From fun festivals and holiday events to unique markets and a bevy of sports, there is something for everyone on this list of the big events coming to Wichita in May. Check out all the things to do as you plan your vacation or a weekend getaway to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day or Memorial Day in the Heart of the Country.
Festivals & Special Events
- May 5 – Cinco de Mayo Party with Tumbao at Brickyard
- May 7 – Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Sedgwick County Zoo
- May 7 – Open Streets ICT - NOMAR in Wichita’s North Market area
- May 12 – Night in Old Delano
- May 13 – Tacos & Tequila festival at Wichita Boathouse
- May 13 – Spring Fling Mother's Day Event at Fulton Valley Farms
- May 14 – Mother’s Day Celebration at Botanica Wichita
- May 14 – Mother's Day at the Zoo at Sedgwick County Zoo
- May 14 – 2nd annual Mother/Daughter Tea Party with the Princesses presented by Happily Ever After Parties-Wichita at Old Cowtown Museum
- May 20 – Elsie Allen Tea on the Terrace at the Frank Lloyd Wright Allen House
- May 29 –Memorial Day concert and activity stations at Botanica Wichita
Family Fun
- ongoing through May 7 – "Expedition: Dinosaur" traveling exhibition and Dinosaur Encounter at Exploration Place
- May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Singo at Chicken N Pickle
- May 5 – Little Aviators at Kansas Aviation Museum
- May 5 – First Fridays Under the Stars at Old Cowtown Museum
- May 7, 14, 21, 28 – Brunch & Bingo at Chicken N Pickle
- May 11-13 – Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center presents “Chicken Little” at Crown Uptown
- May 13 – Shine Dance Fitness class for ages 8 and older at Naftzger Park
- May 20-Sept. 17 – "Dinosaurs Around The World" special exhibition at Botanica Wichita
- May 26-Sept. 4 – “Circus! Science Under the Big Top” traveling exhibition at Exploration Place
- May 26-Oct. 29 – “Pixel Palace” exhibition at Exploration Place
- May 26 – FR3EDM DJ stylings for Final Friday at Naftzger Park
- ongoing – 14 Instagram-worthy photo booths at The Selfie Spot on Douglas
- ongoing – Wild Encounters at Sedgwick County Zoo
Markets & More
- through May 31 – All Kansas & Nebraska Shop Hop at The Sewing Center
- May 5 – First Friday POP UP EGGstravaganza by Haute Handmade Markets at Revolutsia
- May 6, 13, 20, 27 – Kansas Grown! Farmers Market at Sedgwick County Extension Office
- May 6, 13, 20, 27 – Kansas Grown! Derby Farmers Market at Madison Avenue Central Park in Derby
- May 6, 13, 20, 27 – Old Town Farm & Art Market at Farm & Art Plaza
- May 12 – Mother's Day Celebration at Aida Stenholm
- May 13 – Outdoor Vintage Flea Market at Paramount East Antique Mall
- May 13 – 2nd Saturday at various locations
- May 14 –Art & Ale Pop Up Market & Anniversary at Rock Island Live
- May 20 – Outdoor Vintage Flea Market at Paramount Antique Mall
- May 21 – Shop & Grub 2023 at Exploration Place Festival Plaza
- May 26 – Final Friday Food Truck Rally at Wichita Boathouse
- May 27 – Outdoor Vintage Market at Paramount Marketplace Antiques, Vintage & New
- May 27 – 2023 Asian Night Market at Riverfront Stadium
Performing Arts
- April 20-May 7 – "Once on the Island" presented by The Forum Theatre Company at Wilke Center
- ongoing through May 13 – “Hard Times & Mary Dingle’s Mercantile” at Mosley Street Melodrama
- May 4 – "Menopause The Musical" at Orpheum Theatre
- May 13 – "Give 'Em Hell, Harry!" live performance featuring Harry Truman’s grandson Clifton Truman Daniel at Roxy’s Downtown
- May 13-14 – “Sweet Music Man: The Words & Music of Kenny Rogers” presented by The Forum Theatre Company at Wilke Center
- May 18-June 3 – "Kiss of the Spider Woman" at Roxy’s Downtown
- May 19 – Symphony in the Gardens progressive concert experience featuring the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at Botanica Wichita
- May 25-June 11 – "Beehive, the 60's Musical" presented by The Forum Theatre Company at Wilke Center
- May 26-July 8 – "No Weddings and a Funeral" at Mosley Street Melodrama
- May 31-June 4 – Music Theatre Wichita presents "Rock of Ages" at Century II
Arts & Culture
- ongoing through May 14 – "Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper" at Wichita Art Museum
- ongoing through May 20 – Micala Gingrich Gaylord: “Love Is Memory” at Ulrich Museum of Art
- ongoing through May 25 – “Gaze: Power and Politics” at Mark Arts
- ongoing through June 18 – “Wichita Wore What? A Century of Local Fashion” exhibition at Wichita Art Museum
- ongoing through July 28 – "Masterpiece Relief for the Blind" exhibition at Envision Arts Gallery and Engagement Center
- ongoing through May – “The Thunderbolt Siren” at Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
- ongoing through May – “Art Deco on the Plains" at Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
- ongoing through October – “Why We Collect What We Collect” at Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
- May 4-July 15 – Susan Copich’s “Staged Stories” at Ulrich Museum of Art
- May 5 – First Friday Gallery Crawl at various locations
- May 13-June 24 – “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” “The American Indian Vote” and “Celebrating the Centennial of the 19th Amendment: Women Vote” at The Mid-America All-Indian Museum
- May 22-Aug. 5 – “In Event of Moon Disaster” at Ulrich Museum of Art
Sports & Recreation
- May 5 – Wichita Sky Kings vs. Pearland Texas Warriors basketball at Charles Koch Arena
- May 6 – Parkrun at Exploration Place
- May 7 – Spring Prairie Fire Half Marathon & 5K starting in downtown Wichita
- May 7 – Wichita Sky Kings vs. Enid Outlaws basketball at Charles Koch Arena
- May 16-21 – Wichita Wind Surge vs. Arkansas Travelers Double-A baseball at Riverfront Stadium
- May 20 – Cowtown Stampede 5K at Old Cowtown Museum
- May 21 – Oz Wicked Wind 100K fundraiser ride for Prairie Travelers and the Andover Augusta Rail Trail Initiative starting in Andover
- May 25-28 – Military Basketball Association - 2023 MBA Playoffs & 2023 MBA Hall of Fame at Wichita Hoops and Charles Koch Arena
- May 28 – Wichita Sky Kings vs. Little Rock Lightning basketball at Charles Koch Arena
- May 30-June 4 – Wichita Wind Surge vs. Tulsa Drillers Double-A baseball at Riverfront Stadium
Film Screenings
- ongoing – "Kansas: An Immersive Dome Experience" in the Dome Theater at Exploration Place
- ongoing – “Dinosaurs of Antarctica” in the Dome Theater at Exploration Place
- ongoing – "Serengeti" in the Dome Theater at Exploration Place
- May 5-7 – “What's Love Got to Do with It?” film screening at Tallgrass Film Center
- May 12 – mamafilm’s Fabric & Film series: “Purple Rain” film screening and discussion with special guest Nina Winter of TISSU Sewing Studio at Wichita Art Museum
- May 18 – "The Sandlot" film screening at Orpheum Theatre
- May 19 – VHScape monthly secret double feature series at Tallgrass Film Center
Photo Credit: Sydney Davidson
Live Music & Comedy
- May 3 – Daniel Rodriguez at WAVE
- May 4 – Walker Hayes at INTRUST Bank Arena
- May 4 – Little Miss Nasty at WAVE
- May 5 – The Old Friends Acoustic Tour starring Ben Rector at The Cotillion
- May 5 – Tanner Usrey at WAVE
- May 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 – Live Jazz at The 1906 Bar & Lounge at Hotel at Old Town
- May 6 – Pecos & The Rooftops at The Cotillion
- May 6 – Derryl Perry at Wichita Union Stockyards
- May 6 – Carvin Canyons with Sontia Soul at The Rusty Nail
- May 7 –Central Stand Up: Speakeasy Sunday at Central Standard Brewing
- May 10 – Breaking Benjamin at Hartman Arena
- May 11 – American Aquarium with Emily Nenni at WAVE
- May 11-13 – Comedian Carmen Morales at The Loony Bin
- May 12 – Coheed and Cambria Neverender: NWFTWM at The Cotillion
- May 12 – Nostalgia at Brickyard
- May 13 – Midwest R&B Fest at Orpheum Theatre
- May 13 – Comedian Josh Wolf at TempleLive
- May 13 – Paul Bogart at Wichita Union Stockyards
- May 14 – Second Sunday Drag Brunch at Roxy’s Downtown
- May 16 – Agent Orange with Suzi Moon at WAVE
- May 18 – Logan Mize - The Bloodline Tour at WAVE
- May 19 – Little Big Town's: Friends of Mine Tour at Hartman Arena
- May 20 – Eddie Griffin Live at The Cotillion
- May 23 – Twilight Tunes on the Terrace featuring Sunshine The Bunny at Botanica Wichita
- May 25-28 – Comedian Heath Harmison at The Loony Bin
- May 26 – Candice and The Business Casual at Brickyard
- May 26 – Back to the 80's Party w/ DJ Merlin Brando at WAVE
- May 27 – Huffy & The Night Train at Brickyard
- May 27 – “A Jazz Night Out: Time Machine” featuring Robert Banks & Positive Production with special guests Vearl Tolbert, Cara Black and Nick Solomon at Crown Uptown
For the latest list of events and experiences, check out the Visit Wichita calendar of events.