Friends of the River

PROGRESS on RIVER RENEWAL
2026-03-10 12:15 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
League of Women Voters
Lunch & Learn
Jane Anderson
Executive Director Friends of the River Foundation
LOCATION: McKenzie Center, Room 2
(Across Elm Street from Salina Public Library)
Come hear the latest updates
to this long-running project.
As always, Lunch & Learn is free and open to the public.

See our Website Calendar

Match Madness
2026-03-12 07:00 - 18:00 | KS
Donate in person at the Salina Fieldhouse
140 North Fifth Street
7 am to 6 pm on Thursday, March 12th
DONATE ONLINE
MatchMadnessGSCF.org
Midnight to 11:59 pm on March 12th

Spring Spruce-Up
2026-04-18 08:00 - 12:00 | KS
A volunteer day for you, your family, civic club, church, organization, or business. Tools and snacks will be provided. Anyone 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Smoky Hill River Research & Education Symposium
2026-05-07 18:30 - 20:15 | KS
The Friends of the River Foundation has partnered with Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) and Sacred Heart Jr/Sr High to encourage local students to engage in field studies in Saline Co. and along the Smoky Hill River. Students participated in field work, gathering data and hands-on experience, the results of which are seven presentations at our 2026 Smoky Hill River Research & Education Symposium (SHRRES).

Iron Avenue: Salina's Beginnings
2026-05-30 09:30 - 10:45 | KS
Registration opens May 1 by 9:00 am on http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org.
Walk in the footsteps of Salina’s founders as we explore how the Smoky Hill River was integral to our city’s founding. Curving along the eastern edge of downtown, the river has seen everything from the first house to ferries, trains, mayhem, movies, and more. Come discover Salina’s early history with us. (Walk will take us along Iron Avenue and through Founders Park.)

Oakdale Park: The Heart of the Community
2026-06-06 09:30 - 10:45 | KS
Registration opens May 1 by 9:00 am on http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org.
Discover the history of Salina’s beloved Oakdale Park, hugged on three sides by the Smoky Hill River. Explore how Salina made this bend in the river its community gathering spot, from horse racing to boating to the Smoky Hill River Festival. We’ll also touch on the adjacent South Park, a mostly forgotten park that once hosted schools, a pond, and a band shell. Learn how these parks played a vital role in Salina’s recreational and arts history. (Walk will take us around Oakdale Park.)

River Festival: Oakdale Celebrations
2026-06-14 13:00 - 13:45 | KS
Registration opens May 1 by 9:00 am on http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org.
Add to the party with a dive into what made this park THE place for celebrations in Salina. Discover fairs, horse and bicycle races, Chautauquas, camping, and more. This walk is a featurette of our Oakdale Park walk, sharing some but not all of its discoveries. (No registration required. Must purchase entry to the Smoky Hill River Festival. Meet at Mulberry Ave. bridge.)

Indian Rock Park: Battles, Bricks and Beauty
2026-06-27 09:00 - 10:45 | KS
Registration opens May 1 by 9:00 am on http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org.
Hike Salina’s most rugged natural area as we investigate the forces that shaped this park. Its natural beauty masks the many drastic changes the land itself has experienced. We’ll unearth a rich history that includes American Indian grounds, industries, and recreation. We’ll also discover how the Smoky Hill River was moved, cutting the park in half. (Hike will take us on very uneven ground throughout Indian Rock Park, including rocks, woods, and prairie.) * Not recommended for those with mobility or balance issues. A talk presenting this information will be given at a later date, allowing those unable to hike the opportunity to discover this area’s history.

Smoky Hill Museum First Thursday, Indian Rock Park: Battles, Bricks, and Beauty
2026-07-02 17:30 - 18:30 | Smoky Hill Museum, 211 W. Iron Avenue, Salina, KS, 67401, United States
Join Anne Hoekstra, Education Outreach Coordinator for the Friends of the River Foundation, and Nona Miller, retired Education Curator for the Smoky Hill Museum, for an evening of discovery featuring Indian Rock Park. Originally one of the Friends of the River Foundation’s and Smoky Hill Museum’s collaborative river history walks, this walk turned out be a more vigorous expedition and was not accommodating for mobility and balance issues. To make sure all have an opportunity to learn about this remarkable park and its astonishing history, we bring it to you in talk form. This presentation will feature Salina’s most rugged natural area. Its natural beauty masks the many drastic changes the land itself has experienced. We’ll unearth a rich history that includes American Indian grounds, industries, and recreation. We’ll also discover how the Smoky Hill River was moved, cutting the park in half. Photos past and present will bring this history to life.
The Friends of the River Foundation and the Smoky Hill Museum have been collaborating for three years now to develop 7 different river history walks highlighting 7 different sections of the original Smoky Hill River channel. We explore places and events, well known and forgotten surprises, that molded the trajectory of our town. Walks offered this summer are Iron Avenue: Salina’s Beginnings, Oakdale Park: the Heart of Celebration, Indian Rock Park: Battles, Bricks, and Beauty, and a bonus walk, River Festival: Oakdale Celebrations. Walks to come include the YMCA trail, Kenwood Park/Tony’s Pizza Event Center area, Elm Street/North Salina, and Lakewood Park.

Fall Fix-Up
2026-10-03 08:00 - 12:00 | KS

Spring Spruce-Up
2027-04-17 08:00 - 12:00 | KS
