What to do this weekend: Lego Fan Expo; Prairieland Beer Fest; Fall Renaissance Faire
Another busy fall weekend is on the calendar for Wichita as September turns into October.
In addition to this weekend’s Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff, locals also can choose from a returning beer festival, a big Lego fan convention, the fall installment of the Great Plains Renaissance Festival, a couple of cultural celebrations and a concert by rock band 311.
Here’s a look at some of the best bets on the entertainment calendar for this weekend:
Lego Fan Expo
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Century II Exhibition Hall
Wichita Lego fans will want to build a trip to the Wichita Brick Convention – Lego Fan Expo into their weekends. The event, which runs Saturday and Sunday at Century II’s Exhibition Hall, will feature Lego creations made by Lego artists from across the United States, meet-and-greets with Lego celebrities – including the cast from the Fox show “Lego Masters” – a construction zone, live Lego builds and more. The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and $14 general admission tickets are available for four different sessions at selectaseat.com
Kansas Craft Beer Festival
1-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Hyde Park, 201 S. Greenwood
Another one of Wichita’s big annual beer festivals is coming back for another year, and this time, it’ll include brewers on a bucking mechanical bull. The Prairieland Beer & Music Festival, which was founded in 2018 by the Kansas Craft Brewers Guild, happens again from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday under the tree canopy at Hyde Park. It will feature 40 breweries from around the state who will bring more than 100 different beers to sample from a provided festival sampling glass. Tickets, which are $49 online or at the gate, give attendees access to all the beers plus the chance to hear New Orleans-style music by headliners Moonpie Brass Band. Local favorites Josue Estrada Band also will perform. This year, the event also will feature a mechanical bull, and rides are free. Tickets to the festival are available at the gate or in advance at central-standard-brewing-llc.ticketleap.com
Great Plains Renaissance Festival
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sedgwick County Park, 6501 W. 21st St.
The fall installment of the Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival happens this weekend at Sedgwick County Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and as usual will feature jousting, jesters, blacksmiths, fire breathers, pirates, fairies, falconers and more. Adult one-day tickets are $11.95 in advance or they’re $20 for a weekend pass that also includes one free ticket for a child 12 and under. Advance tickets are available at www.greatplainsrenfest.com/onlinetickets. Ages 2 and under get in free. Day passes cost $15 at the gate. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.greatplainsrenfest.com
Two cultural festivals
Saturday, Nomar International Market and Sedgwick County Park
A Mexican Independence Day celebration is planned for noon to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Nomar International Market, 204 E. 21st St. in Wichita. The event will feature music, Folklorico dancers, Mexican snacks and adult beverages for sale. Admission is free. Also on Saturday, a group called Filipinos of Greater Wichita will be putting on a Barrio Fiesta that lasts from noon to 5 p.m. at Sedgwick County Park’s Sunflower Shelter. The event is intended as a celebration of Filipino culture and will include food, games, cultural dancers and more. Admission is free.
311 in concert
7 p.m. Saturday, Wave, 650 E. Second
Rock band 311 is coming to Wichita this weekend for a Saturday show at Wave. The Nebraska-based band, which has been around since 1990, has released 13 studio albums and produced hits like “All Mixed Up,” “Amber” and “Down.” Tickets for the show, which starts at 7 p.m. and features opening acts AWOLNATION and Blame My Youth, are $40-$99 and available at waveict.com
James McMurtry at Bartlett Arboretum
4 p.m. Sunday, Bartlett Arboretum, 301 N. Line St., Belle Plaine
Folk/Americana singer James McMurtry, best known for songs like “Choctaw Bingo,” will be at Belle Plaine’s Bartlett Arboretum with his band for a concert on Sunday. The concert, part of the arboretum’s annual Treehouse Concert Series, starts at 4 p.m., and gates open at 4 p.m. People are invited to pack picnics or buy food from on-site vendors. The show is for adults only. Tickets are $15 at the gate or in advance at www.bartlettarboretum.com
Recent concert announcements
Here’s a look at the recent additions made to Wichita’s concert calendar:
Skeletal Remains, Nov. 3, TempleLive, tickets on sale at wichita.templelive.com
Rose Funeral, Nov. 8, TempleLive, tickets on sale at wichita.templelive.com
Danielle Nicole Band, Nov. 25, the Cotillion, tickets on sale at thecotillion.com
Insider: A Tribute to Tom Petty, Jan. 19, the Cotillion, tickets on sale at thecotillion.com
Cody Johnson, Feb. 9, Intrust Bank Arena, tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Oct. 6 at selectaseat.com
Postmodern Jukebox, Feb. 20, Orpheum Theatre, tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at selectaseat.com
Trey Kennedy, March 30, Orpheum Theatre, tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at selectaseat.com
Contributing: Denise Neil of the Wichita Eagle
