Wichita Moms Guide to September 2018 Events

things to do in Wichita

Getting back into the swing of school is was more fun with all the incredible events happening around town this month! Don’t forget about the Kansas State Fair happening from September 7-16. 

We are thrilled to bring this resource in collaboration with some of our favorite community partners: Botanica and Sedgwick County Zoo! To make planning easy, we are excited to highlight their September events below (bolded items are WMB picks for Mom Faves!):

Botanica 

Tuesdays on the Terrace

September 4, 11, 18, 25,  6:00 – 8:00pm, $10 and $5 for members. There will be food for sale and a cash bar. Come and enjoy live music and community! September 4 – Soul Injection; September 11 – Marley’s Ghost; September 18 – Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy; September 25 – The Mudbugs.

Kids Night Out

September 4, 5:30 – 8:00pm, $15 and $12 for members. Let the kids have a fun night out while the adults enjoy Tuesdays on the Terrace. Kids get to explore the gardens, have snacks and make crafts. Ages 5+. Registration required.

Family Latin Concert Series

September 6, 13, 20, 27, 5:30 – 8:00pm, $10 and $5 for members. Celebrate Latino culture with a weekly concert in the Children’s Garden Meadow. Find “Frida” for a festive prize. There will be a piñata before the music begins, food trucks and frozen drinks. September 6 – Escandaloso Show de Durango; September 13 – Mariachi Jalisco; September 18 – Banda Hispanica; September 25 – Munda Nouvo.

Vine

September 7, 6:30pm, $130. Stroll through the gardens with a signature drink before enjoying a farm-to-table dinner, all supporting Botanica. Local wineries will be having wine tastings throughout the gardens. Local musicians are performing in the meadow and Annie Up is performing on the terrace.

Mid-Autumn Festival

September 8, 5:30 – 8:00pm, $20 at the door, $15 for members of Botanica, the Wichita Chinese Association, Wichita Area Sister Cities, and Wichita Asian Association, $10 for children age 5-10. The program includes dinner and traditional Chinese dances and instruments, Chinese yo-yo and more. Registration required.

Monarch Tagging

September 29, 9:00am – 5:00pm, $9 and $7 for members. Be a citizen scientist and learn about the entire lifecycle of the Monarch, complete with sightings, and a tagging demonstration. Registration required.

>>Click HERE for a list of all Botanica events in September<<

Sedgwick County Zoo

Zoobilee

September 8, 6:00pm – midnight. $135 per ticket. Wichita’s wildest FUN-raiser! Musical entertainment and wild animals greet you as you arrive at our annual fundraiser. Bring your appetites for delicacies from our community’s favorite restaurants. Bid on hundreds of items in the Zoo’s one-of-a-kind silent auction, or participate in our live auction. Adopt an animal or dance the night away. Adult beverages will be served at this event, so be prepared to show a valid driver’s license. Zoobilee will be held RAIN or SHINE. Tickets will go on sale in August and are not refundable or transferable.

Breakfast with the Birds

September 22, 8:00am-10:00am. $15 members/$22 non-members. Enjoy a tasty breakfast at the Zoo, followed by a guided tour of one of our bird habitats. During the tour, guests will have the opportunity to help staff serve breakfast to the birds. Breakfast buffet includes waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit, juice, and coffee.

Farms Festival: Pollinator Power

September 22, 10:00am – 2:00pm. Free with zoo admission. What’s all the buzz about bees? Visit the Zoo to learn more about these pollinators and what we can do to protect them.

Adult Adventures: Honey Get Me a Drink

September 28, 6:00 – 8:00pm. Learn how bees make honey and why pollinators are so important to our world, all while enjoying delicious cocktails. All attendees must be 21 years or older. Ticket sales end 48 hours prior to the event. Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members.

Chimps and Salsa

September 30, 12:00 – 5:00pm. Free with admission. Enjoy authentic Mexican food vendors, community information booths, Mexican bands, and, of course, the animals! It’s going to be a great day at the zoo!

>>Click HERE for a list of all Zoo events in September<<


September 2018 Events in Wichita

WEEKEND August 31-September 2
Aug 31: Good morning, Baltimore! Hairspray is showing at the Lakepoint Augusta movie theatre.
Sept 1-3
: This is the final weekend for Planet Shark at Exploration Place – don’t miss it.
Sept 1: Check out a STEM demonstration explaining floodplains and how to build a better sandcastle.
Sept 1
: Elementary kids will love this LEGO challenge

Week:: September 2-8

Sept 3: Start off your Labor Day with yoga at Tanganyika.
Sept 4
: Watermark is hosting a special storytime at the park.
Sept 4: Tuesdays on the Terrace at Botanica promises good drinks, delicious food, and live music. This week they also have Kids’ Night Out.

Sept 4: Expecting mamas may enjoy the Wichita Baby Gala.
Sept 6: Barry is bringing his Recreation Station to Aley Park this time.
Sept 6: The Family Latin Concert Series at Botanica sounds like a rocking good time.
Sept 6: Ballet Wichita presents The Little Mermaid at Wichita Art Museum.

WEEKEND September 7-9
Sept 7-16: Don’t miss out on the many opportunities at the Kansas State Fair!
Sept 7-9
: This hot air balloon festival may be worth the drive to Topeka.
Sept 7: Botanica is hosting their annual fundraiser, Vine.
Sept 7: End your day floating down the river.
Sept 8-9: The air show at McConnell is back and better than ever.
Sept 8: Take a pointillism class at City Arts.
Sept 8-9: The sunflowers are in bloom and there are other activities to enjoy at the Sunflower Festival.
Sept 8
: The Mid-Autumn Festival will feature Chinese dancing and instruments.
Sept 8: Zoobilee is the zoo’s annual FUN-raiser.
Sept 9: Ballet Wichita presents The Little Mermaid at Maize City Park.

Week:: September 9-15

Sept 11 : Tuesdays on the Terrace at Botanica promises good drinks, delicious food, and live music.
Sept 11: This Community Storytime features popsicles/paletas.
Sept 12: Head downtown for lunch and a free concert.
Sept 13: The Princess and the Pea are popping up as puppets.
Sept 13: Moms everywhere can relate to comedian Heather Land
Sept 13: The Family Latin Concert Series at Botanica sounds like a rocking good time.

WEEKEND September 14-16
Sept 14-16: Bradley Fair’s annual Autumn and Art is free and has something for the entire family. 
Sept 14: Drop the kids off for Furry Film Friday while you get a date night.
Sept 15-16
: The sunflowers are in bloom and there are other activities to enjoy at the Sunflower Festival.
Sept 15: Celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day and the Pollinators with activities at GPNC.
Sept 15: Wake up for the sunrise and float down the river with friends.
Sept 15: Toddlers will get the royal treatment at this skating party
Sept 15: Wichita Sports Forum is hosting a Back-to-School bash
Sept 15: WMB presents our inaugural Family Fall Festival – sold out. 
Sept 15: Park City is hosting their annual Eats and Beats street festival.
Sept 16: Exploration Place is having a fiesta!
Sept 16: Mosey around Old Cowtown with a wine tasting and stagecoach ride.

Week:: September 16-22

Sept 17: Daniel Tiger is coming to the silver screen and Goddard Public Library is having a screening.
Sept 18
: Teens wanting to learn to cook can head downtown for a free class.
Sept 18
: Tuesdays on the Terrace at Botanica promises good drinks, delicious food, and live music.
Sept 18: Blow some bubbles of all sizes with your kids at Rockwell Library. 
Sept 20: Mystery-loving teens will enjoy Life Sized Clue.
Sept 20: WAM is hosting a guest lecture about World War I and early aviation for all the aero-fans.
Sept 20: The 21+ crowd can enjoy Exploration Place after hours with drink in hand.
Sept 20: The Family Latin Concert Series at Botanica sounds like a rocking good time.

WEEKEND September 21-23

Sept 22-23: The newest exhibit opens at Exploration Place – Toytopia.  
Sept 22: Put the Kansas wind to use at the Kechi Kite Festival.
Sept 22: Celebrate pollinators at the zoo’s children’s farms.
Sept 22: Breakfast is for the birds.
Sept 22: The Wagonwaster and crew are dishing up delicious chili at the cook-off.
Sept 22: Meet a Superstar of Science at Field Station: Dinosaurs.
Sept 22-23: The opera is coming to the library with a family-friendly format.
Sept 23: Open Streets ICT is the best way to get to know your city in a different way.

Week:: September 23-29

Sept 24: Wichita Moms give back to Ronald McDonald House. 
Sept 24: Support trauma survivors with Coloring and Coffee.
Sept 25: Head downtown for lunch at Feast on the Streets.
Sept 25
: Tuesdays on the Terrace at Botanica promises good drinks, delicious food, and live music.
Sept 26: Encourage your preschooler’s natural curiosity with Coutts Caterpillars
Sept 26: Live music and food trucks are a “yes, thank you” for a midweek workday lunch.
Sept 27: The Family Latin Concert Series at Botanica sounds like a rocking good time.

WEEKEND September 28-30
Sept 28
: Sip a cocktail while learning about the pollinators at the zoo.
Sept 28-29: Food lovers of all ages will love the Wichita Taste food and music festival.
Sept 29-30
: The Renaissance Festival is back!
Sept 29: Kick off The Big Read Wichita at the library. 
Sept 29: Learn all about the Monarch lifecycle and migration.
Sept 29: It is worth the drive to head to Newton for the Chili Cook Off.
Sept 30: Enjoy Chimps and Salsa at the zoo.
Sept 30: Sunset Yoga never looked so good.

More events will be added as the month goes on – check back soon!

You can see everything on the WMB calendar for the month here. If you have an event to add, you can do that here.


WMB Neighborhood Group Meet-Ups

Wichita Neighborhood Mom Groups are having all kids of activities in your neighborhood and connecting online to share recommendations and advice. Click here to join your Neighborhood Group, and see below for what’s going on near you this month.

Central Wichita/Downtown Group is heading to Norton’s for Moms’ Night Out on September 20. 
North Wichita/Bel Aire Group 
is meeting at Kansas Aviation Museum for fun with kids on September 21.
East Wichita/Andover Group is having a playdate at the park on September 28.
West Wichita/Goddard/Maize Group is brunching on September 29.


Regularly Scheduled Programming

Many local places have recurring events that are great for moms and families, and you can find them here: 

  • Aviate has Junior Jump Monday through Friday for the younger crowd.
  • Botanica has a Garden Storytime every Thursday morning, in the Children’s Library or weather permitting in the gardens. 
  • Sensory Friendly play at Exploration Place on the second Sunday of every month
  • Urban Air has Jumparoo Toddler Jump every Tuesday and Friday.
  • Home Depot has a free Kids’ DIY workshop on the first Saturday of every month.
  • Family Night at Museum of World Treasures is the first Thursday of the month.
  • Every Friday the Kansas Aviation Museum has a special ticket price for families.
  • Make ICT has free access to their makerspace every other Monday.
  • Kansas Children’s Service League has a support group for Parents of Special Needs Children on the third Monday of every month. 
  • Moxi Junction hosts story and craft time every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30am.
  • Local libraries have story times almost every day: check out our Guide to Wichita Story Times.

Other Resources for Things to Do with Kids

Top 10 Things for Wichita Kids & Parents to Do in ICT

Fun Stuff to Do in West Wichita 

Where Kids Eat Cheap or Free in Wichita

Guide to Wichita: Everything You Need to Know


Please Note :: While we make every effort to crosscheck current links and event details on our guides, we always encourage you to do the same before making final plans. If details are missing or incorrect, please let us know so that we can make every attempt to correct them.
Meaghan Koci
Meaghan wears many hats throughout the day: wife to husband of fifteen years, Jeremy, mom to two incredible children, Jacob and Aliza, legal assistant, foster parent, and surrogate. A Wichita native, she met her husband at K-State (Go State!) and they moved from coast (Los Angeles, CA) to coast (Manchester, NH and Groton, CT) before settling back down in Kansas. She is a big fan of her crock pots, has read more than a novel a day for the last five years, and crochets in her “spare” time.