On July 4, Prairie Village hosted the 29th annual VillageFest on the municipal campus grounds at 7700 Mission Road.
The event featured live music from Mr. Stinky Feet, a bike parade down Mission Road and family entertainment.
Mayor Erik Mikkelson presented the Community Spirit Awards for 2025.
The Citizen Achievement award went to Lisa Elsener, a Prairie Village resident who has competed in the Special Olympics for more than 46 years and holds 10 medals from the Special Olympics World Game competetions. She has set 17 American or world records for swimming with a disability.
“She has shown the world how to compete and succeed with focus and determination,” said Mikkelson. “Her home town is proud of her and we are delighted to recognize her for it.”
Trudy and George Williams received the Lifetime Spirit award. The couple founded Stand Up for Black Lives in Prairie Village, along with founding the city’s diversity committee and establishing an official Juneteenth celebration. Both have served on numerous city boards and councils.
The annual pie contest received more entries than last year. Grand champion is Rachel North with a blackberry key lime cream pie.
Kara Amato’s grapefruit meringue topped the fruit division; Samantha Koerner’s s’mores pie won the other division and Emily Soseman took first in the youth division with a chocolate peanut butter cup pie.
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