Labor Day weekend is often thought of as summer's last hurrah. It’s also a time to pay tribute to American workers, and all of their many contributions and achievements through the years. The holiday weekend offers a chance to spend a little extra time doing something fun or to simply relax.
Many Wichita area pools, splash parks and waterparks will remain open through the holiday weekend, giving you and your family one last chance to keep the summer fun going. If you’re looking to venture out, we’ve compiled a list of fun things to do in Wichita over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-6.
Bobby Bones Inaugural Bobbyfest at WAVE
Live Entertainment
Wichita’s live music scene is lively and varied, so it’s easy to catch a live show any time of year. This Labor Day weekend, start at ICT Fest – a no genre restriction, no age restriction celebration of music. This free, three-day music festival features local, regional and national artists and boasts more than 40 acts. It will be at City Skate Park on Sept. 2 and Naftzger Park on Sept. 3 and 4.
Saturday night, Memphis-based Southern Avenue will take to the WAVE stage. Come back on Sunday, Sept. 5, to see the first-ever Bobby Bones Inaugural Bobbyfest, featuring live performances by Bobby Bones & the Raging Idiots.
If you need even more rock in your life, enjoy Rock of the 70s at Kansas Star Casino. Enjoy a night of four great 70s bands: Foghat, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall and the Pat Travers Band.
For lots of laughs, head over to Mosley Street Melodrama to see Petey’s Playhouse, a hilarious performance, which also includes a musical revue that will take you through popular daytime television shows like Judge Judy and Jeopardy.
At Hartman Arena, take in car-crushing action at Mega Monster Trucks Live – 2021 Destruction Tour. Brace yourself for mind-blowing monster truck stunts, exhilarating obstacle courses, breath-taking motocross jumps – and even a human cannonball! There will be inflatables and face painting for kids to enjoy, and if you arrive early, you can meet the drivers, see their trucks up close and take a ride in the Rumble Mega Monster Bus. Catch this thrilling show at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3; 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4; and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5.
Ghost Hunt with the Tennessee Wraith Chasers at Cowtown
More Events
To kick off the long weekend, be a part of Wichita’s First Friday Gallery Crawl, a free celebration of art that happens each month. Additionally, celebrate First Friday at Old Cowtown Museum as they host its monthly First Friday Late Nights.
On Sept. 4, Cowtown will be hosting Women of the West, a day to celebrate the women of the Old West, and a ghost hunt with the Tennessee Wraith Chasers. Chris and Mike of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers will lead a ghost hunt in Cowtown and will be available for a meet and greet and a Q&A session.
Hit the links at the Folds of Honor Golf Tournament at Auburn Hills on Sept. 6 to assist families of our Fallen Heroes. Register by Aug. 29 to catch the early bird rate for this four-person scramble with additional hole contests.
Labor Day weekend is your last chance to participate in the Wichita Attractions Tour, an all-new tour that kicked off on Memorial Day and encourages locals and visitors to discover the many world-class attractions and museums in Wichita. To take the tour, pick up a free passport at our Visitor Center or any of the participating 13 attractions and museums and begin exploring. Once you have visited at least six of the participating locations, turn in your passport to be entered into a drawing to win a 2022 family season pass or membership to ALL 12 participating attractions and one Wichita Wind Surge home game of their choosing. This fun tour and opportunity to win BIG wraps up on Sept. 6 (Labor Day). Find complete rules and all the details here.
The Wicked Brew Tour is also still underway. Sip on coffee and beer at Wichita coffee shops and breweries and turn in your completed passport for a t-shirt. But hurry, this tour ends when supplies (t-shirts) run out!
Turn it up to 90: 90th Anniversary of the Electric Guitar’s Wichita World Debut at The Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum
Exhibits at Wichita Museums
Exhibits at Wichita museums are in full swing this fall. From a dynamic selection of art to life-size models of monster fish, there is much to explore. Choose from these exhibits:
- Big Bugs at Botanica
- Bring Home the Bosins: The Journey Continues at the Mid-American All-Indian Museum
- One Three Zero Seven at Mark Arts
- Portrait of a Man: Tapping into Excellence at The Kansas African American Museum
- Turn it up to 90: 90th Anniversary of the Electric Guitar’s Wichita World Debut and Metal to the Pedal: Vintage Pedal Cars at The Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum
- Beyond 1920: Women Artists from the WAM, Richard Marquis: Keepers, Lloyd Foltz: Prairie Print Maker and Nordfeldt Connections in Wichita at Wichita Art Museum
- Drone-tography: The Elevated Eye, Monster Fish: In Search of the Last River Giants and dome shows “Australia’s Great Wild North” and “Turtle Odyssey” at Exploration Place
- Look, it’s Daybreak, Dear, it’s Time to Sing and Love in the Time of the Anthropocene at Ulrich Museum of Art
To explore all there is to do in Wichita, check out our calendar of events.