Take more than a few seconds to gaze at Riverfest’s 2018 poster

Yes, Riverfest really is around the corner – the first evidence of such came Friday with the release of official poster and button artwork.

Local 33-year-old freelance graphic designer Joe Worley created the winning design.

The poster requires a bit of explaining – or a pretty thorough knowledge of Riverfest traditions and wardrobes.

At first glance, it looks like a loopy, curvy jumble of stylish letters scattered about the page. It’s not the most easily-read poster, some will grumble.

But look closer at the details: there’s a row of buttons separating the main text, epaulettes and a collar near the top and – most telling – a belt that says “Admiral Windwagon Smith” near the poster’s midsection.

“It’s a little bit esoteric – you might not get it right when you first look at it,” Worley said. “It’s not super hard to read, but it takes a couple seconds at least. I was a little hesitant about submitting that design ... but I just like it so much.”

Worley said his first thought was that the design would work well as a T-shirt.

“I wanted something iconic ... so I decided to go with the Windwagon Smith (design) after doing a bunch of different designs and compositions and landscapes,” he said. “What’s more iconic than Windwagon Smith?”

Worley entered the Riverfest poster competition last year as well (his jet-skiing fox was not selected as the winning design).

There were 27 submissions this year.

Last year’s winning poster featured Chapa, the rogue beaver who became infamous for escaping from Riverside Park’s Kansas Wildlife Exhibit.

Worley will receive a $3,500 check for winning the contest, as well as the notoriety that comes with having his designs so widely spread during the annual festival – this year scheduled for June 1-9.

Worley – a graduate of Wichita Northwest High School, Butler Community College and Wichita State University – is a member of the Brickmob art collective in Wichita. His work can be seen at The Workroom, where he designed its south-facing mural. He also designed “challenge coins” given to each graduate of WSU.

Also on Friday, Harvester Arts announced its Artist-in-Residence to be JooYoung Choi, who creates “playful and fantastical worlds filled with flowers, dinosaurs, puppets and more,” according to a release.

Her expansive installation will be previewed during the annual Sundown Parade. She plans to create an area where festivalgoers can interact with her sculptures, create and “enjoy the fantasy world she’ll create on the festival grounds,” according to a release.

Riverfest buttons are on sale now at www.ticketfly.com, and will be available in person starting April 9. They are available for an early-bird discount now for $7 per adult button (ages 13+) and $3 per child’s button (ages 6-12). Buttons increase in price starting May 7.

Next up in Riverfest news: the festival will announce its concert lineup on March 1.

This story was originally published January 26, 2018 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Take more than a few seconds to gaze at Riverfest’s 2018 poster."