10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (June 23-25)
Summer is here, and you know what that means.
From pool parties to barbeques to picnics, there’s a whole host of fun to be had under the hot Wichita sun.
This weekend is shaping up to be a milder one (at least in comparison to last weekend), so don’t be afraid to get outside and enjoy yourself.
Here’s my picks for the top events going on in Wichita this weekend:
32nd Annual Kechi Fair
6 p.m. Fri., 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Sat., 220 W. Kechi Road, Kechi
Who doesn’t love a good summer fair? The 32nd annual Kechi Fair is this weekend, complete with cake walks, turtle races, ice cream socials, art-glass blowing and a street dance. Friday evening activities include a fishing derby, face painting and fireworks. On Saturday, there will be a parade, vendors and a street dance with the David Holland Band.
$3. www.kechiks.com, 316-744-9287
Anime Festival of Wichita
Fri.-Sun., Hyatt Regency Wichita, 400 W. Waterman
The city’s biggest festival for anime fans returns this weekend at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. There will be cosplay contests, gaming tournaments, a murder mystery and many more fun activities throughout the weekend. For a full schedule of events, visit www.afwcon.org.
$18-$45. www.afwcon.org
FREE: Tunes and Tallgrass
6:30-9:30 p.m. Fri., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.
Bring your lawn chairs and get ready for a fun night out in the Wichita Art Museum’s Art Garden on Friday night. The event, which will feature food trucks and a cash bar, is hosted in collaboration with the Tallgrass Film Association. There will be live jazz from the William Flynn Quintet at 7 p.m., and a screening of the Alfred Hitchcock movie “Rear Window” will begin at 9 p.m.
Free. www.wichitaartmuseum.org, 316-268-4921
Mort’s 21st Birthday
All day Sat. and Sun., Mort’s, 923 E. First St.
Mort’s is finally legal. Help say cheers to 21 years at Mort’s Martini and Cigar Bar, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary this weekend. There will be cake, cookies, barbeque and drink specials throughout the weekend. And in typical Mort’s fashion, there will be tons of live music.
$3. www.mortswichita.com, 316-262-1785
FREE: Family ArtVenture at the Wichita Art Museum
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.
The Wichita Art Museum’s monthly Family ArtVenture series continues this Saturday with an exploration of the art of sculpture, both indoor and outdoor. There will be a guide to the Wichita Art Museum’s sculptures. You’ll also have the opportunity to create your own wacky sculpture.
Free. www.wichitaartmuseum.org, 316-268-4921
FREE: Juneteenth Parade and Festival
11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat., 1845 N. Fairmount
Though Juneteenth was technically celebrated earlier this week, Wichita State University is giving you a chance to celebrate this weekend. The day, which marks the end of slavery in America, was first recognized on June 19, 1865. There will be a parade starting at WSU parking lot No. 1 on Hillside, which will then travel down 17th Street to McAdams Park, 1329 E. 13th St., where the festivities will continue until 7 p.m.
Free. www.wichita.edu/juneteenth
Wichita Taco Fest
noon-7 p.m. Sat., Union Station Plaza, 701 E. Douglas
Who doesn’t love tacos, margaritas and tequila? This first-time event is a celebration of all of those things. Admission is $5, and tacos from a variety of local restaurants will be $1 apiece. I’d advise getting there early, as it’s not entirely guaranteed these tacos will last all the way until 7 p.m.
River City Roll
6:30 p.m. Sat., Wichita Country Club, 8501 E. 13th
If you’re feeling philanthropic this weekend, why not attend this event, a fundraiser for the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation? The country club’s indoor tennis facility will be filled with posh decor. There will be lots of cocktails, auction items up for grabs and a dinner to be served. Local band Annie Up will perform. Make your reservations online beforehand.
$125. www.rivercityroll.org, 316-652-1547
FREE: Family Movie Night at NewMarket Square
7 p.m. Sat., NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Rd.
This west-side free-movie series returns Saturday night with a screening of the animated version of “The Jungle Book.” Bring a lawn chair and watch a movie under the stars with your kids. The family-friendly movies are always shown on a screen in the plaza outside Old Navy.
Free. www.newmarketsquare.com, 316-263-3201
Toni Anderson Memorial Show
6:30-11 p.m. Sun., Rock Island Live, 101 N. Rock Island
Friends of Toni Anderson, the Wichita teen who died in a January car accident in Kansas City, are hosting a show Sunday night in her memory at Rock Island Live. The show will be filled with bands Anderson and her friends enjoyed listening to. Local bands In the Trenches, Losing Time, Call Your Own, Kill Vargas and Postboy will perform, as well as Comrades, who added a last-minute tour stop on their way back to Virginia.
$5, $3 extra if under 21.
Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "10 fun things to do in Wichita this weekend (June 23-25)."