FREE Things to Do in Wichita This Summer

Click here for 2018 guide !
SUMMER 2017
Free Things to Do in Wichita Outdoors


Yoga on the Lawn at Wichita Art Museum
– A free outdoor flow for ages 16+ will be offered by Limitless Yoga on June 10th. Bring your own mat & towel!

Lavender Festival – For the first time ever, Gertie’s Lavender Farm near Burrton, KS will be hosting a Lavender Festival. Come see the fields in full bloom, pick your own lavender, and enjoy food and music from over 40 vendors!

Riverside Park, Zoo & Splash Park – Tour the outdoor wildlife exhibit, go wild on the playground, and cool off in the interactive water water fountains!

Annual Fly-In & Car Show at Stearman Field – Pilots will fly in from all over Kansas for this family favorite event! Come see the planes and cast your vote for your favorite car show entry. Fly-in starts at 7am; Car show from 9am-3pm.

Twilight Tuesday at SCZ – Did you know Tuesday nights in July are FREE at Sedgwick County Zoo after 6pm with a voucher from Cox Solutions or zoo membership? Grab your vouchers at select Cox store locations.

Great Plains Nature Center – Go on a nature hike and visit Koch Habitat Hall. They also offer several free family events and programs throughout the year!

Splash Park Hop – Check out our Splash Park Round-Up to find the water feature closest to you – or mix it up and try one in another town!

Ballet in the Park – This year, Ballet Wichita will perform The Wizard of Oz in various Wichita parks. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets – and show up early to get a good seat!

Free Swimming Days at Wichita Pools – Each week, one one Wichita pool will offer a free swimming day. Here’s the 2017 schedule:

– Harvest: Sunday, June 4
– College Hill: Saturday, June 10
– Orchard: Saturday, June 17
– Boston: Monday, June 26
– Aley: Saturday, July 1
– Minisa: Sunday, July 9
– Linwood: Saturday, July 22
– Evergreen: Saturday, July 29

Shakespeare in the Park – The Wichita Shakespeare Company will present Henry V at 8 different parks this summer. Bring a snack, a friend, and something to sit on!

Free Things to Do in Wichita Indoors


Wichita Art Museum
– Admission for all ages is free on Saturdays! If you visit on June 25th from 11-3pm, you can participate in Family ArtVenture – free activities and art projects with a different theme each month!

Storytimes – Storytime is a great way to get out of the heat and practice those listening skills! Check out our comprehensive list of storytimes in Wichita for the locations of every spot in town.

Ulrich Museum of Art – Located on the Wichita State University Campus, this museum is always free!

Kids Bowl Free – Register your kids for 2 free games of bowling every day! Participating Wichita bowling alleys include The Alley, Northrock Lanes, Seneca Bowl, and West Acres Bowl.

Kids’ DIY Workshop – Reserve your spot for  a Kids’ Workshop at Home Depot, and let kids get hands-on crafting experience.

Wichita Public Library – Participate in WPL’s summer reading program, attend a storytime, puppet show, craft time or party! Classes and book clubs are also available for adults. Click here for their full calendar of events.

Tot Tuesday at Sedgwick County Zoo – Free themed activities for kiddos ages 3-5 are offered once a month at Sedgwick County Zoo.

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (at the Wichita Boathouse) – Though donations are welcome, admission to the museum is free. Open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

Free Things to Do in Wichita After Dark


Tunes + Tallgrass at WAM
– Back again! Bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets to the Wichita Art Museum on June 23rd for an evening of food, fun, and film. The William Flynn Quartet will begin playing at 7pm, and food trucks will be on site. The movie starts at 9pm!

Keeper of the Plains/Troll/Lighting of Ring of Fire – Visit Wichita’s most well-known landmark, the Keeper of the Plains and stay for the lighting of the Ring of Fire at 9pm! Brave souls can search for the Wichita Troll while you’re there.

Riverfest Sundown Parade – While not really “after dark”, it’s still a fun, free non-morning activity. The parade begins at 6:30pm on Friday, June 2nd in downtown Wichita – click here to download the 2017 Riverfest flyer to see the route and pick your spot!

Riverfest Pops Concert & Fireworks – Bring a blanket or some lawn chairs and enjoy the Riverfest Pops Concert (8:30pm) and Fireworks (10pm) downtown on Friday, June 2nd. If the streets are too crowded (the best spot for viewing is along the Arkansas River from Lewis St. to 1st St.), you can always find another spot to watch the show and tune into 97.1 FM to hear a live broadcast of the concert!

Riverfest CapFed Fantastic Fireworks Finale – If you missed the kickoff fireworks on the 2nd (or even if you didn’t!), you have another chance to catch a display choreographed to live music! Snag a spot along the Arkansas River at 10:30pm on Saturday, June 10th and tune into 103.7 FM!

Bradley Fair Jazz Concerts – Thursday summer concerts are back! A different act each week on the Bradley Fair Plaza – the concert is free and cocktails/soft drinks are available to purchase.

New Market Square Free Family Movie Nights – Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and family! Enjoy an outdoor movie on June 24th (Jungle Book) and July 29 (Moana). Arrive early to snag your spot (shows begin at dusk). 

Red, White and BOOM – It’s not the 4th of July without fireworks! Find food trucks and live music on the lawn of the Hyatt Regency downtown on July 4th from 6-9:30pm. The fireworks start at 9:45pm!

Automobilia’s 23rd Annual Moonlight Car Show & Street Party – Seven bands, three food courts, vendors, and a huge show of cars and motorcycle! July 8th at 449 N. Mosley from 6pm to midnight.

Perseid Meteor Shower 2017 – This year, the Perseid Meteor Shower will be active from July 17th to August 24th, with peak activity around August 12th. Click here for our tips on how and where to catch it!


Make sure you never miss out: subscribe to our weekly Wichita Moms Blog newsletter! Be the first to know about our exclusive events, special offers and discounts, neighborhood group activities and, of course, local resources
and parenting voices powered by local Wichita moms!

 

Erin Bartel
Erin is a marketing consultant in Wichita KS. She spends her days helping local businesses and non-profits navigate the ever-changing waters of digital marketing and homeschooling her kids. She and her daughter also own Sassy Squid Ink, an imprint designing notebooks, journals, and sketchbooks. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of 2, Erin's hobbies include bribing herself to exercise, traveling with (and without) her family, and trying to remember where she hid the chocolate.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Great list! FYI, Lowe’s doesn’t have the Build and Grow workshops anymore unfortunately.

Comments are closed.