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March Madness in Wichita

Wichita is on fire (in a good way).

We hosted the National Ice Skating Championships. St. Paddy’s Day Parade & Weekend downtown was poppin’.

Riverfest and Somewherefest both announced their lineups.

Even Cap Fed Amphitheatre in Andover is announcing big names left and right for upcoming concerts.

This weekend is huge for downtown as we host March Madness and we want to help you get the most bang for your buck. If it is anything like 2018 when we last hosted the Men’s NCAA tournament, it will be a weekend to remember.

The Basketball

We will start off with what is officially happening and the reason for the season.

The basketball.

Here is the run down on games and practices.

So, March Madness consists of 64 teams (68 technically, but we won’t get into that) all battling it out to prove who is the best.

There are 8 teams playing in Wichita (and math tells us we are 1 of 8 regionals covering the first two rounds - round of 64 and round of 32). You can see the teams here:

If you want to go watch, there are 3 sessions you can buy tickets to.

Thursday, March 20 - Session 1:

1:00 p.m. – (16) SIU Edwardsville vs. (1) Houston

3:35 p.m.* – (9) Georgia vs (8) Gonzaga

Thursday, March 20 - Session 2:

6:35 p.m. – (11) Drake vs. (6) Missouri

9:10 p.m.* – (14) UNCW vs. (3) Texas Tech

*Approximate Tip Time

Saturday, March 22 - Session 3: TBD

*note - once you enter during your session (2 game period), you can not leave and reenter.

You will get their ticket scanned for session 1 then we will clear the arena and everyone will have to leave after the first 2 games. Then doors will reopen for session 2 and they will get their ticket scanned again. Once they have their ticket scanned they cannot leave and renter during that session.

On Saturday, Session 3, there is no clearing of the building between games so once their ticket is scanned they can not reenter.

Check their clear bag policy as well.

The Food

We will get into some of the food outside the arena, but inside the arena Chef Sal Hernandez has you covered.

Practice

We talkin’ bout practice.

Each team has a 40 minute open practice today (Wednesday 3/19) that starts at 11am and goes until 4:55pm, these practices are open to the public and free. This is a great way to watch some basketball without breaking the budget.

• 11:00 am – Game 1 Lower Seed, 11:45 am – Game 1 Higher Seed

• 12:30 pm – Game 2 Lower Seed, 1:15 pm – Game 2 Higher Seed

• 2:00 pm – Game 3 Lower Seed, 2:45 pm – Game 3 Higher Seed

• 3:30 pm – Game 4 Lower Seed, 4:15 pm – Game 4 Higher Seed

Here are some parking tips as well. 

And a map to help you out.

The Party

If you don’t feel like getting tickets to the game, no worries, it will be a PARTY outside of the arena.

A few roads will be closed: Waterman from Emporia to Mosley, Emporia from Waterman to the transit center. St. Francis from William to Douglas:

We won’t be able to cover every single event in detail here, but we will provide a little context and link out to full details. Visit Wichita has an incredible Fan Central Map showing where the Fan Zones are, Where to Watch games, Nearby Restaurants, Things to do, and more!

Going off the fan zone order above:

2) Bracket Bash at The Hudson St. Francis - Catch all the hoops tournament action with us—just a 2 minute walk from Intrust Bank Arena! 5 TVs streaming the games, rooftop views, and good vibes

3) Courtside at Brick & Mortar - don’t miss the Una Vida Tequila Party Zone or the Coors Light Party Tent

4) ESPN Wichita Fan Zone - Historic Union Station, join in on the festivities

5) FanFest at Naftzger Park - Live basketball games on the digital board, food and alcohol trucks, and much more

6) Hoops At The Hudson (Bud Light Party Zone right out front of The Hudson)

7) Tor Brewing

8) Party out Front - 50,000 sq-ft of parking lots full of parties. There will also be a sober space here from The Phoenix!

9) Public & Brickyard Tournament Madness - 4 days full of local artists, game watching, and fun

10) Shot Clock at The Railhouse - Wichita’s hottest pop-up bar right across the street from Intrust

11) Wichita Brewing Party Garden

Here is the full map.

Other Guides

There are other guides that will help you maximize your experience including:

• Wichita by EB

• Visit Wichita

• KWCH

• SB Nation

Bouncing through Downtown: Art & Basketball

The hoopers couldn’t have all the fun, thanks to a grant from the CIty of Wichita, artists transformed downtown with “Bouncing through Downtown: Art & Basketball” where they decorated storefronts with temporary art installations. A Public Walking Tour is scheduled for Friday (3/21) at 7pm starting at 509 E Douglas Ave if you’re interested. You can find a full list of art info here.

You Be the Artist Activity – March 21 Downtown Wichita and the artists will lead a crafting workshop during the city’s Fan Fest in Naftzger Park. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on March 21, stop by to craft your own Kansas sunflower out of recycled basketball material. This activity is free and open to the public, while supplies last.

What do you want to see us go deep on in a future deep dive?

Let us know!

Together with Classic Hits 92.7

Quick Rundown

• Josue Estrada Band | Walker’s Jazz Lounge | 3/19

• Vintage Shopping Weekend | Hunt and Gather Vintage Wichita | 3/20 3/23

• Wichita Riverfest | Downtown Wichita | 5/30 - 6/7

• Somewhere Fest | Downtown Wichita | 6/13 - 6/14