Popular KC band to play Wichita agency’s birthday party, and the city is invited

Not many 20-year-olds would invite the entire city to their birthday parties, but Howerton & White is.

The full-service integrated marketing agency is turning 20 and throwing a party at Naftzger Park on Friday with the popular Kansas City band Wonderfuzz providing the entertainment.

“They’re incredibly dynamic and fun,” said Howerton & White CEO Nicole Howerton. “They have a great sound.”

She called Wonderfuzz, which features a horn section, “just a high-energy, fun, engaging ’80s cover band.”

The band plays some ’90s hits, too.

Only invited guests with a wristband will be allowed in the park itself, but Howerton said the agency wants to invite all of Wichita to bring a chair, listen to the band and partake of area restaurants and food trucks.

“Because we are a community partner, we wanted to celebrate with our community.”

Howerton & White’s office is kitty-corner from the park at 520 E. Douglas. It’s known as the business with a slide in it.

“There are people who stop by just to say, ‘Hey, I hear you have a slide. Can I go on it?’ ”

As long as they’re wearing the right clothes, it’s usually no problem.

Wonderfuzz likely will play two sets from 4 to 7 p.m.

“We’ve been a huge part of downtown development and reactivating downtown, and we thought what better way to celebrate than to take it outside,” Howerton said.

When Howerton and Ken White formed the agency, it was exclusively for online work.

“We were kind of a digital agency before digital agencies,” Howerton said.

Eventually, the agency expanded.

“We didn’t want to focus only on one tactic,” Howerton said. She said they wanted to help with “the whole consumer journey.”

The agency has survived some tough times, such as the economic downturn of 2008 and the pandemic.

“COVID was tough. It had me wondering if I was going to have to go work for somebody else,” Howerton said. “It’s our relationships and community commitment that’s absolutely pulled us through every time.”

Now, she said, it’s time to celebrate.

“Come with a chair, a drink and join us.”

This story was originally published June 15, 2022 at 1:01 PM.