The 1861 Club is a flexible, lodge style event venue located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. For most of the year it operates as a high-end venue for weddings, special and corporate events, and activities. During the Kansas State Fair, it is transformed into a climate-controlled food, beverage and entertainment venue for fast fine dining and entertainment experience for all Fair attendees.

The 1861 Club is more than a pretty face, so to speak! The 1861 Club features 30’ ceilings at the peak, with a heavy timber style frame, wood ceiling, layered stone accents, large glass windows, a grand entry hall and glass doors opening onto a large, covered patio area.

When you support the 1861 Club, you are backing so much more than one single business. The 1861 Club is being built by and will be operated by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation (KFF), the 501(c)3 non-profit fundraising organization for the benefit of the Kansas State Fair. 

Funds raised from the 1861 Club are invested back into projects on the Fairgrounds that make it better for everyone. By hosting your event during the year or enjoying food or drinks during the Fair at the 1861 Club you help with the Foundation’s purpose; “To further the renovation, construction, preservation and beautification of the Kansas State Fairgrounds.”

By continually improving the Kansas State Fairgrounds it provides the infrastructure to enable the Kansas State Fair to educate thousands of young people through the Kansas Largest Classroom, to provide support to the agriculture industry through exhibitions and exhibits, and to encourage an appreciation of the arts through fine art exhibits, live shows, and concerts. In addition, the Fairgrounds is made better for the 600+ events hosted on the Kansas State Fairgrounds throughout the year. 

By enjoying 1861 Club’s space as grand as your dreams, you help make dreams come true for thousands of Kansans!

The Kansas State Fair works to continually improve the State Fairgrounds. The Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation (KFF) has grown significantly over the last few years, as well. More improvement projects are being identified to improve the facilities, with the accompanying need to keep the existing facilities already on the fairgrounds state-of-the-art and brought to the forefront. Many of these improvements can only be accomplished through significant philanthropic support for the Fairgrounds through the Foundation. The need to provide a base source of revenue for the Foundation was realized to help offset the rising costs of facility improvements and construction.

Seeing this need, KFF board members came forward with the idea for the “Foundation Club” as it was referred to during the planning stages and individuals were identified who then generously offered to privately fund a huge portion of the project.

The idea was to build a business that would provide a regular and continual income for the Foundation to use towards the mission of renovating, building, preserving, and beautifying the Fairgrounds. This will fulfill the purpose to enrich the unforgettable memories and traditions experienced only at the Kansas State Fair and on the Kansas State Fairgrounds year-round.

From there, planning began, committees were formed and the 1861 Club was underway.

During the planning process, the 1861 Club was referred to initially as the Foundation Club. Eventually, before the official name was released it was publicly referred to as the Foundation Event Venue which more accurately described the intended purpose of the project.

However, a “club” was always a part of the vision for the food, beverage, entertainment, and event venue from the start. The vision was to create an upscale space on the Fairgrounds, one that would be one of the best of its kind on the Fairgrounds, in Hutchinson, and in the State of Kansas. This space would make visitors feel welcome and special, like they were a part of “the club” no matter who they are or when they visited the venue. 

The “1861” in the name was suggested by a KFF staff member, noting the year Kansas became a state. The motto of the Kansas State Fair is to “Celebrate all things Kansas,” and the committee felt “1861” was a great fit for the venue name considering the ultimate purpose of the project is to support the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

A bison was incorporated into the logo for the 1861 Club, not only because the bison is Kansas’ state animal, but also as a nod to the Kansas State Fair mascot, Ike the Bison. 

All in all, the name and branding of the 1861 Club is meant to evoke the timeless and high-quality feeling the space brings while also continuing to celebrate Kansas.