Wichita Riverfest: How to navigate downtown construction and find parking

Paid parking that started last summer in downtown Wichita, downtown construction and event street closures can make it a little tricky to navigate to the Wichita Riverfest this year.

That’s why ahead of opening weekend, we reached out to the Riverfest organizers to determine the best ways to get to the 54th annual Riverfest.

Here’s what event organizers recommend.

Driving to Riverfest

If you’re coming from the west side of town, you’ll be most impacted by the closure of the First Street Bridge.

• Event organizers suggest taking Kellogg to the Seneca exit, then taking the Waterman Street Bridge east across the river. Another option includes taking Kellogg to downtown, then taking Main Street north to the Riverfest.
• Drivers coming from the south should take McLean to the Waterman Street Bridge to get to downtown.
• Drivers may also take the Douglas Avenue Bridge to the festival, though organizers caution that it gets busy during peak hours. The bridge will also be closed to traffic starting around 10:45 pm. May 29 and June 6 for fireworks, and parts of Douglas will be closed for the River Run on May 30.

All other event street closures can be found at wichitariverfest.com/street-closures.

Riverfest Parking

Parking enforcement will be in effect throughout the Riverfest.

Paid parking spots are enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Parking is free on Sundays.

On-street parking, public surface lots and public garages are available for $1 an hour.

A map of downtown parking garages is available below.