Travel Midwest Magazine Travel Midwest Digital ReplicaSUM17 | Page 160

Kansas THE BEST OF {KANSAS} Lindsborg is known as “Little Sweden USA,” and has a unique charm all its own. Take a Lindsborg tour to really experi- ence the authenticity of the town. The tours are offered through the visitor’s center, and can last all day, depending on which one you choose. Many different events and summer festivals are hap- pening in Lindsborg, but the Svensk Hyll- ningsfest is worth a visit if you’ll be around in October. Beginning on October 13 th , the festival is a biennial celebration of the Swedish culture and settlers that came to the area in the late 1800s. With an array of ethnic foods and cultural dances and music, you will feel like you’re spending the day in Sweden, rather 158 | Summer 2017 | Travel Midwest than in Kansas. The Midsummer’s Festival is happen- ing this year on Saturday, June 17 th , and is a national Swedish holiday, and therefore one of the biggest annual festivals in the area. Expect to see the raising of the Midsommarstång, the Midsummer Pole or May Pole, which signifies the ring dance. The ring dance is a traditional dance to celebrate the summer and the setting of the sun, which bring new life and a new season with everything vibrant and in bloom. In Sweden, this holiday rivals the impor- tance of Easter and Christmas, so the traditions stand firm and true. Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, and boats lively botanical gardens, the Cow- town Museum, the Museum of World Treasures, the Wichita Art Museum, and much more. The botanical gardens, Botanica Wichita, open in 1987 and has sense been adding to their four original gardens. They now have over thirty ad- ditional gardens, all with different themes and exhibitions. The Children’s Garden is great for little ones, and the other themed gardens are magical for all ages, like the Chinese Garden of Friendship and the Butterfly Garden. Adult admission is only $7, and with more than 4,000 different plant species, the gardens will keep your senses busy for a full day of fun.