Wichita Life
Posts
🌾 Cheesecake Factory???

🌾 Cheesecake Factory???

Plus a downtown Winter Wonderland!

Landon Huslig
October 31, 2025

Together With

Happy Halloween, Wichita!

Need a last minute costume idea?

You can always go as a ghost, Eleven from Stranger Things or 3-hole punch Jim.

Let’s get to it!

- Landon

p.s. If you are unsure of the rules in Wichita for Halloween, trick-or-treating, etc - check out a blog from our friends at Wichita Mom.

NEWS

Somewhere in Winter

Would you believe me if I told you that downtown Wichita is going to transform into a Winter Wonderland?

No, seriously.

A new Winter tradition called Somewhere in Winter is kicking off in downtown Wichita with an ice skating rink, Holiday markets, Cocoa Dolce, Themed nights, Santa, and so much more from November 27th - January 4th at 250 N Saint Francis Ave (parking lot by Wave and downtown Cocoa Dolce).

You might recognize the “Somewhere” Theme from Somewhere Fest.

Somewhere Fest was also just announced to be moving from the warm June date to September 25-26 next fall!

Together with the Wichita Grand Opera

Wichita Grand Opera presents West Side Story, a timeless reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set to the pulse of 1950s New York. Featuring national talent, local artists, the WGO Orchestra, and Melonlight Dance Theater, this semi-staged production brings Tony and Maria’s tragic love to life.

🎭 Century II Concert Hall
📅 Nov. 1 at 7 PM | Nov. 2 at 3 PM
🎟️ Tickets: SelectASeat.com/WSS

LOCAL BUSINESS

Opening

Parlor Doughnuts - 7010 W 21st St N - Now Open
Serendibz (only Sri Lankan restaurant in Kansas) - 3700 N Woodlawn (former Eastern Gate near Jumbo’s Beef & Brews) - Opening in the next couple of weeks
Ziggi’s Coffee - 8669 W 29th St N - Opening in November / December 2025
Raising Canes - 111 S Rock Rd (former BD’s Mongolian Grill) by Towne East - Opening in Summer 2027
Cheesecake Factory - 2020 N Rock Rd in Bradley Fair (where Outback Steakhouse used to be) - Opening TBD

Closing

Sharky’s Island Bites - East Side Store at 9720 E 21st St - Now Closed
BBQ Express - 6249 E 21st St - Closing End of This Week, but will still be open for catering

For Lease

Jinya Ramen Bar downtown is currently for lease

Kelly’s Family Diner

Wichita can really show up for others when we rally together.

Kelly’s Family Diner could use a bit of that love as they’ve been broken into for a second time.

GIFTED

Chico’s Mexican Restaurant

Two of my good friends - Wichita by EB and Jacob with Manage to Create - have come up with a new project and video series highlighting local gifts to Wichita who deserve love and attention from Wichita.

The first highlight is Chico’s Mexican restaurant.

NONPROFIT

YMCA Job Prep

Congrats to the 172 Wichita teens who finished the free 12-week program from the YMCA job prep program.

Join the Wichita Life Insiders

Thank you to all of our current Wichita Life Insiders!

This month’s winner of the Insiders gift card giveaway is Katie G. Congrats to Katie who won a $20 Coffee Daze gift card!

When you join Wichita Life Insiders, you will directly support these emails and the way we cover Wichita news and events. The membership also comes with a few perks we think you will like:

Support independent news coverage
Monthly Member Only Giveaways (worth $20+)
Monthly Event Calendar
Shoutout in our Email Newsletter
20% Wichita Life Shop Discount

CIVIL

Open Artist Activation Grants

Activation Grants offer one-time operational or programmatic funding to individual artists, groups of artists, or arts and culture nonprofit organizations who serve the residents of Wichita. Submissions are open through November 3, 2025.

Check out the list of Open RFQs like the Hilltop Community Center Mural or Wichita Fire Station #23 Project.

LOCAL

GraceMed 5k

Run the Race, then Feed Your Face!

Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together and give thanks for all their blessings.

Join more than 1,500 friends and neighbors at the 15th Annual Say Grace 5K — a Thanksgiving tradition that supports GraceMed’s mission to care for the medically underserved.

Warm Hearts

Today is the last day of the Salvation Army’s Warm Hearts program for the week. They are handing out winter coats and warm clothing.

Do you want a pet?

Cause the Wichita Animal Shelter and Kansas Humane Society took in almost 900 animals in September and need some help.

Tanganyika

Did you know Tanganyika Wildlife Park welcomed a litter of cheetah cubs on October 11th?

ICT EXTRA

Top clicks of the week 🖱️