Your summer bucket list: 20 mostly free things to do in Wichita

Summer solstice is finally upon us, which means summer has officially arrived – though the weekend heat certainly made it seem like summer arrived early.

Your summer in Wichita doesn’t have to be expensive.

I’ve always been a believer in the idea that as long as you’re with friends, anything can be fun.

The city has a whole host of fun things going on this summer that won’t cost you a dime.

Here’s a listing:

Free things to do

Free admission days to Wichita Art Museum

Saturdays year-round, Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.

The Wichita Art Museum is free to the general public every Saturday, and on most Saturdays there are special events going on. If not, there are always opportunities to go picnicking in the Art Garden (which is free to the public anytime) under a shady tree.

Free admission days to Old Cowtown Museum

Sundays through October, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd.

For the first time, admission to Old Cowtown Museum is free on Sundays, because of a large donation from local real estate broker Colby Sandlian. That means you can bring yourself, friends, and the whole family out for gunfights and all sorts of amusement every week at Cowtown. Be sure to pick up a sarsaparilla while you’re there.

Free swim days at Wichita pools

Every Wichita pool hosts a free swim day once this summer. Here’s when the free swim days will be at each pool:

▪ June 26, Boston Park, 6700 E. Boston

▪ July 1, Aley Park, 1800 S. Seneca

▪ July 9, Minisa Park, 1350 N. Jeanette

▪ July 22, Linwood Park, 1900 S. Hydraulic

▪ July 29, Evergreen Park, 2700 N. Woodland

Outdoor public concerts

Bradley Fair Thursday Jazz Series: Concerts take place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Bradley Fair fountain area, 21st and Rock.

▪ June 22 – The JT Project, jazz keyboard and saxophone

▪ June 29 – Vincent Ingala, jazz saxophone

KEYN Summer Concert Series: Concerts take place at 8 p.m. at WaterWalk, 515 S. Main.

▪ July 7 – King Midas, classic rock

▪ July 14 – Across the Pond, ’60s and ’70s British band covers

▪ July 21 – Annie Up, high-energy covers

▪ July 28 – Big Fat Fun, party covers

▪ Aug. 4 – Lucky People, pop

▪ Aug. 11 – The Astronauts, ’80s covers

Carnegie Concert Series at Heritage Square: Concerts take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Heritage Square Park, 115 E. William.

▪ Sept. 6 – The Mudbugs Cajun and Zydeco Band, Cajun & zydeco

▪ Sept. 13 – Cherokee Maidens and Sycamore Swing, western swing

▪ Sept. 20 – Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy, brass & grass

▪ Sept. 27 – Gooding, rock & roll

Q-Line trolley rides

5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, downtown Wichita

You don’t even have to go anywhere on the Q-Line trolley – just taking it for a loop can be a fun experience. There are multiple routes, most of which stop on Douglas downtown. For maps and a full schedule of the Q-Line trolley, click here.

Final Fridays

Last Friday of the month, art galleries across town

Final Friday, the city’s monthly art gallery crawl, is always free, and is typically a great opportunity to see what creative and talented people in Wichita are up to. For Final Friday first-timers, I’d recommend visiting CityArts in Old Town or any of the galleries in the Commerce Street Art District, just south of Intrust Bank Arena on Commerce. For more information on Final Fridays, check back on my blog every month.

Twilight Tuesdays at Sedgwick County Zoo

Tuesdays after 6 p.m. in July, Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd.

Every Tuesday night in July, the Sedgwick County Zoo stays open late for its annual Twilight Tuesdays series. Admission to the zoo is free after 6 p.m. with a voucher from select local Cox Solutions stores or a zoo membership. The zoo stays open until 8:30 p.m. – perfect for late-night fun with the animals.

Free movie screenings

These are always somewhat hard to pin down, but here are some free movie screenings I could track down:

▪ 7 p.m. June 24 – “The Jungle Book” (animated), NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Road

▪ 7:30 p.m. June 24 – “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Gallery Alley, 616 E. Douglas. RSVP on Eventbrite.

▪ 6:30 p.m. June 25 – “Wall-E,” Kiwanis Park, 5101 W. Second St.

▪ 7 p.m. June 30 – “SING,” Towne West Square, 4600 W. Kellogg

▪ 7 p.m. July 7 – “Disney’s The BFG,” MorningStar Church, 11010 W. Kellogg

▪ dusk, July 8 – “Storks,” Hap McLean Park, 6801 N. Hydraulic, Park City

▪ dusk, July 22 – “Moana,” Hap McLean Park, 6801 N. Hydraulic, Park City

▪ 7 p.m. July 29 – “Moana,” NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Road

▪ 7 p.m. Aug. 26 – “Storks,” NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Road

▪ dusk, Aug. 26 – “Beauty and the Beast,” Hap McLean Park, 6801 N. Hydraulic, Park City

Free bowling for kids

Select times all summer, Wichita-area bowling alleys

Kids Bowl Free is a national program where parents can register their kids to bowl two free games a day at bowling alleys across the country. Parents can purchase a family pass to bowl alongside their kids for a one-time payment of $28.95. The program is available at The Alley, 11413 E. 13th; Northrock Lanes, 3232 N. Rock; West Acres Bowl, 749 N. Ridge; Seneca Bowl, 1909 S. Seneca; and Derby Bowl, 444 S. Baltimore, Derby. For more information, visit www.kidsbowlfree.com.

Great Plains Nature Center programs

Various dates, Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. North

The Great Plains Nature Center offers plenty of free summer programs for kids and adults alike, ranging from birdwatching and “creature features” to story-time sessions. Walking through Chisholm Creek Park is a great way to get outdoors in an environment that makes you forget you’re in the middle of the city. Some programs require preregistration. For more information, visit www.gpnc.org.

Tunes and Tallgrass

6:30 to 10:30 p.m. June 23, Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.

This annual event is a collaboration between the Wichita Art Museum and the Tallgrass Film Festival, featuring live jazz music at 7 p.m. and a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” at 9 p.m. There will be food trucks as well as a cash bar. Jazz music will be provided by the William Flynn Quintet.

A Musical Celebration of Our Freedoms

6:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 2, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 600 N. Greenwich

This party, sponsored in part by Liz and Charles Koch, will be on the lawn of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, featuring a host of free fun. The Wichita Grand Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists will perform a patriotic concert with Artillery of the Kansas National Guard. There will also be a biplane flyover with skydiver flag fly-in, and hot dogs and hamburgers will be available for purchase. The night will end with a fireworks display.

Red, White and BOOM!

6 to 10:15 p.m. July 4, Hyatt lawn, 400 W. Waterman

Free Fourth of July fireworks? The nonprofit Wichita Parks Foundation is hosting this event again this year, sponsored by Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. Starting at 6 p.m., there will be a variety of food trucks on the Hyatt lawn, and a live band will play from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The fireworks show, which will last about 24 minutes, will begin around 9:45 p.m.

Sedgwick County Fair

July 5-8, Sedgwick County Fairgrounds, Cheney

What do monster trucks, carnival rides, wacky foods and a parade have in common? They’re all things you can find at the annual Sedgwick County Fair. Check out favorites like the Sedgwick County 4-H show and Fair’s Got Talent, as well as whatever concerts the fair brings in. Getting into the fair itself is free, as is parking. Some events do cost. For more information, visit www.ourcountyfair.com.

Automobilia’s 23rd Moonlight Car Show

6 p.m. to midnight July 8, downtown Wichita

If you’re a car fan, you can’t beat Automobilia’s 23rd annual Moonlight Car Show. All vehicles and motorcycles are welcome. There will be live entertainment – seven bands playing at the same time in different locations, three food courts, three merchandise vendor courts, a swap meet and a model car contest.

Not free, but not expensive

$2 skate days at Wichita Ice Center

Tuesdays, Wichita Ice Center, 505 W. Maple

A respite from the summer heat: Every Tuesday is $2 skate day at the Wichita Ice Center. Skate rentals are $3, so in total you’re paying $5 for the experience. Skate sessions are typically from noon to 3 p.m. and 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. on Tuesdays. For more information, visit www.wichitaicecenter.com.

Starlite Drive-In movies

Every night at dusk, Starlite Drive-In, 3900 S. Hydraulic

If you’ve got a big family – or a bunch of friends – the Starlite Drive-In is a great option to catch multiple movies for a fraction of the cost at a regular movie theater. Tickets to Starlite are $9 for adults, $3 for children 5-11 and free for ages 4 and under. That gets you access to two films on weeknights and three films on weekend nights. For show times and more information, visit www.starlitefun.com.

Dollar nights at the Wichita Wingnuts

June 26, July 3, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Sept. 4, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, 300 S. Sycamore

Kwik Shop Dollar Days are back this summer, which allow you to catch a Wingnuts game for $1. Pick up a voucher at any area Kwik Shop store, which will give you access to a general-admission ticket for $1. Select concessions are also priced at $1 on Dollar Days. For more information, visit www.wichitawingnuts.com.

‘Fantastic Summer’ movies at the Orpheum

7 p.m. July 10, 17, 24, 31, Aug. 7, 14; Wichita Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway

The Wichita Orpheum Theatre is screening some classic films this summer as part of “The Fantastic Summer,” and tickets to each screening are $5. All films start at 7 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

▪ July 10 – “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”

▪ July 17 – “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”

▪ July 24 – “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

▪ July 31 – “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”

▪ Aug. 7 – “Star Trek: First Contact”

▪ Aug. 14 – “Star Trek (2009)”

Wicked Brew Tour

June through September, breweries and coffee shops around Wichita

Have you ever wanted a good reason to try one of Wichita’s local breweries or coffee shops? As if you needed a reason – this summer, there’s a promotion in place called the Wicked Brew Tour. Have a fun time visiting eight local coffee shops or breweries. Pick up a passport at any participating location, and get Wicked Brew Tour stamps from eight different spots to get a free T-shirt designed by Lupoli at Visit Wichita, 515 S. Main, Suite 115. For those who only want to go to coffee shops, you can get the T-shirt with all seven coffee shops’ stamps. Participating locations are as follows:

Coffee shops:

▪ Churn & Burn, 548 S. Oliver

▪ Cocoa Dolce, 2132 N. Rock Road, Suite 100

▪ Ecclesia, 7130 W. Maple, Suite 280

▪ Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas

▪ R Coffee House, 1144 N. Bitting

▪ Reverie Coffee Roasters, 2611 E. Douglas

▪ The Donut Whole, 1720 E. Douglas

Breweries:

▪ Aero Plains Brewing, 117 N. Handley

▪ Central Standard Brewing, 156 S. Greenwood

▪ Hopping Gnome Brewing Company, 1710 E. Douglas

▪ Limestone Beer Co., 707 N. Waco, Suite 105

▪ River City Brewing Co., 150 N. Mosley

▪ Third Place Brewing, 630 E. Douglas

▪ Wichita Brewing Company East, 535 N. Woodlawn, Suite 375

▪ Wichita Brewing Company West, 8815 W. 13th St., Suite 100

This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Your summer bucket list: 20 mostly free things to do in Wichita."