Hinga dinga durgen! Happy Leif Erikson Day.

We may not have sailed to a new world, but we did find you everything happening in Wichita this weekend.

Let’s get to it!

- Landon

New Hat Alert

We have very limited quantities of our new hats, but order yours today! Use code WLFreeShipping or just click this link today to get your puzzle, shirt, sticker, or one of our new hats today! Last day for free shipping this week!

Together with Backyard Specialists

If you’ve ever wondered what those random playsets are off of k-96 near Sam’s Club, let me introduce you to Backyard Specialists.

Backyard Specialists is locally owned and operated.

They opened up in 2008 and have built one of the most trusted local brands providing outdoor play sets, basketball hoops, spring free trampolines, poly furniture, and more (including installation which is a life saver).

Mention Wichita Life and get $100 off a Backyard Adventure Swing Set today!

We trust Backyard Specialists with our backyard and we highly recommend you check them out.

LOCAL BUSINESS

Opening

Newk's Eatery - 3905 N Ridge Rd - Now Open
Tacos Uruapan (second location) - 503 N West St - Opening in a month

Delayed

Donut Palace - 837 N Andover Rd (old Uno Mas Cantina / Rusted Rooster spot) - delayed due to remodeling
The Fruit Theory - 1519 N Andover Rd - Delayed due to building permits

Picks Of The Parade

You can find the Picks of the Parade winners from the fall 2026 Parade of Homes here!

All-Star Sports Returns

Wichita Business Journal

West Wichita's All-Star Sports, which closed without notice in September, is under new local ownership and plans to reopen next week.

NONPROFIT

Runway For Hearts

Evan Rolfe's Couture At Heart fashion show puts 50 models on the runway at the NEW Forum Theatre on Saturday, 10/10 at 6pm. Looks come from eight designers and stores, including Gentry Limited, Aida Stenholm and Dillard's. Tickets are $50, or $75 for VIP, and proceeds benefit the American Heart Association.

New ACA Meeting

Adult Children of Alcoholics, a support group for people who grew up around alcoholism or family dysfunction, added a Tuesday meeting from 6:30-7:30pm this week at the Wichita Recovery Hub, 120 S. Ida. That's on top of the group's other weekly meetings there, including Thursdays at 6:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.

Together with New Market Square

🎃 FREE FALL FEST AT NEWMARKET SQUARE

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 10 from 11 AM–1 PM for a FREE, family-friendly Fall Fest benefiting the Wichita Police & Fire Foundation!

There will be plenty for the whole family:

🚓 Explore emergency vehicles
🌭 FREE hot dogs grilled by the Wichita Wagonmasters
🐴 Petting zoo
🎨 Face painting
🎈 Balloon artist
✨ Temporary tattoos
🦸‍♂️ Meet Spider-Man, Elsa & Cinderella
🏃 Kids’ obstacle course
🛍️ Discounts at participating NewMarket Square retailers
📸 Fall family photo op
🍿 Popcorn station
🎃 And more fall fun!

📍 WHERE: The field across from Petco at NewMarket Square

Bring the kids, grab your friends and family, and enjoy a fun afternoon while supporting the Wichita Police & Fire Foundation.

CIVIC

Spruce Up Downtown

Downtown Wichita's Fall Clean-Up is today (Friday 10/9) from 9am to noon, with volunteers picking up litter, planting and repainting the ground mural in Gallery Alley. Check in at 501 E. Douglas for coffee, a pastry and your assignment.

Kellogg Backup Begins

Work on the $5.1M Kellogg bridge over the Big Ditch kicked off a day early Sunday, and eastbound traffic backed up about 1.5 miles from I-235 to Ridge Road. Get used to the detour though, the project runs through August 2028, and eastbound Kellogg can't reach northbound I-235. You'll detour via southbound I-235 and K-42.

LOCAL

Bodyguard Tickets Drop

Tickets for Broadway in Wichita's The Bodyguard go on sale Friday 10/9 at 10am. The Whitney-hit musical hits Century II Concert Hall 1/11-1/13/27.

Bootanica Is Back

Bootanica returns to Botanica on 10/9-10, 10/16-17 and 10/23-24, from 5-10pm Fridays and 2-10pm Saturdays!

Free Wellness Weekend

The Wichita Wellness Collective is hosting free classes and workshops 10/17-10/18 at We Ride, Unity Studio and lululemon, with all donations going to Mental Health America of South Central Kansas. Highlights include a run with Run 316 on Saturday at 8am and Yoga on the Plaza at Bradley Fair on Sunday at 6pm.

Cabbage Roll Weekend

The 91st St. George Lebanese Dinner is this weekend at the cathedral at 7515 E. 13th, Saturday 10/10 from 4-8pm and Sunday 10/11 from noon-7pm. Last year, volunteers rolled 22,000 cabbage rolls.

Wichita's Top Trucker

Wichita FedEx Freight driver Terry Covey took first place in the sleeper berth class at the National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburgh. He has 1.5 million accident-free miles and first rode along in his dad's truck at age 7.

Help For Marcus

Marcus Branstetter, owner of Marc's Tree and Landscaping, fell from his bucket truck while working and broke his ribs and shoulder and suffered head trauma. You can help support him at this GoFundMe.

Record Freshman Class

Wichita State welcomed its largest freshman class ever, with 1,700+ new Shockers. Main campus enrollment still dipped ~2.5% (~450 students), the first drop since 2020, mostly from a ~24% decline in international students as visas got harder to get.

📅 EVENTS CALENDAR

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Weekend

The Spirit Bride from Ballet Wichita | DeMattias Fine Arts Center at Newman U | 10/9 - 10/10
Halloween Nights | Exploration Place | 10/8 - 10/10
ICT Bloktoberfest | Naftzger Park | 10/9 - 10/10
Goddard Fall Festival | Goddard Park | 10/9 - 10/11
The Academy at MTW presents Sweeney Todd School Edition | Century II | 10/9 - 10/11
The Woman in Black | Roxy’s | 10/9 - 11/7

Friday 10/9