10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (May 5-7)

As the school year winds down for most, it’s starting to feel like summer out there.

Perhaps not temperature-wise, but in spirit, at least.

This weekend, to help celebrate that, there are plenty of fun activities planned in Wichita.

Today (Friday) is Cinco de Mayo, and a lot of events are themed after that this weekend, but there are others to be had as well.

Use this guide of top events to help plan your weekend fun:

Dierks Bentley at Intrust Bank Arena

7:30 p.m. Fri.., Intrust Bank Arena, 500 E. Waterman

Dierks Bentley is performing at the Intrust Bank Arena tonight, and there are still plenty of tickets available to check out the show, ranging from about $29.75 to $59.75. The “Come a Little Closer” singer is currently on his What the Hell World Tour. Cole Swindell and Jon Pardi will open.

$29.75 to $59.75. www.selectaseat.com, 855-755-7328

‘21st Century Projects’ at Friends University

7:30 p.m. Fri., Sat., Riney Fine Arts Center, Friends University, 2100 W. University

Perhaps the most unique event of the weekend, this ballet-meets-rock-show event is sure to be a highlight. The Friends University Ballet Department is collaborating with Wichita rock band Spirit of the Stairs, as well as other instrumentalists, to create a ballet like you’ve never seen before. The best part: Tickets are cheap, to try to encourage young people to attend.

$6 adults, $4 students and seniors. www.friends.edu/finearts, 316-295-5677

21st Annual Kidfest

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat., Century II, 225 W. Douglas

Kids are in for a treat this Saturday at the annual Kidfest event downtown. What is that, you ask? It’s an event jam-packed with inflatables, live stage shows, vendors and various other fun activities for children and their parents. There will be a meet-and-greet with Captain America and Spiderman as well.

$6 adults, $2 children 10 and under. www.wichitakidfest.com, 316-201-3145

Tree House Concert Series: Cherish the Ladies

4 p.m. Sat., Bartlett Arboretum, K-55 and Line Street in Belle Plaine

As part of the Bartlett Arboretum’s Tree House Concert Series, Cherish the Ladies, a Grammy-nominated Irish-American Celtic band, will perform on Saturday afternoon. The group has recorded 16 albums and performed at the White House. While you’re out at the arboretum, enjoy the idyllic surroundings and flowers in bloom.

$10. www.bartlettarboretum.com, 620-488-3451

FREE: The Kentucky Derby

5:34 p.m. Sat., NBC

The Kentucky Derby is always a fun and unique sporting event to watch, and this year, there’s a Kansas connection. McCraken, a horse which many think has a legitimate chance of winning the race, is owned by 84-year-old Janis Whitham, of Leoti. If you want to watch the Run for the Roses with company, Mort’s Martini Bar is hosting its annual party at the bar Saturday afternoon, a fundraiser for Victory for the Valley.

The Steel Wheels at the Orpheum

7 p.m. Sat., Wichita Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway

Virginia-based folk band The Steel Wheels are coming to the Orpheum this Saturday night. Fans of American roots music and Americana will likely not be disappointed in the band’s performance.

$29. www.wichitaorpheum.com, 316-263-0884

Fifty Shades of Men at the Cotillion

9 p.m. Sat., The Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg

Is Saturday night ladies night out? If so, you could do worse than the Fifty Shades of Men performance at the Cotillion. It’s exactly what you think it is, judging by the title. Attendees must be at least 18 years old.

$15-$20. www.thecotillion.com, 316-722-4201

Prairie Fire Spring Half-Marathon

7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sun., various streets in Wichita

If you enjoy cheering runners on – or if you’re a runner yourself – this Sunday is the Prairie Fire Spring Half-Marathon and 5K run. Consider it a practice run for the actual marathon this fall. The race starts and ends in downtown, and runs west along Maple to Friends University and up McLean to 13th Street and back. A full map is available online at www.prairiefiremarathon.com, so plan your driving routes accordingly.

Free to watch. Registration costs. www.prairiefiremarathon.com, 316-265-6236

Haute Handmade Pop-Up Market at the Monarch

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun., The Monarch, 579 W. Douglas

If you’re a fan of local, handmade goods, you’re not going to want to miss this first-anniversary bash on Sunday. The Haute Handmade Pop-Up Market, which puts on various mini-shopping events throughout the year, is celebrating its first anniversary at the Monarch, so good drinks and food are not far away. There will be various crafters, jewelers, artisans and artists selling their goods there, as well as live music.

Free. www.facebook.com/hautehandmadepopup

Cinco de Mayo at the zoo

noon to 5 p.m. Sun., Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd.

If you’re unable to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Friday, the Sedgwick County Zoo has you covered at this Sunday event. Authentic Mexican food vendors will be at the zoo all afternoon serving up delicious lunch and dinner dishes, and there will be live music as well. Then, of course, no trip to the zoo is complete without paying the animals a visit.

Regular admission applies – $15.95 adults 12-61, $11.95 children 3-11 and seniors 62+, free for children 2 and under. www.scz.org, 316-660-9453

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 2:56 PM with the headline "10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (May 5-7)."