Downtown Emporia made its third trip Halfway to Everywhere Saturday.
The third annual free music and arts festival featured 35 bands and artists across five stages in the downtown corridor. Halfway lead organizer and spokesman Hank Osterhout says Halfway is quickly becoming a household name in the Kansas music scene thanks in equal parts to the level of talent and hospitality of the Emporia community.
This year saw the largest turn out in terms of art vendors with just over 30 on hand for the festivities. First Friday Director Kaila Mock looks back to the first Halfway festival and says the level of local artist representation has grown leaps and bounds.
Visit Emporia Director Lelan Dains says Halfway is quickly becoming one of Emporia’s most anticipated events each year.
This year’s Halfway Festival expanded from year’s past where activities were limited to Saturday with a kickoff concert Friday evening in collaboration with Emporia First Friday and the Pro Disc Golf Association World Championships Flymart. Osterhout says plans are already in the works for the fourth annual Halfway festival next year.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon and Ana Valdez/KVOE News
