Post # 3, The Proud

(The awesome flag I bought at last years pride festival.) 

Greetings readers! This week I want to talk about an event that recently started here in Topeka. Topeka Pride. When I went to the first pride festival I was ecstatic! The LGBT community is close to my heart as many any of my family members and friends identify as LGBT. For those who don't know, a pride festival is an event where people gather to celebrate LGBT culture, show support, and discuss many of the legal and social issues the LGBT community face.

Now, pride festivals are not a new thing of course. It is fairly new to Topeka though. This years pride festival will mark it as the third. The Topeka Pride has taken place at the NOTO District since 2014. This year the festival will be from September 12th to September 17th! Almost a whole week! The previous year was only two days! 2016 Topeka Pride is still being planned, but it has been announced that they will have an award ceremony, a parade, street fair, drag show, and an after party.

Last years festival included merchants, food vendors, and stands by organizations such us NOW, National Organization for Women. The local vendors at NOTO were also open and ready for business. There was face painting, music, a bake sale from the local high schools, speeches from local LGBT activists, belly dancing and much more!

If you want to stay updated on news about Topeka Pride or get involved feel free to like and follow their Facebook page and visit their website. The following article written by Ciara Reid for the Liberty Press also talks about the 2016 festival and mentions the planned speaking guest. The Google map will also help locate the NOTO District where the event will be held. I hope to see guys this year at pride!
Article
Facebook page
Website

Post # 2, That Sunny Weekend

Greetings Readers! I hope you've all had an extraordinary week! This week and especially this weekend TopCity brought us some sun. When you get weather such as this it is only reasonable that you  want to spend sometime outside. One of my favorite places is Gage Park. Locals have probably visited it before, but it is always nice to get a reminder of how nice of a gem it is. If you haven't gone put it on your list!

Gage Park is located on 160 acres and filled with many attractions for hanging out with friends or a family day out. One of the biggest attractions is the Topeka Zoo. You'll find lion, gorillas, reptiles, and more. Inside you can also experience a tropical rain forest with the animals in a natural environment. There is also a petting zoo and a bird feeding exhibit. The Zoo also has many activities throughout the year. Feel free to look at their website! Oh, and admission fee is only $5.75!

Besides the zoo, Gage park is also home to a vintage carousel and a cute little mini-train that takes you around the park. Regardless of age everyone loves a good carousel ride. During the summer you can also jump in the pool at the aquatic center or enjoy a day out with your doggy pal(s) at the bark park. If you just like to take walks be sure to check out the rose garden. Many people use the Reinisch Rose Garden as their wedding location and pre-prom photo session location. Lastly, check out the Kansas Children's Discovery Center and Helen Hocker Theatre.



If you want more information click here! While Gage Park is an awesome place don't forget about the  other local parks in Topeka such as Garfield and Lake Shawnee. Many parks have community center who offer a variety of classes ranging from water painting to kickboxing!

Post # 1, Introduction

Greetings readers! Welcome to TopCity Ventures! My name is Areli Bermudez-Villarreal and I am a student at Washburn University located in Topeka, KS. I would consider Topeka my hometown despite being born in Chicago, IL. My family moved to Topeka, or TopCity as locals call it, back when I was eight years old. The historical capital city of Kansas captured my heart and quickly became home.

With this blog I hope to answer the most recurring question that I get from non-locals such as my cousins back in Chicago. “What can you possibly do in a place like Topeka?”. By no means is Topeka as loud as Chicago, but there are still many gems in this ole city. Over the next few weeks I’ll let you know about some of my favorite places to go around town. Also, I will mention a few of the events I look forward to throughout the year. Hopefully you can find something that peaks your interest here as well! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!