Updated: Riverfest again cancels activities on the water for safety reasons Saturday

Update, 1 p.m. Saturday: The Riverfest posted on Facebook that events on the river would not take place again Saturday.

“Due to rapid speeds, for safety reasons all activities on the river are cancelled. This includes Wagonmaster River Tours and Cowboy Bathtub Races. There are still plenty of events to enjoy, so we can’t wait for you to join us for the closing night of the 50th Riverfest!” the post said.

Original story posted Friday:

People will be able to get back on the water on Saturday, the last day of the Wichita Riverfest.

Activities on the Arkansas River had been canceled Tuesday because the water was moving quickly after several rains. It increased to 6500 cubic feet per second on Tuesday.

The city of Wichita said Friday the river is now safe to use, with a flow rate at 2380 cubic feet per second and dropping.

That means that water activities except for paddle boats will go on as planned on Saturday.

Wagonmasters river tours will run from 12-5:30 p.m. The tours will start on the north side of Douglas, east of the Arkansas River.

Cowboy bathtub races will go from 2-3 p.m. The races will start at the Arkansas River by the Douglas Street bridge. The event was supposed to happen June 4 but was rained out.

Boats and Bikes will resume at the River Vista, 150 N. McLean, from 1-8 p.m. Only canoes and kayaks will be allowed on the river.

This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 5:10 PM.