Hesston: Gardens, Culture and History

Hesston brings together a range of interests for a stay: the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains showcases gardens, Hesston College offers theater and music, and local collections document the town’s history. Rounding out the picture are a lunch menu at the golf course and pool party reservations. Depending on what brings you to Hesston, nature, culture, or local history can be the focus of your trip.

Gardens at the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains encompasses an original 13-acre site with established gardens. It features native and adaptable trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses. There is also a pond, along with spaces for education, gatherings, and events.

A self-guided tour and informational signs explain the biological and horticultural features of the gardens. This highlights both the plant life and the design of the garden areas. The combination of these themes offers a tangible point of interest for travelers who want to explore native and adaptable plants during a visit.

Theater and Music at Hesston College

Hesston College Theatre produces four performances each academic year. The biennial “Pen to Paper to Performance” festival, or P3, brings local playwrights, student performers, and audiences together through live theater. The different schedules are useful for planning a trip: the theater has a program during the academic year, while P3 festivals take place less frequently. If you are traveling for a performance or festival, it is a good idea to check the specific event dates.

The Bel Canto Singers are also part of Hesston’s music scene. The ensemble performs sacred and secular music at campus events and in the community. Theater productions, the P3 festival, and performances by the Bel Canto Singers represent different forms of cultural life at the college and beyond.

Local History and Art

The Hesston Tornado Collection documents the tornadoes that devastated Hesston and surrounding communities in south-central Kansas on March 13, 1990. Its subject is connected both to the town and to the wider region. For travelers who want to include local history in their plans, the collection offers a tangible way to learn about this event and its date.

Another cultural event with clearly defined dates was the Hesston College Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit. It was on display from April 22 to May 9, 2025, at the Regier-Friesen Gallery in the Laban Peachey Center in Hesston. While the Tornado Collection documents an event from 1990, the exhibit took place during a specific period in 2025. This distinction helps visitors distinguish historical subjects from past cultural events.

More Things to Do and Hesston’s Location

The Hesston Aquatic Center offers pool party reservations. Another option for planning your day is The Grill at Hesston Golf Course: it offers a lunch menu and serves both golfers and non-golfers. A bookable pool party and a lunch option add two more interests to the town’s gardens, culture, and history.

Hesston is 30 miles north of Wichita, directly off Interstate I-135. These details put the town in its regional context and complement the information about the arboretum, college culture, and local history. When searching for a hotel in Hesston, you can start by considering which of these interests best describes the purpose of your stay.

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View the broader travel guide: Harvey County.