In addition, check out another registration/payment option - our Square Web-site(link) to register and pay via Square for the FunDay or membership (new&renewal), and order magazines..
On-line registration is easy and quick. It is so convenience, it seems it is the most preferred method. Upon finalization of your PayPal or Square transaction, you will receive an email confirmationl. In addition, an email is also sent to the Treasurer, which is used as your registration. If you need to confirm, or have any problems or questions, you may email. We'll respond as soon as possible.
Looking for a hotel to stay at in Lawrence for the 2026 Bee FunDay?
We have a block of rooms available. Ask for special Beekeeping FunDay rates or make your reservation on-line! Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lawrence, KS 3411 S.W. Iowa St, Lawrence, KS Phone: 785-749-7555
To make a reservation call 785-749-7555 use the code to get the discount.
If you have questions or you would like to be a vendor, please call, text, or email Joli Winer at 913-593-3562.
Parking your RV or travel trailers will be allowed on the Douglas County Fairgrounds
There are sixteen sites that have electricity (30 amps & 50 amps each), NO water, parked on gravel, and the cost is $15 per night. There are eight sites that do NOT have electricity or water, parked on dirt/grass and there is no cost for these sites. You will need to make reservations for the sites. Contact Paige Vannicola at pvannicola@dgcoks.gov and provide her your arrival date and departure date. Paige will send you an electronic invoice that will need to be paid by credit card. If you have questions for Paige, she can also be reached by telephone at 785-832-5296.
Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers
AssOCIATIOn
NEKBA.ORG
BEE FunDAy 2026- See you Saturday, June 6, 2026 !!!
It's our annual educational and fun event for beekeepers and non-beekeepers alike.
33 years' Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association Bee Fundays
Bee FunDay 2026
2026 Funday – Save the Date-Saturday, June 6th Douglas County Fairgrounds, Lawrence
Our annual Funday is shaping up nicely. Watch for more updates. Registration will open soon.
We have confirmed our guest speakers and they are:
Dr. David Peck: Since 2024 Dr. Peck has served as the Academic Advisor for the Eastern Apicultural Society's Certified Master Beekeeper program. David researches honey bee behavior and the evolutionary host-parasite relationship between bees and Varroa mites. Since completing his doctoral work in Cornell’s Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Dr. Peck has done field research and consulted to protect bees in both Newfoundland, Canada, and Anosy, Madagascar. He left Cornell to move to Greenwich, New York, where he now works for Betterbee. Dr. Peck develops and teaches classes on beekeeping and bee biology, bridges the gap between cutting-edge bee science and the beekeeping industry, and conducts research to improve our understanding of bee biology and to help keep honey bees healthy.
David Burns: David started beekeeping in the early 1990s and started a beekeeping business several years later. In 2006 David began blogging and uploading beekeeping videos to YouTube. His YouTube channel has grown to around 154,000 subscribers. He also produces a weekly beekeeping podcast.
In 2020 David & Sheri were approached by Rockridge press to write the book “Backyard Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your First Hive.” He has produced a suite of online beekeeping courses that have become very popular among new beekeepers.
David produces queens, nucs and packages. To make sure beekeepers had the best and latest scientific information on bees and beekeeping, David became a Certified Master Beekeeper through the Eastern Apicultural Society (2010). He also writes a weekly column for Bee Culture Magazine.
Dr. Judy Wu-Smart (Associate Professor & Extension Specialist) received her MS at Washington State University under the advisement of Drs. Steve Sheppard and Carol Anelli and a PhD from University of Minnesota with Dr. Marla Spivak. She has been the director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bee Lab since 2015. At UNL, she and her team have been developing a robust pollinator health program for the Midwest region to help beekeepers, scientists, policy makers, and land managers understand the underlying stressors challenging bee health, such as improper management of pests and diseases and exposure to pesticides. Community engagement and promoting science literacy around these complicated farm-to-table issues are also key components of her research and extension education programs.
Updated Wed Dec 3, 2025
Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)5 non-profit organization.
About the Event: How did it come about???
The name " Bee FunDay" came about in the early 1990's from hosting these small early summer bee events at a local farm. Members of the association got together for the event to have fun, and expand their learning from just a monthly meeting. The even has gown in numbers over the years. It has always been a way for members to bond in addition to learning other things about beekeeping that might not be covered in a monthly educational meeting. In 2015, we had over 300 in attendance. Join us at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
The very first Bee Funday event was held on a Sunday, June 5th, 1994, at the grounds of the Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Spring, KS. The next was held at the home of Joli Winer and Cecil Sweeney. The association held it's annual Watermelon Feed & Honey Judging Contest in the month of September.