Downtown Manhattan Inc.

Final Friday Bike Ride
2026-06-26 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Riley County Courthouse Plaza, 100 Courthouse Plz, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Join us for a relaxed, social group ride through Manhattan as we celebrate community, visibility, and safer streets. Final Friday is about more than just riding bikes, it’s about showing what a more active, connected city can look like when people come together in public space.
All ages and abilities are welcome. The pace is comfortable, the route is approachable, and the focus is on fun, community, and enjoying the ride together—not speed.
Event Details
Date: May 29th
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Riley County Courthouse
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1NfusvBr5Z/

Ridin' Trails and Writin' Rhymes: Cowboy Culture of Kansas
2026-06-28 14:30 - 15:30 | Manhattan Public Library, 629 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Event by Riley County Genealogical Society
Sunday, June 28th – 2:30 pm – Manhattan Public Library
Kansas was a key crossroads of frontier trails. It was the statewhich helped bring the legend of the cowboy to life, from Abileneto Dodge City and from the Chisholm Trail and Gunsmoke fameto the beef industry of today.

This presentation shares the richcowboy history and folklore of Kansas using stories and cowboypoems, presented by poet lariat (NOT laureate), Ron Wilson.
Audience members will enjoy Ron’s poetry that he says is “all-original, humorous, family-friendly, patriotic, and most of the time,it even rhymes.”

This RCGS program is sponsored by Humanities Kansas. It is Free and open to the public.

Which Craft - One Year Bash! @ Manhattan Town Center
2026-07-01 10:00 - 18:00 | Manhattan Town Center, 100 Manhattan Town Ctr, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Join us as we mark a very special milestone — one incredible year of creativity, community, and craft at Which Craft!

Come see us at Which Craft for some shopping and fun! There will be a game of chance, goodie bags and a chance to win one of our big prizes!

Find out our exciting new community goals and honor our local makers! Kicking off with the reveal at 10a, festivities go throughout the day while supplies last!

READ, White & Blue Birthday Party @ Manhattan Public Library
2026-07-01 13:30 - 15:30 | Manhattan Public Library, 629 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with the library!
We will READ some great stories about America’s beginnings, make crafts, play games, and have a birthday treat.
Registration is required; space is limited. Please share any allergy or dietary needs in your registration notes.

School Supply Swap @ Arrow Cocktail Lounge
2026-07-11 10:00 - 13:00 | Arrow Cocktail Lounge, 418 Poyntz Ave, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Arrow Sustainability Series: School Supply Swap
Saturday, July 11th 10 AM–1 PM | Arrow Event Room
Prepare for the school year, bring gently used school supplies and swap them for items you can use. Bring your extra or gently used notebooks, binders, pencils, backpacks, calculators, and classroom essentials. As part of our Sustainability Series, this event encourages reuse, reduces waste, and makes back-to-school season more affordable for everyone.
How it works:
• Clean out your backpack, desk, classroom, or supply closet for gently used or extra school supplies
• Make sure items are functional, and ready for a new home
• Bring them to the swap
• Browse and take home whatever you need for the upcoming school year!

Festival of Lights - Christmas in July - Movie Screening
2026-07-12 14:00 - 17:00 | Hilton Garden Inn, 410 S. 3rd St., Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States

Third Thursdays in Downtown MHK
2026-07-16 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Manhattan
Mark your calendars for July 16th as we celebrate America 250 with a fun Little Firecracker Kids Parade!
🎉 Join us for a fun evening celebrating Art in Downtown! 🎉
Third Thursdays in Downtown Manhattan, bringing fresh energy, creativity, and connection to the streets. Each month, downtown transforms into a lively, family-friendly celebration of the arts—featuring live performances, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, and a vibrant maker’s market atmosphere.
✨ Come one, come all — friends, families, kids, and curious explorers — for an evening filled with creativity, local flavor, and plenty of reasons to linger.
🎨 Highlights You Won’t Want to Miss!
July’s event is packed with something for everyone — here’s a taste of what’s in store:
🎶 Live performances all evening— A lineup of talented local musicians, dancers and will keep the energy going with live performances throughout the event.
🧱 Build Something Amazing — BHS returns with their fan-favorite interactive Children’s Construction area — get ready to build, stack, and create and a fun new clubhouse for kids to help decorate!
🏙️ Fun for All Ages — The City of MHK is bringing an interactive area designed for kids and adults alike to play and explore together on North 4th street. Touch a Truck with the Forestry Dept, MHK Airport will host a paper airplane project & the City will provide fun interactive building blocks!
🎭 Storytime Live — The Actors Theater Group brings imagination to life with performances of beloved children’s stories 6:30 pm on the North side of the Mall Plaza
🦁 Wild Encounters — Sunset Zoo joins us once again with a hands-on project and a special animal ambassador for up-close encounters.
🥧 Ther-a-pie Pie Walk Our beloved Cake Walk has received a delicious upgrade! Sponsored by Therapie, join the fun for a chance to win a pie — the sweetest new tradition on the block @ the SW corner of 4th Street in front of Gaia Salon. Bonus – they will offer $1 off pie slices in house!
🦸 Broken Cannon Cosplay Activity – WTC partners with Broken Cannon Cosplay for an interactive kids’ activity on the North Corner of the Mall Plaza.
🤠 Boots, Beats & Bags — Texas Roadhouse is saddling up with line dancing and cornhole games — y’all don’t want to miss this!
🎸 Free Concert Alert — We Are the Branches takes the stage for a free concert at Switch Wicked, kicking off at 6:30 pm.

As a part of Pool House Summer, We’ll be doing Pool House Pop-ups every Third Thursday! This time around, we’ll be setting up in the Bodega with tiki cocktails, gourmet hot dogs and this time the Nachos are making a comeback! Come by from 5-8 on July 16th to experience!
Third Thursday Art Market at SNW Gallery –
Summertime is rolling, and it’s time for another Art Market for 3rd Thursday! We will have a wonderful variety of goods for sale, and you will find ceramics, jewelry, original art, vanilla extract, and more!
The current roster of featured artists (we may have more added):Flor Widmar – NEW ceramic artist (pictured in banner)Judy Willingham – jewelry (pictured in banner) in fine silver and quality stonesAudrey Etgen – original watercolors and drawingsElene Shushanian – original art, prints, decor, and maybe chocolates!Amy Rintoul – Trufflefaerie vanilla products and jewelry
Downtown businesses will feature specials, deals and fun events as part of the evenings activities –
1419 Mercantile will host Salty Sunflower Designs, custom and permanent jewelry
The Boutique – Third Thursday Luau – Island drinks, tropical treats & summer sale 40 – 75% off!
Elevated – Open until late – Weekly special deals
Rev Thread – Buy One Get One Free rack! Celebrate their final TT in the current location – Opening new location in August!
Tallgrass Taphouse – Red, white & Blue summer Beer! Vodka, Placeholder American Wheat Ale, Blue Curacao, Strawberry, Whip Cream & Lemon!
Manhattan Brewing Company – $6 Patio Beers
Bourbon & Baker – Cocktail Happy Hour until 8pm & Whiskey Ritas & Whiskey Punch on the patio!
River Heights Yarn Co. – Community Stitching – 5 – 8 pm
House of Color – Open late & offering color consults
G Marie Designs – Open Late
Third Thursdays – May – September | 5–8 PM
Right in the heart of Downtown Manhattan – 300 & 400 Sidewalks along Poyntz Ave & along North & South 4th Street
There’s truly something for every age and interest — come spend the evening with us downtown! 🎉

Downtown MHK Firecracker Bike Parade
2026-07-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Downtown Manhattan
It’s America’s 250th birthday and we are celebrating with the most important parade of the summer. The Firecracker Bike Parade is coming to Third Thursday on July 16th. All entries must be decked out in red, white, and blue! Decorate your bike, your wagon, your scooter, or your stroller, bring your little ones downtown for a good old fashioned neighborhood parade.
Kids ages 0–8 are welcome to participate. Siblings up to age 12 may ride along to keep the little ones company. Bikes, scooters, wagons, and strollers are all welcome. No electric rides please, pedal power only for this one.
Sign up via this link – https://form.jotform.com/marketinghistoricdowntown/firecracker-bike-parade

Plant Bingo @ Arrow Cocktail Lounge
2026-07-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrow Cocktail Lounge, 418 Poyntz Ave, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Arrow Cocktail Lounge & Kistner’s Flowers Presents – Plant Bingo
Tuesday, July 21st | 7-9pm
Join Arrow Cocktail Lounge and Kistner’s Flowers for a night of fun that includes bingo, trivia, and cocktails. Play bingo, answer trivia and win plants! Get your tickets here>>>https://www.exploretock.com/arrow-cocktail-lounge-manhattan/event/613688/plant-bingo-july-21st

National Day of the Cowboy @ Flint Hills Discovery Center
2026-07-25 10:00 - 14:00 | Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. 3rd St., Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Wrangle up the family and join the Flint Hills Discovery Center for National Day of the Cowboy, an annual celebration of the national icon and the history and culture of the American West!
All activities are included with admission or FHDC membership

Downtown Manhattan Art Exhibition - Reception & Artist Panel
2026-08-01 17:00 - 19:00 | Downtown Manhattan
✨ New Art Exhibit Opening in Downtown Manhattan Art Spaces
✨ 409 Art Space (409 Poyntz Ave) &
Midtown Plaza Art Space (116 S. 4th Street)
Celebrate an evening of art, inspiration, and community as we welcome featured artist Felix Jimenez for the opening of a new exhibition “Townies” at Midtown Plaza on Saturday, August 1st from 5–7 PM.
Felix Jimenez’s work brings a distinctive creative voice to Downtown Manhattan, inviting viewers to explore powerful themes, unique perspectives, and artistic expression through his featured collection.
Join us for the opening reception, connect with fellow art lovers, and stay for the Artist Panel Discussion at 6:00 PM, where artists will share stories, inspiration, and insight into their creative process.
I started “Townies” for two simple reasons. First, I was tired of the idealized version of Manhattan that only exists in stock photos and tourist ads. I wanted to show that there is real beauty in showing the unfiltered version of this wonderful town. Secondly, Manhattan, KS hasn’t really been featured in street style photography and I wanted to prove to myself that Manhattan, or any Kansas town for that matter, could yield amazing street photography. In my attempt to strip all varnish and glossiness away, I found the pulse of a sleepy town growing into city. I found its rhythm. This project gave me the opportunity to closely observe how Manhattan lives. I observed how it acts when it is indifferent, when it is happy, when it hates, when it shows solidarity, when it isolates, and when it embraces. These photos are a glimpse into the beating heart of Manhattan, the town in Flint Hills, a reflection of us all.

Hi I’m Felix. For me, photography is a way to pull a moment out of reality and frame it in a way that makes you want to stay there. I’m drawn to images that feel both real and imagined, where the frame sits on the edge between documentary and staged.
I started taking photos because I was tired of the lie, the idealized version of Kansas that exists only in stock photography and tourism ads. I wanted to show the real thing: the guy sleeping behind the church, the person sitting alone at the coffee shop, the light cutting across a parking lot. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Color gives people an escape route. It lets them attach their own feelings, emotions, and their own filters to an image. Black and white removes the exit while still allowing those feelings to amplify. You cannot hide from it.
At the center of my work are people, their energy, character, and vulnerabilities. I’m inspired by human stories, gestures, and glances, by the way a person reveals beauty through simply being themselves. I love noticing small details, mixing the unexpected, and chasing that one frame that hits straight to the heart.
I like to think of my style as classic, with a hint of artsy. I believe in authenticity. I believe in the real moment. I am laid back, positive, and passionate. Beyond that, I want to keep developing my own visual language and continue to create projects that inspire and move people emotionally.
Photography, for me, is a diary, a conversation with the world, a way to surprise myself again and again. My goal with every photo is simply to make the mundane and ordinary beautiful, and to remind you that there is beauty all around us, if you know where to look. I’ve spent years learning to see things most people walk past. Now, I am honored to help you see every extraordinary thing you walk by and miss.

Third Thursdays in Downtown MHK
2026-08-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Manhattan
🎉 Third Thursday in Downtown Manhattan 🎉
Third Thursdays in Downtown Manhattan, bring fresh energy, creativity, and connection to the streets. Each month, downtown transforms into a lively, family-friendly celebration of the arts—featuring live performances, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, and a vibrant maker’s market atmosphere.
✨ Come one, come all — friends, families, kids, and curious explorers — for an evening filled with creativity, local flavor, and plenty of reasons to linger.
🎨 Highlights include:• Incredible local artists & makers• Wonder Workshop at the Brain Station (AJ’s Platform) with creative activities for kids• Beloved favorites like the Cake Walk, sidewalk musicians, and pop-up performances
🕔 When & Where:Every 3rd Thursday – May – September | 5–8 PMRight in the heart of Downtown Manhattan – 300 & 400 Sidewalks along Poyntz Ave & along North & South 4th Street
🌟 Every Third Thursday offers something new to discover. Mark your calendar, gather your people, and join us as downtown comes alive—again and again.
Stay tuned as more details become available!

Art Exhibit & SALE
2026-09-05 09:00 - 13:00 | Strasser Village, 300 N 4th, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Manhattan Watercolor Studio
Art Exhibit & SALE
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Every Saturday in September – 5th, 12th, 19th, &26th
Strasser Village Meeting Room – 300 N. 4th Street
Across from Farmers Market
Talk with talented artists while they do what they do best, paint! See and enjoy our art! Meet our artists – we’re not scary. Own a piece of original art by local artists!
See different ART every week! – There will be a variety of ART and price levels –

Ready to hang matted and framed
Matted and un-matted originals
Note cards
Watercolor earrings

Support ART in the Manhattan Area!

Symphony on the Plaza
2026-09-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Blue Earth Plaza, Colorado St., Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Join us for an unforgettable evening of music under the stars! The Manhattan Symphony Orchestra will bring the Plaza to life with a spectacular open-air performance, featuring a mix of classical favorites and contemporary pieces.
7:00 pm – Blue Earth Plaza – Downtown MHK
Bring a blanket or a lawn chair, gather your friends and family, and enjoy an inspiring night of music in the heart of the city.
Free admission! Don’t miss this magical community celebration of the arts!

Third Thursdays in Downtown MHK
2026-09-17 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Manhattan
🎉 Get Downtown for our final Third Thursday of the season! 🎉
Third Thursdays bring fresh energy, creativity, and connection to the streets. Each month, downtown transforms into a lively, family-friendly celebration of the arts—featuring live performances, artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, and a vibrant maker’s market atmosphere.
✨ Come one, come all — friends, families, kids, and curious explorers — for an evening filled with creativity, local flavor, and plenty of reasons to linger.
🎨 Highlights include:• Incredible local artists & makers• Wonder Workshop at the Brain Station (AJ’s Platform) with creative activities for kids• Beloved favorites like the Cake Walk, sidewalk musicians, and pop-up performances
🕔 When & Where:September 17th | 5–8 PMRight in the heart of Downtown Manhattan – 300 & 400 Sidewalks along Poyntz Ave & along North & South 4th Street
🌟 Every Third Thursday offers something new to discover. Mark your calendar, gather your people, and join us as downtown comes alive—again and again.
Stay tuned as more details become available!

Downtown Art Fest
2026-10-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Downtown Manhattan
Downtown Art Fest is Here!
Come celebrate creativity in Manhattan’s Downtown. You can browse a vibrant art market, explore a brand-new exhibit, and watch local artists compete in our annual Plein Air competition.

KSU Homecoming Parade
2026-10-16 17:00 - 18:00 | Downtown Manhattan
The parade traditionally kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Manhattan Town Center, travels along Poyntz Avenue, winds through Aggieville, and concludes at City Park for the Homecoming Pep Rally.

All Treats Day in Downtown Manhattan
2026-10-30 16:00 - 18:00 | Downtown Manhattan
Join us for All Treats Day in Downtown on Friday, October 30th, from 4 PM to 6 PM!
Families are invited to stroll down Poyntz Avenue, where kids can safely trick-or-treat at participating neighborhood businesses. Come in costume and enjoy a fun, family-friendly Halloween experience in the heart of our community!
Don’t forget the annual Boo Party from 4-6pm at the Manhattan Town Center!

Veteran's Day Parade
2026-11-11 09:30 - 10:30 | Downtown Manhattan
The parade begins at 9:30 am at the Manhattan Town Center, travels west down Poyntz Avenue, and concludes at City Park.

Festival of Lights
2026-11-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Blue Earth Plaza, Colorado St., Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
14th Annual Festival of Lights
Friday, November 27th, 2026
Blue Earth Plaza
7PM Aerial Drone Show followed by the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

The Festival is going to be bigger & better than ever before.
We are so grateful to the Manhattan community for making it happen!

It’s never too early to get on Santa’s GOOD list!

25th Annual Spirit of the Holidays Lighted Parade
2026-12-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Downtown Manhattan
Event Date: December 4th, 5:30 PM
Parade Route: Poyntz Avenue (from 3rd Street & Poyntz Avenue to City Park)
For Parade Goers:
Where to Watch:

The best viewing spots are along Poyntz Avenue from 3rd Street all the way to City Park.
Arrive early to grab a prime spot and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

What to Expect:

Enjoy beautifully lit floats, marching bands, and more, bringing holiday cheer to the heart of our neighborhood.
The parade starts at 5:30 PM, but be sure to come early for parking and the best views.

Parking Information:

Free parking is available at public lots and the Manhattan Town Center.
Be aware of street closures along Poyntz Avenue, which will begin prior to the parade. If you are parked on Poyntz at the start of the parade, you will have to remain in place until the parade passes.
