What to do in Wichita this weekend: Christmas, open houses, concerts and parties
The holidays are fully underway in Wichita, and this weekend will feature several annual events that locals always look forward to, from concerts to open houses.
Here’s a look at some of the holiday events happening around town this weekend and into next week:
Victorian Christmas at Cowtown
6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9-10, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd.
Cowtown’s popular annual holiday event called Victorian Christmas returns this weekend for a two-weekend run. The event, which will feature a re-enactment of “The Night Before Christmas” in the old schoolhouse and include visits with Santa, carolers and shopping, happens from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Dec. 9 and 10. Tickets are $8, free for kids 4 and under and Cowtown members.
Wichita Wurlitzer anniversary
7 p.m. Saturday, Century II Exhibition Hall, 225 E. Douglas
Fans of the Wichita Wurlitzer — a 1926 organ that started its life in New York and eventually made its way to Wichita in 1972 — will celebrate the instrument’s 50th anniversary in Wichita with a unique anniversary holiday concert scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday in Century II’s Exhibition Hall. The concert, sponsored by Save Century II and by Wichita Wurlitzer Inc, will feature the screening of an old Laurel and Hardy silent movie called “Big Business’‘ accompanied by the organ. A holiday sing along will follow. Well-known Wichita organist Brett Valliant will be on the keys. Tickets are $15, $5 for children 10 and under and are available at selectaseat.com, by calling 316-755-7328 or in person at the Select-A-Seat box office inside Intrust Bank Arena.
MakeICT anniversary party
12:30-5 p.m. Saturday, 5920 E. Mt. Vernon
MakeICT, a community “maker space” at 5920 E. Mt. Vernon, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a Founders Day Celebration scheduled for 12:30 to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The event will begin with a grand reopening ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. followed by an open house with free classes and make-it-take-it projects, then a vendor fair from 1 to 5 p.m.
‘Christmas Fantasies’
3 p.m. Sunday, Century II Concert Hall, 225 W. Douglas
The Wichita Symphony’s “Christmas Fantasies” concert is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday in Century II Concert Hall and will feature music from Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel;” the score for the Oscar-nominated “The Snowman;” and the overture and complete act two of “The Nutcracker.” Tickets are $20 to $90 at wichitasymphony.org/
Free holiday concert
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Century II Convention Hall, 225 W. Douglas
The Wichita Symphony will be back on stage on Tuesday for another holiday concert, and this one is free to attend. The annual Spirit of the Season concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Convention Hall. The show will last one hour and will also include performances by Butler Community College Concert Choir and the Wichita Symphony Youth Orchestras Ensemble. Organizers will be accepting canned food donations for the Kansas Food Bank as well as cash donations for the Wichita Symphony’s education programs. Though admission to the show, which is sponsored by Spirit Aerosystems, is free, a ticket is still required to enter and can be claimed at wichitasymphony.org under the “events” tab.
Three colleges, three Christmas concerts
Friday through Sunday, Wichita State University, Friends University and Newman University
Three Wichita colleges will be putting on their annual Christmas concerts over the weekend. Wichita State University’s 59th annual Candlelight Choir Concert happens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Wiedemann Hall and will feature groups from the WSU choral department: Madrigal Singers, Concert Chorale, ShockerChoir and WuChoir. Tickets are $12 with discounts for seniors, military, WSU faculty and staff, students and children. It’s free for WSU students. Friends University’s Candlelight Concert will also happen at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday; it will be in the Sebits Auditorium in the Riney Fine Arts Center. It will include the Singing Quakers and the Concert Choir. Tickets are $16 for adults and $12 for students and seniors 55 and up and are available by calling the Fine Arts Box Office at 316-295-5677 or at friends.edu/fineartstickets. Finally, Newman University’s Christmas Concert will be staged at 3 p.m. on Sunday at De Mattias Performance Hall. The Newman troubadours and chorale groups, both directed by Deanne Zogleman, will perform. Tickets are $10, $5 for students.
WAM Holiday Open House
2-4 p.m. Saturday, Wichita Art Museum, 1400 Museum Blvd.
The Wichita Art Museum’s annual holiday open house happens from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the museum and will feature holiday refreshments, elementary school singers, dance performances, a photo booth and a chance to visit with Santa and the Glitter Elf. Admission is free.
Recent concert announcements
Wichita’s many music venues have been busy booking shows lately. Here’s a look at the recent additions made to Wichita’s concert calendar:
Machine Head, Dec. 17, Wave, tickets on sale at waveict.com
Katy Guillen & The Drive w/ The Travel Guide, Dec. 18, Wave, tickets on sale at waveict.com
Marty Haggard with the Jason Boyd Band, Dec. 31, Wichita Union Stockyards, tickets on sale at www.kwlsradio.com
Chris Cagle, Jan. 14, TempleLive, tickets on sale at ticketmaster.com
Dallas Burrow, Jan. 21, Wave, tickets on sale at waveict.com
Chapel Hart, Jan. 26, The Cotillion, tickets on sale at thecotillion.com
Ricochet Band, Jan. 27, Wichita Union Stockyards, tickets on sale at www.kwlsradio.com
Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Jan. 29, TempleLive, tickets on sale at ticketmaster.com
REO Speedwagon, March 18, Hartman Arena, tickets on sale at ticketmaster.com
Kenny Chesney, March 30, Intrust Bank Arena, tickets on sale at selectaseat.com
Koe Wetzel, April 15, Intrust Bank Arena, tickets on sale at selectaseat.com
Ben Rector, May 5, The Cotillion, tickets on sale at thecotillion.com
This story was originally published December 2, 2022 at 5:19 AM.