LARNED — The Santa Fe Trail Center Museum & Research Library will be holding an end of summer celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Sizzlin’ Summer Shindig is a new family friendly event at the Trail Center and has something for everyone to enjoy. The Shindig will be held on the grounds of the museum, two miles west of Larned on K-156.
Special events are scheduled by the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, and the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo.
Ongoing activities throughout the day include scavenger hunts, temporary tattoos, face painting, barrel train rides, as well as games like three legged races and horse shoe tossing. In addition, American AgCredit is providing a free hotdog lunch for attendees (while supplies last), with paid museum admission.  
Scheduled activities include class in the historic L’Dora School House and a make it & take it craft project with a Native American theme. The school and craft projects are for kids ages 6 (who have completed kindergarten) through age 12. Class in the school house will be limited to 25 kids.  A full schedule of these activities can be found on the museum website at www.santafetrailcenter.org.
The Kansas Wetlands Education Center from Cheyenne Bottoms will give a one hour presentation at 11 a.m. Cheyenne Bottoms is a large wetland that sits in the middle of Kansas.  Every fall and spring it attracts thousands of birds as they pass through on their migration.  
“The Sights and Sounds of Cheyenne Bottoms” program will focus on these many feathered visitors that spend at least a little time at Cheyenne Bottoms.  They will talk briefly about bird migration and then help you become a better bird watcher by looking at many mounts, photos, videos, and recordings of some of the unique birds that call the Bottoms home.  You’ll be surprised at some of the strange behaviors and bright colors of some of these birds.
The Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo will have a booth set up in the West Gallery of the museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. where they will greet visitors with a variety of creepy crawly animals from the plains region. Animals may include a hognose snake, Emperor Scorpion, and a Praying Mantis. Next to the zoo booth you can take on the Grass Roots Environmental Advocacy Team’s “Sustainability Challenge”, a resource conservation and recycling game, and win a refillable water bottle.  One bottle per player, limit of two per family… while supply lasts.
The Pawnee County Humane Society will be at the museum during the event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
They will have dogs and cats with them that are available for adoption.  However, interested parties will have to go through the application process before being approved for adoption. Bahama Mama’s will also be on the grounds selling shaved ice treats—a perfect way to beat the summer heat.
The Santa Fe Trail Center is grateful to the following businesses for sponsoring this event: American AgCredit, Pawnee Sanitation, Picket Fence Real Estate, Straub International, Larned Tiller & Toiler, and the Larned Tourism Board.
Special admission prices to the museum that day are $5 for adults, $3.50 for ages 12 to 18, $2.50 for ages 6 to 11, and 5 and under are free. For more information you can call 620/285-2054 or email museum@santafetrailcenter.org.