Lindsborg Museum Launches $20K Match Challenge for Annual Millfest

Anonymous donor offers to match all Millfest sponsorships in March to support the historic flour mill event.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum has been issued a $20,000 match challenge through the month of March to encourage sponsorships for its annual Millfest event, which features guided tours of the 128-year-old operating flour mill. The museum is hoping the match will help cover the costs of putting on the popular festival, which draws around 600 visitors each year.

Why it matters

Millfest is a unique opportunity for the public to experience the only historic flour mill of its kind still operating in the Midwest. The event helps preserve the history and heritage of the region's agricultural past, while also serving as a major fundraiser to keep the museum running and its programs accessible.

The details

The anonymous $20,000 match challenge will apply to all Millfest sponsorships made in March, effectively doubling the impact of each donation. The museum has already secured $5,750 in Millfest sponsorships, putting it over a quarter of the way to meeting the full match. Sponsorships start at just $25 and come with various 'thank you' benefits for donors.

  • The Millfest event takes place on the first Saturday in May, which in 2026 will be on May 2.
  • The museum's 'Millfest for Kids' living history event is held the Friday before Millfest.
  • The March match challenge runs from March 1 to March 31, 2026.

The players

Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum

A museum in Lindsborg, Kansas that features the only historic flour mill of its kind still operating in the Midwest.

Lenora Lynam

The Interim Executive Director of the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum.

Adam Pracht

The Marketing and Communications Director at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum.

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What they’re saying

“We've gone back and plucked out this historical moment in time from 128 years ago and brought it into today so modern people can get a taste of what the flour milling industry and agriculture in Kansas meant more than five generations ago. This is way more than reading about history. With the vibrating, dynamic machinery all around you, you are feeling history in your bones and deep in your gut.”

— Adam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director (ksal.com)

“It will take many more generous people to ensure we don't leave any part of this large match challenge donation unclaimed. Right now is the best time of year to make your donation stretch farther.”

— Lenora Lynam, Interim Executive Director (ksal.com)

What’s next

The museum is encouraging those interested in taking advantage of the match challenge to submit their Millfest sponsorships by the March 31 deadline.

The takeaway

This match challenge is a unique opportunity for the community to support the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum's efforts to preserve local history and culture through its popular Millfest event, which offers a rare chance to experience the sights, sounds, and feel of a working 19th century flour mill.