traditions

State fairs offer tradition, blue ribbons and fried classics like funnel cakes. And many fairgoers have traditions of their own. Harvest Public Media takes an audio tour of four state fairs around the Midwest. Also, Kansas is known for its massive wheat production, but it has fallen behind because of a lack of new hybrids. Seed companies and universities are making changes that could impact the farmers, and economy, of Kansas.

The Year of the Snake begins on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Up To Date heard how Asian communities around Kansas City celebrate, and how to take part.

The Crossroads bar Society has become Kansas City's hub for Latin dancing. For beginners, it's a place to practice your moves. For experienced salseros, it's an "injection of life." Plus: Frog gigging is a dying art that still draws thousands to Missouri marshes.

Erika Cecilia Noguera is the owner of Doña Fina Café, a Kansas City coffee company that roasts and sells beans grown on her family's farm in Guatemala. She says Doña Fina — which is named for her great-grandmother — is about telling the story of coffee, and of the people who make it.

For 75 years, spectators have gathered in Liberal, Kansas, to watch racers run a quarter mile with a single pancake. How unorthodox traditions like the pancake race bring tangible benefits to small towns. Plus: Why comedian Mia Mercado wants KC to reconsider being "Midwestern nice."

Some of the very first homes in Kansas were built by members of the Wichita Tribe with cut bundles of native bluestem grass. A new generation of students at Haskell Indian Nations University are learning the skill, and reconnecting with a Great Plains tradition.

A new generation of Native American students in Lawrence, Kansas, is learning the art of thatching and reconnecting with a Great Plains tradition. Plus: A Black karate master from Kansas City represented the U.S. at a world kickboxing tournament.

In the tiny community of Cuba, Kansas, the annual 'Rock-A-Thon' features a unique and longstanding tradition: a rocking chair marathon.

Missouri and Kansas voters are headed to the polls for some important elections today. Plus: The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says they've gotten hundreds of tips relating to election fraud, but after a records request from KCUR, they only produced one.

July 14th is Bastille Day, the national day of France. It marks the fall of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution, which was a turning point in the war. Celebrate by exploring the music of the Revolution and check these French tunes out.

Tamales are a time-honored and beloved Christmas tradition for Latino families around Kansas City. Plus, we hear from a local counselor about the state of mental health care over two years of a pandemic.

Die-hard Chiefs fans have elaborate rituals aimed at bringing the team good luck.