2014 Wichita River Fest Fireworks

WHAT: Wichita River Fest
WHEN: Friday 30th May to saturday 7th June 2014
WHERE: Kennedy Plaza & Water Walk Pavilion, Wichita, Kansas

To celebrate the city’s centenary back in 1970, with the intention of bringing the community together, the Wichita festival was formed to celebrate everything good about the Arkansas River and the region as a whole.

The very first festival was a huge success and over 2000 buttons or badges were sold at a dollar each generating much-needed funding for the residents of the area and to cover the administration costs of putting on a huge week-long show. This year crowds are more likely to be around the 370,000 with attendees travelling from all over the world.

Over the seven days of the festival expect to see all kinds of entertainment for all ages from hot air balloons, kids rides, craft stalls, marching bands and as Wichita is known as “the air capital of the world” as both Cessna and Boeing have strong links with the area, a small aviation festival within the main event will feature a range of aviation themed activities.

There are a few major changes this year as there will be NO fireworks finale as in previous years, but the opening night display will go ahead as usual, the final night however will have a massive laser light show, some locals feel this is a bad idea, as do we. On a lighter note ticket prices are just $5 for adults and $3 for children aged between 6 and 12 years.

Looking at the comments posted about previous years occasions it seems this event has become so popular the residents of the area are moving away from attending, due to complaints that the crowds are too big and the event is deemed to be no longer safe for very young children, also the heat has in previous years been overwhelming.

This year several plans have been put in place hopefully to combat this, moving the children’s activities from Price Woodward Park to the Waterwalk area, there will be no block party this year and the running of the Criterium Bike Race will no longer be run, to name just a few of the variations to this year’s event.

A 90 foot Ferris wheel will be available for those with a head for heights, of the $3 charge to ride the wheel at least $1 will go to St Francis community care services for fostering.

Will these changes sway the minds of those who feel the best parts of the show were taken away and replaced with events the community feel do little to help their causes, we certainly hope these new changes bring a new vitality to this ever popular spectacular.

The full event guide can be viewed by clicking this link, or scan the QR code on the back of the flyer to download the App.

Below is last year’s fireworks video from the Wichita RiverFest 2013 Pops Fireworks