Here, kitty kitty: Big annual cat show is happening in Wichita this weekend
When February starts, the fancy cats always come out to play. The annual Wichita Cat Fancy Show returns to The Cotillion this weekend and will be one of several diverting events on Wichita’s calendar.
Here are a few ideas for ways to fill your free time this weekend:
Fancy cats
Calling all cat fans: The annual Wichita Cat Fancy Show will return this weekend to The Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg, for its 2026 installment. The event, which this year has the title “Sunflower Cats,” will happen from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It will feature lots of different cat breeds on display, vendors selling cat merchandise, and cat costume contests. The event is put on by the Wichita Cat Fancy Club, and spectators are welcome. Tickets are $10 for ages 16 and up; $5 for seniors 65 and over and children ages 5-15; and $25 for a family of four that includes two adults and two children. There will also be concessions and a full bar. Get tickets at the door or at etix.com
February First Friday
It’s First Friday time again, and as usual, Wichita will be filled with art events at galleries across town. One of Friday’s events will be an exhibit opening from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Commerce Club inside The National, 150 N. Main. Featured artists will be Mary McCoy, Kelly Rundell and Tayshaw Long-Nail, who will put on a live art demonstration. The Lough Brothers will perform live music. Admission is free. For a list of this month’s First Friday shows, visit downtownwichita.org/discover/things-to-see-and-do/first-friday
Kansas Day redo
Kansas Day has passed, but Great Plains Nature Center’s big party, scheduled for two weeks ago, didn’t happen because of cold and snow. It will now take place on Saturday at the venue, 6232 E. 29th St. North. The center is teaming up with Wichita Park & Recreation for the party, which will last from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include free games, crafts, trivia and a naturalist program at 11 a.m. People will also get a preview of the events the center has planned for the year. Admission is free.
Black History Month at Exploration Place
For the fifth consecutive year, Exploration Place will observe Black History Month by collaborating with The Kansas African American Museum on a large outdoor display that will be visible evenings throughout February. Each night, the museum will honor African-American scientists by projecting giant portraits onto the side of its building. People will be able to see the portraits from the path along the Arkansas River that passes by Exploration Place, or they can see them from inside Exploration Place on Thursday nights, when the museum stays open until 8 p.m. (No admission is required for those who want to view the display from Exploration Place’s indoor promenade.) This week, the display will feature Harold Miller, a U.S. Navy veteran who in 1970 became the first African American to serve as an air traffic controller in the Wichita tower. Week two will feature Wichita architect Charyl McAfee-Duncan followed by World War II Tuskegee airman Donald Jackson then Col. George Boyd, who served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly three decades.
Valentine’s Day burlesque show
American Rose Theater is putting on a show this weekend at the Wave venue, 650 E. Second St., titled “XOXO: A Valentine’s Burlesque & Variety Dinner Show.” It will be performed on the venue’s indoor stage starting at 7 p.m. A taco bar and a full bar will be available, and the event is open to ages 18 and over. Premium seats, which include champagne and food service, are $60. VIP seats, which include a table in the front half of the seating area, are $35. General admission tickets, which include a table in the back half of the seating area, are $25. Get tickets at waveict.com