Wichita Festivals, Inc. today announced Riverfest concert headliners, a line-up covering a wide variety of genres and featuring many popular national acts festivalgoers can enjoy just for the price of a Riverfest button.
“Talk about bang for your buck!” said Mary Beth Jarvis, Wichita Festivals’ President and CEO. “We are amazed and proud that thanks to our many festival sponsors and partners, we can present nine days of high-caliber, diverse entertainment for such an accessible price.”
Tradition rules on Friday, June 3 when the Twilight Pops Concert featuring the Wichita Symphony Orchestra will perform on the Kennedy Plaza Stage, directly following the Safelite™ AutoGlass Sundown Parade. Los Angeles blues-rockers Andy Frasco & The U.N. will perform on the RedGuard Stage, southeast of the Hyatt Regency Wichita.
On Saturday, June 4, the Meat Puppets, themselves old school alternative rock legends, will open for the original Violent Femmes on the Kennedy Plaza Stage. An alternative music powerhouse, the band has released eight studio albums and fifteen singles. Their self-titled first album, which featured “Blister in the Sun” and “Kiss Off” among many other hit singles, is certified platinum.
The Coleman Country Concert is scheduled for Sunday, June 5, and co-stars A Thousand Horses and Brothers Osborne on the Kennedy Plaza Stage. Those who prefer rock or punk over country can mosh to Flag, featuring original members of Black Flag and the Descendents.
The twentieth Gospelfest, with duel headliners, Grammy Award-winner Tasha Cobb and the dynamic Zacardi Cortez, will take place Monday, June 6 and will include performances by local groups and choir members on the Kennedy Plaza Stage. The high-energy and versatile Brave Combo, from Denton, Texas, will perform on the RedGuard Stage that evening.
The popular “Festival of Broadway” will return to Kennedy Plaza on Tuesday, June 7, featuring performances by Music Theatre Wichita, Roxy’s Downtown and Mosley Street Melodrama. On the RedGuard Stage, Sinbad (yes, the comedian, but he’s a musician, too) will perform with Wichita’s own, internationally-known, R&B artist Rudy Love.
New Jersey trio Naughty By Nature will bring on the classic hip-hop dance grooves on Wednesday, June 8 at Kennedy Plaza. The award-winning band who first hit it big in 1991 with “O.P.P.” will keep this multi-generational dance party moving.
At the RedGuard Stage, Moreland & Arbuckle will bring their special brand of rocking roots-blues. Elle King, presented by Koch Industries, will perform on the Kennedy Plaza Stage on Throwback Thursday, June 9. King was nominated for two Grammy awards for her smash hit, “Ex’s & Oh’s.” The concert will take place during and after the Goodwill Industries Cajun Food Fest. Modern soul act, The Suffers, will open for King.
At the Indie Showcase on June 10, Fishbone will open for Reel Big Fish, both rock-fueled Caribbean-inspired ska bands. On the RedGuard Stage, William Clark Green and Hugh Masterson will play Red Dirt country music.
The finale of Riverfest 2016 kicks off at Kennedy Plaza on Saturday, June 11 with Spirit AeroSystems Rockin’ on the River starring The Roots, the Grammy-winning house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Fiesta del Rio will take place on the RedGuard Stage that night. The Capitol Federal Fireworks Finale will close the festival with a bang following the concerts.
A number of local and regional acts also will perform at Riverfest 2016, including O’Phil, DJ Carbon, Big Red Horse, Kill Vargas, Divorce Corpse, Candy Lords, Haymakers, A Squared, and many others. In addition to the Kennedy Plaza and RedGuard stages, the Food Court Stage will be activated throughout the festival. All local and regional acts will be announced via social media on March 30. Admission to all Riverfest concerts is free with a Riverfest button.
Adult buttons are $10, and children’s buttons (available while supplies last for kids ages 6-12) are $3. Adult buttons are available at an early bird discount price of $7 via preorder at SelectASeat.com, and in person April 11-May 5 at Cox Solutions stores: 2240 N. Rock Road, 446 S. Ridge Road and 2556 N. Maize at New Market Square in Wichita; 1636 N. Rock Road in Derby; 101 E. 12th Avenue in El Dorado and 417 N. Windward in Newton. Full-price buttons will be available at major button retailors (Dillons and QuikTrip) beginning May 6.
Media partners for Riverfest 2016 include 104.5 The Fox, Alt 107.3, B98FM, BOB FM, The Bull, The Buzz, Channel 963, Ashby Street Outdoor, The Community Voice, FOX Kansas, Great Plains TV, Hank, Intake Studios, KAKEland, KEYN, KFDI, KFH, KGSO, KMUW, KNSS, KQAM, KSN, KWCH, La Raza, Liberty Press, POWER 93.5, Q92 The Beat, Radio Lobo, Splurge!, T95, Visit Wichita and Wichita magazine. Riverfest 2016 Official Sponsors include: Bud Light, Decker Electric, Metro Courier, Parr Sound & Lighting, PrairieLand Partners, RedGuard SiteBox and Spot’s Party Bus.
About Wichita Festivals, Inc.: Wichita Festivals, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with the purpose of creating diverse community celebrations within the Wichita community. The primary events produced by Wichita Festivals, Inc. are Riverfest (June 3-11, 2016) and Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair (September 16-18, 2016). For more information about Wichita Festivals, Inc. or its events, contact Teri Mott at (316) 267-2817 or teri@wichitafestivals.com.