Podcast

This is just a short podcast of me talking a little bit about why I love coming back to McPherson so much and how much my small town means to me.

https://soundcloud.com/ally-ulsaker/small-town-podcast

Best Week of The Year

You have Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and all that, but nothing compares to All Schools Day in McPherson. We wait for that first week in May to come around every year! Over the years there has been some speculation of what this beautiful day really is called, May Day or All Schools Day? For me it's All Schools Day.  During this time all of McPherson County joins together to put on different events throughout the week. The whole week leads up to a big parade on Friday going down McPherson's Main Street filled with all sorts of different floats, bands, cars, and animals. After the parade you can find everyone grabbing some food from the various options downtown or the many food trucks set up in the square. After you've gotten your fill of deep fried and sugary food you head on over to the Madathon where you will find kids in 5th grade, 8th grade, and seniors in high school competing in different games. To end the perfect day of fun actives everyone gathers at a park outside of town to watch a firework show.

No matter how far you go away from McPherson, All Schools Day brings you back. This week has a way of bringing people back together and finding the joy in living in this small town. 

- A schedule of all the events throughout the week! 

http://www.allschoolsday.com/all-schools-day-schedule.html

- my photos 

Everyone Loves a Slideshow

Map of McPherson

This is a map of my hometown McPherson. I thought it would be good to add just to show the actual size of the town.

Not That Small, But Small Enough

I am writing this post, because I've been getting some grief about how McPherson is not that small of a town. You aren't wrong, McPherson is not that small compared to others, and it does have a lot more to do then other towns. That doesn't mean that we still don't get bored or have the feeling like we have nothing to do, we still have to drive over 3o minutes to get to any kind of shopping mall and everyone still has tabs on what you are doing with your life. The population of McPherson is around 13,000, and I had about 184 in my graduating class. This blog is suppose to relate to people in someway, no matter how big or small the town is.

Visit McPherson

I love my hometown and appreciate it everything it has to offer! McPherson is a place that has given me many opportunities and continues to give me opportunities. It is definitely a place that I could see myself coming back to. Here is a promotional video made in 2016 of McPherson, KS.

My Top 3 Small Town Activities

You always have those go to things you do for fun in your hometown, but what do you do when you get tired of the same old thing? Here are just a few of the things my friends and I did to shake things up!


1. Geocaching
- Geocaching is an app you can download on your phone. It is basically a treasure hunt throughout your town. You go around trying to find these little hidden boxes, and you either leave something or take something from the box! Also don't forget to sign your name so people know you've been there! My first Geocache I found was in a cemetery a few miles outside of town. We were walking around this cemetery when a cop shows up and asks us what we're doing. My friends and I were completely freaked out and told him exactly what we were doing, hoping we wouldn't get in trouble. He laughed at us and said "Just don't still any tomb stones."


2. Middle Nowhere Bonfire
- This can be kind of hard depending on how small your town is, but it's always something fun to do if you can be smart about it. My friends and I were driving around one night when we came around Dakota Road. It's a hidden, small road that was perfect for getting away. So every so often around ten of us would drive out there and just sit around a small fire.

3.Cruisin Main
- The Main Street of your hometown should be something special. For me personally cruising down Main Street has always been a tradition in my hometown. The casual driving around is always a go to, but during a drive around town we always seem to make it back to Main Street. My mother is from a very small town named Gossel that's about 30 minutes away from McPherson. She use to tell stories of how her and her friends would drive to McPherson just to cruise Main Street. There would be people sitting around there cars on the side just talking and listening to music. People yelling and leaning outside of their windows as they drive by. That story always reminds me of a simpler time and how even the smallest of things can be fun.

photo by me