In 2002, Craig and Christy Pattison moved to a house just north of Urich, off Hwy. B. The house, built in 1908 by Urich’s doctor, L.L. Smith, sits on 60-plus wooded acres, with a big field behind it that slopes down to a creek.
After they made an offer on the house, the Pattisons and daughter Tess went to look at the property again. They were sitting on the rise overlooking the field, Christy said, admiring the view, when Craig said, “This would be perfect for an amphitheater.”
“Of all the times for Tess and I to do it, this was the one time we agreed with him,” Christy said.
So once the deed was signed, the family started renovating the old house and creating Craig’s vision. In 2004, they built a large covered stage facing the field, to make the wooded acreage into a destination for concerts and events.
Called Cedar Hills Amphitheatre, the venue is 45 minutes from Kansas City, where it is probably more well known. People come to Cedar Hills for concerts, weddings, company parties and special events like the recent BikeFest.
“It’s a place to get out of the city and relax,” Christy said.
Creating Cedar Hills has been a family project, Christy said. Craig used to build log houses, she said. Daughter Tess Pattison-Wade, who handles the marketing and bookings, built her house near theirs on the property.
“We’re all builders,” Christy said.
Using recycled or donated materials, they added a 30 by 60-foot covered beer garden in 2005. They also created 28 tent campsites with lights and shower houses, and built two “glamping” tent platforms.
The Pattison used to hold a two-day band concert at Cedar Hills every July, Christy said. They called it the Bogart Music Festival, loosely named after the township they live in. It grew to a dozen bands, she said.
The event schedule took a breather during the pandemic, Christy said, but they had plenty of work to do on the property. The Pattisons built hiking trails along the tree line and bridges across the creek, she said. There’s a place where you can cross the creek on a log, Christy said. Up the hill, there’s a pond for fishing and swimming.
They added onto the beer garden, and built a second stage next to it, with a dance floor and firepit, where they will hold the Chili Cook-Off, coming up on October 14. Since it’s near Halloween, they’ll have games and treat bags for children, Christy said.
Cedar Hills starts out the season every spring in May with a fish fry and shrimp boil. It concludes in October with the Chili Cook-Off. Cooks can enter for $5, with the winner getting the pot. Attendance for the general public is free. In addition to games and candy, there’s the chance to win one of 20 bicycles the Pattisons are giving away.
“We’ll have a big pile of leaves for children to play in,” she said.
Barton Red of Leeton, who considers himself Cedar Hill’s “house band,” will play country and a mix of music. Events usually end with everyone gathered around a fire in the fire pit in the evening, Christy said, with friends playing music.
“We’ll have hot dogs to roast and marshmallows for s’mores,” she said.
Last Sept. 15, Cedar Hills Amphitheatre was base camp for Bikefest, put on by the MOBike Federation. The ride featured 90 miles of paved and gravel roads in Henry County north of Urich, Christy said, and is on the calendar for next year.
This fall, their daughter Danielle Cooper, who lives in Oklahoma, is coming up to put on a bonus event on October 20. Called “CroptoberFest,”it’s a cannabis-friendly educational weekend with live music, camping and speakers. Check the website, cedarhillsmusic.com, for admission and tent camping fees.
The field where the Pattisons sat 21 years ago to admire the view is now grass, but was overgrown when they bought it, Christy said. They cleared it, and plan on turning the 9-acre field into a bee and butterfly habitat.
Other plans call for adding a screened-in kitchen onto the beer garden, and screening-in the beer garden, she said. For the Chili Cook-Off, the area next to the beer garden will be set up with three long tables and have electric plug-ins, she said. In addition to bringing entries in crock pots, chili cooks usually have crackers or some kind of snack to eat with the chili. They’ll also be a dessert table, and people are welcome to bring their own drinks. She’ll have plastic cups, she said, as she discourages glass in the venue.
Cedar Hills also has a fish fryer, five-foot-long barbecue smokers and barbecue grills. The Clinton Shriners used to hold pancake breakfasts at Cedar Hills, Christy said.
Future building plans include building tree houses. Christy’s thinking of a large one to accommodate parents, with a ramp bridge connecting to a second smaller tree house for children. Craig ran a tree service, clearing utility right-of-ways — the logs holding up the metal roof of the beer garden were old log poles from Osage Valley Electric Co-op. The tops of the picnic tables were made from doors, the beer garden bar was made of butcher block salvaged from a K.C. school district, and the swing is made from cedar trees on the property, Christy said.
Christy grew up in Kansas City, but after she married, she and Craig lived on a ranch near Huntsville, Ark., overlooking the King’s River. She had always liked the area north of Urich, however, where a cousin lived. So when the Smith property became available, Craig said “I’ll go up and buy it for you.”
Now the Pattisons are busy maintaining their Cedar Hills acreage. Craig mows the big field, and Christy weed-whacks and stains wood. On past birthdays, Craig bought her a stump-grinder and a red tractor, she said.
Craig is partial to his golf cart,which he rides around the property, doing a “Chisum,” John Wayne’s name in a movie in which he always made reconnaissance rides around the ranch. Both Christy and Craig love the peaceful feeling of their property, and want to share it with others.
“It’s our staycation,” Christy said.
As a family, the Pattisons plan what events they want to hold, she said.
“It takes a lot of time to put an event together,” Christy said, “but it’s so much fun.”
In addition to planned public events, Cedar Hills Amphitheatre is available year-round for event rentals. Contact Tess at 888-782-1401, email info@cedarhillmusic.com, or go to cedarhillmusic.com for more information.
Cedar Hills Amphitheatre is located off NW Hwy. B. Take the Urich exit off of Hwy. 7, go north on NW Hwy. B, then watch for Cedar Hill signs and turn left onto NW 750 Rd., the first gravel road on the left.
