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Live music performance takes place during Millfest on the front porch of the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum \u2013 right beside the 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills<\/p>\nLive music performance takes place during Millfest on the front porch of the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum \u2013 right beside the 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills<\/p>\n
Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum<\/p>\n
LINDSBORG – Millfest returns to Lindsborg on May 2, 2026, bringing with it a blend of tradition and new experiences \u2013 including the largest lineup of arts and crafts vendors the festival has seen in recent memory, the debut of a rare restored tractor, and a breakfast event featuring a rediscovered taste of Lindsborg from 80 years ago.<\/p>\n
For Adam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director, keeping Millfest fresh each year is part of the mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s new features really highlight regional agriculture,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re featuring the reintroduced Traditional Pancake Flour based on an authentic recovered recipe from the Runbeck Brothers \u2013 the final owners of the Old Mill. And we\u2019re especially excited about the museum\u2019s OMC tractor, which volunteers have restored to working condition. Only a few dozen were ever produced in Salina before a major fire in 1954, so seeing one in operation is something special.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the heart of Millfest is the 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills \u2013 the only historic flour mill of its kind in the Midwest still capable of running. Once a year, during Millfest at the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, the mill roars back to life.<\/p>\n
Visitors can experience all four stories of the 128-year-old structure as its intricate system of wood, steel, and leather machinery powers up once again. Guided tours run throughout the day, offering a rare, immersive look at a working piece of history.<\/p>\n
Pracht says it\u2019s the sensory experience that leaves a lasting impression.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t just see the mill; you feel it,\u201d he said. \u201cThe floors vibrate, the belts and gears come alive with sound, and even the scent of wheat dust and oil fills the air. It\u2019s about as close as you can get to stepping back through time into the 19th century.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tours run from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and cost $10 per person. All other museum attractions are available by donation. For safety reasons, mill tours are limited to those 13 and older while the machinery is running. After shutdown at 4:45 p.m., families with children 12 and under are invited to take a free guided tour.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s Millfest also marks a new chapter for Executive Director Hayley Samford, who stepped into the role in March. Though she has attended the event in the past, experiencing it from behind the scenes has added a new perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearning that my great-great-grandfather Rudolph once worked in this very mill made it even more meaningful,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can feel those personal and community connections come alive when the machinery starts moving again.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sense of connection is reflected in a new temporary exhibit in the museum\u2019s back gallery. \u201cAnderson, Burnison & Ingemanson\u201d traces Samford\u2019s family roots in the Smoky Valley, offering a personal lens into the region\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
Kicking off the day is another new addition: a Pancake and Waffle Breakfast held at the Lindsborg train depot from 9 to 10 a.m. The menu features Smoky Valley Best Traditional Pancake Mix, a recipe once thought lost until an original notebook was donated to the museum. Working with Sunflower Food Co. in Lenexa, staff brought the flour back to life.<\/p>\n
Guests can enjoy fresh waffles and pancakes during the one-hour breakfast window, with full waffles priced at $6, half waffles at $3, and mini pancakes available for $1 each.<\/p>\n
Live music begins at noon on the museum front porch and continues through 3 p.m. The lineup opens with classic rock from local group Old Man Lingonberry, followed by traditional tunes from The Front Porch Pickers at 1 p.m., and concludes with Nile Johnson performing stripped-down folk and classic rock selections.<\/p>\n
Throughout the day, visitors can explore a wide range of activities included with donation-based admission. The antique tractor show returns for its second year, hosted by the International Harvester Collector Club (Kansas Chapter 3). Also in its second year, FREE face painting by \u201cJust Face It\u201d of Wichita will be available from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Hands-on and family-friendly activities continue across Heritage Square, where guests can try traditional stick-and-hoop races or play Kubb, a classic Swedish lawn game. Lindsborg Folksdanslag will lead traditional Swedish dances at (or near) the Heritage Square maypole at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., inviting visitors to join in or simply enjoy the performance.<\/p>\n
Demonstrations and exhibits add even more to explore. A quilt show by the McPherson Quilt Guild, live blacksmithing, woodcarving by the Salina Woodcarvers, and a wide array of handmade goods will be featured. This year\u2019s festival includes more than 20 arts and crafts vendors \u2013 the highest number in recent memory \u2013 offering items such as pottery, crocheted animals, alpaca and llama fiber arts, and scrimshaw.<\/p>\n
When it\u2019s time to eat, Texas Red\u2019s BBQ will serve smoked meats and sides on the main museum lawn, alongside additional vendors offering kettle corn, cookies, snow cones, and specialty drinks. Inside the museum gift shop, visitors can find snacks, toys, books, and limited-edition collectibles. This is also where visitors can buy namesake \u201cOld Mill Mint\u201d ice cream or take home a box of the restored Smoky Valley Best Traditional Pancake Flour for later.<\/p>\n
For Lenora Lynam, Collections Manager and longtime Millfest organizer, the event remains a meaningful way to connect past and present.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a time when more than 400 small flour mills operated across Kansas,\u201d she said. \u201cToday, this is the last one still standing and running. It takes a lot of effort to make Millfest happen, but seeing people experience that history firsthand makes it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n
Significant sponsorship for Millfest has been provided by:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Grain Craft \u2013 McPherson, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 TACOL Thrift Shop \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 CKA Consulting \u2013 Topeka, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Kansas Wheat \u2013 Manhattan, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Radio Kansas \u2013 Hutchinson, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Ardent Mills \u2013 Denver, Colorado<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Bank of Tescott \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 BE Wealth \u2013 Salina, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 CHS Refinery \u2013 McPherson, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Dauer Welding and Machine \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Dr\u00f6m S\u00f6tt Inn \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Farmers State Bank \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 IdeaTek \u2013 Buhler, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Peoples Bank and Trust \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Pestinger Heating and AC \u2013 Lindsborg, Kansas<\/p>\n
The museum thanks these businesses and organizations for their generosity and support of local history!<\/p>\n
Millfest 2026<\/p>\n
9 a.m. \u2013 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2 Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum 120 E. Mill St., Lindsborg<\/p>\n
$10 \/ person tours of the Old Mill in operation (ages 13+). Admission by donation to all other museum attractions.<\/p>\n
Food available for purchase on museum grounds from Texas Red\u2019s BBQ (smoked meats, sides, and specialties) as well as snack treats and beverages from Sunshine Sips, Pop\u2019s Kettle Corn, Frantz Cookie Co., and Kona Ice.<\/p>\n
Confirmed arts and crafts vendors and demonstrators:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Alpaca Fiber Crafts by Ebling Farm<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Alpaca & Scrimshaw Products by Debra Duntz<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Art Prints by Acacia Pracht<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Basketweaving by Janie Tubbs<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Blacksmithing by The Blackened Ring Forge<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Blacksmithing by Josh Womelsdorf<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Crocheted Animals & Beaded Bracelets by AJ\u2019s Cutie Crafts<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Goat Milk Products by Wind River Farms<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Handmade Bracelets by Bracelets by Zoey<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Handwoven Crafts by Studio 91<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Homemade Soap by Prairie Home Soap<\/p>\n
\u00b7 The Land Institute<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Llama Fiber Crafts by Patti Morgan<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Origami Models & Jewelry by Eian Pracht<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Pottery by Auburn Pottery<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Quilt Show by McPherson Quilt Guild<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Resin Custom Creations by Boujee Rebel Co.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Scentsy Fragrances by Jeanie Murphy<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Weaving by Carol Goering<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Woodcarving by Salina Woodcarvers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Live music performance takes place during Millfest on the front porch of the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":606537,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,79],"class_list":["post-606536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=606536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/606537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=606536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=606536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=606536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}