29th Annual Amelia Earhart Festival Set for July 17-18 in Atchison

ATCHISON, Ks. (KQTV) -- The 29th Annual Amelia Earhart Festival is scheduled for July 17-18 in Atchison, Kansas, taking over the city for a weekend of celebration in honor of the famed aviator.

The festival features fireworks, vendors, live music, and educational opportunities highlighting Earhart's legacy.

This year's event is especially significant as it coincides with America's 250th birthday, with organizers promising plenty of celebrations to mark the occasion.

One of the festival's highlights is the Pioneering Achievement Award, presented annually to a woman who exemplifies Earhart's spirit.

This year's honoree is an extragalactic physicist who has discovered a supernova and achieved remarkable accomplishments in her field.

She will participate in a speaker symposium at 10:30 a.m. at Benedictine College, alongside two other women, before receiving the award at a luncheon.

"It's never the same," said Festival Coordinator Jacque Pregont. "Even the Pioneering Achievement Award, we've completely changed gears from what we did last year or the year before. It's always someone in a different field that has just excelled in some wild way. It's always fun to have those women."

The festival is scheduled for July 17-18.

Tickets to the luncheon can be found on the City of Atchison's website.