Packing our bags for April Fools-A-Palooza in Lucas, Kansas
The grassroots art capital of Kansas hosts an annual event 'by artists and for everyone.'
On April 1, 2024, The SHOUT published our first arts calendar and sent our first email to our 330 original subscribers. Then I hopped in my car and headed to Lucas, Kansas for April Fools-A-Palooza, the artist-run event that kicks off the tourist season in the tiny town near Wilson Lake, just north of Interstate 70.
Lucas bills itself as the “grassroots art capital of Kansas,” and for good reason: It’s home to one of the oldest preserved folk-art environments in the United States. Over more than a century S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden has drawn other artists, near and far. These include Florence Deeble, who, as a child, observed the Civil War veteran construct his outdoor sculpture garden, which inspired her to create her own. More recently, Erika Nelson opened her Roadside Sideshow Expo, home of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things. The Grassroots Arts Center is devoted to the work of artists who developed their practice outside the bounds of traditional institutions, and Switchgrass is a thriving artist cooperative (and coffee stand).
Many other artists call Lucas home, and on April 1 they open the doors of their studios to visitors. The Garden of Eden and Grassroots Art Center offer free admission, and special events take place until late afternoon. That means you can start your morning with a coffee at Switchgrass, walk around all day, and still struggle to see everything.
And that’s OK — because, if you’re like me, Lucas isn’t quite what you expected, and you’ll want to return (and buy more art). I went back in 2025, and this year I’ve invited SHOUT editors along. If you go, please join us at 2 p.m. to write postcards to the future with Lori Brack, one of our favorite contributing writers.
You can find the schedule for this year’s April Fools-A-Palooza here. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email and ask! While it may not be for everyone, April Fools-A-Palooza is absolutely one of my favorite arts events anywhere, and I’m excited to share it with our readers.
— Emily Christensen, co-founder of The SHOUT
This article was originally published in our newsletter. Sign up for weekly emails and stay informed about Kansas art and culture.
Support Kansas arts writing
The SHOUT is a Wichita-based independent newsroom focused on artists living and working in Kansas. We're partly supported by the generosity of our readers, and every dollar we receive goes directly into the pocket of a contributing writer, editor, or photographer. Click here to support our work with a tax-deductible donation.
