Let’s go beyond.
No matter where you want to go or what you want to achieve, we’re excited to be the trusted provider that’ll help you get there.
Whether you have come from across the globe or from just beyond the county line, we are delighted to welcome you to Douglas County.
We are proud of our communities in Douglas County. We take pride in cultivating safe neighborhoods, exceptional schools, exciting entertainment venues, numerous outdoor opportunities, and a sense of inclusivity and affirmation throughout.
This guide is dedicated to helping you explore and enjoy your new home region. Here, you will find essential numbers and contact information as well as a few recommendations for places to visit and events to attend in your first year.
Thank you for choosing this area of Kansas as your new home. We are honored to have you among us.
EDITOR
Nathan Pettengill
ART DIRECTOR
Alex Tatro
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Fally Afani
Ryan Coody
Jason Dailey
Brian Goodman
Bill Stephens
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Amber Fraley
COPY EDITOR
Leslie Clugston Andres
ADVERTISING
Joanne Morgan (785) 832-7264
jmorgan@sunflowerpub.com
DIRECTOR
Bob Cucciniello
PUBLISHER
Bill Uhler
The Douglas County Newcomers Guide is released annually by Sunflower Publishing, publisher of Baldwin City Living, Discover Eudora and Lawrence Magazine 1035 N. Third St. Suite 101-B Lawrence, KS 66044 (888) 497-8668 www.sunflowerpub.com
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED
The Douglas County Newcomers Guide strives to help new residents adapt to and enjoy their new hometown. Our recommendations and listings are not comprehensive. This guide will refer you to outside publications and websites for additional information. All data and listings are subject to change. The Douglas County Newcomers Guide cannot assume responsibility for outside information, errors or omissions. Any inaccuracies, changes or additions can be directed to Sunflower Publishing.
Participants in the 2024 CPA Picnic Children’s Parade include: (back row, from left) Savannah Curnes and Aubriella Curnes; (in green aprons, left to right), Grady Cunningham, Genevieve Curnes, and Reagan Cunningham. Photograph by Jason Dailey. on the cover
Aerial view of the Kansas River and downtown Lawrence, looking south
Douglas County
The case for douglas county
Residents of Douglas County enjoy clean air, good government, excellent public education, local foods, entertainment districts, Americana downtowns, and natural recreation areas.
Affordable home and rental properties range from farmhouses, with plenty of acreage for livestock and expansive gardens, to urban lofts at the heart of the downtown communities.
The region’s government institutions and services are proactive and progressive.
Douglas County schools are some of the best in the state, with support for educational values bolstered by the presence of major universities.
While the towns of Douglas County share many resources and work toward common goals, they do not sprawl into one another. Each has a distinct history, character, housing market, economic base, school system and municipal amenities. We hope this guide helps introduce them to you and allows you to begin your own explorations of Douglas County.
By the Numbers
DOUGLAS COUNTY Population: 119,964
Median household income
$65,744
Owner-occupied housing units 26,281
Renter-occupied housing units 23,967
Percentage of home ownership 50.1%
Mean travel time to work 20.3 minutes
Percentage with less than 10 minutes of commute 20%
*Source U.S. Census Bureau
Douglas County Government douglas-county.com (785) 832-5100
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Services (785) 830-7000
All Douglas County Emergency Services 911 Daily Fire Burn Status for Douglas County (785) 832-5394
Weather Radio Frequencies for Douglas County Alerts
Channel 2: 162.425 (Halls Summit) Channel 4: 162.475 (Topeka) Channel 7: 162.550 (Pleasant Hill)
County Health Department ldchealth.org (785) 843-3060
Lawrence Memorial Hospital lmh.org (785) 505-5000
Senior Resource Center for Douglas County yoursrc.org (785) 842-0543
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging Jayhawkaaa.org (785) 832-0754
Electrical Power—Evergy evergy.com (800) 383-1183
Gas—Black Hills Energy blackhillsenergy.com (888) 890-5554
Douglas County Extension Office douglas.k-state.edu (785) 843-7058
Where do people live in Douglas County?
Clinton Lake, on the southwest corner of Lawrence, provides recreational boating, skiiing, fishing, paddleboarding, swimming, and more water sports, as well as miles of hiking, biking and horse-riding trails.
The nonprofit Eudora Giving Garden grows organic food and flowers for community use.
Baldwin City
about baldwin city
Beginning as a trail stop on the Santa Fe Trail, Baldwin City caught the nation’s attention in 1856 when staunch abolitionist John Brown led his militia against pro-slavery forces just three miles east of town. Known as the Battle of Black Jack, it is considered by many to be the first battle of the Civil War.
The area began to grown in 1858 with the establishment of Baker University, the oldest liberal arts university in the state.
Baldwin’s real estate market represents a wide range of prices, from affordable starter homes around $170k, to older, more expensive homes neighboring the university, or up to $700k for some in the city’s numerous development projects that might overlook a lake or come with substantial amounts of land.
Baldwin’s traditional city square presents a small but thriving downtown scene with restaurants, coffee shops and a thriving art gallery, the Lumberyard Arts Center. Baldwin is known for its Maple Leaf Festival each October. Throughout the year, Baker University hosts lectures, theater performances and musical concerts open to the public.
The Maple Leaf Festival is Baldwin City’s biggest celebration. It has been a fall tradition since 1958.
Eudora
about Eudora
Eudora sits on the eastern edge of Douglas County, between Lawrence and the Kansas City area, and less than four miles from the new Panasonic electric battery plant.
Eudora’s strong public school system; its historic downtown; its affordable housing market; its grocery, restaurant and retail venues; and its rich parks and recreation programs make the town a charming, selfcontained community.
Surrounded by rich farmland, Eudora has a farmers market and boasts nearby wineries, orchards and pumpkin patches. If you are considering making Eudora your home, you can dive into the real estate market where starter homes begin at around $200k, with more luxurious 5-bedroom homes and generous property sizes also on the market.
Eudora City Hall cityofeudoraks.gov 785.542.2153
Eudora Township Fire Department 785.542.2800 City of Eudora Fire Department cityofeudoraks.gov/67/Fire 785.690.7066
Eudora Parks and Recreation cityofeudoraks.gov/76/ParksRecreation 785.690.7266
Eudora Community Library eudorapubliclibrary.org 785.542.2496
Eudora Public Schools –USD 491 www.eudoraschools.org 785.542.4910
Eudora Chamber of Commerce eudorakschamber.com
Eudora CVB eudoraevents.com
A July town festival with more than 117 years of tradition; includes a carnival, parades and family activities.
Main Street Market
A good percentage of Eudora gathers downtown on the first Thursday of each month from May to October for food trucks, vendors, free children’s activities, and free musical concerts.
vendor with Barbwire Barbecue greets guests at the Main Street Market.
Lawrence
about lawrence
Lawrence prides itself on being a little different. Perhaps the sense of singularity comes from the presence of two universities, the town’s founding ideals, or a unique blend of humble Midwestern affability and cosmopolitan savvy. Regardless, Lawrence is a city that continues to adapt and go its own way.
Founded in the 1850s as a center of resistance to slavery, Lawrence paid the price as it was sacked by pro-slavery forces twice, and particularly in 1863, when raiders attacked before dawn, killing 200 people and burning much of the city. But the city rebuilt and thrived as a center of education, agriculture and commerce.
Today the city is home to the University of Kansas, a top-tier research university with an idyllic hilltop campus and an easily recognized Jayhawk mascot. Lawrence is also home to Haskell Indian Nations University. Established nearly 120 years ago, the institution had tragic beginnings as a forced assimilation school for Native children grades one through five. Now, Indigenous and Alaska Native people come from across the country for Native-led higher
education and Native-centered scholarship.
Massachusetts street, often called “Mass. Street” for short, lies at the heart of the city. It spans the highly walkable downtown district and is dotted with locally owned shops, award-winning restaurants, breweries, and numerous live music venues. Nearby sits the Lawrence Public Library, which serves all county residents.
Lawrence’s booming real estate market includes everything from studio apartments to million-dollar luxury homes. Home to several distinctive neighborhoods, the city’s residential and commercial areas connect by short drives, bicycle routes and a municipal bus transportation system jointly operated with the University of Kansas. The city has a municipal airport, a Greyhound bus stop and a historic rail station that serves as a stop on the Amtrak train route running from Los Angeles to Chicago.
There are festivals, parades and events throughout the year, including an annual hotrod gathering, a beloved Fiesta Mexicana, the Free State Festival, a top-tier lineup of national acts at the Lied Center and much more.
Bands and revelers join Lawrence’s annual PRIDE parade.
Essential Newcomer Information
City Offices lawrenceks.org (785) 832-3000
Fire & Medical Department lawrenceks.org/fire_medical (785) 830-7000
Department of Utilities lawrenceks.org/utilities (785) 832-7800
Lawrence Parks and Recreation lawrenceks.org/lprd (785) 832-3450
Lawrence Public Library lplks.org (785) 843-3833
Lawrence Transit System lawrencetransit.org (785) 864-4644
Lawrence Chamber of Commerce lawrencechamber.com (785) 865-4411
Lawrence Journal-World ljworld.com (785) 843-1000
By the Numbers
LAWRENCE Population 94,934
Median household income $59,963
Total Housing Units 45,318
*Source U.S. Census Bureau
The case for lawrence
A thriving college town that strikes a balance between sophistication and quirkiness with exceptional schools, public services, green areas and entertainment venues. The home and heart of Jayhawk Nation.
The Downtown
Any time of year, this retail, restaurant and livemusic region offers a perfect day (or night) out for the family, couples and city explorers.
Clinton Lake
With sand beaches, hiking paths, biking skill loop trails, a marina, camping sites, state park cabins, an archery range and more, this reservoir and the land around it is one of the region’s greatest natural attractions for sport and relaxation.
Lecompton
Chosen by readers of KANSAS! magazine as one of the state’s top-5 small towns, Lecompton sits on the northwestern edge of Douglas County and is rich in history and nature.
The city was the capital of Kansas Territory in the years leading up to the Civil War. The town’s historic sites include Constitution Hall, the Territorial Capital Museum and the 1850s Democratic Headquarters.
Lecompton has a very affordable real estate market with homes starting below $150k though its most tempting opportunities may be the chance to buy rural homes with plenty of land. Public school students in Lecompton attend elementary school in the city and an upper-grades school shared with the neighboring town of Perry. Lecompton also boasts some of the most scenic river views, with a beautiful access point and a scenic road winding along the river bluffs to Topeka.
Children’s bike races and wood-carving demonstrations have been part of the Territorial Days festival.
MAP lawrence
Post Office/Libraries Hospitals
City Government Museums
Schools/Universities
Golf
Hiking Points of Interest
Info Transportation
Old
Lawrence East Lawrence Oread West Lawrence
KANSAS RIVER
Old West Lawrence East Lawrence Oread
West Lawrence
North Lawrence Pinkney
Sunset Hills
Quail Run
Indian Hills
Prairie Park
douglas county RESOURCES
a guide to organizations and places to help you discover and enjoy your new hometown
Bikers, runners, and walkers share the Lawrence Loop, a paved trail of nearly 22 miles that encircles most of Lawrence.
education
Baker University (785) 594-6451
bakeru.edu
Baldwin City Public Schools
USD 348 (785) 594-2721 usd348.com
Eudora Public Schools
USD 491 (785) 542-4910 eudoraschools.org
Lawrence Public Schools USD 497 (785) 832-5000 usd497.org
Perry-Lecompton Public Schools USD 343 (785) 597-5138 usd343.net
transportation
Lawrence Transit System – the “T” (785) 864-4644 www.lawrencetransit.org
City of Lawrence/University of Kansas transport services
Lawrence-Douglas County Bike Plan (785) 832-3000 lawrenceks.org/mpo/bicycle_planning
Resource guide, info and maps to commuter/ recreational cycling
University of Kansas (785) 864-2700 ku.edu
Haskell Indian Nations University (785) 749-8404 haskell.edu
Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center (785) 865-4411 peasleetech.org
recreation
Lawrence Parks & Recreation 1141 Massachusetts St., Lawrence (785) 832-3450 lawrenceks.org/lprd
Baldwin City Recreation Commission
705 High St., Baldwin City (785) 594-3670 baldwincity.recdesk.com
Eudora Parks & Recreation 1630 Elm St., Eudora (785) 542-3434 eudoraparksandrec.org
Senior Wheels (785) 727-7876
yoursrc.org/home/resources-for-seniors/transportation County-wide, low-cost senior transport program
Independence, Inc. 2001 Haskell Ave., Lawrence (785) 841-0333
independenceinc.org
Wheelchair accessible door-to-door weekday transport
Public pools/lap swimming in Lawrence lawrenceks.org/lprd/aquatics
City of Lawrence has 4 public pools, including 2 year-round locations
Eagle Bend Golf Course lawrenceks.org/lprd/eaglebend 18-hole public golf course
dining
Restaurants—County Listing
Review blogs and comprehensive listing of area restaurants explorelawrence.com/restaurants
shopping regions
Downtown Lawrence www.downtownlawrence.com
Plethora of trendy, local and delightful shops and restaurants
North Lawrence
Antiques and rare home goods centered on 500-800 blocks of Locust Street
South Iowa Street, Lawrence Big-box national chain stores
23rd Street, Lawrence
Variety of national chains and locally owned stores from Massachusetts to Iowa Street
arts
Cider Gallery cidergallery.com Fine art gallery
Lawrence Arts Center lawrenceartscenter.org Galleries, classes and performances
Final Fridays facebook.com/FFLawrence
Monthly exhibits and activities in galleries and art venues
Lumberyard Arts Center lumberyardartscenter.org
Baldwin’s home for traveling/local exhibits
Phoenix Gallery phoenixgalleryart.com
Downtown Lawrence art gallery
SeedCo Studios seedcostudios.com
Working art studios/gallery
Spencer Museum of Art spencerart.ku.edu
University of Kansas art collection/galleries
Wonder Fair wonderfair.com
Experimental art gallery
theater performance
KU Theatre kutheatre.com
University and professional actors theater troupe
Lied Center of Kansas lied.ku.edu
National/world musicians and performers on stage
Theatre Lawrence theatrelawrence.com Community theater venue
events
Baldwin City Events visitbaldwincity.com/events
City of Eudora full events listing eudoraevents.com
Lawrence CVB full county events calendar explorelawrence.com
Lawrence Journal-World datebook ljworld.com/public-record/datebook
news sources
Lawrence Journal-World ljworld.com
Newspaper and online news
Region’s oldest, largest local news source for Lawrence and Douglas County
Kansas Public Radio (KPR) kansaspublicradio.org
University of Kansas public radio station
Eudora Times eudoratimes.com
University of Kansas nonprofit seasonal news coverage of Eudora
Lawrence Times lawrencekstimes.com
Independent online news
Kansas Reflector kansasreflector.com
Independent statewide news
John’s Mexican Fiesta and the Lawrence Farmers’ Market both have long histories and strong support in Lawrence.
St.
The University of Kansas, the state’s largest public university, sits in the center of Lawrence. Its concerts, guest speakers, and sporting events draw many visitors and locals to the campus.
health
Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH Health)
325 Maine Street, Lawrence (785) 505-5000 lmh.org
County’s health and emergency services hospital
Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
200 Maine St., Suite A, Lawrence (785) 843-9192 bertnash.org Mental health services
Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO) Cottonwood Inc.
2801 W. 31st St., Lawrence (785) 842-0550 cwood.org
Connecting people of all ages with developmental disabilities to area services
DCCCA Inc.
3312 Clinton Parkway, Lawrence (785) 841-4138 www.dccca.org
Prevention/treatment of alcohol and drug problems
Visiting Nurses
200 Maine St., Suite C, Lawrence (785) 843-3738 kansasvna.org
Home health care and hospice
Senior Resource Center for Douglas County
745 Vermont, Lawrence (785) 842-0543 yoursrc.org
Senior health, social and resource information
Haskell Health Center
2415 Massachusetts St., Lawrence (785) 843-3750 ihs.gov
Outpatient health services for Native community
Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ Lawrence (785) 841-2345 ksphq.org
Trained crisis counseling
Independence Inc.
2001 Haskell Ave., Lawrence (785) 841-0333 independenceinc.org
Independent living resources for disabled
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging
2001 Haskell Ave, Lawrence (785) 832-0754
jhawkaaa.org
Tri-county resource center for seniors and senior programs
KU Child & Family Services Clinic
2021 Dole Human Development Center
1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence (785) 864-4416
kuclinic.ku.edu
Affordable mental health care for children and families
KU Psychological Clinic
Room 340 Fraser Hall
1415 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence (785) 864-4121
psychclinic.ku.edu
Affordable mental health care
Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department
200 Maine St., Suite B, Lawrence (785) 843-3060 ldchealth.org
Community health program center
Transgender Kansas transgenderkansas.wordpress.com
Support and care for transgender Kansans of all ages
Willow Domestic Violence Center
1920 Moodie Rd., Lawrence (785) 843-3333, 800-770-3030
willowdvcenter.org
Domestic crisis; prevention and support
Dr. Ann Novosel,
Dr. Malani Kuiper
Gretchen Wells
Dr. Kristen Jacobs
douglas county EVENTS
a guide to organizations and places to help you discover and enjoy your new hometown
Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence is an accredited four-year college that hosts more than 1,000 Indigenous students from federally recognized Native tribes and Alaskan Native communities.
Active
Animals
Charity
Competitive
Culinary
Cultural
Educational | Family Friendly
Historical
Indoor
Musical
Outdoor | Zombie-Approved
Kaw Valley Eagle Days
January
KAWVALLEYEAGLEDAYS.COM
Join wildlife experts for a day of family-friendly presentations on the lives of local bald eagle populations with the chance to join a free guided excursion to view nesting sites.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March
This parade through Downtown Lawrence has gone on for nearly 40 years and continues to grow bigger, better and greener with each celebration.
KU
Powwow & Indigenous Cultures Festival
April
KU First Nations Student Association and community partners host a day of dances, performances and presentations to honor the numerous Native nations represented on campus. Events are free and open to the community.
Farmers Market
April–November
What’s the first sign of spring? Fierce, crack-of-dawn competition for that first good crop of kale and those freshly baked pies. Starting out in April, the farmers’ market seasons include regular venues in Eudora and Lawrence, where the state’s oldest continually running market expands into a three-times weekly event as the season reaches full bloom. LAWRENCEFARMERSMARKET.COM
Art Tougeau
May
It started out as a motorized art nouveau show in 1997 and has since involved into one of Lawrence’s wackiest promenade on wheels. Perennial favorites such as the Spaceship Car and the Recycle Cycle delight audiences, and more fun comes in seeing what new creations assemble each year. ARTTOUGEAU.ORG
Free State Festival
June
FREESTATEFESTIVAL.ORG
Lawrence’s cinema festival brings a week of screenings, art installations and musical performances.
Lake Season
All Summer
When the summer heat arrives, Douglas County heads for the water. For some, that is Lone Star Lake in west-central Douglas County; for others, it is a canoeing or kayaking expedition on the Kaw River, and for many it is Clinton Lake with its beaches and marina that launches sailboat and pontoon boat adventures, as well as jet skies and other craft. Don’t have your own craft? You can rent from providers or join an expedition led by Friends of the Kaw.
CPA Picnic
June
FACEBOOK.COM/EUDORACPA
A citywide street party with games, carnival rides, music and more celebrating the heritage and community of Eudora.
St. John’s Mexican Fiesta
June
A celebration of the city’s Mexican American community that centers around St. John’s Catholic Church in Downtown Lawrence. The two-day event features food tents along with musical and dance performances. STJOHNSFIESTA.COM
Juneteenth
June
A celebration honoring the heritage and perseverance of the Black community in Lawrence and Douglas County.
Douglas County Fair
July–August
Running late July to early August, this is the place for funnel cakes, tribute bands, whirly rides, bright lights and one cool county.
Civil War on the Western Frontier
August
The Watkins Museum of History hosts an annual series of lectures, tours and other events to commemorate the 1863 attack on Lawrence and Douglas County by Confederate guerrilla forces and the legacy of the Civil War on the region’s history and character. This is one of the region’s most popular and attended historythemed events.
Haskell Indian Art Market
September
Held annually during the second full weekend of September, this market is one of the region’s largest venues for Native-authentic crafts, jewelry, artwork and more. Held on the grounds of the Haskell Indian Nations University, the market also treats guests to musical performances and Native dances in full regalia.
KU Homecoming
September–October
The University of Kansas celebrates the fall season with its annual homecoming football game along with parades through campus and downtown Lawrence.
Maple Leaf Festival
October
Baldwin City’s generous canopy of trees takes center stage at this two-day festival, held on the second weekend of October. In addition to experiencing the natural beauty of the fall leaves, guests can enjoy musical performances, craft booths, food stalls, a quilt show, marching bands and a parade.
One of Lawrence’s growing holiday traditions. Zombie Walk invites anyone to come dressed up in zombie attire to parade (limp, moan, stagger) through Downtown Lawrence. Interaction with spectators is part of the fun, as this is the most nonthreatening, considerate mob of zombies to ever shuffle down the street. Proof? Nobody is ever eaten, and participating zombies donate cash or canned goods to a designated charity.
Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade
December
This event features dozens of authentic horse-drawn carriages parading down Massachusetts Street and greeting thousands of residents and guests who line the route for miles. Bring blankets, hot cocoa and a well-charged phone for all your holiday photos and videos.
Zombie Walk
October
sounds like AMERICANA
the lawrence city band is a tradition going back to lawrence ’ s founding
The Lawrence City Band brings together students, amateur musicians, and professional musicians to perform free concerts each summer.
The first time Martin Burgee, conductor of the Lawrence City Band, played with the city band was in the mid-1980s while he was a doctoral student at the University of Kansas.
Then, there was a break for 20 years as he taught in Missouri.
“And then the mother ship called me home in 2007,” Burgee jokes, this time to teach music education at KU and play in the Lawrence City Band under conductor Robert Foster, “who was also my college band director and one of my favorite people ever,” Burgee notes.
That connection, from conductor to conductor, is part of a long and direct 170-year musical lineage as old as the city.
The original eight members of the Lawrence City Band moved to Lawrence and formed the group in the city’s founding year of 1854. Nearly a decade later, seeing the band’s battered old instruments, Kansas’ first governor, Charles Robinson, made sure the Lawrence City Band received new instruments and band uniforms. The band debuted the new gear in the middle of the Civil War on the evening of August 20, 1863, with a concert. The next day, Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill and his raiders would ride through Lawrence, killing nearly 200 people, as well as four of the eight band members.
But the city rebuilt, and the band reformed.
Nearly 100 years later, Foster moved to Lawrence in 1971 to be director of bands at the University of Kansas and began playing trumpet for the Lawrence City Band. He eventually took over as the city band conductor in 1992 when William Kelly gave up the role. Foster worked at KU and played with the city band until he retired from both in 2015.
Foster says the Lawrence City Band is steeped in decades-old traditions, such as starting concerts with the “Star Spangled Banner” and closing concerts with a John Philip Sousa march.
Playing music by local composers is also a tradition. “We have a lot of really excellent musicians and composers here in Lawrence, and we tried to perform their material as much as possible,” says Foster. “This is a very gifted community. That’s one reason it’s so fun here in Lawrence, Kansas.”
Playing the 1812 Overture during the concert closest to Independence Day is one of the longrunning traditions.
“It’s really well known, it’s really hard and really good,” Foster says.
During Foster’s years as conductor, the band played from inside Lawrence’s iconic South Park gazebo, a tradition that Foster misses though he understands the change.
Lawrence City Band concerts are held in South Park, a historic green area in the center of Lawrence that has served as a public gathering spot since the city was founded.
Lawrence City Band takes pride in playing selections that range from popular favorites to difficult and challenging arrangements.
“That gazebo’s not that big, and I never had a formula for having people go up there at all, but it limited the size of the group, and that was a real blessing in some ways,” Foster says. “It created a perfect situation for absolute strong control of the personnel and the talent of the personnel.” Though many city bands might be larger, Foster explains that the Lawrence City Band tradition has always been quality over quantity.
As with so many things, the global pandemic altered that tradition, and currently, city band musicians spread out on the ground below the gazebo to allow for more space between musicians.
Still, the quality of the musicians in the band hasn’t diminished.
“I think the players in the group play in it because the group is really good,” says Burgee. “We do difficult, challenging music, and we have an hour to rehearse it for an hour-long performance that same day, so we have to be good. We have to be able to read well, and we have to be able to play music that is not extremely familiar to us in front of a very large audience and do it well, or else we’re going to lose that audience.”
Burgee and Foster both give high praise to the City of Lawrence for supporting the band.
“Lawrence Parks and Rec sponsors those concerts and does a great job—that’s one of the traditions of Lawrence, Kansas, is Parks and Recreation presenting the summer concerts on Wednesday nights at the park. It’s a great tradition,” says Foster.
The Ethel and Raymond F. Rice Foundation, incorporated in 1972 as a nonprofit that distributes funds to charitable and educational institutions, has also been a valuable source of financial support to the city band, says Burgee. “People donate to us as well,” he says. “We’re very happy with the support we get from the City. We’re grateful for it.”
And the tradition of passing the baton continues.
Burgee retired from teaching music education at KU in 2022 and today shares conducting responsibilities with Paul Popiel, dean of KU’s School of Music.
“He takes five concerts, and I take three, and the other five I play in the group,” Burgee explains.
Though Foster no longer conducts or plays with the City Band, he is a loyal audience member.
“I don’t miss concerts. We go to South Park on Wednesday nights and sit in lawn chairs and visit with nice people,” Foster says. “It’s like a little piece of Americana. It’s really a fun part of summer in Lawrence.”
