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Written by: Rick Nichols

Published: 12 May 2026

     Members of the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club played an instrumental role in the pulling off of Ensorfest '26, this year's version of the annual celebration of all things Ensor as in Jacob, Ida, Marshall, Loretta and Ina.

     In fact, John Gray, KD0VRS, who also is on the board for The Olathe Ensor Foundation, even loaned his saxophone-playing son Owen to the cause for an hour so that he and fellow musicians Nick Heffner (piano), Ethan Steiner (bass) and Nick Pedigo (drums) could entertain those who had gathered in front of the historic Ensor home at Ensor Park and Museum in Olathe to hear some jazz. The four young men perform as the Neon Quartet and appear to have been well received by their listeners as they worked their way through their set, which included some familiar numbers, "Misty" among them.

     The noon hour jazz concert kicked off the slate of activities planned for Saturday, May 9 and was followed by a mini Chautauqua during which both Tom Kearney and Ensor Park and Museum intern Attisen McCorkle spoke. Tom talked about generosity, while Attisen reviewed the work she had been doing since January and read a famous poem, too. I served as the master of ceremonies and contributed a piece about my late father and a short story written by my late mother, Peg Nichols, KD0VQO-SK.

     The mini Chautauqua preceded a brief presentation by Bill Brinker, WA0CBW, a member of the Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club. He talked about the eight farm implements that are lined up to the west of the chicken coop where the hens deposited their eggs for the Ensors and others to enjoy back in the day.

     Meanwhile, other members of the SFTARC helped direct traffic toward the parking lot or assisted with tours of the two-story Italianate home where amateur radio pioneers Marshall Ensor, W9BSP, and his younger sister Loretta, W9UA, spent their formative years.

     Back by popular demand, it would seem, the Pheasant Pluckers delivered two 45-minute sets of bluegrass music that were sandwiched around a presentation featuring members of Olathe's Lowrider Bike Club. This was the club's first appearance at Ensorfest and the bikes they showed up with were quite a sight to behold.

     The Olathe Art Gallery also had a presence at Ensorfest for the first time. Paintings done by local artists could be viewed in the north room of the Peg Barn and were by at least some, according to John Gray, who shared his thoughts about Ensorfest '26 with the other members of the OEF board in an email he sent them May 12. "Well, I think Ensorfest went pretty well this year," he said. "Overall attendance seemed fairly similar to last year."

     John also had a couple of positive things to say about the on-site food vendor, Taco Fuego KC, which, like the bike club and the art gallery, made its Ensorfest debut May 9. "I thought the food was good and the service was friendly," he related.

     John also reported that the members of the Cadillac club "had a good time" and were "grateful for the invitation" to again be part of the event, which was sponsored by The Olathe Ensor Foundation, the two radio clubs and the City of Olathe, which owns and operates Ensor Park and Museum. And he further reported that the quilters from the Olathe Quilters Guild "seemed to be enjoying themselves and said they were happy to come back next year."

     Other attractions included the Maverick 2-hole disc golf course well to the west of the house, the 1911 Cushman engine in operation back of the house, the two classic tractors parked next to the east fence, and, of course, Dot and Dash, the two amateur radio-friendly Angora goats on loan from Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Olathe.