Wichita Riverfest announces musical acts that will perform when event returns this fall
The second half of the 2021 Wichita Riverfest — the part that will have the food court, the parade, the fireworks and all the concerts — starts on Sept. 30 and will run through Oct. 3.
On Thursday, the festival revealed the concert lineup for the four-day event — and it also revealed a new concert venue. In addition to the traditional Kennedy Plaza stage outside of Century II, concerts this year also will happen at the Wave outdoor concert venue at 650 E. Second St. The change, said Ann Keefer, interim president/CEO of Wichita Festivals Inc., will provide fiscal efficiency for the festival, which won’t have to set up a separate stage at the Wichita WaterWalk as they have in years past.
Adam Hartke, a former Wichita Riverfest employee who still helps with music bookings for the festival, is the managing partner at Wave. Earlier this week, the Wichita City Council approved a plan that will allow children and teens into the city’s four largest nightclubs, and Wave was one of them.
After being canceled for the first time in its 49-year history in 2020, the festival was split up into two parts this year, with participatory events like the River Run happening in June. The bulk of the activities people look forward to, though, will happen during the fall dates.
Admission to all shows will be free with a Riverfest button. People who bought buttons last year before the 2020 festival was canceled or who purchased buttons in June can use those again. Buttons will go on sale at QuikTrip locations starting Sept. 6. Adult buttons will be $10, and buttons for ages 6-12 will be $5.
Here’s the list of musical acts:
Thursday, Sept. 30:
Kennedy Plaza: The headliner on opening night will be Flatland Cavalry, a six-piece country/folk/Americana band from Lubbock Texas. The festival’s annual Salute to Military and the popular Cajun Food Fest both will happen on Kennedy Plaza in advance of the concert.
Wave: Alternative act Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness will headline the concert at Wave.
Friday, Oct. 1
Kennedy Plaza: Big Boi, a well-known rapper who is one of the founding members of the duo Outkast, will headline the Kennedy Plaza show on Oct. 1. His opening acts will be New Orleans-based hip hop group Tank and the Bangas. Local performers Rudy Love Jr., Keo & Them and Le Khoa are also on the bill. The show will immediately follow the Sundown Parade.
Wave: Southern rockers The Steel Woods out of Nashville will headline the Wave stage on Oct. 1.
Saturday, Oct. 2
Kennedy Plaza: Fitz and the Tantrums, the California indie band best known for its hit “HandClap,” will headline the Kennedy Plaza stage on Oct. 2. The opening act will be Seratones, a soul act out of Louisiana. Also on the bill: Wildermiss, Fox Royale and Yasmin Nur.
Wave: The Wave Stage on Oct. 2 will be home to the festival’s annual Fiesta Del Rio and will feature Mexican bands San Luisto Norte and Los 2 de la S.
Capitol Federal Fireworks: The big festival fireworks show will happen at the end of the night on Saturday. Radio station FM 103.7-FM will broadcast a fireworks soundtrack spectators can tune into while they watch.
Sunday, Oct. 3
Kennedy Plaza: A night of blues concerts on Oct. 3 will include Kansas City’s Katy Guillen and the Drive as well as Wichita musician Dustin Arbuckle, who will perform with Matt Woods. The evening will conclude with a show by Dustin and the Hay-Nations, a “super group” that combines Haymakers and Dustin Arbuckle & The Damnations. The Wichita Blues Society is still planning to announce another act that will perform that evening.
Wave: The final festival night at Wave will feature an evening of regional heavy metal acts including Bummer, Not Cops, Sutphin, Concubine, and Virgins.
.jpg)