September 2022

Dear Readers, Official ticket sale numbers have not been released for last week’s Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS. I attended Bluegrass throughout my college years but always returned to my dorm at night. This year I was among the throng of “campers.” Though the number of tickets and camping permits sold will eventually quantify the WVF 50th’s attendance, when it comes to Winfield Bluegrass “campers” and how many there were, that’s a whole different ball of mathematic wax. Our tent was home to two while others housed many more, plus there were folks living out of RVs and travel trailers, cars, and vans. Before last week, I had only vague memories of camping from when I was quite young and I wasn’t sure how I’d get along or if I’d enjoy it, though I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing old friends and attending the festival again. My concerns beforehand were met with a nonplussed reply, ”There are Happy Campers…and those that don’t camp.” Which of course left me wondering “Which one am I?”

Continuing the tradition created by President Edward Hammond more than three decades ago, Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason will be on the road next week with reporters and editors in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.