Look up. Wichita’s putting on a show.

Five hundred drones. One iconic Keeper of the Plains. A live string quartet. And, new this year, drones that shoot actual pyrotechnics into the night sky.

The Drone Light Festival returns to Exploration Place Sept. 25-27, 2026, for three nights of synchronized drone shows above the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita. Now in its fifth year, the festival combines technology, music and a serious amount of spectacle with an evening full of activities across the Exploration Place campus.

And 2026 is going bigger than ever.

Bright drones light up the sky in the shape of a great white shark above the Keeper of the Plains in Wichita, ks

What is the Wichita Drone Light Festival?

The Drone Light Festival is an annual outdoor event at Exploration Place featuring hundreds of synchronized drones creating enormous illuminated formations in the sky above the Keeper of the Plains.

The drones fly in precisely choreographed patterns set to live music, turning the downtown Wichita riverfront into the backdrop for one very high-tech night out.

The 2026 festival takes place Sept. 25-27, with gates opening at 6 p.m. each night and drones taking flight after sunset.

Flames shoot from drones flying high above the sky as onlookers marvel.

What’s new at the 2026 Drone Light Festival?

Last year had 400 drones. Wichita apparently looked at that and said, “Needs more drones.”

The 2026 show expands to a record 500 synchronized drones – 100 more than in 2025 – flying in formation above the Keeper of the Plains.

But the biggest addition has a little more firepower. For the first time, the Drone Light Festival will feature pyro drones, a new class of aircraft that combines synchronized drone technology with pyrotechnic effects. Translation: airborne fireworks are joining the formation.

The entire show will be choreographed to a live score performed by a string quartet led by former Wichita Symphony Orchestra concertmaster John Harrison.

People gather outside Exploration Place before the Drone Light Festival starts.

Come early. There’s a lot happening on the ground, too.

The drones may be the headliner, but don't make the mistake of showing up five minutes before they fly.

After two years of parts of the Exploration Place campus being limited by construction, the entire campus will be open for the 2026 festival. That means visitors can make an evening of it with live music, DJ sets, karaoke in the Live Science Theater, food trucks, museum exhibits and laser light shows in the Dome.

There's also one very big addition since last year's festival: the Adventure Playscape.

Opened in March 2026, Exploration Place's new 6.5-acre outdoor destination features 10 themed play environments inspired by Kansas landscapes, history and identity. The riverfront playscape gives families another reason to arrive well before sunset.

Two people adorned in led costumes watch as drones create a saturn over the Keeper of the Plains

See 500 drones fly above the Keeper of the Plains

The setting is part of what makes Wichita's Drone Light Festival different.

Exploration Place sits along the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita, directly across the water from the Keeper of the Plains. The 44-foot steel sculpture stands at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas rivers and is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.

Find your viewing spot along the riverfront and watch as the drones create massive images above the Keeper, all synchronized with live music and, this year, bursts of pyrotechnics.

Your camera roll is going to need some room.

2026 Drone Light Festival dates and location

Here's what to know when planning your visit:

  • Dates: Sept. 25-27, 2026
  • Location: Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd. in downtown Wichita
  • Gates open: 6 p.m. nightly
  • Drone show: After sunset
  • Number of drones: 500 synchronized drones
  • New in 2026: Pyro drones
  • Before the show: Adventure Playscape, museum exhibits, Dome laser shows, live music, DJs, karaoke, food trucks and more

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How can I get tickets to the 2026 Drone Light Festival?

Tickets are required for the Drone Light Festival and several options are available, including individual admission, carload passes, reserved seating and a limited number of VIP packages.

New this year, Exploration Place is also offering a $99 Super Carload Pass, which includes all-day museum admission before the festival for everyone in the vehicle.

Because ticket options and availability can change as the festival approaches, check Exploration Place's official Drone Light Festival ticket page for current pricing and availability.

Is the Drone Light Festival good for families?

Very.

Families can arrive early and spend hours exploring Exploration Place before the drones ever leave the ground. The Adventure Playscape, museum exhibits, Dome laser shows and festival activities make this more than a come-watch-the-sky-and-go-home situation.

It's also an easy event to build a Wichita weekend around. Exploration Place is on the downtown riverfront, putting visitors close to the Keeper of the Plains and other museums and attractions as well as downtown and Delano restaurants, shops and entertainment.

Is Wichita’s Drone Light Festival worth traveling for?

If 500 drones, airborne pyrotechnics, live music and one of Wichita's most iconic views sound better than another predictable fall weekend, we'd say you've answered your own question.

The festival's three-night schedule also makes it easy to turn the event into a weekend getaway. Spend the day exploring Wichita, head to Exploration Place in the evening and stick around downtown for more food, drinks and things to do.

Then, when the sun goes down, look up. Wichita has plans for the sky.

What else can I do while I'm in Wichita for Drone Light Festival? 

There's always something going on in Wichita, especially in the fall. For more reasons to make it a Wichita weekend, browse the calendar of events for more fall festivals and things to do, sign up for the Visit Wichita newsletter to get ideas delivered to your inbox or request a free Visitors Guide for a little inspiration before you hit the road.