Disney film songwriter Randy Newman to perform at Riverfest

You’ve got a friend in Wichita Festivals.

The organization announced two new events Friday – the first-ever e2e FuturEpreneurship Expo and the addition of award-winning film composer Randy Newman to the concert lineup both on June 9.

The expo, sponsored by the e2e Accelerator, will feature hands-on learning activities from DECA, Camp Destination Innovation, EmpowerHer and K-8 Do Entrepreneurship intiative, among others. It will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the first floor of the Wichita Boathouse.

After the expo, pianist Randy Newman – known for composing music for “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Cars,” “The Princess and the Frog,” and other Disney films – will perform on the RedGuard Stage.

Newman, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, has also written music for movies such as “Seabiscuit,” “Meet the Parents” and the Broadway musical “Ragtime.”

Newman is also known for his solo work, including hit singles like “Short People,” “I Love L.A.,” and “You Can Leave Your Hat On.”

The concert is sponsored by Grumpy Old Men and Leslie Rudd Investment Co./Standard Beverage Corporation.

“I have wanted to bring Mr. Newman to Wichita for a number of years, so to be able to fold this in as a ‘top shelf’ event for Riverfest, in conjunction with the incredible energy of the e2e organization, is a ‘win-win’ for this community,” said Doug Stark, chief operations officer for Grumpy Old Men, in a news release.

Admission to all Riverfest concerts is free with a button. Adult buttons are $10, and children’s buttons (available while supplies last for kids ages 6-12) are $5. If you just want to go ahead and buy your button now, you can get an early-bird discount price of $7 for adults and $3 for children at www.selectaseat.com, and in person from April 10 to May 4 at Cox Solutions stores.

Full-price buttons go on sale beginning May 5.

For the rest of the Riverfest concert lineup, click here.

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Disney film songwriter Randy Newman to perform at Riverfest."