanted! For more information visit www.mcphersonchamber.org

Sports

McPherson has a long tradition of excellence in high school sports and activities. Perhaps best know for its remarkable basketball programs, the boys and girls teams have been fixtures at state playoffs, with the boys having won seven state titles and the girls having won five state titles over the last 25 years.

Other sports and activities at MHS have enjoyed great success as well, with multiple state champions having been produced in soccer, track, wrestling, tennis, golf, debate, forensics and marching band. The Residential Construction Management team from MHS was named national champion in 2010, after placing second in 2009.

These accomplishments are in addition to the twenty-two league titles over the last 3 years. As an example, in the 2009-2010 school year, McPherson won league championships in football, boys and girls tennis, cross-country, boys and girls basketball, and girls soccer.

McPherson County Historical Society

“Preserving the Past and looking to the Future – History is in our Hands”. The Society meets the first Saturday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the McPherson Municipal Center, 400 E. Kansas. The goal is to acquire and preserve historical information covering McPherson County.

YMCA / MRC Programs

Organized youth sports are offered at the recreational level by the McPherson YMCA and the McPherson Recreation Commission. Leagues, programs and instructional classes are provided for K-12 youth for a variety of sports activities, including baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, golf and soccer.

Competitive Club Sports

Numerous state, regional and tournament championships have been won by the various McPherson competitive club sports programs over the years. These programs are available for K-12 youth in such sports as baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, football, wrestling, taekwondo,gymnastics, soccer, tennis and bowling. In addition, there are organized Special Olympics programs and competitions.

Other Youth Activities

Many other youth activities and programs are available throughout the year in McPherson, all designed to further engage and develop our young residents. These programs offer instruction and occaisonally competition in such activities as dance, chess, scouting, music, crafts, cooking, summer reading and story time at the library, pottery classes, and Vacation Bible School programs at the various churches.

Daycare/Childcare

coming soon

Faith

There are more than 25 well-attended churches and religious organizations in McPherson covering a broad spectrum of denominations and faiths, and offering programs for children, youth, young adults, singles, couples, seniors and the community at large.

Safety

Whether it is riding bikes down well-maintained streets, walking to school or playing in the local parks, McPherson is considered to be a very safe town. Consistently ranked in the lower third of crime statistics for the State of Kansas (and considerably lower than national averages), McPherson offers excellent police, fire and emergency services as well as neighbors and residents that care and watch out for one another.

Civic Pride

McPherson is proud of being recognized by various authors and publications as one of the best small towns in the United States. That type of recognition comes as the result of extraordinary civic pride in our community combined with continual and consistent hard work by our residents, city leaders and corporate partners in doing the right thing.

Appearance

McPherson has enjoyed a much-deserved reputation as a clean, well-kept and attractive community. As you drive through McPherson, you can't help noticing that everything is well-maintained, including the meticulous parks, the downtown business district, the schools, the city buildings and facilities, the athletic fields and the eye-catching neighborhoods.

Involvement

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the community as a volunteer, through churches, youth sports and activities, charitable organizations, service organizations, clubs, school groups, Chamber of Commerce, and various advisory groups. Your participation is encouraged and welcomed in McPherson!

Balance

Looking for that elusive balance in your life?

McPherson can help you find that balance by offering diverse and progressive employment opportunities, combined with a great family-oriented environment, terrific schools, countless sports and fitness activities, numerous church-related activities and varied arts and entertainment options.

From a time perspective, consider this: thanks to the strong industrial employer base, the average commute time is less than 14 minutes, compared to the United States average of almost 30 minutes. In short, McPherson really is a great place to live, work and raise a family!