10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (Jan. 27-29)

Tonight is Final Friday, which means the city’s galleries will be packed with people looking to blow off steam after a busy week of work.

Of course, there will be plenty of worthy works of art for sale as well, if you’re looking to build to your collection.

The remainder of the weekend contains some more worthwhile events as well.

Use this guide to help plan your weekend’s itinerary:

FREE: Final Friday

Friday evening, galleries across Wichita

Final Friday is the monthly art gallery crawl, during which Wichita’s creatives are on full display. In January, there are some notable Final Friday exhibitions opening up – Sean Ward’s “Chimera Effect” at HUE Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Eastern Kansas Scholastic Art Awards opening reception at Mark Arts, and the openings at CityArts to name a few. For a full listing of what’s going on where, click here.

FREE: Ribbon-cutting for Wheat State Distilling

4:30 p.m. Fri., Wheat State Distilling, 246 N. Mosley

As I wrote back in December, David Bahre’s new bar in Old Town is officially open, and this afternoon, a special ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned. Mayor Jeff Longwell is scheduled to cut the ribbon officially opening the bar, which has operated since December. At Wheat State Distilling, you can watch alcohol being made in Bahre’s industrial-size still behind the bar while you sip. The alcohol also is labeled in such a way that you can exactly where in Kansas your liquor comes from.

www.wheatstatedistilling.com, 785-341-5755

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Toruk – The First Flight’

7:30 p.m. Fri., 4 and 8 p.m. Sat., 1 and 5 p.m. Sun., Intrust Bank Arena, 500 E. Waterman

If you’ve seen the Cirque du Soleil’s semi-trucks parked outside of Intrust Bank Arena in the past few days, then you know it’s Cirque time. The traveling group’s latest show is based on the James Cameron movie, “Avatar,” and it explores the world of the Na’Vi before the events of the 2009 movie. It promises to be a spectacular display. If you’re interested in a little bit of behind-the-scenes information, read my colleague Denise Neil’s piece about the food Cirque performers eat while they’re in town.

Tickets start at $34 and go to $130. www.intrustbankarena.com, 855-755-7328

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons of Kansas

8 p.m. Fri., 3 p.m. Sun., Century II, 225 W. Douglas

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra is visiting Vivaldi’s classic “Four Seasons” this Friday and Sunday. Violinist Rachel Barton Pine will perform with the Symphony, whose performance also includes Handel’s “Water Music Suite” and Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 3.” Photographs of Kansas taken by Kansas artist Larry Schwarm will be displayed in conjunction with the program. On Saturday afternoon, there will also be a family concert featuring music by Vivaldi. For more information on that, visit the symphony’s website.

$10-$70. www.wichitasymphony.org, 316-267-7658

Voyage to Vietnam exhibit at Exploration Place

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat., noon to 5 p.m. Sun., Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean

A new traveling exhibit opens at Exploration Place this Saturday, all about the Tet Festival, a tradition in Vietnam. The exhibition will include lion masks and interactive photos that allow children to enjoy the foods and traditions of the New Year festivities. You can also program your own virtual fireworks show.

General museum admission applies, free for members. www.exploration.org, 316-660-0600

FREE: Family ArtVenture: Ice, Ice Baby

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 Museum Blvd.

For the second year in a row, the Wichita Art Museum is bringing in ice sculptors for a special family event this Saturday. Sculptors Mike Miller, Erin Raux and Brady Hatter will be outside the whole time, making artwork out of ice blocks. Inside, there will be a free screening of “Frozen” at 11 a.m. and of “Howl’s Moving Castle” at 2 p.m. There will also be free family art-making activities provided.

www.wichitaartmuseum.org, 316-268-4921

FREE: Roni Lowry at Mead’s Corner

7 p.m. Sat., Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas

Local cellist/singer-songwriter Roni Lowry will perform a free show Saturday evening at Mead’s Corner, part of an initiative the coffee shop is undertaking to try and book more shows. Lowry makes music using a loop pedal, keyboard, cello and her voice. Also performing will be Mooch Pit, who plays “groovy jazz fusion.” They are made up of Steven Vick (baritone saxophone), Caleb Abbott (tenor saxophone), Sean Engler (drums), and Antonio Gonzalez (tenor saxophone).

www.meadscorner.com, 316-201-1900

FREE: Jenny Wood at Central Standard Brewing

8 p.m. Sat., Central Standard Brewing, 156 S. Greenwood

Jenny Wood, a well-known singer-songwriter, is performing with her band Saturday evening at Central Standard Brewing. She will playing with members of The Travel Guide – Will Erickson, Caleb Drummond and Thayne Coleman – as well as acoustically with Michael Peltzer. Wood will also likely talk about her anti-bullying campaign, “Don’t Let Them Get in Your Head,” in which she comes to Wichita-area schools and gives her message through music. Uno Mas food truck will be at the bar until 9 p.m.

www.facebook.com/centralstandardbrewing, 316-260-8515

FREE: Watch the new episode of ‘Lockup’

9 p.m. Sat., MSNBC

If you’d prefer to stay home this Saturday evening, you can catch what is sure to be riveting television in the third of a six-episode season of MSNBC’s “Lockup,” focused on the Sedgwick County Jail. Previews of the show posted on MSNBC’s website indicate the episode will be about race relations in jail, with a subplot about toilet paper rations. You can also catch last week’s episode at 7 p.m. Saturday, before this week’s episode premieres. You can catch a recap of that episode here – and be sure to check back on Monday for a recap of the latest episode.

www.msnbc.com/lockup

FREE: Kansas Day festivities

All day Sunday, various locations

Our great Sunflower State turns 156 on Sunday, which means it’s time for a birthday party. Various museums and the Wichita Public Library are hosting Kansas Day-themed events this Sunday – some of which have an admission cost, but most are free. For a full listing of what’s going on where, click here.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 2:37 PM with the headline "10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (Jan. 27-29)."