Delano Fall Fair: longhorns, saloon girls and Suzy Bogguss

Longhorns are coming to Wichita’s historic Delano district this weekend.

The cattle are just one of the features of the free Delano Fall Fair, a three-day event that kicks off Friday evening with the telling of ghost stories related to the area’s colorful past. It continues through Sunday with several cowboy-related activities, a western parade, free concerts and other entertainment, said Nancy Lawrence, one of the fair organizers.

The event celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail, which played an important part in the development of both Delano and Wichita. Longhorns were a common breed of cattle herded on the trail.

The fair takes place between the 500 and 900 blocks of West Douglas and some adjacent side streets, with several activities happening on a main stage near the Delano clock tower at Douglas and Sycamore. A second stage in the 800 block of West Douglas will feature variety acts including Dr. Beaumont’s Medicine Show and dancers from Amira Dance Productions.

During the 1870s through 1880s, the cowboys that drove cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas on the Chisholm Trail often would find their so-called rest and recreation in Delano, a sort of red light district that developed across the river from Wichita in its early days. It was a time of saloons, brothels, gunfights and cattle rustling, with the fines levied in Delano bringing in revenue to build Wichita.

Descendants of trail namesake Jesse Chisholm, who set up various trading posts including one in Wichita, and of J.R. Mead, one of Wichita’s founders, will share stories of their famous ancestors at 11 a.m. Saturday on the main stage, Lawrence said. Anyone who thinks they resemble Chisholm can take part in the Jesse Chisholm look-alike contest at 2 p.m. Sunday during an ice cream social.

Activities for kids will include hat and boot tosses and other old-fashioned kids games. Other western-related activities include a cow chip tossing contest and blacksmithing demonstrations.

Here are five don’t-miss activities to take in during the Delano Fall Fair:

1. Listen to the ghost stories of Delano from 6-9 p.m. this Friday evening at the clock tower main stage. Seventeen actors and narrators will present stories of the many ghosts that reportedly haunt the Delano district. S’mores, hot dogs and hot drinks will be available for sale.

2. See a small herd of longhorns that will be corralled slightly north of the Delano clock tower. This breed of cattle is long associated with the Old West.

3. Watch a western parade at high noon on Saturday. Only horse- or animal-drawn wagons and participants in western wear will mosey from the clock tower east to McLean Boulevard and south down McLean to Maple Street, where it will end near the Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

4. Take in four country music concerts – three on Saturday, one on Sunday – at the clock tower main stage. Taylon Hope, an 11-year-old girl with a big voice from North Carolina, will kick off the first of three Saturday concerts at 3:30 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. performance by Del Shields, who spent years living as a rancher and cowboy and is now an entertainer. Award-winning country music artist Suzy Bogguss takes the stage from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The Prairie Rose Rangers, a local band that has performed in major festivals, will close the fall fair with a concert from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

5. Rub elbows with saints and sinners on Sunday. A cowboy church service takes place at 11 a.m. Sunday on the lawn of the Metropolitan Baptist Church, 525 W. Douglas, followed by a 1 p.m. recreation of the “Running of the Doves.” According to local lore, Delano saloon keepers would host Sunday afternoon running of the doves race, where cowboys would load the saloon girls into wagons, take them to the river where the girls tossed their clothes into the wagons and ran naked back to the saloons. During the recreation, participants will race in bloomers, Lawrence said.

A complete schedule and event map can be found at delanofallfair.com.

This story was originally published October 6, 2017 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Delano Fall Fair: longhorns, saloon girls and Suzy Bogguss."