Searching for ideas on what to do in Wichita this week? Looking to plan ahead for something in the future? We got you covered with The Best Things To Do In Wichita.
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Best Things To Do | Sports | Live Music | Performing Arts | Family Fun Series
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■ Holiday Shopping Craft Fair at Risen Savior Lutheran Church | December 4
Our annual holiday shopping craft fair takes place at Risen Savior Lutheran Church on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. We have dozens of vendors, including homemade good, clothing, jewelry, Christmas crafts, food, Annette’s homemade cinnamon rolls and more. Come and support local business and get your last-minute gifts for your loved ones. We have goodie bags for kids this year. We will have our snack stand available as well.
BEST THINGS TO DO!
■ City of Derby Tree Lighting | November 29
The popular tree lighting event returns! Enjoy the lighting of the tree by Mayor Randy White, free kettle corn and cookies, and food trucks at Madison Avenue Central Park, 512 E. Madison Ave. Santa will not be attending the event this year. Food trucks include Snack Shack, Taters N Toppings and Funky Monkey Munchies.
■ 1 Million Cups at Groover Labs | December 1
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.
■ Wild Lights at the Sedgwick County Zoo | December 1-5
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.
■ Holly Jolly Jurassic Holiday | December 1-5
Experience the Field Station’s scenic trails in a whole new way – featuring thousands of Christmas lights, festive & funny decorations, and the world’s must unexpected holiday guests – the dinosaurs! Laugh and join in the spirit of the season with T-Rex, Spinosaurus and all your prehistoric favorites as they haul out the ivy, hang up their stockings and jingle all the way in preparation for the holliest, jolliest Jurassic holiday ever!
■ Bob Saget at the Orpheum | December 2
Yes, Bob Saget has starred in many successful television shows, including two of the most family-friendly shows network TV has ever produced (Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos) but he’s also an out of his mind, Grammy-nominated standup comedian for over thirty years.
■ Food Truck Thursdays at Exploration Place | December 2
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 p.m. ring of fire lighting. While you’re here, bring the whole family to check out our exhibits at a discounted rate!
■ Apparition Yule Ball | December 2-4
You are invited to represent and prove the worthiness of your House, as well as enjoying an enchanting selection of cocktails crafted and created by the finest alchemists the world has to offer. Please join us at King’s Cross Station, located at 2120 N Woodlawn Blvd next to Headshots Bar & Grill. Cross through platform 9¾ and journey to the school of witchcraft cocktails and wizarding spirits for a night of magic, mayhem and make believe! This pop up bar will be available from 6 PM – 1 AM and be open exclusively at Apparition: Wichita behind Headshots Bar & Grill.
■ Adult Skate Night | December 3
Adult Skate Night takes place on Fridays at Carousel Skate Center from 11 p.m. to 2 p.m. Must be 21 with a valid ID. $10 includes skate rental. Beer and mixed drinks are available.
■ Joe Rogan: The Sacred Clown Tour | December 3
A standup comedian for more than 25 years with an inquisitive and intense comedic style, Rogan’s sixth hour-long comedy special, Joe Rogan: Strange Times, premiered on Netflix in October 2018.
■ Christmasland at Sunflower Plaza | December 3
Come buy a book from a Kansas author or poet and celebrate Christmas. You’ll leave with a bag full of goodies, ready for stocking stuffers! Admission is $3.00/adults
■ The Price Is Right | December 4
If you love The Price Is Right, it’s your time to come on down to Hartman Arena! We are excited to play host to The Price is Right Live™ stage show on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 7:30 PM.
■ Blood Orchard Vintage Market & Southside Food Truck Rally | December 4
Join us for shopping all things vintage, rustic, shabby-chic, handmade, homemade, and small business goods! It’s our 5th Birthday and it’s almost Christmas!!!! We are so very excited for this one y’all!! Santa will be here along with all of our very best Vendors!! Come dressed in your best, most festive, holiday gear with a chance to win a little something special! We also host the Southside Food Truck Rally on the same day, and the trucks will be celebrating with us by having a little friendly competition on who has the best festive dish!
■ Indian ART Market | December 4
Buy art from local native artists. Visit our Bring the Bosins Home exhibit. Free admission to the Art Market.
■ Shops at the Park Holiday Event | December 4
Holiday shopping event at The Venue at Madison Avenue Central Park
■ Kechi Holiday Open House | December 4
There will be several activities throughout town and specials at Kechi local shops. Junk in the trunk will have our final Christmas sale of the year! Santa will be here for you to take pics with! We’ll have wheel spins for discounts and prizes, and a drawing! Drinks and snacks will be served.
■ Safari of Lights at Tanganyika Wildlife Park | December 4-5
This drive-thru holiday extravaganza will be the longest, tallest, most sophisticated light show that Wichita has ever experienced. Keep warm in the comfort of your car with hot cocoa and popcorn available for purchase upon entry.
■ Rock’s Dugout Sportscard and Memoribilia Show | December 5
Selling and buying sportscards and sports memorabilia
■ Wichita State Basketball vs. K-State at Intrust Bank Arena | December 5
■ Snowbound: A Merry Ski Lodge at Chicken N Pickle | All Week Long
Ready to be Snowbound? Reserve your ski passes and get ready to enjoy with family, friends and Mr. Kringle at our spacious venue with summit views. Read more about the event.
■ Illuminations at Botanica | All Week Long
Held in the main gardens at Botanica Wichita, Illuminations includes more than 2 million lights along a mile-long pedestrian path. There are three different light displays choreographed to music, a 240-foot-long walk-under tunnel of lights, candy cane lane and tree top forest in the Butterfly House, a funky tree that takes 80 hours to adorn with light sculptures, an underwater scene in the Shakespeare Garden, Santa’s Village and more.
Around The Corner!
■ Wichita Flea Market | December 18-19
Come walk the aisles at the Kansas Star Casino Arena and shop small through the 200+ booths that include antiques, crafts, vintage items, collectibles, primitives, reclaimed items, comics, artwork, jewelry, toys, and so much more in this monthly flea market operated by a local Wichita Family.
HOLIDAY EVENTS
For all the holiday events going on including visiting Santa Clause, seeing Christmas lights, holiday shopping, and other holiday fun, click the link below.
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SPORTS
Wichita State Men’s Basketball
■ Dec. 1 ‣ 7 p.m. | at Oklahoma St
■ Dec. 5 ‣ 5 p.m. | vs K-State (at Intrust Bank Arena)
■ Dec. 11 ‣ 6 p.m. | vs Norfolk St
■ Dec. 14 ‣ 7 p.m. | vs Alcorn St
Wichita State Women’s Basketball
■ Dec. 1 ‣ 6 p.m. | vs Oral Roberts
■ Dec. 4 ‣ 1 p.m. | at South Dakota
■ Dec. 11 ‣ 2 p.m. | vs Grambling St
■ Dec. 17 ‣ 7 p.m. | at North Texas
Wichita Thunder
■ Dec. 1 ‣ 7:05 p.m. | at Iowa Heartlanders
■ Dec. 5 ‣ 4:05 p.m. | at Tulsa Oilers
■ Dec. 9 ‣ 7:05 p.m. | vs Allen Americans
■ Dec. 10 ‣ 7:05 p.m. | vs Allen Americans
■ Dec. 12 ‣ 4:05 p.m. | at Allen Americans
Wichita Wings
■ Dec. 18 ‣ 7 p.m. | vs. Amarillo Bombers
■ Dec. 2 ‣ 4 p.m. | vs. Omaha Kings FC
■ Dec. 8 ‣ 7 p.m. | vs. Colorado Inferno FC
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LIVE MUSIC
Tuesday, November 30
■ Consligio & Co. | Mort’s Martini Bar | 5 p.m.
■ Whitnie Means | Margarita’s Cantina | 5 p.m.
■ Patz | Chicken N Pickle | 5:45 p.m.
■ Pretend Friend | Central Standard Brewing | 6:30 p.m.
■ Thor Bonner Trio | Mort’s Martini Bar | 8 p.m.
Wednesday, December 1
■ Just The Worm | The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
■ Emo Night | Wave | 9 p.m.
Thursday, December 2
■ Shawn w/ The New Time Bards | Third Place Brewing | 4:30 p.m
■ Raleigh Hinman & Shoeshine Blue | The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
Friday, December 3
■ The New Time Bards| Songbird Juice Co. | 4:30 p.m
■ Vincent II | The Donut Whole | 7 p.m
■ The Stitch Miller Band | The Artichoke | 7:30 p.m
■ Lisa Hittle Jazz Plus | Jenny Dawn Cellars | 7:30 p.m.
■ Flatland Cavalry w/ Katie Jo | Wave | 8 p.m.
■ Lilly B Moonflower Band | Central Standard Brewing | 8 p.m.
■ Asleep at the Wheel | The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ Candice & The Business Casual | Vorshay’s Cocktail Lounge | 9 p.m.
■ Sleepy Truckers | The Shamrock | 9 p.m.
■ Nostalgia | Jerry’s Bar & Grill | 9 p.m.
■ Cody Moore • Messy Frets • Colton Cox | Barleycorn’s | 9 p.m.
Saturday, December 4
■ Brian T | Mort’s Martini Bar | Noon
■ Amber Goldermann | The Cowboy Inn Saloon | 5 p.m.
■ Monophonics w/ Rudy De Ana | Wave | 8 p.m.
■ Savanna Chestnut | Wichita Union Stockyards | 8 p.m.
■ Agenda | The Hive | 8 p.m.
■ Vinyl Ritchie | Mortdecai’s Tavern & Eatery | 8:30 p.m.
■ Groove 42 | Margarita’s Cantina | 9 p.m.
■ Taylor Woll | The Cowboy Inn Saloon | 9 p.m.
■ Nostalgia | Vorshay’s Cocktail Lounge | 9 p.m.
■ Patz & Whitnie Means | The Shamrock | 9 p.m.
■ Tequila Ridge | The Rusty Nail | 9 p.m.
■ Epic | Jerry’s Bar & Grill | 9 p.m.
Sunday, December 5
■ Donnie Huffman and Family | Burford Theatre Arts | 7 p.m.
Upcoming Noteworthy Concerts
■ 12/11 Eli Young Band| The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
■ 1/15/22 Casey Donahew Band | The Cotillion | 8 p.m.
Have a live concert, you’d like to have listed?
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PERFORMING ARTS
Century II Performing Arts Center
■ Dec. 5 | Make It Mozart (Wichita Symphony Orchestra)
■ Dec. 10-12 | The Nutcracker (Ballet Wichita)
■ Dec. 14-16 | Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Broadway in Wichita)
■ Dec. 15-18 | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center)
■ Dec. 18-19 | The Nutcracker (Metropolitan Ballet Wichita)
Crown Uptown Theatre
■ Dec. 2-4 | Toyland
■ Dec. 3-19 | Inverno: The Great Holiday Circus
■ Jan. 8 | Elvis Birthday Bash
The Forum Theatre
■ Nov. 27-Dec. 19 | Cool Yule
Friends University Division of Fine Arts
■ Dec. 3-4 | Christmas Candlelight
■ Jan. 21 | Toni Libhart Mallet Percussion Recital
Kechi Playhouse
■ Dec. 1-19 | A Tuna Christmas
The Looney Bin
■ Dec. 2-4 | Brent Terhune
■ Dec. 9-11 | Kevin Bozeman
■ Dec. 16-18 | Kristin Key
■ Dec. 23 | Sam Norton
■ Dec. 30-Jan. 2 | John Wesley Austin
Mosley Street Melodrama
■ Nov. 12-Dec. 25 | The Hallmork Channel Christmas Melodrama
Prairie Pines Playhouse
■ Nov. 19-Dec. 23 | Peril at the North Pole: Yule Die Laughing
Roxy’s Downtown
■ Nov. 18-Dec. 19 | Away in the Basement: a Church Basement Ladies Musical
■ Jan. 6-23 | Five Course Love
Wichita Center for Performing Arts
■ Dec. 3-5 | Short & Suite Nutcracker
Wichita Orpheum Theatre
■ Nov. 30 | Lindsey Sterling
■ Dec. 2 | Bob Saget
■ Dec. 9 | Zach Williams
■ Dec. 10 | John Crist
Wichita State School of Performing Arts
■ Feb. 24-26 | Wichita Contemporary Theatre Spring Dance Concert
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FAMILY FUN SERIES!
Seeking something to do with the family but can’t commit to a particular day? Browse our family fun series which highlights various family activities:
■ Axe To Grind
■ Berry Picking at Elderslie Farm
■ Bingo Casino
■ Bliss Climbing and Fitness
■ Botanica, The Wichita Garden
■ Carousel Skate Center
■ The Cosmosphere
■ Exploration Place
■ Karg Art
■ O.J. Watson Park
■ Old Cowtown Museum
■ Sedgwick County Park – Boundless Playground
■ Sedgwick County Zoo
■ Seneca Bowl
■ Splash Aqua Park
■ West Acres Bowling Center
Want your business listed in the Family Fun Series?
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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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