2000 Map and Times

Location

The Mark Manning Art Show (and the entertainment) will take place all along the 1.2-mile stretch of the Turkey Creek Streamway Park path between 67th Street on the north and 75th Street on the south, in Merriam, Kansas.  Merriam is in Johnson County, which is located in northeast Kansas.  The Turkey Creek Streamway Park path is just west of I-35.

There are two access points to the path with parking.  The bigger, better one is at the 67th Street entrance, and the rear entrance is at 75th Street.

• From I-35 South, exit at 67th Street.  Turn right (west) on 67th and cross the railroad tracks.  A short distance farther is Knox Avenue, where you turn left (south) for free parking.
• From I-35 North, exit at 75th Street.  Turn left (west) on 75th and proceed across the bridge over I-35.  Turn right (north) immediately past the bridge, then take the next right turn and then the next right turn for free parking.  Proceed on foot north.

Dates and Times

Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1, 2000, from noon till 5.

• If Saturday is rained out the Sunday hours will be extended.
• If both days are rained out, the show will take place the following weekend.

Because the show will take place in early Fall, hot weather is still a possibility, but do remember that the path is a wonderful place to be on a hot afternoon, as a good portion is shaded and about ten degrees cooler than just about anywhere else outdoors.

A golf cart and driver will be available, and we will do our best to accommodate any elderly or disabled person who has difficulty walking.

Entertainment and Events

Below is the most recent information we have so far on the entertainment and events.  Keep checking in here for updates.

On Saturday, on the same path where Mark's art will displayed, volunteers from Operation WildLife (OWL) will bring their birds and their expertise.  Various birds of prey will be displayed on perches and tethered in trees for your admiration, and people from OWL will be there to answer questions.

Operation WildLife, headquartered in Linwood, Kansas, is an all-volunteer group of advocates for wild animals.  OWL is devoted to providing professional rescue and medical rehabilitation services for injured and orphaned wild animals.  OWL also provides educational information about wildlife to the citizens of northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri.

The OWL volunteers will be available to answer questions from art show patrons throughout all of Saturday (from noon till 5), and they will give short educational presentations every hour on the hour from 1 pm till 4 pm.

Sign language interpretation will be available at the 2 pm presentation.

OWL will also be distributing free tickets (which otherwise cost $5) to their annual wildlife art show and sale to be held at the Radisson Hotel at 87th Street and I-35 from November 3rd through 5th.

Lane Lambert, a resident of Merriam, will play her Celtic harp, a lovely instrument, on the path on Saturday, September 30th, at 12:30, 1:30 and 3:00.

Her 1999 album, "Tristan and Iseult: A Celtic Love Story," will be available on CD at the art show.

Neal Manning, a brother of the artist, will perform his music as well as other folk music on the path.

Lou Bartholome will play guitar on the path at Mark's art show on Saturday at 1 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm.

He is the main writer and lead singer for the band called Remnants, out of St. Paul, Minnesota, which in 1998 released a CD titled "Modern Times" that is good and which you can buy at the art show.

A small clan of Irish dancers, including Joseph, Jeremiah and Morgan Manning, will perform in costume at various locations along the path on Sunday throughout the afternoon.  The dancers will also perform just prior to Mayor French's speech at 2:00 pm. (see below).

At 2:00 pm there will be a fifteen- to twenty-minute program featuring the mayor of Merriam Kansas, Irene French. Mayor French will issue a proclamation establishing the "Take a Second Look at Turkey Creek Streamway Path" art show as a KC150 event.  She will also say a few words about the history and future of Merriam in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the city.

The mayor's speech will be preceded by a performance of Irish dancing (see above) and will be followed by a few words from the artist.

Jim Curley, a nationally ranked player of the mountain dulcimer and several other instruments, will entertain the patrons of Mark's art show with a presentation of early American music.   He will play not only mountain dulcimer but also clawhammer banjo, mouthbow, carpenter saw, spoons, and, according to him, "who knows what else."

Mr. Curley, owner of Mountain Music Shoppe in Merriam, Kansas, is scheduled to perform after the mayor's proclamation.