Suffering Riverfest asking patrons for cash help at drive-through donation event
Like many other organizations in the festival business, Wichita Festivals Inc. is suffering.
Its revenue is down 90% this year over last, mainly because its signature event — The Wichita Riverfest — was canceled this year over COVID-19 concerns. As a result, the nonprofit organization two weeks ago laid off three staff members, including its new President and CEO Ty Tabing.
Now, the organization is asking fans of its events, including the annual Riverfest and Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair, to open their pockets and help it get by.
On Thursday morning, the group will launch its Hey Neighbor! fundraising campaign with a drive-through donation event that will be set up in the south parking lot of the old Wichita Public Library, 223 S. Main. It will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Past Admirals — the people who over the years have been chosen from volunteer ranks to serve as the figurehead of the festival — will be there holding long baskets that they can pop into car windows while keeping a safe distance. Cash or checks will be accepted, said Teri Mott, Wichita Festivals’ director of marketing and communication. But they’ll also have machines that can accept card payments.
Any amount is appreciated, she said, whether it’s $5 or $50,000.
While at the event, people can park and purchase the funnel cake they missed this year from vendors that will be set up onsite. A few other festival favorite foods also will be sold, with proceeds benefiting Wichita Festivals Inc.
People also can purchase souvenir “Hey Neighbor” buttons at the event.
Mott said that the group will be putting on several more socially distanced donation drives as part of the campaign.
The nine-day Wichita Riverfest had been scheduled for May 29-June 6, but in late March, Tabing announced that because of COVID-19, the event was being canceled for the first time in its 49-year history.
When Autumn & Art happened in mid-September, it was put on as a virtual event.
And an early-November event that had been titled Wonderfall and was intended as a replacement for the canceled Wichita Riverfest also was canceled because of COVID-19.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 5:01 AM.
.jpg)