From fiesta to theater, Topeka has attractions to fill spare time

By Thomas Allen

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

While competitors and spectators visit Topeka, there are plenty of options to keep the boredom at bay during a break in the action.

Most Kansans have heard of attractions such as the Kansas Museum of History, 6425 S.W. 6th, and the state Capitol, but Topeka has even more to offer in the form of entertainment.

The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site was dedicated and opened to the public in May. Located in the former Monroe Elementary School, at S.E. 15th and Monroe, the site is free and offers interactive exhibits that teach the importance of the 1954 Supreme Court case that outlawed school segregation. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is free to the public.

The Great Overland Station is a former Union Pacific Railroad depot, built in 1927, that has been restored and was reopened in June as a museum. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The cost of admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children, and seniors get in at a reduced rate.

Gage Park, at S.W. 10th and Gage Boulevard, offers a lot of things to experience within a relatively close proximity. At the park, a visitor can ride the minitrain and carousel or visit the Blaisdell Family Aquatic Center or Topeka Zoo.

For visitors looking for live entertainment at the theater, Topeka has a variety of choices. The Helen Hocker Center for the Performing Arts is staging "Moby Dick: The Musical" during the second weekend of the Games, July 22-25. Call (785) 273-1191 for ticket information.

The Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy offers live shows featuring hit comedies, dramas and broadway musicals. The musical "Ragtime" is playing this month on its main stage, and ticket information is available by calling (785) 357-5211.

A visit to Historic Ward-Meade Park offers a step into the past. Located on the Oregon Trail, the park is a 6-acre site with botanical gardens, a cabin built in 1854 and an 1870s mansion. The grounds, at 124 N.W. Fillmore, are open from 8 a.m. to dusk daily. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For a taste of a longtime Topeka tradition, the annual Fiesta Mexicana will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1008 N.E. Atchison, this week, coinciding with the first Friday and Saturday of Sunflower State Games competition. The fiesta, which has been held since 1933, includes authentic Mexican foods along with crafts and entertainment. No admission is charged.

Tom Allen is a freelance writer in Topeka. He can be reached at tnr@terraworld.net.

ONLINE

Check out some of Topeka's attractions by perusing these Web sites:

Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau

www.topekacvb.org

Brown v. Board National Historic Site

www.nps.gov/brvb

Kansas Museum of History

www.kshs.org

Heartland Park Topeka

www.hpt.com

Great Overland Station

www.greatoverlandstation.com

Topeka Zoological Park

www.fotz.org

Topeka Civic Theatre

www.topekacivictheatre.com

CJOnline.com

cjonline.com

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