Riverfest Is Here. Here’s What We’d Go See
Welcome to the first edition of The Weekend Voice, a new newsletter from The Community Voice focused on things to do, entertainment, culture and weekend events across our coverage areas.
We hope to make The Weekend Voice a regular part of your weekends — especially if readers enjoy it and share it with friends and family.
For this first issue, we’re featuring Wichita Riverfest, which returns May 29–June 6 with concerts, fireworks, family activities and longtime Wichita traditions taking over downtown for the festival’s 54th year.
This year’s lineup ranges from The Jacksons and hip-hop night with Sage The Gemini and Travie McCoy to Gospel Fest, zydeco music, fireworks, bathtub races and family activities spread across the river festival grounds.
The Weekend Voice pulled together some Riverfest events we think our readers would most enjoy — including free traditions many longtime Wichitans may have missed and a few ways families can enjoy Riverfest without spending a fortune.
Plus we’ve included a selection of other events you might want to check out and a link to our Juneteenth Event Guide for 2026
Our Riverfest Picks
Concerts, fireworks and a few things you may not want to miss.
🎤 The Jacksons + Sundown Parade
Friday, May 29 | Parade 6:30 p.m. | Concert 9:15 p.m.
If you haven’t watched the Sundown Parade in years, this might be the year to head downtown early and move on over to Kennedy Plaza to get a good spot to watch The Jacksons.
🎆 Fireworks follow at 10:45 p.m.
🙌 Gospel Fest
Monday Night
One of the week’s strongest nights for families and church groups, Gospel Fest brings contemporary gospel star Jonathan McReynolds and Brent Jones to Kennedy Plaza.
McReynolds has become one of gospel music’s most recognizable artists by blending worship music with soulful storytelling and modern production.
Gospel Fest Lineup
9 p.m. — Jonathan McReynolds
6 p.m. — Sons of God
6:20 p.m. — Dottie Thompson Children’s Choir
6:40 p.m. — TRU
6:50 p.m. — Community Choir
7:45 p.m. — Brent Jones
🎶 Hip-Hop Night
Friday, June 5
Riverfest shifts toward a younger crowd Friday night with rapper Sage The Gemini performing from 8-8:45 p.m. before Travie McCoy of Gym Class Heroes takes the stage at 9:15 p.m.
McCoy is known for hits including “Stereo Hearts” and “Cupid’s Chokehold.”
🪗 Zydeco Night
Thursday Night | 5:15 – 10 p.m.
If you’ve never experienced zydeco music live, Riverfest gives Wichita one of its rare opportunities.
Keith Frank — known as the “Zydeco Boss” — headlines a night of Louisiana-style music blending zydeco, R&B, hip-hop and Southern dance rhythms.
The evening also includes the Cajun & Creole Fest on Kennedy Plaza near Century II, featuring jambalaya, red beans and rice, bread pudding and other Louisiana-inspired favorites available for purchase while supplies last.
FEATURE
What Riverfest Fans Can Expect From The Jacksons
More than 50 years after first topping the charts as the Jackson 5, The Jacksons continue to bring their music and legacy to audiences around the world — including this year’s Wichita Riverfest.
The group began in Gary, Indiana, with brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and a young Michael Jackson becoming Motown sensations in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Hits like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There” helped make the Jackson 5 one of the biggest acts of their era.
But the group’s story did not end there.
After leaving Motown in the mid-1970s and becoming The Jacksons, the brothers gained more creative control and expanded into a funkier, more mature sound. The group produced major hits including “Enjoy Yourself,” “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground),” “Can You Feel It,” “Lovely One” and “Blame It on the Boogie.”
Today’s touring lineup primarily features brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson following the 2024 death of Tito Jackson.
Fans attending the Riverfest concert can expect a high-energy nostalgia show packed with classic hits, live musicians, audience singalongs and tributes to Michael and Tito. While the production is more traditional than a modern pop spectacle, the concert remains a celebration of one of music’s most influential family groups.
FEATURE
👨👩👧 Family & Budget-Friendly Picks
Not every Riverfest memory has to come from the main concert stage. Some of the festival’s most entertaining traditions are also some of its most affordable — and in several cases completely free to watch.
🎉 Family Fun Day | Sunday, June 1
Children 12 and under receive free admission with a paying adult during Family Fun Day.
The day also includes:
- Cowtown Fun Day from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Free hot dogs and chips with buttons
- Children’s Business Day from 1-4 p.m.
- Jurassic Park family movie night from 8-10 p.m.
🚤 Cardboard Regatta | Sunday, June 1
One of Riverfest’s funniest traditions returns to the river near River Park Place at Waco and the Arkansas River.
Construction begins at 1:30 p.m. with launches starting at 3 p.m.
And yes — the boats are really made of cardboard. Free to watch without a Riverfest button.
🛁 Cowboy Bathtub Races | Saturday, May 30
Part race, part comedy and completely Riverfest.
The longtime Wichita tradition begins at 3 p.m. near River Park Place and is free to watch without a Riverfest button.
🎣 Fishing Derby | Saturday, June 6 | 9-11 a.m.
Families looking for something quieter may want to check out the Riverfest Fishing Derby.
Participants do not need fishing gear or even a fishing license. Rods, reels, bait and hooks are provided free, and Kansas Wildlife and Parks staff will help beginners learn how to fish. Free to participate without a Riverfest Button.
💸 Throwback Thursday
Thursday’s retro button promotion means any Riverfest button — no matter how old — works for admission.
🎆 Free Fireworks Viewing
Riverfest features three nights of fireworks — opening night, closing night and a midweek Wednesday show.
Many longtime residents simply watch from outside the festival grounds.
Check out more events on our online calendar @ communityvoiceks.com
A curated selection of events from our online calendar.
ICT NIGHT LIFE: Do It With Your Boots On – Trail ride Edition. Dust off your boots and get ready to hit LOVE & CO with Dem Kansas Bay Ryderz! (May 29, 9p.m.-2a.m.)
KC ENTERTAINMENT : Gospel and Jazz Brunch!. Experience soulful vibes and smooth jazz grooves live at the Gospel and Jazz Brunch—good tunes, good times!. (May 30 11a.m.-2p.m.)
ICT LIVE MUSIC: Chareonski Gray: Left on Stage. Whether you’re coming for the music, the atmosphere, or the community (or all of the above), Left on Stage™ gives you a chance to slow down and tap into the artistry here in Wichita.. (May 30, 6:30p.m.-8:30p.m.)
ICT FASHION: YBG Studios Fashion Show. YBG Studios presents its fifth independently produced fashion show.. (May 31.5:30p.m.-7:15p.m.)
KC LVE ARTIST: One Night Stand: Kansas City Edition. Come and enjoy a night of R&B and Soul with singer, songwriter Joshua “Showtime” Williams. (May 31, 7p.m.-11:00p.m.)
ICT BUSINESS: Networking at Noon. This event will be open to both members and not-yet Chamber members. (June 2, 11:30-1:30p.m.)
KC ART: 2026 Art in the Loop Kick-Off Event. Join us in celebrating the 2026 Art in the Loop Visual & Performing Artists with an evening of art and music! (June 3, 5:30p.m.-7:30p.m.)
KC FUNDRAISER: Bowties, Boobs & Tennis Shoes Pt.4. Celebrating life & strength: breast cancer fundraiser honoring survivors with dinner, drinks & entertainment. Join us & support the cause. (June 5, 6p.m.-10p.m.)
Our online calendar is free to use, and we regularly feature calendar events in our newsletters. Want more reach? Ask about advertising opportunities.
The Weekend Voice is The Community Voice’s weekend guide to entertainment, culture, festivals, family activities and community events across Wichita, Kansas City and surrounding communities. Each edition features handpicked recommendations, event highlights and ideas for making the most of your weekend.
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