What to do in Wichita this weekend: Music in the parks, music in the concert venues
If you finish with the Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff and the Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival and still have energy left, the first weekend of fall has plenty of ways for you to burn it off.
The parks will be full of concerts and shows, as will the city’s big venues. Here are some you can check out:
Buddy Holly on stage
3 p.m. Sunday, Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway
The Orpheum Theatre stage in Wichita will be home on Sunday afternoon to a show called “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” which recreates the music of the influential singer-songwriter and his rise to fame. The show’s cast of actors and musicians will perform some of Holly’s most popular songs like “That’ll be the Day,” “Chantilly Lace,” “Johnny B. Goode” and more. The show, which was rescheduled from November of last year, starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Orpheum. Doors open at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $84 and can be purchased at wichitaorpheum.com.
Celebrating women in art
6-10 p.m. Friday, Loft at 420, 420 S. Commerce
Final Friday is this weekend, and Loft at 420, the venue at 420 S. Commerce St., will be celebrating women in art with a new show featuring the art of Chris Veazey Brown. Those who attend can sip wine, enjoy snacks and peruse the pieces in Brown’s “American Woman Series” as well as other works. The event is from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, and admission is free.
The return of Tech N9ne
8 p.m. Friday, The Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg
Rapper Tech N9ne is returning to Wichita this weekend as part of his “Strange New World Tour 2021,” which will arrive at The Cotillion on Friday. The doors for the show open at 7 p.m., and it starts at 8 p.m with opening acts Rittz, King Iso and Maez301 & Jerry Robinson. Tickets are $37 and can be purchased at thecotillion.com or by calling 316-722-4201.
Symphony in the park
6:30 p.m. Friday, Naftzger Park, 601 E. Douglas
The Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Wichita Park & Recreation are teaming up again for an installment of “Playing in the Park,” which will feature live music from the Wichita Symphony Orchestra in the newly renovated Naftzger Park downtown. The show, which starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, will feature the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet and Wichita Brass Quintet. Admission is free. Masks and social distancing are recommended.
Casting Crowns in concert
7 p.m. Thursday, Hartman Arena, 8151 Hartman Arena Drive
Grammy-winning Christian band Casting Crown will perform at Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Drive, on Thursday as a part of its “Only Jesus Tour.” The show will start at 7 p.m., and doors will open at 60 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $103 and can be purchased at hartmenarena.com.
Guitar in the park
Noon, Wednesday, Heritage Square Park, 204 S. Main
The Heritage Square Concert series, which is put on by the Sedgwick County Historical Museum and has been happening once a week throughout September, is concluding Wednesday with a concert by artist and musician Bill Goffrier, who used to perform with The Embarrassment. The performance will happen at noon at the park, 204 S. Main. This year’s concert series featured guitar-slingers in honor of the museum’s electric guitar exhibit: “Turn it Up to 90.” Admission is free.
Air Supply in concert
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Kansas Star Arena, 777 Kansas Star Drive, Mulvane
Air Supply, the band best known for its early 1980s ballads, will be performing on Saturday at the Kansas Star Arena inside the Kansas Star Casino at 777 Kansas Star Drive in Mulvane. The soft rock duo’s list of hits includes hits such as “All Out of Love,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Just as I Am” and more. The show, which was rescheduled from June of last year, starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets start at $30 and are available at www.kansasstarcasino.com
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 10:14 AM.