03 Sep Landmark Concert Series Brings World-Class Music to Lindsborg
2026 Lindsborg Jazz Walk photo archive. ©Taton Tubbs Through My Eyes Photography
Each year, the Lindsborg community comes together with a shared purpose: to celebrate music and the community’s rich cultural heritage.
The Lindsborg Landmark Concert Series was created to bring high-quality musical experiences to a community long recognized as a center for the arts in Ks. Established by local community members with the help of University of Kansas Associate Professor of Practice in Jazz, Brass and Percussion Brandon Draper, the series brings renowned musicians to Lindsborg to perform free concerts for the community.
The series typically offers three musical experiences each year. Among the most popular is the community’s annual Jazz Walk, a New Orleans-style musical parade through downtown Lindsborg.
2026 Lindsborg Jazz Walk photo archive. ©Taton Tubbs Through My Eyes Photography
The Jazz Walk changes its musical focus from year to year while continuing to feature the energy and instruments commonly associated with jazz. This year’s performance featured 10 musicians performing “The Funky Side of Blue Note,” a program centered on funk-influenced music associated with the historic Blue Note Records label and its influential catalog of funk music.
Featured artist Paul Draper, a Hammond organ player and member of the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, joined Brandon Draper’s group for the performance. The ensemble also included musicians who traveled from across the country, including multiple Grammy winners and musicians considered among the Midwest’s most sought-after performers.
“One of the things that makes the pool of musicians so unique is that in the past 15 years, there have been a lot of New York and Los Angeles transplants to Kansas City,” Brandon Draper said. “These musicians turn other things down to come to this event.”
During the Jazz Walk, musicians and attendees travel together through downtown Lindsborg, stopping at local businesses and gathering additional community members along the way. By the end of this year’s event, the group had grown to approximately 300 people, according to musician and event organizer Mike Dreier.
2026 Lindsborg Jazz Walk photo archive. ©Taton Tubbs Through My Eyes Photography
Dreier said one reason the concert series continues to attract high-level talent is its commitment to fairly compensating musicians for their work. That investment, he said, allows Lindsborg residents to experience performances from artists they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see locally.
The series has also helped build a dedicated audience for live music within the community.
“Every year I get emails from some of the community members asking if this musician or that musician will be coming back for this year,” Draper said.
The Landmark Concert Series is supported in part by a grant from the David J. Nutt Fund, administered by the McPherson County Community Foundation. Dreier said the grant has been instrumental in helping the series bring talented musicians to Lindsborg.
2026 Lindsborg Jazz Walk photo archive. ©Taton Tubbs Through My Eyes Photography
“I’ve always described Lindsborg as a bug zapper for creative types,” Dreier said. “The grant lets us reinforce that our community is a place for the arts.”
“These musicians are Grammy nominated artists that are internationally known, and their spreading the praise of a small town in McPherson County.” Draper said, “What I usually hear from musicians from the first year or two that they play is that they can’t believe that they have the same experience that they would have at a jazz festival overseas.”
“We are not going to have anyone come here and have them feel like this is just another gig.” Draper said.
The 2026 Landmark Concert Series will conclude with its interactive holiday performance, “Freeze Your Brass Off.” The event invites local musicians with access to a horn or brass instrument to join the group as it travels through the community playing Christmas carols. Final dates have not yet been announced, but the event is typically held in December.
A full recording of the Jazz walk can be found here