06/10/2026
FAITH NOTES 6/10/26 (2 of 2)
TOUR OF THE CHAPELS EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE COMING UP
The early-bird registration date for the Tour Die Kapellen (Tour of the Chapels) is coming up on Friday, June 19.
The seventh annual tour for bicycle riders and bus riders will visit four historic Catholic churches in Ellis County, with three additional optional churches available for bicyclists.
The early-bird registration fee is $50 per bicycle rider and $75 per bus rider. This will include a free T-shirt. After June 19, the rate will go up to $60 per bicycle rider and $85 per bus rider. Registration is available at www.tourdiekapellen.com.
Registrations will be accepted through the morning of the event, which is Saturday, July 11, the website said.
The four historic churches are St. Catherine Church in Catharine, the Basilica of St. Fidelis in Victoria, Holy Cross Church in Pfeifer, and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Munjor.
The three optional churches for bicycle riders are St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays, St. Anthony Catholic Church in Schoenchen, and St. Ann Catholic Church in Walker.
As always, musicians, many of them members of the Hays Symphony, will be performing at each location. The musicians and their performance times are listed on the website.
The tour is sponsored by Hays Area Bicyclists, a 501(c)3 organization “which supports wellness through cycling,” the website says.
“The Tour die Kapellen (Tour of the Chapels) was organized in 2019 as a joint venture between four rural communities in the Ellis County area along with members of the Hays Symphony and the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau,” the website said.
Over the past seven years, more than $90,000 has been distributed among the Hays Symphony and the historic churches on the tours, the website said. “The funds are presented to the churches to help defray costs of structural repairs and general maintenance.”
Bicycle riders have a choice of the following route lengths: 15 miles, 30 miles, 50 miles, 62 miles, 75 miles, 100 miles, all on asphalt, and 54 miles on a mixed surface, including gravel. All bicycle riders will depart from Municipal Park. Departure times vary depending on the length of the route. The website has all departure times. Helmets are mandatory for all bicyclists.
Bus riders will also gather in Municipal Park and depart at 8 a.m. The bus tour guide will be Jerry Braun of Hays, a fourth-generation resident of Ellis County and a descendant of the Volga Germans who settled in the area in 1876. Braun is a retired Hays Public School teacher and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ellis County Historical Society.
After the tours, participants will gather back in Municipal Park for a German meal provided by the Schoenchen community. Adult beverages and sodas will also be available, provided by local merchants. Lunch will run from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with live music performed by the Hot Shots.
Join us, Saturday, July 11, 2026, as we celebrate the heritage of the Ellis County area. Visit historic limestone churches, experience the ethnic culture, and listen to professional musicians at each venue — all through a commute on cycle.
