Searching for ideas on what to do in Wichita this week? We got you covered with The Best Things To Do In Wichita.
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BEST THINGS TO DO!
■ Wichita Career Fair | October 19
Looking for a job with purpose? We’re hiring family support workers, permanency specialists, after-hours support workers, foster care recruiters, kinship specialists, therapists, and drivers. High school diploma or college degree, we need you! Come to our Wichita Career Fair on October 19th and learn how you can make a big difference while making a good living.
■ Taco Fajita Reopening | October 19
After closing down temporarily for a remodel, the dollar taco spot has reopened!
■ 1 Million Cups at Groover Labs | October 20
1 Million Cups is a free, weekly national program designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Every Wednesday morning at 8:45 a.m., one or two early-stage startups present their companies to a diverse audience of their peers, mentors, educators, and advisors.
■ The 19th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival | October 20-24
Bringing independent film to the heartland. The 19th Annual Tallgrass Film festival takes place on October 20-24 (in person) plus virtual October 24-29 2021. Get all of the details at tallgrassfilm.org.
■ Wild Lights at the Sedgwick County Zoo | October 20-24
Wild Lights will be open from 6 – 9 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday. Roam the Zoo after dark, with your path illuminated by larger-than-life sculptures of all things WILD! Read our feature here.
■ Food Truck Thursdays at Exploration Place | October 21
Thursdays at Exploration Place just got more awesome! Mark your calendars for weekly Food Truck Thursday events continuing into the fall and winter. Chow down with Wichita’s best food trucks, join in on fun activities like trivia or themed events, then end your evening with the Keeper of the Plains 9 pm ring of fire lighting. While you’re here, bring the whole family to check out our exhibits at a discounted rate!
■ Hospitality Career Fair | October 21
Visit Wichita has partnered with Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas to host a career fair for the tourism and hospitality industry. At least 20 businesses ranging from American Airlines and INTRUST Bank Arena to Cabela’s and Tanganyika Wildlife Park are participating.
■ WWE Smackdown | October 22
Friday Night SmackDown is coming home to Wichita! For one night only, see your favorite SmackDown Superstars under one roof. SmackDown Universal Champion Roman Reigns, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Rey & Dominik Mysterio, and many more.
■ Dinosaurs After Dark 2021 | October 22
There have been reports of paranormal activity at the Field Station and it’s up to our young explorers to hunt for what’s causing all the mischief. Every 10 minutes – beginning at 7:10 pm and ending at 8:30 pm – guests will explore the darkened trail and encounter some of the most recognizable movie monsters of all time, all while trying to find the source of paranormal activity happening at the Field Station. It’s a spooky-not-scary, fun filled night of songs, activities and even some take home treats!
■ Bare Knuckle Fight Night: Rickels vs Lane | October 23
David “Caveman” Rickels is headed back to Hartman Arena for Bare Knuckle Fight Night on Saturday, October 23rd! Watch Caveman and Lane face off head-to-head in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts!
■ Boo at the Zoo | October 23
ring your ghouls and goblins to the Zoo! Wear your costumes, take lots of photos, and enjoy some spooky Halloween fun at the Sedgwick County Zoo! Candy will be prepackaged and distributed upon exiting the Zoo. Regular Zoo admission applies (adults $18.69, children 3-11 and seniors 62+ $14.04). Members get in FREE with member ID.
■ Trunk or Treat at The COOP | October 23
We invite local businesses, community members, and other organizations to join us for this fun and free event, set up a trunk and hand out candy to kids in costume. We’ll also have fresh food & beverages, games, and live music! This event will take place in our parking lot at The COOP 104 N Baltimore Ave Derby, KS 11 am – 3 pm but our store is also open extended hours 7 am – 7 pm.
■ Vintage Christmas Extravaganza | October 23
No shortage of Christmas Decor, Decorations, fun ideas and more!! All our vendors will have their booths filled with amazing vintage Christmas Decor inside the store and outside. Come check out our stash of old blow molds, decor, vintage trees and ornaments!
■ Fall Festival at O.J. Watson Park | October 23
There will be games, a bounce house, and sweets! We will also be passing out tickets to participate in some of the neat features of OJ Watson Park. They have pony rides, pedal boats, and train rides! Consider wearing a neat costume for our costume contest and win a prize! This event is open to anyone who has Deaf family members or supports the Deaf community.
■ Hay, Hooves and Halloween | October 23
There’s no place spookier than Cowtown during Halloween. The Headless Horseman rides the streets, zombie cowboys fight it out in an undead gunfight, ghosts haunt the historic houses, and of course, there’s candy!
■ Wichita Asian Festival | October 23
The Wichita Asian Festival is back for its 40th year! Proudly presented by the Wichita Asian Association, this annual festival showcases cultural performances, culinary arts and artisanal crafts. Attendees can enjoy a variety of cultural and artistic events from more than 15 Asian countries, including diverse stage performances highlighting a variety of Asian culture. There will be over multiple vendor booths with Asian food and a variety of arts items.
■ ICT ROCKS: A Tribute to Rudy Love Sr. | October 23
Join us at the Wave for our Saturday Night Gala ICT ROCKS: A Tribute to Rudy Love Sr.
■ Nightlife Wrestling: The Purge | October 23
AWR Returns to Wichita, LIVE at Champs Sports Bar! Nightlife Wrestling will be an 18+ show with edgier content. A live TV Taping for IWTV Featuring: The Outlaw, King Money, Thorne The Hunter, Colt Killbane, KOKO, Eddie Rydell, Liam Knox, KJ Everly, Samedi, Johnny Kove, Merrick McMichaels, Trixie, And Much More!!
■ Pumpkins at the Park 2021 | October 23
It’s back… and it’s better than ever. That’s right – Pumpkins at the Park, Wichita’s largest Halloween event, returns this year for a spooky good time for the entire family EVERY Saturday in October from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Regular pass tickets are $20 for ages 3+. Super pass tickets are $35 for ages 3+ and allows for 30-minute ealry check in, fast pass for rides and reserved seating for the stage show.
■ Boo’reakfast! at Exploration Place | October 23-24
Spooky season has begun! Join us for a fun-filled, family friendly Boo’reakfast event that is sure to become an annual tradition. Feast on Boo’rito bowls among other delicious treats. Adults can enjoy a Boo’spresso from our coffee bar. Dress in costumes, enjoy games and activities, harness a dragon’s breath, document the fun in our photo booth, and all kids will receive a treat bag on the way out. We will have special guests visiting throughout the weekend for photo ops and opportunities for your kiddo to interact with some of their favorite characters.
■ Rock’s Dugout Sportscard and Memorabilia Show | October 24
50 + dealer tables selling and buying sportscards and sports memorabilia.
■ Pop Up Food Shop @ CSB – Pho with Lisa & Shane | October 24
Chef Lisa and Shane will be serving up bowls of Pho Tai Bo Vien (rare steak & meatballs) for $8/bowl. Come hungry, leave happy!!
HAUNTED HOUSES + HALLOWEEN
■ Apparition Dracula | Every Thurs., Fri., Sat.
We are proud to announce that APPARITION returns every Thursday, Friday & Saturday! Headshots Bar & Grill shall be hosting APPARITION: DRACULA. Featuring a one of a kind creepy cocktail menu created by the mad apothecaries who brought you Apparition: Haunted Mansion, Masquerade, Madness Before Christmas, and Better Watch Out, we cordially invite you to cross the threshold and enter into the forbidding Gothic manor of the Count himself, and enjoy drinks typically forbidden for the living.
■ Field of Screams | Every Fri. and Sat.
On your walk through the Field of Screams and Clown Town, you will experience the haunted grounds of the Spurlock family and see first-hand where the infamous vigilante murders took place. Your walk will take you through towering sorghum fields, unruly forests, dark twisting trenches, terrifying tunnels, and the horrifying Spurlock workshops where the most unspeakable acts were carried out. Tickets range between $17-15.
■ Forrest of Terror | Every Fri. and Sat.
Located at 5059 North Ridge Road Wichita, KS, this is one of the newer options in town. Admission is $18 per person.
■ Haunted Cannery | Every Fri. and Sat.
An experience that will haunt you forever! Located at Walter’s Pumpkin Patch. Take a covered hay wagon ride through the country darkness under thousands of stars far away from city lights past the pumpkin patch and cornfields…Caution while crossing the low-water bridge, as danger lurks around every turn. Once inside, trek cautiously through the abandoned 4-story canning elevator and trodden mental wards while the sites and sounds seize your very soul! General admission is $20 while VIP is $40.
■ Warehouse of Terrors | Every Sat.
WAREHOUSE of TERRORS is a haunted attraction near Wichita KS. Just a short drive southwest of Wichita along Highway K-42 you will find the abandoned Suppesville Furniture Store building in Milton, KS. Admission is $30.
■ Wicked Island at OJ Watson Park | Every Fri. and Sat.
Wicked Island, the haunted attraction at Watson Park is back for another wicked season! The haunted Island is brought to you by Planet Kingdom and Wichita Park & Recreation. Look forward to an ever changing treacherous walk-through a wooded island where nightmares become a reality. Plan ahead and purchase tickets online at wickedwoodswichita.com for timed admission or visit the concession building at Watson Park to buy general admission tickets. General Admission: Adults $20 Children $15. Timed Tickets: Adults $25 Children $20.
■ Zombie Paintball and Barn of Fear | Every Fri. and Sat.
Take a ride on a hayrack tailer that is loaded with paintball guns and ammo so you can shoot at live zombies that will be chasing towards your trailer as you drive through the haunted pasture! $10 per 100 paintballs.
PUMPKIN PATCHES
■ Applejack Pumpkin Patch – 10007 SW Indianola Rd, Augusta, KS
$10 per person (2 and under are free)
■ Cedar Creek Farm & Pumpkin Patch – 6100 N 119th St. W, Maize, KS
$12 per person (2 and under are free)
■ Klausmeyer Dairy Farm & Pumpkin Patch – 8134 S. 119th St W, Clearwater, KS
Pumpkin Patch Admission: $8/person for 3 and up
Corn Maze Admission: $6/person for 3 and up
Pumpkin Patch and Maze Combo Admission: $13/person for 3 and up
■ Marietta Farm – 6100 N 119th St. W, Maize, KS
$7 per person Monday – Thursday (2 and under are free)
$8 per person Friday – Saturday (2 and under are free)
■ Meadowlark Farm – 11249 SW 160th St. Rose Hill, KS
$2 per person (12 and under are free)
■ Mr. Gourdman’s Pumpkin Patch – 3750 S. Dusty Rd Derby, KS
$7 per person (3 and under are free)
■ P & M Pumpkin Ranch – 311 16th Ave Moundridge, KS
$11 per person (2 and under are free)
■ Walter’s Pumpkin Patch – 10001 NW US Highway 77, Burns, KS
$13 per person Wednesday – Friday (2 and under are free)
$20 per person Saturday – Sunday (2 and under are free)
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LIVE MUSIC!
Tuesday, October 19
■ Consligio & Co. @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 5 p.m.
■ Cathy & Jess @ The TeaHouse | 7 p.m.
■ Reverend Horton Heat @ Wave | 7:30 p.m.
■Reggie Littleton @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 8 p.m.
Wednesday, October 20
■ San Holo @ TempleLive | 7 p.m.
■ Harrison Steele @ The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
■ A.J. Harvey @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 8 p.m.
■ Happy Sleepy Dead @ Kirby’s Beer Store | 8 p.m.
■ Dan Luce @ Cowboy Inn Saloon | 8:30 p.m.
■ Whiskey Dick @ Barleycorn’s | 10 p.m.
Thursday, October 21
■ J. Michael @ 6S Steakhouse | 6 p.m.
■ Skillet @ TempleLive | 7 p.m.
■ Dangie @ Augustino Brewing Company | 7 p.m
■ Charley Crockett @ The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ Dark Unicorn • Pops Junior @ Kirby’s Beer Store | 8 p.m.
Friday, October 22
■ Whitnie Means @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 4 p.m.
■ The New Times Bard @ Songbird Juice Co. | 4:30 p.m.
■ Patz @ 6S Steakhouse | 6 p.m.
■ Doug Everingham @ Fairmount Coffee Co. | 6 p.m.
■ Lisa Hittle Jazz Plus @ Larkspur | 7 p.m.
■ Jimmie Allen @ Onyx Nightclub | 7 p.m.
■ The Cavves @ Norton’s Brewing Co. | 7 p.m.
■ JunkMale @ The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
■ Conjunto Latino and Salsa Tumbao @ Friend’s University | 7:30 p.m.
■ Lisa Hittle Jazz Plus @ Jenny Dawn Cellars | 7:30 p.m.
■ Not Cops @ Brickyard | 8 p.m.
■ Band of Oz @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 8 p.m.
■ Groove 42 @ Jerry’s Bar & Grill | 9 p.m.
■ Groove 42 @ Margarita’s Cantina | 9 p.m.
■ Annie Up @ Port of Wichita | 9 p.m.
■ Big Red Horse / AJ McCausland Band / Daydream @ The Shamrock | 9 p.m.
■ Brian Knowles @ Madrocks | 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 23
■ Brian T @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 12 p.m.
■ Jordan Summervill @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 5 p.m.
■ Eric Shumaker & Caleb Drummond @ Grace Hill Winery | 5 p.m.
■ Lisa Hittle Jazz Plus @ Larkspur | 7 p.m.
■ Jamie Richards @ Wichita Union Stockyards | 7 p.m.
■ Alan & Uche @ The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
■ Micah White & Miki Jarvis @ Jenny Dawn Cellars | 7:30 p.m.
■ Old #5s @ Mort’s Martini Bar | 8 p.m.
■ Dawn of the Dub @ The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ Epic @ Vorshay’s Cocktail Lounge | 9 p.m.
■ Sunshine The Bunny @ The Shamrock | 9 p.m.
■ Mountain Deer Revival @ Jerry’s Bar & Grill | 9 p.m.
■ Cynthia Rausch @ Cowboy Inn Saloon | 9 p.m.
■ John P. Smith @ The Humidor | 9 p.m.
■ Big Dopes @ Barleycorn’s | 9 p.m.
■ David Holland Band @ Mortdecai’s Tavern & Eatery | 9 p.m.
■ Tequila Ridge @ Shenanigans | 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 24
■ Lyn Perry @ Augustino Brewing Company | 7 p.m
■ Blackberry Smoke @ The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ Deterioration • Saprogenous • The Cups • Antropox • Viral Genocide @ Kirby’s Beer Store | 8 p.m.
Upcoming Noteworthy Concerts
■ 10/31 Theory of a Deadman @ The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ 11/8 Lil Baby and Friends @ Intrust Bank Arena | 7:30 p.m.
■ 11/20 Cody Johnson @ Hartman Arena | 7:30 p.m.
Around The Corner!
■ Wichita Thunder Home Games | October 29-30
The Wichita Thunder home games take place at Intrust Bank Arena.
■ Cuff vs Axes Charity Boxing Classic | November 13
The card features members of local law enforcement competing against firefighters and EMS medical personnel in Olympic style boxing contests. Fun, Food and drinks for a good cause.
■ 46th Annual Craft Fair | November 13
48 unique vendors | bake sale | raffle drawing | Rada knives | antiques $2 admission
■ Wichita State Basketball vs. K-State at Intrust Bank Arena | December 5
FAMILY FUN SERIES!
Looking for something to do with the family but can’t commit to a particular day? Browse our family fun series which highlights various family activities:
■ Seneca Bowl
■ West Acres Bowling Center
■ Splash Aqua Park
■ Old Cowtown Museum
■ Sedgwick County Zoo
■ Axe To Grind
■ O.J. Watson Park
■ Sedgwick County Park – Boundless Playground
■ Berry Picking at Elderslie Farm
■ Bingo Casino
■ Carousel Skate Center
■ Botanica, The Wichita Garden
■ Exploration Place
■ Bliss Climbing and Fitness
■ The Cosmosphere
Have an event in Wichita you’d like to have considered for The Best Things To Do In Wichita, please visit this form to submit your event. To be considered, your submission must take place by Sunday of the upcoming week.
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