Here are three holiday events happening in Wichita for the 21-and-older crowd
If the opportunity to imbibe in adult beverages is your idea of being naughty for the holidays, there are a few special holiday events happening in Wichita for the 21-and-older crowd.
You can interact with a couple of elves during Wichita Art Museum’s screening of “Elf” on Nov. 25, enjoy some specialty drinks in an around-the-world type event at Exploration Place on Dec. 2, and partake of a wine-tasting at Jenny Dawn Cellars on Dec. 20.
Here’s more information about each of those events:
Interactive screening of “Elf,” 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd. In 2015, WAM started its interactive adults-only screening of this 2003 comedy. The movie stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human who’s been raised as an elf, and James Caan, who died earlier this year, as his bah-humbug dad whom Buddy rediscovers when he searches for his roots. Each ticket holder is given a goodie bag with items to use during the screening, like bells to jingle and cotton candy — the edible kind — to replicate the cotton balls Buddy eats in the film. The goodie bags also include a shot of alcohol, and there’s a cash bar as well to make this an adults-only night. Ticket holders also get a box of snacks of cheeses, meat and crackers.
“The movie theater rule of ‘please don’t talk during the film’ goes out the window on a night like this as we expect — and encourage — audience members to sing along, dance along, recite the movie’s dialogue and really get involved in the film,” said Teresa Veazey, WAM’s public relations manager.
Last year, a couple of attendees dressed as Central Park rangers, even carrying stick horses, and chased around one of the elf-costumed hosts, Andy McFayden, through Farha Great Hall where the movie is shown. McFayden and Kara Hunt are making repeat appearances as costumed elves to emcee the night.
Tickets are $25, with a $10 discount for WAM members; purchase them at wichitaartmuseum.org.
12 Drinks of Christmas, 7-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean. The idea behind this new event is to take a fun trip around the world through holiday beverages. Eventgoers will get a passport and visit tasting stations with drinks like bellinis from Italy, wassail from England, hot toddies from Scotland, poncho navideño from Mexico and sorrel from Jamaica. Other countries represented are Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Spain and Sweden. There is at least one non-alcoholic drink on the menu. The passports will have three spots for each country so if you find a favorite, you can return for second and third tastings, according to Laura Roddy, the science museum’s chief advancement officer.
Local restaurants will serve special accompanying bites at several stops, including Angelo’s at the Italy stop, Ruben’s Mexican Grill at the Mexico stop, Prost at the German stop, and Crown & Rye at the Sweden stop, Roddy said.
Tickets are limited and must be purchased online at exploration.org; cost is $75, with a $10 discount for Exploration Place members. Tickets include admission to all of the science museum’s exhibits, including its new Artic Adventure exhibition.
Wineucation, 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, Jenny Dawn Cellars, 703 E. Douglas, Suite 180. If you’d like to get some ideas on what wines to serve with your holiday dinner, check out this wine-tasting event led by owner and sommelier Jennifer McDonald. The event includes wines from around the world and small bites. Tickets are $45 and available through the winery’s website, jennydawncellars.com.