Big events in Wichita happening in October

October offers plenty of things to do, from concerts featuring artists such as Kristin Chenoweth and Jason Aldean to fall festivals including the 20th annual Tallgrass Film Festival and the 41st annual Asian Festival.

If it’s spooky fun you’re out to find, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly Halloween events as well as other Halloween experiences good for a scare. Plus, Wichita’s affordable and diverse museums have many excellent exhibitions this month as well as a variety of special events.

Take a look at this assortment of lively activities and events happening in October in Wichita.

Festivals & Special Events

• 20th annual Tallgrass Film Festival at various locations – Sept. 28-Oct. 2
• Wild Lights at Sedgwick County Zoo – Sept. 30-Dec. 4
• Oktoberfest 2022 at Prost – Sept. 29-Oct. 1
• Wagonmaster’s Downtown Chili Cookoff – Oct. 1
• Holiday Galleria 2022 at Century II – Oct. 6
• ICT Bloktoberfest at Union Station –Oct. 7-8
• Wichita Tacos & Margs Fest at Old Town – Oct. 8
• Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival at Sedgwick County Park – Oct. 8-9
• Fall 2022 Prairie Fire Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K and Family 5K in downtown Wichita – Oct. 9
• 41st annual Wichita Asian Festival at Century II – Oct. 15

Halloween Festivities

• Wichita's Spooky Party Bus Tour starting at River City Brewing Co. – Sept. 10, Sept. 24, Oct. 8, Oct. 15, Oct. 22, Oct. 29
• “Witches of Eastborough” at Mosley Street Melodrama – Sept. 16-Oct. 29
• Wichita Walking Ghost Tour starting at Club Billiards in the Historic Delano District – Sept. 30, Oct. 8, Oct. 21, Oct. 29, Oct. 30
• Wicked Island at O.J. Watson Park – Friday & Saturday Sept. 30-Oct. 29
• 5th annual Movie at the Farm at Klausmeyer Farm and Pumpkin Patch – Oct. 1
• Pumpkins at the Park at Tanganyika Wildlife Park – Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
• Jack-o-lantern Spectacular at Botanica Wichita – Oct. 12-15
• Spooky Art Adventures at Mark Arts – Oct. 14
• The Rocky Horror Show live production at Crown Uptown Theatre – Fridays through Sundays Oct. 14-30
• “Casper” film screening at Capitol Federal Amphitheater– Oct. 22
• Boo at the Zoo at Sedgwick County Zoo – Oct. 22-23
• Hay, Hooves and Halloween at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 22-23
• Cavegrass at Strataca at Strataca (11 a.m. film is rated PG and the 2 p.m. film is rated R; option to purchase tickets for 11 a.m. film only is available) – Oct. 22
• Airplane Trunk or Treat at Stearman Field Bar & Grill – Oct. 22
• Zombie Run 2022 at Strataca – Oct. 23
• "Carrie, the Musical" at Roxy’s Downtown – Thursdays through Saturdays Oct. 27-Nov. 12
• Spooky Night of Treasures at Museum of World Treasures – Oct. 28
• Villains on the Farm at Eberly Farm – Oct. 28
• Echoes of Fear at Cowtown (14+ to enter) at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 28
• Echoes of Fear - Night Two (18 to enter, 21 to drink) at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 29
• Apparition Asylum Halloween Pop-Up Bar at Headshots Bar & Grill – ongoing through Oct. 29
• Halloween Bar Crawl at PourHouse - Oct. 29
• Halloween/Fall Selfie Booths at The Selfie Spot - ongoing through Oct. 31
• 13 Sinister Souls Haunted House Experience - COMING SOON

Other Family Fun

• "Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea" traveling exhibit at Botanica Wichita – ongoing through Oct. 23
• Naturally Crafty at Great Plains Nature Center – Tuesdays through Oct. 26
• Little Aviators at Kansas Aviation Museum – Fridays through Dec. 16
• Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails at Exploration Place – Sept. 23-Jan. 8
• Wild Lights at Sedgwick County Zoo – Sept. 30-Dec. 4
• Mommy/son event at Stearman Field Bar & Grill – Oct. 8
• County Fair at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 16
• Baby Shark Live! at Hartman Arena – Oct. 30
• Halloween/Fall Selfie Booths at The Selfie Spot - ongoing through Oct. 31

Performing Arts

• "The Golden Girls" at Roxy’s Downtown – Sept. 9-Oct. 8
• “Witches of Eastborough” at Mosley Street Melodrama – Sept. 16-Oct. 29
• The Forum Theatre Company presents "Titanic the Musical" at Wilke Center– Sept. 22-Oct. 9
• Kristin Chenoweth: For The Girls with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at Century II – Oct. 8
• The Rocky Horror Show live production at Crown Uptown Theatre – Fridays through Sundays Oct. 14-30
• Rhapsody in Black and White at B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center – Oct. 22
• Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - Life in the Past Lane Tour at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 23
• "Carrie, the Musical" at Roxy’s Downtown – Thursdays through Saturdays Oct. 27-Nov. 12
• Thāla 4 Concert at Wichita State University’s CAC Theater – Oct. 29
• Wichita Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Fantastique concert at Century II – Oct. 30

Live Music & Comedy

• Killer Queen tribute band at The Cotillion – Oct. 1
• Sage Motel Tour FT/ Monophonics, GA-20, and Kendra Morris at WAVE – Oct. 1
• Garage Band Garage Sale at WAVE outdoor art flea market with local live music – Oct. 2
• Karaoke with Injoy Fountain at Vorshay’s Cocktail Lounge – Oct. 4
• Logan Mize at Botanica Wichita – Oct. 6
• Mac Sabbath at WAVE – Oct. 6
• Here Come The Mummies at The Cotillion – Oct. 7
• Kai Wachi: SKINS Tour at WAVE – Oct. 8
• Reckless Kelly at The Cotillion – Oct. 8
• Johnny Cash & Neil Diamond Tribute featuring Doug Allen Nash at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 8
• Ani DiFranco with special guest at WAVE – Oct. 9
• Comedy Magician Eric Eaton at The Loony Bin – Oct. 9
• Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 9
• It's a Drag - It's Sunday Brunch! at Roxy’s Downtown – Oct. 9
• Dead Boys w/ The Briefs and Suzi Moon at WAVE – Oct. 11
• Comedian Theo Von “Return of the Rat Tour” at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 11-12
• Mason Musso of Metro Station and Rookie of The Year at WAVE – Oct. 13
• Larry Fleet at TempleLive – Oct. 14
• NLE Choppa with SSG Kony at WAVE – Oct. 14
• Davis Moore JEEP Night & Epic Rocks at Stearman Field Bar & Grill – Oct. 15
• Uche & the Crash at Brickyard – Oct. 15
• Wednesday 13 at TempleLive – Oct. 16
• The Yawpers at WAVE – Oct. 20
• Texas Hippie Coalition at The Cotillion at The Cotillion – Oct. 21
• Comedian Chonda Pierce at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 21
• Dawn of the Dub: Borgore at The Cotillion at The Cotillion – Oct. 22
• Third Eye Blind at Kansas Star Casino – Oct. 22
• Whose Live Anyway? at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 22
• Doug T Hypnotist at The Loony Bin – Oct. 20-22
• Carnifex at TempleLive – Oct. 23
• Highly Suspect at The Cotillion – Oct. 28
• Zoso - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience at TempleLive – Oct. 28
• Jason Aldean - Rock N' Roll Cowboy Tour at INTRUST Bank Arena – Oct. 29
• WHEATUS w/Fat Tony at WAVE – Oct. 29

Arts & Culture

• "Power to the People: Mexican Prints From the Great War to the Cold War" exhibition at Wichita Art Museum – ongoing through Dec. 31
• HopeArt: Teeny Tiny Art Show For A Great Big Cause at Cozine Life Events Center – Oct. 1
• First Friday Gallery Crawl at various locations – Oct. 7
• First Fridays Under the Stars! at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 7
• The Workroom's 2nd Saturday Artisan Market at The Workroom – Oct. 8
• Spooky Art Adventures at Mark Arts – Oct. 14
• "Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea" traveling exhibit at Botanica Wichita – ongoing through Oct. 23

Sports & Recreation

• Suspenders4Hope 5k Run and 1 Mile Memorial Walk, benefitting StopSuicideICT at Wichita State University– Oct. 1
• Kansas Motocross Championship Series at Bar 2 Bar MX – Oct. 2
• Shocker Volleyball: WSU vs. Memphis at Charles Koch Arena – Oct. 7
• Shocker Volleyball: WSU vs. SMU at Charles Koch Arena – Oct. 9
• Fall 2022 Prairie Fire Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K and Family 5K in downtown Wichita – Oct. 9
• Shocker Volleyball : WSU vs. Tulsa at Charles Koch Arena – Oct. 12
• Date Night Gun Fight at Rainier Arms Firearms Academy – Oct. 21
• Wichita Thunder Hockey vs. Allen Americans at INTRUST Bank Arena – Oct. 22
• Zombie Run 2022 at Strataca – Oct. 23
• Shocker Volleyball : WSU vs. South Florida at Charles Koch Arena – Oct. 28
• Wichita Thunder Hockey vs.Tulsa Oilers at INTRUST Bank Arena – Oct. 28
• Shocker Volleyball : WSU vs. UCF at Charles Koch Arena – Oct. 30

Film Screenings

• "The Lost Boys" film screening at Orpheum Theatre – Oct. 20
• "Napoleon Dynamite" Appearances and Screening at The Cotillion – Oct. 20
• “Casper” film screening at Capitol Federal Amphitheater– Oct. 22
• "Kansas: An Immersive Dome Experience" at Exploration Place – daily starting Sept. 16
• "Everest" in the Dome Theater at Exploration Place – ongoing
• "Serengeti" in the Dome Theater at Exploration Place – ongoing

Markets and More

• Garage Band Garage Sale at WAVE outdoor art flea market with local live music – Oct. 2
• Holiday Galleria 2022 at Century II – Oct. 6
• First Friday Pop Up Market Series at Revolutsia – Oct. 7
• The Workroom's 2nd Saturday Artisan Market at The Workroom – Oct. 8
• Bloktoberfest Vendor Market at Historic Union Station – Oct. 8
• Kansas Grown Farmers Market at Sedgwick County Extension Office – Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29
• Old Town Farm & Art Market at Old Town’s Farm & Art Plaza – Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29
• 2nd Saturday at various locations – Oct. 8
• 2nd Saturday Sell-A-Bration! Indoor/Outdoor Marketplace at Generations Antiques and Artisans – Oct. 8
• Outdoor Vintage Flea Market at Paramount East Antique Mall – Oct. 8
• Outdoor Vintage Flea Market at Paramount Antique Mall – Oct. 15
• Community Fair Days at Old Cowtown Museum – Oct. 16
• SHOP & GRUB at Naftzger Park – Oct. 16
• Outdoor Vintage Market at Paramount Marketplace Antiques, Vintage & New – Oct. 22

For the latest list of events and experiences, check out the Visit Wichita calendar of events.