Welcome to the Great Plains Emerging Arts Project, the nonprofit behind the Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival and the grassroots campaign to build a public amphitheater at Sesquicentennial Point overlooking Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas.
Now more than ever, your support matters. Arts funding continues to be cut at every level, and if we want to protect the future of live music, art, culture, and community gathering spaces in our region, we have to take action ourselves.
That is why we host the annual Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival right where we plan to build the amphitheater. This land is already city-managed, designed as a special events park, and the amphitheater concept has been part of the park’s long-term vision for decades. We are not starting from scratch—we are working to finish what this community began.
Our 5th Annual Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival takes place Saturday, September 26, 2026, and it is shaping up to be our biggest and most important year yet. This festival is more than a single event—it is proof of concept. It shows what this park can become when artists, musicians, makers, food vendors, and the community come together in one extraordinary place.
The festival features live music from professional regional artists, original handmade artists and makers, food and dessert vendors, and a full-day celebration of creativity and connection. We work hard to book serious performers who are building careers, creating original work, and bringing real talent to the stage—not just background entertainment, but memorable performances that inspire people.
But we cannot do it without your help.
Every donation of $10 or more helps us book stronger talent, pay artists fairly, improve infrastructure, support staffing, and continue building a festival rooted in community values instead of corporate shortcuts.
Your donation does more than support one day of music—it helps create a lasting legacy: a permanent outdoor venue where concerts, festivals, theater, symphony, and civic celebrations can thrive for generations to come.
Lawrence has long been known for its arts and music culture, yet we still do not have a true public amphitheater or band shell with the parking, access, and infrastructure needed to support major outdoor events.
We are also losing the spaces we once relied on. South Park has lost significant parking capacity due to the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center expansion, making festivals harder to host downtown. Burcham Park lost much of its festival parking when the Bert Nash campus expanded, removing another once-viable event space for large community gatherings.
Meanwhile, Sesquicentennial Point remains one of the most beautiful and underused special events locations in Lawrence. With sweeping views of Clinton Lake and the Wakarusa River Valley, excellent parking capacity, and city-managed infrastructure already in place, it is the ideal location for a permanent amphitheater and regional destination event space.
The first major fundraising goal is $150,000 to support a professional planning and design study by a respected architectural firm. This critical first step ensures the project is done right—with proper planning for accessibility, environmental considerations, safety, parking, utilities, and long-term sustainability.
Too many good projects fail because they skip this stage. We want to build something that lasts for generations, not something rushed together.
This is not just about another festival.
This is about creating a permanent public stage for Lawrence. A place where families gather, artists thrive, businesses benefit, and the city invests in something lasting and meaningful.
We are closer than ever to making it real.
Donate now.
Help keep the arts alive and help build the future of Lawrence.
Thank you,
Tom Pfeiler
Founder, Great Plains Emerging Arts Project