Commentary: 5 Ways To Improve The Wichita River Festival

Let’s chat about one of the most polarizing events in city, the Wichita River Pageant.

So a lot of individuals complained about the function. I’m a believer in the issues are valid if your intention is you want the party to increase. Some just want to see the environment burn down, whilst other individuals truly want a better Wichita.

I stopped by the event a few various occasions, observed some points, believed about it for a while and wished to make a listing of 5 points I consider would make for a better Wichita River Pageant.

1.) Greater Advertisement for Button Selling prices, Promotions, and Early Fowl

One particular of the most important problems about Riverfest (and generally any ticketed event) is pricing. Button costs went up for the very first time due to the fact 2015. This 12 months, they went up to $15. 

But one particular detail folks didn’t know was there was an early chicken selling price of $10. Yet another assumption some people today experienced was that all buttons have been $15 regardless of age. I’d see comments that it cost $60+ for a loved ones of 4. Kids age 6-12 were being still $5.

I assume we’re all in settlement that prices of every thing has long gone up. That contains the expense of throwing an celebration. People today will usually complain about costs. Of course, prices could have stayed the very same, but that would have meant chopping corners in throwing much less of a good quality party.

If the $5 value raise was a dealbreaker, then buy them during the early bird. If you did not know about it, then that’s the Riverfest’ organizers job to improved boost that or operate the early hen pricing for a longer period or begin it before.

If the button charges are just too a great deal, it’s possible up coming 12 months some organization could action up and both supply buttons for all those family members who want to go, but just cannot, or subsidize the charge of them to the place it’s close to $5. If that is the circumstance, it’ll acquire the energy of the community.

And if all else fails, people today can however use an old button to show up at just one of the evenings of Wichita River Fest. That is possibly the very best way to get in free of charge.

2.) Contain Far more Community Firms

Speaking of neighborhood, if we could locate a way to require the area corporations more, it’s possible that would get absent the “it’s much too commercialized” complaint. 

The major gripe I have heard is, “why aren’t there area foods vehicles?”. For starters, I really do not know of a single food items truck that has preferred to be open for 9 straight times all afternoon and evening lengthy. I’m not positive they are geared up or staffed to set that quite a few hours into a competition. Nor would a bulk even want to, if so, they have not been vocal about it. Indeed, costs is also a massive deal on why neighborhood vendors would instead not show up. It is not perfect, but the festival has to be capable to deliver in some funds to assist recoup the expenditures.

So, what compromises could be designed to include area businesses? Below are some ideas I experienced:

• Have a Riverfest 7 days soon after the celebration is around for the button and offer a lot more worth to that $10-15 purchase individuals make. This can make the button fantastic for the times of Riverfest, in addition the week or maybe few times after.
  • See if nearby enterprises would be inclined to supply some type of discount with a Riverfest button
  • Lover with area sights like Exploration Area, the Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita Art Museum, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, and offering discount rates for entry into those institutions with a button
• Would it be doable to have a a single working day Riverfest kickoff both at the start out or conclude of the celebration that incorporates a food stuff truck rally? Block off a different space for this rally. Incentivize foods vehicles to support provide buttons.
• Function with businesses like the Wichita Asian Association to hosts an Asian Night Market pageant the place a button is necessary.

3.) Deliver back the Block Bash in some fashion

People today miss out on the Block Party. So, here’s my compromise, could we move the day of Open up Streets or include a further Open up Streets working day to the Sunday adhering to the fireworks? Have Open up Streets and Wichita River Festival do the job hand-in-hand to have some sort of big block celebration on a more compact scale than how major Open Streets is?

4.) Clean up Up the Riverfest Internet site

This is a suggestion I gave immediately to some celebration workers. The Wichita River Pageant is nearly as well hectic. The timetable of occasions and what is going ought to be the foremost point people today see on the web site. 

I know there is an app, but some men and women want to keep away from downloading nevertheless an additional app on their cellular phone.

5.) Have an Grownups Only Region for the Pageant

At the Kansas Condition Good, they have a small location in which you have to be 21+ to enter. Not most people has kids, not every person desires to be all over youngsters, and I get it. 

If they could part off an location for the older people only, this would appease people who want an evening with no youngsters. Invite  some regional breweries on site together with other drink distributors, have some live audio and give other folks a reason to come across a babysitter.

This even now can make the Wichita River Festival a loved ones-helpful function the youngsters just cannot accessibility a restricted-area.

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I’m all for the Wichita River Competition succeeding. There are areas that will always be a gripe for folks. Some matters the party staff have no handle of. Price will usually be an concern.

But even with all that, there are techniques to boost what should be Wichita’s most important get together.

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