What to do in Wichita this weekend: Greet the tulips, appreciate art, see a famous car
It’s First Friday in Wichita, meaning there’s lots of art to see. It’s also spring, so it’s time to start gazing at tulips. And that’s not even all there is to do in Wichita this weekend.
Here’s a look at some of the fun things going on during the first weekend in April:
Tulip time at Botanica
Saturday, April 9 and April 16, Botanica, 701 Amidon
Botanica will welcome tulip season with its annual Tulip Festival, which launches on Saturday and will continue over the next two Saturdays. The festival features around 66,000 tulips in 110 different varieties blooming throughout the gardens. Festival dates will include live music, food trucks, face painting, carousel rides, a petting zoo and more. The festival’s hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and again on April 9 and April 16. The April 9 event will have an Easter theme and will conclude with an Easter egg hunt that lasts from 3 to 5 p.m. and requires a separate admission ticket. For the tulip festival, adult admission is $12 and youth and members are $9. Tickets must be purchased in advance at botanica.org/tulip-fest/
Visit Lucille the Roadster
Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Main Street in Downtown Goddard
“America’s Most Beautiful Roadster,” a 1934 Chevy roadster named Lucille that’s owned by Wichitan Jeff Breuault, will be on display Saturday as part of the Larry Lee Memorial Car Show, which happens from noon to 4 p.m. on Main Street in Goddard. The car, which was a big winner in January’s Grand National Roadster show in Pomona, California, will be one of many on display at the show, which is put on by the Goddard Lions Club and also will feature food, music and kids activities. Admission is free.
‘Kids in Space’
Saturday through May 14, Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley
Mosley Street Melodrama is opening its newest production, “Kids in Space,’‘ on Friday. The show follows three friends stranded on an alien planet who have to figure out a way to get home. Shows will be performed at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday this weekend then starting on April 8, they’ll happen every Friday through Sunday through May 15. Friday and Saturday shows start at 6 p.m. and Sunday shows are at 10:30 a.m. Tickets for a meal and a show are $32-$36, and tickets for show only are $24-$28. To purchase, visit www.mosleystreet.com
Gin Blossoms make-up date
8 p.m. Saturday, Kansas Star Arena, 777 Kansas Star Drive, Mulvane
Rock band Gin Blossoms on Saturday will make up their concert that was originally scheduled for September of last year at the Kansas Star Casino. The band, best known for hit songs “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You,” will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the casino in Mulvane. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at kansasstarcasino.com. All tickets that were purchased for the September show will be honored on Saturday.
First Friday at Envision Art Gallery
Friday through May 27, Envision Art Gallery, 801 East Douglas, Suite 106
As a part of First Friday this week, The Envision Arts Gallery — a new venue made by and for artists with vision loss — is presenting two new solo exhibitions as part of a show titled “Where the Sky Meets the Sea.” The first is “Memory of Waves” by Erica Johnson, which features ceramic pieces inspired by the ocean. The second is “Fusion” by Tomiyo Tajiri, which includes ceramic pieces, washi paper installations and more. The opening reception, where visitors can meet the artists, will be from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, and the exhibits will be on display through May 27. Admission is free.
All That Remains
6:30 p.m. Monday, The Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg
Heavy metal band “All That Remains” will be at Wichita’s Cotillion Ballroom on Monday with its “The Fall of Ideals” 15th Anniversary tour. All That Remains, a Massachusetts band that formed in the late 1990s, is best known for its songs “Two Weeks,” “What If I Was Nothing,” “Stand Up” and more. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, and the show will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $29 and can be purchased at thecotillion.com.
R&B Fest at Wave
8 p.m. Thursday, Wave, 650 E. Second St.
Wave ICT will be the site this week of the Midwest R&B Fest, a mega-concert that will include headliners Donell Jones and Silk along with Case, Adina Howard and Rudy Love Jr. The concert is on Thursday. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will be from 8 to 11 p.m. Seated tickets are $75, general admission ticket prices range from $39.50 to $150, and VIP tickets range from $50 to $252. Tickets can be purchased at waveict.com