German beer, wiener dog races and dad bods await at ICT Bloktoberfest

Some of Wichita’s favorite fall events — many of them spooky — are coming up this weekend and into next week. Among them is the big Bloktoberfest in Naftzger Park, which features lots of beer and whacky contests. The calendar also includes the start of some Halloween-themed events and the return of Wild Lights at the Sedgwick County Zoo.

Here’s more information about some of the fun things to do this weekend and into next week in Wichita:

Bloktoberfest 10

4-10 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, Naftzger Park, 601 E. Douglas

It’s fall festival season, and one of Wichita’s biggest — Bloctoberfest — returns to Naftzger Park this weekend. The fall event, which has been put on by Xclusive Events for the past decade, is scheduled for 4 to 10 p.m. on Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and will once again be staged in Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita. It will include a vendor market on Saturday plus wiener dog races, a dad bod contest, a stein hoist, yard games, food trucks and booze trucks. Admission is free, but a beer fest that will last from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday requires a ticket that’s $60 in advance. For tickets and a full event schedule, visit ictbloktoberfest.com

“Ice Dinosaurs” at Exploration PLace

Through Jan. 4, Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean

Exploration Places’ newest exhibit, called “Ice Dinosaurs: The Lost World of the Alaskan Arctic,” opened on Friday and will run through Jan. 4. The exhibit will give visitors a look at the prehistoric Arctic and show them how a newly discovered species of dinosaurs survived there. It includes touchable fossils, large skull casts and complete skeletons. The exhibit is included with regular Exploration Place admission, which if purchased in advance at exploration.org/tickets, is $18 for ages 12 to 64, $13 for ages 2 to 11 and ages 65 and over, and free for ages 2 and under. Admission at the door is $2 more.

Halloween fun at Bootanica

5-10 p.m. Fridays, 2-10 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 25, Botanica, 701 N. Amidon

Botanica’s Halloween event, called BOOtanica, will happen during the next three weekends starting on Friday. The event will include axe throwing, pumpkin carving, trick or treating, face painting, and a stroll through a collection of spooky lighted trees. Local food trucks will be set up on site, and among many live entertainers will be an improv troupe, aerial acrobatics and live local bands. Through Oct, 25, BOOTanica will run from 5-10 p.m. Fridays and from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is $16 for nonmembers, $14 for members, $10 for children 3 to 11, and free for ages 2 and under. For a complete lineup of performers, visit botanica.org/bootanica/

“Alice in Wonderland Jr”

2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. Saturday, Mary Jane Teall Theater, Century II, 225 W. Douglas

The Academy, a group of youth performers associated with Music Theatre Wichita, is putting on three installations of “Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr.” this weekend in Mary Jane Teall Theater. The show will include Disney favorites songs such as “I’m Late” and “Painting the Roses Red” as well as songs from the 2010 live-action “Alice In Wonderland” film. Shows are at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $21 at mtwichita.org

Wild Lights is back

6-9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, Wednesday-Dec. 21, Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd.

The big Asian lantern display at the Sedgwick County Zoo — called Wild Lights — is returning for its fifth consecutive year and opens on Wednesday. This year’s display will feature larger-than-life glowing lanterns set up throughout the zoo in the shape of plants, animals and other creatures. The after-hours event will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays starting on Wednesday and ending on Dec. 21. Tickets for non-members ages 12-61 are $19 in advance and $21 at the gate. They’re less expensive on Wednesdays, when tickets are $16. Members get a $2 discount, and ages 2 and under are admitted free. They’re on sale at scz.org/event/wild-lights

Ole 60 at the Cotillion

8 p.m. Thursday, Cotillion, 11125 W. Kellogg

Kentucky-based country band Ole 60, which found fame on social media for songs such as “Smoke & A Light” and “Insane,” will be in Wichita on Thursday performing at the Cotillion. The show is at 8 p.m., and doors will open at 7 p.m. The opening act will be singer Rob Langdon. Tickets are $46.20 at thecotillion.com