What to do this weekend in Wichita: Last chance to swim, Bobby Bones show, monster trucks
Summer is coming to a close, and Labor Day weekend is upon us.
In Wichita, residents will have several opportunities for end-of-summer fun with swimming, concerts, an art show and a weekend full of monster trucks.
Here are some of the events and opportunities worth checking out:
Last chance for swimming
Friday through Monday at three public pools
Another season of swimming at Wichita’s public pools is coming to a close. Minisa and McAfee both closed last weekend, and this weekend will be the last chance for people to cool off at the Aley, College Hill and Harvest pools, each of which will be open through Labor Day. Swimming hours at those pools are 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For more details, visit wichita.gov/ParkandRec/Aquatics/
An artistic life
5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Mark Arts, 1307 N. Rock Road
Mark Arts is opening an exhibit on Friday that will feature the work of Elizabeth Rowley, who died last December at age 58. An opening reception for the exhibit, called “Elizabeth Rowley: A Colorful Life,” is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the School of Creativity Gallery at Mark Arts. There will be wine, beer and light hors d’oeuvres. Rowley, the daughter of artist Patric Rowley, specialized in encaustic and oil and was known for her abstractions and landscapes. The exhibit will also include a few pieces created by her late father, who was her mentor. Proceeds from the show will benefit the Mark Arts scholarship fund.
ICT Fest returns
Thursday through Saturday, three Wichita venues
ICT Fest, an annual three-day music festival that started back in 2004, returns this weekend. It starts on Thursday at City Skatepark, 645 St. Francis, where six bands will perform from 6 to 10 p.m. followed by an after party at Kirby’s Beer Store, 3227 E. 17th St. North, from 10 to midnight. The music on Friday moves to Naftzger Park, 601 E. Douglas, where from 2 to 10 p.m., 15 different bands, including The Cavves and Sioux City Pete & The Beggars, will perform, followed again by an after party at Kirby’s with three more bands. Finally, on Saturday, the music will return to Naftzger Park with a long list of bands including Not Cops and Keo & Them performing from 2 to 10 p.m. before the event moves back to Kirby’s for a final after party. ICT Fest is open to all ages, and admission is free. For a full lineup of bands, visit www.ictfest.com
Bobby Bones is back
1 p.m. Sunday, Wave, 650 E. Second St.
Popular disc jockey and “American Idol” host Bobby Bones returns to Wichita this weekend for BobbyFest 2021, an event at Wave, the outdoor music venue at 650 E. Second St., that will feature performances by Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots, Russell Dickerson and Maddie & Tae. The show, which is open to all ages, starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday, though doors will open at noon. Tickets are $30 to $175 at www.waveict.com.
Monster Trucks in action
Friday through Sunday, Hartman Arena, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive, Park City
Monster trucks will roll into Hartman Arena in Park City this weekend for Mega Monster Trucks Live: 2021 Destruction Tour, an event that runs Friday through Sunday and will feature lots of car crushing, motocross jumps and even a human cannonball. The shows start early each day with a free Pit Party, where people can meet the drivers, inspect the trucks and where kids can jump in inflatables and have their faces painted. Adult tickets are $25, and child tickets are $15 at www.ticketmaster.com. There are also VIP tickets, which include a souvenir lanyard and a T-shirt, for $55. (Fans also can get buy-one-get-one-free general admission tickets by using the code FREEPASS at checkout.) Show times are 7 p.m. Friday, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Doors open for the Pit Parties an hour and a half before each showtime.
Rock of the ‘70s
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Kansas Star Arena, 777 Kansas Star Drive, Mulvane
Rock of the ‘70s, a show that was originally scheduled for April 2020 at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, is getting its makeup date on Saturday. The show, which features four acts from the 1970s — Foghat, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall and the Pat Travers Band — starts at 7:30 p.m. at the arena, which is inside the Kansas Star Casino. All tickets from the April show will be honored on Saturday, and tickets starting at $35 are still on sale at www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. The show is open to all ages.
Pooch plunge
5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, College Hill Park Pool, 304 S. Circle Drive
Once the city pools have shut down for the season, it’s time for Wichita’s four-legged friends to get their turn for a dip. On Tuesday, people will be able to participate in the annual Dog Day of Summer event at College Hill Pool, 304 S. Circle Drive, where pooches will be able to wade, paddle or swim. The chemical levels will be adjusted so the water is safe for dogs, who all must be leashed when not in the pool. Children will not be allowed in the pool with the dogs. The event will include several participatory events, like a long jump contest and a Frisbee catch. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Kansas Humane Society, and organizers suggest a $10 donation per dog. Only two dogs will be permitted per owner. The event starts at 5:30 p.m., and only small dogs under 20 pounds will be allowed in the pool until 6 p.m. Bigger dogs can swim from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 10:25 AM.