What to do this weekend in Wichita: Steak tasting, shopping, free comic books, live music
Summer is slipping away, but it’s leaving lots of live music in its wake. In addition to the Melissa Etheridge concert at the Cotillion on Sunday, Wichita will have lots of other live music events over the weekend as well as a couple of food sampling opportunities: Steak and garlic salad anyone?
Here’s a guide to some of the events happening during the weekend that starts on Aug. 13.
Punk invades Wave
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Wave, 650 E. Second St.
Punk bands Dropkick Murphys and Rancid have teamed up for a tour called “Boston to Berkeley II,” and it arrives at Wichita’s Wave venue on Saturday night. The two bands, who toured in 2017 with their original “Boston to Berkeley” tour, will perform at the outdoor concert venue, 650 E. Second St., starting at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $45 in advance, and VIP Pit tickets are $99. They’re available at www.waveict.com.
Heatfest 21 at Kirby’s Beer Store
Friday-Sunday, Kirby’s Beer Store, 3227 E. 17th St. North
It’s hot out there, and it will get even hotter this weekend with a three-day local music festival called Heatfest 21. The event, which will happen Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at Kirby’s Beer Store, 3227 E. 17th St. North, will feature six to eight local bands each night, performing both inside and outside on the patio. Among them: Rudy Love Jr. and The Cavves on Friday; Dead Shows and Snowchild on Saturday; and Pretend Friend and Old Man Creaky Bones on Sunday. Admission is free, but money from tip buckets and auctions of band merchandise will all go directly to the artists.
Cowtown Throwdown
4 p.m. Saturday, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 Museum Blvd.
Cowtown Throwdown is a concert scheduled for Saturday at Old Cowtown Museum that will feature music by Pop and the Boys, Dustin Arbuckle and the Damnations and Mountain Deer Revival. The event also will include food from The Bomb BBQ and drinks from Shaken or Stirred bartending. (Food and drink will cost extra.) The evening, which will also include gunfights and performing saloon girls, starts at 4 p.m. at Old Cowtown. Admission is $15, $10 for Cowtown members, and tickets are available by calling 316-350-3323 or at the event page on facebook.com/OldCowtownMuseum.
Summer concert finale
8 p.m. Friday, Hartman Arena parking lot, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive, Park City
Summer is ending and so is the popular free KEYN concert series that happens each year. The final of the five-concert series, which started in July, happens from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Hartman Arena and will feature music by classic rock band King Midas. Food trucks Lost in the Sauce, The Bomb BBQ, Noble House Hawaiian, Neives’ Mexican Food Truck and Southeast Carryout will also be there serving food. Attendees should bring lawn chairs as well as money to buy food and beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which will be sold on site. They can bring coolers but not glass bottles or outside alcohol. Coolers may be inspected at the gate.
Steak Cookoff
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Walton’s Inc., 3639 N. Comotara
The annual Walton’s Steak Cookoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Walton’s Inc., a meat supply store at 3639 N. Comotara, and it will include music, food trucks, $1 beer samples and samples of steak, pulled pork, chicken, bratwurst, beef jerky and more. While they eat and enjoy adult beverages from Shaken or Stirred bartending, attendees will also be able to walk around and watch as 75 competition steak teams from across the country compete for $10,000 in prize money. The event will also include a giveaway for a new charcoal grill, and people will be able to shoot at a target range provided by Diamond Archery. Tickets are $10 at the gate, and the event will raise money for the Air Capital Flyers Special Olympics Team.
Free Comic Book Day
Various comic book shops around Wichita, Saturday
Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, an annual event where comic book stores across the world give away free comic books to people who visit their stores. The event, which has been going on annually for 20 years, will be observed by several Wichita stores including Wizards Asylum ICT at 1309 W. 31st St. South and Hero Haven at 1625 S. Rock Road. Prairie Dog Comics at 4800 W. Maple will not participate because of the owner’s concerns about COVID-19 and the large numbers of children who usually attend the event. The store says it will do another event in the future.
Shop & Grub
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Naftzger Park, 601 E. Douglas
Festive ICT is putting on another installment of its Shop & Grub market on Sunday at Naftzger Park, 601 E. Douglas. Merchants from in and out of town will be at the market, which happens on the third Sunday of every month through October, and they’ll be selling things like vintage clothing, jewelry, art and more. The Wichita Eagle’s Denise Neil will be there selling copies of her new book, “Classic Restaurants of Wichita,” and she’ll have samples of Ken’s Klub garlic salad while supplies last. There will be food trucks as well as alcoholic beverages for sale. The market takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and the event is open to all ages.