Choose Newton Update

Community events, development news, tourism and Newton promotions

September 30, 2025

Newton High School Homecoming

This Friday is Newton High School Homecoming. Don't forget to dawn your Railer gear on Friday, October 3 to show support for Railer Nation.

• Homecoming Parade - 5:15pm
  • The parade will travel east on W 1st Street to Grandview and then enter Athletic Park
• Homecoming Game - 7pm
  • Cheer on the football team as they take on Salina Central High School
  • Half Time Entertainment
    • Newton Pep Band
    • Homecoming Coronation
• Athletic Events Throughout the Week
  • Tuesday, September 30
    • JV Girls Tennis
    • JV & Varsity Boys Soccer
    • JV & Varsity Volleyball
  • Thursday, October 2
    • Middle School Girls Tennis
    • 8th Grade Volleyball
    • 7th & 8th Grade Football
  • Saturday, October 4
    • Cross County Invitational
    • Girls Gymnastics Invitational (last one at NHS - no longer a KSHSAA sport after this year)

Taste of Newton & Fall Fest

Bethel's Fall Fest events kickoff this evening for a week of activities and fun! See a partial schedule below. You can view more information and a full schedule atbethelks.edu/fallfest/. While many of the events are free to attend, you can purchase tickets for those events that require it on the website.

Tuesday, September 30

• Fall Fest Parade - 6pm, North Newton Main Street

Thursday, October 2

• Taste of Newton - 6-9pm, Downtown Newton
  • 4 blocks of food vendors
  • 2 stages with performances

Friday, October 3

• Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Performance - 7pm, Krehbiel Auditorium

Saturday, October 4

• Country Breakfast - 7-10am, Kidron Bethel Village
• Bird Walk - 8-9am, Kauffman Museum
• Color Run - 8am, Thresher Stadium
• Food, Vendors, and Entertainment on the Green
• Market in the Round
• Organ Recital - 10am, Kauffman Museum
• Hymn Festival - 12pm, Ad Building Chapel
• Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Performance - 3pm, Krehbiel Auditorium
• Wellness Center Ribbon Cutting - 4pm, North of Ward Tennis Center
• Football vs. Sterling - 6pm, Thresher Stadium

Sunday, October 5

• Fall Fest Worship Service - 10am, Bethel College Mennonite Church
• Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Performance - 2pm, Krehbiel Auditorium

Grants for Downtown Buildings

There are two upcoming grant opportunities specific to downtown building owners. These are great opportunities to receive some additional funding for renovation projects. These grants are available to Kansas communities through the Department of Commerce and Kansas Main Street. If you are interested in learning more, please email JLehman@NewtonKansas.com

• ROOMS Grant (Residential Opportunities on Main Street)
  • This grant is designed to help property owners looking to develop second story housing opportunities in the downtown district. This grant has a 1:1 match and will award up to $50,000.
• HEAL Grant (Historic Economic Asset Lifeline)
  • This grant is designed to help rehabilitate downtown buildings in the historic district. They focus on: new or expanding businesses, housing, arts and culture, civic engagement, child, and entrepreneurship. Award amounts vary based on the project and impact.

Boo Baskets

This Halloween season you can spread some spooky fun with Boo Baskets. Boo Baskets are a fun Halloween tradition where you secretly place a gift on your neighbor's porch for them to find along with a note telling them that they have been booed along with instructions for how to pass on the fun.

This is a great way to build community this Halloween with your neighbors, friends, and community members. Download your Boo Basket flyer and learn more at:Choose-Newton.com/Boo.

Last Call for Submissions

Halloween Event Submission

We are putting together a Newton Community Halloween Event Guide and need your help filling it up. If you are putting on a Halloween event we would love to hear about it and help you advertise. Our Choose Newton Halloween Event Guide will come out in our next Choose Newton Newsletter, posted on our social media, and featured on our website. Events can be submitted through our event portal atChoose-Newton.com/Events. You can also email events toJLehman@NewtonKansas.com.

Best of Newton Photo Contest

The Best of Newton Photo Contest will be accepting entries until Monday, October 13. Make sure to get your photos in soon so that they can be included in the contest. We can't wait to see all of your amazing photos throughout the year of Newton. See all of the photo contest rules and submit your photos at:Choose-Newton.com/Photo.

Choose Newton Community Calendar Event Submissions

We will be accepting Community Events submissions for the printed 2026 Choose Newton Calendar until Monday, October 13. The calendar gets distributed to many throughout our community, county, and region. This is a great way to advertise your large community events to many households and help get the word out. Events can be submitted through our event portal atChoose-Newton.com/Events. You can also email events toJLehman@NewtonKansas.com.

Choose Newton Community Calendar

The Choose Newton Community Calendar is full of amazing events all around town for October. There are many events listed and more getting added. You can view the Choose Newton Community Calendar atChoose-Newton.com/Eventsor through theNewton Connect app.

October Highlighted Events

• October 2 - Taste of Newton
• October 3 - NHS Homecoming
• October 4 - Bethel College Fall Fest
• October 12 - KIPCOR "Join or Die" Film Screening
• October 16 - Third Thursday
• October 31 - Lion's Club Halloween Walk Downtown

Many Other Events

• Trivia Nights
• Karaoke
• Newton High School Athletics
• Bethel College Athletics
• Farmer's Market
• Newton Public Library Story Time & Events
• and so much more!

You can submit events to add to the Choose Newton Community Calendar atChoose-Newton.com/Events. Make sure your events don't get left off this great free resource.

September Third Thursday in Pictures

Thank you to everyone who came out for Third Thursday in September! It was great to cheer on Railer Nation and get excited about the school year ahead. Thank you also to everyone who came out and supported the businesses who were open late. Check out some of the photos from the evening. You can find more on theChoose Newton Facebook page.