Friends of the Farmstead Dinner and Concert 2018

Friends of the Farmstead Dinner // photo Dave Hensley

Plano’s beloved Heritage Farmstead Museum will host its annual Friends of the Farmstead fundraising dinner event May 11.

The Farmstead is known here as a bastion of local history, the home of the Junior FFA program and the legacy of Ammie Wilson, who previously owned the Victorian-era home and farm. As one can imagine, the museum’s many community events, such as the Lantern Light festival, Easter Eggstravaganza, homeschool days and summer camps, need financial support to continue to be offered to guests.

The historic Farrell-Wilson house at Heritage Farmstead Museum // photo Jennifer Shertzer

What better way to raise funds than to have a good ol’ fashioned evening of dinner and dancing in the Pole Barn to the tunes of Texas country band Eleven Hundred Springs?

Matt Hillyer, front man for the six-piece band, says their music has a timeless quality, inspired by country greats such as Bob Wills, Hank Williams and Merle Haggard. Playing together since ’98, they’ve just released their 10th album, “Finer Things in Life,” and are excited about the opportunity to entertain loyal supporters of the historically significant Farmstead. Matt laughs and says, “We play for the eight to 80 crowd.”

Matt Hillyer, front man for Eleven Hundred Springs // photo Jennifer Shertzer

M’Lou Hyttinen, executive director of the Heritage Farmstead Museum, and Kathy Strobel, director of marketing and development, are interested in providing more than just another dinner; they want to provide an experience for Planoites. These ladies believe in recreating experiences from Plano’s rich farming history, and Friends of the Farmstead is just one more way for folks to gather together, much like our ancestors did back in the day.

Tickets to the May 11 event include dinner and drinks. VIP tickets include a special reception with cocktails, appetizers and live music by Squeezebox Bandits, as well as VIP seating at dinner and full bar access. Fun activities are planned throughout the evening, such as Chicken Poop Bingo and Heads and Tails.

As Kathy explained, “We just want to awaken something in people, to help them appreciate a place like this. We just want to support that feeling of connectedness to history and their community.”

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