The annual Grinter Fest will be Saturday, Sept. 8, at South 78th and K-32 with entertainment, food, vendors, contests and educational activities planned.
The event is an annual fundraiser for the Grinter Place historic museum and its programs.
Grinter Fest will include an apple pie contest judged by Mayor David Alvey, according to Pat Spencer of the Grinter Place Friends. Just the first 10 pies to be entered will be judged, she said; they must be entered by 11 a.m. at the Grinter Barn, and there are strict guidelines, such as all must be homemade using fresh apples, no lattice crusts and no frozen crusts.
Spencer said some of Annie Grinter’s descendants from the Delaware tribe will teach a traditional ceremonial bean dance and will discuss the history of the Delawares at the Grinter Fest.
VFW Post 846 will have barbecue foods for sale in the Grinter Barn, she said. There will be a variety of food available, with vendors also on the grounds, she said. Funnel cakes, fried pies and cotton candy also will be available for purchase.
Paul Martveli will be performing blue grass and country music at the Grinter Fest, Spencer said.
As part of the educational program, historical trunks are coming from Topeka for Grinter Fest, she said.
In addition, Bill Nicks, the site administrator of Grinter Place, will stroll about the grounds in his portrayal of Moses Grinter, Spencer said. Leona Sigwing, a Grinter Place Friends board member, will portray Annie Grinter.
While admission to Grinter Fest is free on the grounds and the Grinter Barn, there is an admission charge of $6 for adults and $3 for youth to the historic Grinter House, a state museum, the oldest home still standing in Wyandotte County. Tours will be available.
There are several free attractions for kids at the Grinter Fest, Spencer said. There will be a bounce house, games for kids, and a magic show by Roger Miller is planned, she said.
A lot of the visitors come to see the vendors, according to Spencer. Some booths will have unique crafts.
There will be about 50 vendors with booths, including produce, craft items and Mary Kay items, she said. Nonprofit agencies also plan to sponsor booths, including one from an animal rescue organization, she added.
This will be the fourth annual Grinter Fest, Spencer said, and this festival also has roots in the former Applefest held for decades at Grinter House. The apple pie contest is one of the connections to the former festival, she added.
“It’s going to be rain or shine,” Spencer said. Although there is rain in the forecast, there is no rain plan. “We’ll just hope it misses us,” she said. If not, visitors may seek temporary shelter inside the Grinter Barn and other buildings.
Hours of the Grinter Fest are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
For more information about the apple pie contest, call 816-830-0688.
For more information about Grinter Fest, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/243582792862506/.