Street closings, drinking OK’d for Riverfest, 2 other events; here’s the when, where
Wichita City Hall has approved permits for street closures and street drinking for three fall events, including Riverfest Part Two and a pair of art fairs.
The City Council approved temporary entertainment district permits, which allow alcohol consumption on city property and streets, for the Riverfest, Sept. 30 through Oct. 3; and Autumn and Art, Friday through Sunday at the Bradley Fair shopping center in northeast Wichita.
Also, the council approved street closures for Art and Ale, an event planned in Old Town Oct. 3. The organizers will be back for their entertainment/drinking permits next week.
At the River Festival, which was split into two smaller events this year in a nod to the COVID pandemic, drinking will be allowed in several areas around Century II Convention and Performing Arts Center and along the east bank of the Arkansas River.
But the alcohol boundaries will shift around during the festival. Here are the details:
▪ Drinking will be allowed from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day of Riverfest along the riverbank from Douglas south to Waterman and on the east side of Century II in the food court area.
▪ On the north and west sides of Century II, drinking will be allowed 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekend days of the festival, Oct. 2 and 3; and from 3 to 11 p.m., on the Thursday and Friday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
▪ The Lewis/Maple street bridge will be closed to cars and drinking there will be allowed from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2 only.
At Autumn and Art, North Bradley Fair Parkway will be closed this weekend from Rock Road to Executive Drive, along with East Wilson Estates Parkway from North Bradley Fair Parkway to Saddle Creek Road
Those street closures begin at 7 a.m. Thursday and will continue to 11 p.m. on Monday.
Drinking will be allowed in the closed-off area from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For Art and Ale, the council approved closing Rock Island between Douglas and First, along with the alley just north of 101 Rock Island, from Mead to Rock Island.
The closure will be from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 only.
Drinking hours for that event are scheduled to be set at the city council meeting next week.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 1:30 PM.
