Prepare to indulge in burgers, tacos, beer at Wichita food events this spring and summer

Now that it’s (mostly) warm enough to go outside on a (mostly) consistent basis, Wichita’s annual spring and summer food and drink events will soon start filling local parks and venues.

Tickets are already on sale for most of them, including St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church’s Mediterranean Festival, the Amber Waves Delano beer stroll, and Festive ICT’s Wichita Taco Fest, which is returning to Wichita after a three-year run in Andover.

Following are details about how to attend Wichita’s most popular warm-weather food festivals:

April

ICT Veg Fest, noon to 7 p.m. April 27, Hidden Lake Venue, 537 W. MacArthur Road: This event, designed to celebrate plant-based eating, is back for another year. This time, it will be at Hidden Lake Venue and will feature food from local vendors, samples, cooking demos and more. It will have more food vendors than in the past, and among those serving will be Soft Swerve, Wheat Street Dogs and Nice Bites. Admission is free.

May

Midwest Winefest Walkabout, 5:30-8 p.m. May 1, Old Town: The annual Midwest Winefest, a fundraiser for the Guadalupe Clinic health foundation, always includes this event, which invites people to walk from restaurant to restaurant in Old Town sampling food and wine. The event also now includes a gated area at the Farm and Art Market Plaza at First and Mosley that will have several food and wine samples in a centralized spot. Tickets to the event are $85. They’re $100 the day of the event. The festival also includes a Reserve Room event from 6 to 9 p.m. ON May 3 at Distillery 244, 244 N. Mosley. It will offer samples of higher-end wine plus a live auction. Tickets to that event are $250. Visit www.midwestwinefest.org/events

Tacos & Tequila, noon-9 p.m. May 3, Wichita Boathouse, 515 S. Wichita: This annual Cinco De Mayo-adjacent party, put on by Xclusive Events, has been happening every spring since 2022 and will return on Saturday, May 3. It will feature tacos and other Mexican food from local restaurants and food trucks as well as tequila, beer and cocktails served from Xclusive’s booze truck. Live entertainment and yard games also will be part of the fun, which will take over the inside and outside of the Boathouse. Admission is free, though a $50 ticket is required for a separate tequila tasting that will last from 2 to 5 p.m. Advance tickets are available at tacosandtequilawichita.com

Mediterranean Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. May 3, St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church, 344 S. Martinson: This annual Mediterranean church dinner has been around for more than 90 years and will again this year offer a $22 meal that includes green beans and rice, kibbee, two cabbage rolls, Greek salad, baklawa and talme bread. The meals will be available either for dine-in or takeout, and a drive-through will be available. The event also will have a Mediterranean Marketplace offering a selection of pastries, breads and desserts. Fans of the annual dinner’s food also can pre-order things like kibbee, cabbage rolls, meat pies and baklawa in bulk, but orders must be placed by April 22 at stmarywichita.square.site and picked up on April 30. For more information, visit stmarywichita.org/festival

Amber Waves, 6-9 p.m. May 16, West Douglas in Delano: This beer, wine and food tasting event, a benefit for Starkey, is back this year and will send participants on a walking tour of West Douglas businesses, which will be serving samples of craft beer, spirits, wine and food from local restaurants. Tickets are $75 and available at AmberWavesICT.com

Wichita Asian Night Market, 5 p.m. May 24, Equity Bank Park, 275 S. McLean Blvd: This popular family-friendly event, inspired by late-night markets in Asian countries, returns to Wichita’s baseball stadium and will feature food and drink from local restaurants and shopping from Asian vendors. Games and activities for the kids also will be set up. It will end with a fireworks display. Tickets are $8 for 6 p.m. entry and $22 for 5 p.m. entry at www.tickettailor.com

June

KETCH Burger Battle, June 7, Capitol Federal Amphitheater, 1609 E. Central, Andover: This annual fundraiser, which benefits people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, returns to Andover and will feature unlimited burger samples from local restaurants. Both attendees and judges will choose which burger they think is best. The event also will include a car show, kids activities and more. Tickets are $30 for ages 13 and over, $15 for ages 7-12, free for ages 6 and under. Get them at ketch.org/burgerbattle

Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest, June 13-15, High Park, 2801 James St., Derby: This annual event fills a Derby park with live music, a kids corner, a beer tent and a barbecue competition. Food trucks also will be set up. Admission is free, and barbecue tasting kits on June 13 are $5.

Wichita Taco Fest, 3-9 p.m., June 28, Fountains at WaterWalk: For the past several years, Festive ICT’s popular taco fest was staged at Andover’s Capitol Federal Amphitheater. But this year, it’s moving back to Wichita proper and will be put on at the Fountains at WaterWalk, which are near the Wichita Boathouse downtown. The event will feature tacos plus chips and salsa from many local restaurants and food vendors and also will include a Tequila Expo, Lucha Libre wrestling, dancers and a kid’s zone. Early-bird tickets are $12 and are on sale now at www.festiveict.com/wichita-taco-fest-tickets

July

Air Capital Bacon, Bourbon & Brews, 4-6:30 p.m. July 12, Park City Arena, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive: This annual event for ages 21 and over will again include sampling of more than 75 beers, bacon treats made by 14 local restaurants and vendors, a bacon-eating contest and live entertainment. With a ticket upgrade, people also can attend a bourbon tasting. VIP tickets, which include the bourbon tasting, private Bloody Mary and BLT bars, and early admission, are $68. General admission tickets are $35. Get them at parkcityarena.com

August

Wingapalooza, Aug. 9, Intrust Bank Arena, 500 E. Waterman: They’ve yet to share all the details or put tickets on sale, but arena staff confirmed this week that Wingapalooza will return for 2025. It features all-you-can-eat chicken wings prepared by local restaurants, a beer garden and more. Stay tuned for more information.

This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.