06/03/2026
One of the reasons we produce the Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival at Sesquicentennial Point is because there really isn’t another place quite like it.
It’s one of the few locations in our area that combines sweeping views of Clinton Lake and the Wakarusa River Valley with the space and infrastructure needed for truly large-scale outdoor events. The site has the potential to accommodate thousands of attendees, extensive parking, and major festival productions while remaining one of the most beautiful public gathering spaces in our region.
It’s a place that many people believe has never fully reached its potential.
That’s one reason we found this post about the Dillon Amphitheater so interesting.
The community of Dillon looked at a beautiful public space and imagined something more. Over time, that vision evolved into a beloved gathering place that hosts concerts, festivals, and community events while helping define the character of the community itself.
As festival producers, we spend a lot of time thinking about places that bring people together and what makes them successful.
Take a look at the post below and join the conversation!
What possibilities do you see for Sesquicentennial Point over the next 10, 20, or 30 years?
Imagine if Lawrence, Kansas did what Dillon, Colorado did.
Nestled between Dillon Reservoir and the Rocky Mountains, the Dillon Amphitheater has become one of Colorado’s most beloved outdoor gathering spaces.
The original amphitheater opened in 1993. More than twenty years later, the Town of Dillon decided the venue was worth investing in and completed a major renovation that included a new bandshell, upgraded backstage facilities, concessions, restrooms, gathering spaces, and other improvements designed to serve both residents and visitors.
Today, the amphitheater hosts nationally touring artists, free community concerts, festivals, and special events. What began as a local community venue evolved into a regional destination and an important part of the town’s identity.
Of course, Lawrence is not Dillon.
People visit Dillon for its mountain scenery, reservoir views, outdoor recreation, and concerts. People come to Lawrence for different reasons. We are home to the University of Kansas, a nationally recognized arts community, an exceptional downtown, and beloved venues such as Liberty Hall, the Granada, the Bottleneck, Theatre Lawrence, and the Lied Center. Throughout the year, Lawrence hosts concerts, performances, sporting events, festivals, art shows, and cultural activities that draw visitors from across the region. Visitors also come for KU basketball at Allen Fieldhouse, KU football and other Jayhawk athletics, the vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene, downtown comedy and entertainment venues, Massachusetts Street, Clinton Lake, and many other attractions that make Lawrence a destination for people across Kansas and the surrounding region.
We also have something few communities can match: Sesquicentennial Point. Perched above Clinton Lake and the Wakarusa River Valley, it offers one of the most dramatic public views in our community. For more than 30 years, many people have recognized its potential as a special events park and outdoor performance space, and the original vision for the site included an amphitheater.
This post is the first in a new series where we’ll explore amphitheaters and public gathering spaces from around the country. Not because Lawrence should copy them, but because every successful community project starts by learning what others have done, what worked, what didn’t, and what ideas might inspire something uniquely our own.
If Lawrence were to create a great civic amphitheater one day, what features would you like to see?
Learn more at: https://www.greatplainsfest.org/festivallocation
