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🌾 Riverfest Lineup Announced

🌾 Riverfest Lineup Announced

Who are you excited to see?

Landon Huslig
February 16, 2026

Together With

Good morning, Wichita!

Welcome back to the Wichita Life Update, the local newsletter that’s like your friend texting “I grabbed you coffee too”.

Let’s get to it!

- Landon

p.s. Our March Dinner Club sign-up is now open! Who wants to make a new friend (or 5)?

News

🎉 RIVERFEST Lineup Announced 🎉

Riverfest is coming back for its 54th year May 29 – June 6, 2026 and some of the biggest parts every year are the concerts.

Here is the 2026 Riverfest Concert Lineup with something for everyone :

The Riverfest button serves as the all-access pass to nine days of concerts, food vendors, river activities, art events, and more.

What do you think of the lineup this year?

What do you think of the Riverfest concert lineup?

let us know in the comments too!

Together with Margaret McHenry Maids

This year, borrow the timeless traditions of excellence observed by those in domestic service in Great Britain a century ago. Margaret McHenry Maids offers a heightened level of service and a deep service menu that includes post-holiday cleaning and expanded en-residence services personalized to your needs and completed by selected, carefully trained maids.

Our traditional deep cleaning is performed in every home every time. Using a comprehensive checklist with 75 points of service attention, we thoroughly maintain your home so you're ready for any occasion and find it easier to slip away to do the things you love

Gift certificates available!

LOCAL BUSINESS

Opening

SK Donuts (6th Wichita-area location) - 1920 W 21st St (former NAS Kitchen) - Now Open
Amazon Warehouse - Last-Mile Center now Open in Bel Aire - Employing 150 people + 130 drivers
Pinnacle Pizza (Arkansas-style) - 832 N Webb Rd - Coming Soon
Tommy’s Apizza (New Haven Style) - 2330 E Douglas (formerly Varsity Barbershop) near East High - Opening in Mid-April
White Eagle Credit Union - Andover - TBD
Mi Super Mercado (3rd Wichita location) - 1989 W 21st St in Twin Lakes Shopping Center - Opening Soon

Closing

Fidelity Bank - 13th and Woodlawn - Now Closed. Consolidated east Wichita footprint

Loony Bin Returns

When the downtown Loony Bin closed in July 2023, many people were sad.

The time has come for those fans of comedy to rejoice as it will be returning, this time on the west side at 8406 W Central.

NONPROFIT

House Factory

You may recall that Wichita is short somewhere around 25,000 affordable housing units.

Steve Feilmeier (former CFO of Koch) has been busy since he retired a couple of years ago.

His most recent venture is joining forces with Prime Craftsman Homes to bring an affordable modular home factory to Wichita to help fill the gap of homes. The factory will employ up to 75 people and build up to 300 homes a year.

Together with CBD Plus

Whether it’s thunderstorms, snowstorms, or just the daily battle with the mailman (especially during porch pirate season) — your dog deserves to stay calm and comfortable.

The best natural way to keep your pup cool, calm, and collected can be found at CBD Plus or online at TallTreesSociety.com.

👉 Use code Wichita20 at checkout for an exclusive online discount!

CIVIL

Fentanyl

I’ll be honest. I don’t really understand fentanyl or why it exists. I’ve never heard a single positive thing about it and it keeps killing people.

WSU just received a naloxone distribution box which can help reverse or reduce the effects of fentanyl overdoses.

Webb Road

Over near Webb Road and 13th, there are a lot of wrecks.

The road and intersection could use some renovations and the City Council just approved $8.8 million to make those improvements.

First Street Bridge

If you ever cross the Ar-Kansas River, specifically the First Street Bridge, you might want to find a new path as a year-long project to replace this bridge that is falling apart. Traffic closes starting this week.

You’ll likely want to head to Douglas.

Redbud Trail Improvements

If you love a good trail, you likely love Redbud Trail which is one of Wichita’s largest biking paths, extending more than 15 miles from east Wichita to Augusta.

Upcoming improvements include a new pedestrian bridge over Rock Road and a wider pathway.

You can learn more here:

Cleanup Crew

A big complaint piece of constructive criticism about our wonderful river is that it is dirty, both in color (this is usually due to sediment and what not) and trash.

There is a group of volunteers known collectively as the Wichita Riverwalk Cleanup Crew who help keep the river more clean than it would otherwise be.

Since paid parking went into effect, the volunteers have had to have issues since they are now paying to volunteer. There are two proposals going to the city to address this.

LOCAL

Big Read Selection

The Wichita Public Library does a great job promoting reading in Wichita.

Their Big Read Wichita selection is Ross Gay's Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.

Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday is tomorrow (Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday kicking off lent).

You can find a full list of places to celebrate here thanks to EB.

You can also get your annual Red Bean’s Bayou Grill in a to-go format.

15 years of EB

Congrats to our friend Wichita by EB on 15 years of blogging! Eddy has shown a light on so many individuals in businesses over the year and truly paved the way for so many that have followed him. Proud to call him a collaborator and friend!

If you want to celebrate and say hello, come out to The Depot tonight from 6pm to close!

Women Mentors

Wichita is blessed with so many incredible women in business across the board.

There is a Wichita Business Journal event coming up on 2/23 where these women mentors will be. Say hello to many of them like our friends Audra Dinell, Kim Hett, Mary Better Jarvis, and more!

Wichita Art Museum

The Alex Katz: Theater and Dance exhibit is now open through May 10th at the Wichita Art Museum!

ICT EXTRA

Job Board

Looking for a new job? 100+ new jobs were posted this week! Looking to hire? Post here for all to see!

Dinner Club

Our March Dinner Club sign-up is now open! Who wants to make a new friend (or 5)?

Emerie Schartz

Congrats to Andover senior Emerie Scharts who is one of the best young golfers in the US and just made the U.S. National Junior Team for the third straight time.

The Hitman

Prayers for Greg “The Hitman” Williams former radio DJ on Power 93.5 and KEYN who has stage four metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with extensive metastasis, a rare and aggressive type of cancer.

You can contribute to his gofundme here.

Aero FC

Wichita Aero FC just gave out an equipment scholarship to Holy Savior Catholic Academy!

Shocker Grill & Lanes

There is a hidden gem in the basement of the Rhatigan Student Center on WSU’s campus called Shocker Grill & Lanes. Not only do they have great, affordable bowling and food, but now they have five stern pinball machines!