Kansas is celebrating its 150th year of statehood this year, and the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers are celebrating by bringing back an old favorite to the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.

After a long hiatus, the groups are bringing back the “Kansas Wheat Fountain,” which for years was a centerpiece of the Kansas Wheat Commission’s exhibit at the Kansas State Fair. Fairgoers can come by the Kansas Wheat Exhibit in the Pride of Kansas Building to see the new and improved Wheat Fountain.

“The Kansas Wheat Fountain debuted in the 1960s,” says Aaron Harries, marketing director for Kansas Wheat. Harries says the Wheat Fountain’s display of wheat cascading into a bin was a hit with audiences for years.

Aaron Harries, marketing director at Kansas Wheat, says the refurbished Wheat Fountain will run at the Kansas State Fair, Sept. 9-17 in Hutchinson.

The Wheat Fountain has a colorful history, having been used to catch the public’s attention at various wheat-related functions and fairs. It made its debut outside Kansas at the National Restaurant Convention in Chicago, and eventually was borrowed by the U.S. Information Agency and shown in Tanzania, Tunisia and in the Congo in the 1970s.

“It was supplied with Kansas wheat; however, visitors to the Tanzanian fair constantly took away handfuls of the grain. Had the fair lasted another few days, the fountain would have run dry,” he says.

The fountain had been retired, but was rediscovered in the State Fair Grandstand earlier this year. The Kansas Wheat Commission proudly presents the refurbished fountain in celebration of the Wheat State’s 150th birthday.

Working together as “Kansas Wheat,” the KAWG and KWC will have a display that celebrates Kansas’ position as “the Wheat State, Harries adds. The exhibit presents a timeline of wheat-related events throughout Kansas’ 150 years of statehood, including important moments in Kansas history such as the introduction of wheat to the state; the improvement of wheat varieties that had a major impact on the state’s economy; the growth of the milling industry and most recently, groundbreaking of the $8 million Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.

Fairgoers can learn more about the state’s number one crop at the Kansas Wheat Exhibit, where a host of educational, health and nutrition information will be on display. Folks also can pick up the 2011 Kansas Wheat Recipe Book, which features recipes from the 2011 National Festival of Breads.

Also, the three winners of the 2011 Kansas Wheat Yield Contest will be awarded their plaques and checks at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the Kansas Wheat exhibit.
Kansas Wheat also co-hosts the Agriland display, also in the Pride of Kansas Building. The popular exhibit engages the senses and stimulates the minds of children and adults with interactive activities that teach the importance of Kansas agriculture. Among the adventures at Agriland are a life-size milking cow; interactive soil tunnel that shows kids how the soil community works together to create plant life, and other interactive games. A team of volunteers from throughout the Kansas agriculture industry work together to make Agriland a fun learning environment. Agriland is open throughout the Fair.

Tickets for the Kansas State Fair are available at the gate or online at www.kansasstatefair.com.