Wichita on the Cheap

Live the Good Life for Less & Never Miss a Deal

Christmas Tree Lightings and Christmas Parades in Wichita

Feeling nostalgic for some old-fashioned hometown holiday fun? We’ve rounded up a Santa-pack full of Christmas tree lightings in Wichita and in our neighboring communities. Wichita is surrounded by wonderful small communities that have their own traditions and events for the holiday season. These festive events will have you exploring beyond your immediate neighborhood and enjoying […]

Exploration Place Extended Holiday Hours 2024

Exploration Place Open Late - Holiday Hours

Exploration Place is staying open until 8 pm from Thursday, December 19 through  January 4, 2025 (with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). It’s a fantastic option for entertaining out-of-town family or keeping the kids engaged during their winter break from school. The wonderful aspect is that you can immerse yourself in a winter […]

Andover Hometown Christmas

Welcome Santa and enjoy fun activities for the whole family at the Andover Hometown Christmas celebration this December 2024. The Andover Hometown Christmas holiday event will be held at Central Park on Thursday, December 12 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Central Park will be transformed into a winter wonderland with luminaries lining the sidewalks, illuminated trees, […]

Winter Wednesdays at the Sedgwick County Zoo: $5 Admission

dsdays at the Sedgwick County Zoo

Winter Wednesdays at the Sedgwick County Zoo is back for 2024, when admission is just $5 for everyone! Take advantage of the beautiful weather we sometimes have during the winter months, or just bundle up well and enjoy your zoo discount! Sedgwick County Zoo is one of the most popular attractions in Wichita, but it […]

Botanica Illuminations 2024: Light Show & Santa

Illuminations at Botanica

Botanica’s Illuminations is an annual tradition in Wichita, which fills the night sky with holiday lights (up to two million of them!) and Christmas music. In addition to the amazing displays, show, and carousel rides, Illuminations will have live carolers each night, hot cocoa and treats, and the opportunity to visit Santa. Illuminations Dates: November […]

Victorian Christmas at Old Cowtown Museum

Victorian Christmas at Cowtown

Celebrate an old-fashioned holiday at Old Cowtown Museum’s Victorian Christmas event this season in Wichita. Stroll along lamp-lit, carol-filled streets, warm up with a cup of hot cocoa, and check out the Victorian dancers in the evenings on two weekends in December. Victorian Christmas has become a family tradition for many in the Wichita area. […]

Art Together at Mark Arts

Mark Arts Art Together

Art Together is a free recurring event that happens every second Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Mary R. Koch Arts Center (MarkArts). Art Together provides opportunities for families to create and appreciate art through storytime, art projects, and performances. It’s all completely FREE to attend. Upcoming Art Together for 2024:  Art Together: […]

Bradley Fair Tree Lighting & Holiday Stroll

Join in the fun at the festive events at Bradley Fair this holiday season in Wichita. Bradley Fair’s annual Christmas tree lighting 2024 looks like it will be a fun family event packed with activities, followed by four Sundays in December of the popular Bradley Fair Holiday Stroll. Bradley Fair Holiday Stroll on Sundays with […]

Wichita Art Museum Holiday Open House

The Wichita Art Museum has FREE admission and a FREE Holiday Event planned for its annual Open House on December 7, 2024. Embrace the spirit of the season with enjoyable and festive activities happening all around the museum! Encounter Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their reindeer revel in holiday performances, listen to captivating storytelling, and unleash […]

Christmas Tree Farms near Wichita 2024

Christmas Tree Farms near Wichita

There are many places you can buy a live Christmas tree, but if you want the full traditional Christmas tree experience, you won’t want to pick it up at a store lot. Check out our list of the best Christmas Tree Farms in and around Wichita. Take a page out of Clark Griswold’s book and build […]

Kansas Day Event at Great Plains Nature Center

Kansas Day at Great Plains Nature Center

Celebrate Kansas Day at the Great Plains Nature Center. They are hosting an event that is FREE to attend! My daughter and I attended last year and really enjoyed this indoor event. We still have the birdhouse they gave out for FREE. Great Plains Nature Center will host a fun day to celebrate Kansas Day […]

Village Christmas: Tree lighting and holiday fun in Haysville KS

Haysville, KS will kick off the holiday season with Village Christmas – a festive event that includes a tree lighting, photos with Santa, warm food, fun activities, live music, a vendor market, and more. Village Christmas is scheduled for December 7, and the festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. with a soup & chili feed ($9) […]

Christmas Shows and Holiday Concerts

Christmas Concerts and Holiday Shows

We have so many holiday shows, Christmas pageants, concerts, and other holiday entertainment in Wichita, and it’s difficult to keep track of them all! Here’s where we’ll be posting new ones as we find them. In this list you’ll find productions from community theaters, concerts from local musical groups, student performances, Christmas movies on the […]

El Dorado Tree Lighting & Old Fashioned Christmas Parade

Get in the Christmas spirit with El Dorado’s Old Fashioned Christmas parade, tree lighting and festivities! Celebrate the holidays the old fashioned way on Saturday, December 5-7, 2024 in El Dorado, KS. There will be a full slate of Christmas activities including a vendor fair, Christmas tree lighting, parade, a chance to visit with Santa, […]

Winfield Isle of Lights Christmas Display

Winfield, KS, has a beautiful mile-long Christmas display that’s a must-see for your yearly family tradition! Isle of Lights was formed in 1993 as a not-for-profit organization with the vision to create a Christmas lighting display in Winfield’s beautiful Island Park. Every year since, new displays have been added to the park. Money for new displays and expenses comes from gate […]

Friends University Christmas Clock Tower Lighting

Friends University illuminates the historic Davis clock tower on Nov. 24, 2024 at 6 p.m. This time-honored tradition on the Friends University campus at Rose Window Plaza is a symbol of the start of the holiday season for the campus and the Wichita community. Whether you attend Friends University or just live in Wichita, you […]

The Grand Christmas Tree Lighting at Botanica

Botanica will host the Grand Tree Lighting event to kick off Illuminations on November 26, 2024. The Grand Tree is programmed with festive images and set to holiday music. It is one of the largest branched tree displays in the Midwest region. Get ready to step into a world of wonder with all-new immersive light […]

Mini Used Book Sale at the Wichita Art Museum

Wichita Art Museum Book Sale

The Wichita Art Museum book sale is back and will occur each month. Admission is FREE, but bring some money to purchase books. This event is put on by The Friends of the Wichita Art Museum. The Used Book Sale at the Wichita Art Museum is always an exciting event, offering fantastic deals on a […]

Taylor Swift Laser Show at Exploration Place

Calling all Swifties! Exploration Place is hosting a Taylor Swift Laser show on its 60-foot dome screen with T Swift’s most iconic songs. The screen will project neon images of the iconic star while lasers surround the dome. Get ready to sing and dance along in this unforgettable Dome film experience. This Karma is a […]

Kansas Aviation Museum: FREE Little Aviators and Discounts

Kansas Aviation Museum

The Kansas Aviation Museum has a weekly program for kids that includes fun activities and FREE admission from 10 a.m. to noon. Additionally, the museum provides three other discount days each week. Nestled in the heart of the United States, Wichita proudly holds the esteemed title of the “Air Capital of the World.” Renowned for […]

City of Derby Christmas Tree Lighting

Within Wichita, we have the Bradley Fair tree lighting and the City of Wichita tree lighting. But our friends to the south will be lighting their city tree soon as well. The City of Derby tree lighting will take place on Thursday, November 21 at 6 p.m. What fun! The mayor will kick off the […]

Tanganyika Black Friday Deal

Imagine a world-class, all-inclusive wildlife resort where you don’t have to hop on a plane or drive across the country to give your family an unforgettable experience with animals from around the globe. In 2025, Tanganyika Wildlife Park will be reopening with an immersive, all-inclusive format that will change how you think about family adventures—right […]

Gingerbread Village Event at Exploration Place

Gingerbread Village Exploration Place

The annual Gingerbread Village is BACK for 2024! Gingerbread Village is one of Wichita’s favorite holiday traditions at Exploration Place on Saturday, November 16, and Sunday, November 17, 2024. This event is one of the best DEALS for the Holiday Season. For the ticket price, you get so much! This event is perfect for families, offering […]

Midian Shrine Feztival of Trees

Midian Shrine’s annual Fezitval of Trees event will provide a fun walk through dozens of fully decorated Christmas trees on display, along with festive activities and swag packages to be raffled off. The 2024 Feztival of Trees will be held several dates throughout late November. See below for the whole schedule. Admission is $5 and […]

Wichita Mayor’s Tree Lighting at Union Station Wichita

The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting will be at Union Station 2024, and it’s called Merry & Bright. This is a completely FREE event in Wichita, and there will be lots of holiday activities to get you into the Holiday Spirit!  Union Stations Merry & Bright event and Christmas tree lighting has become one of my […]