River Suite Dinner and Music is Friday, June 12

An evening on the historic Cottonwood River Bridge in Cottonwood Falls will once again become one of the Flint Hills’ most anticipated summer gatherings as the Chase County Chamber of Commerce prepares for the 2026 River Suite Dinner and Music event on Friday, June 12.

Set against the backdrop of the waterfall in downtown Cottonwood Falls, the event combines fine dining, live music and the atmosphere of a Kansas summer evening beneath white peaked tents stretching across the bridge. Organizers report tickets are selling quickly.

Sales end on June 7 unless available tickets are claimed sooner.

This year’s event will feature a new layout designed to give guests more seating options depending on whether they prefer to be near the stage or enjoy a quieter setting for conversation and dining. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with a happy hour cash bar benefiting the restoration of the historic 1900 Opera House/Auditorium/ Theater in Strong City. Music by Tallgrass Express begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner service at 7 p.m.

Entertainment resumes afterward.

Known for their “Songs of the Flint Hills,” Tallgrass Express has spent more than two decades performing music inspired by prairie life, ranching culture and Kansas history. The group includes songwriter Annie Wilson, guitarist and vocalist who was named “Flint Hills Balladeer” by the Governor of Kansas, along with Carl Reed and Derrick Doty.

Dinner will be prepared by Smokin’ O’s owner Owen Reed and will feature beef tenderloin steak, twice baked potatoes, creamed corn, fresh garden salad with homemade ranch dressing, rolls with whipped honey butter and Texas sheet cake. Proceeds from the evening’s cash bar will support ongoing preservation efforts at the historic Strong City theater building, where volunteers continue restoration work on the longtime community landmark.

Tickets are $85 plus tax and may be purchased through the event website HeartoftheFlintHills.com. Tthose interested in attending, are encourage to secure tickets soon due to limited seating availability.