It’s the season for small-town fall festivals in the Wichita area. Some happen as early as August, and by September they’re in full swing! Community festivals like these always promise good old-fashioned (and cheap) family fun. Most include parades, games for kids, live music, and food vendors. Some require a button purchase for a nominal fee, but some are free. Carnival rides, if they have them, almost always cost extra.
Looking for events during other parts of the year? Check out Wichita-area Festivals
August 19-21 Mulvane Old Settlers Days Food, entertainment and fun include a street dance, quilt show, road race, parade, talent show, Little Miss Pioneer pageant and turtle races. The festival runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
August 19-20 Mount Hope Prairie Festival A family friendly fall event with swimming, hot dogs, outdoor movie in the park, a 5k run, softball, parade, dance, fireworks, and even more! Many activities are free; some involve a fee.
September 3-5 Atlanta, KS Labor Day Celebration Join in the fun for this annual Labor Day weekend event held on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with BBQ, ice cream, music and dancing, parade, craft show, games, bean-feed, and more. FREE.
September 10 Derby BBQ Festival Free admission and only $5 if you want to taste championship BBQ. Activities and entertainment include live music, beer garden, food vendors, car show and photo booth. Kids enjoy playing on inflatables and a petting zoo. Other features are a bacon contest and kids’ chocolate chip cookie competition.
September 10 Burden Dayz Food, music, parade, car show, PRCA rodeo, and lots of kids activities. Free admission to the festival, and only $5 for the rodeo.
September 14-18 Walnut Valley Festival This is the big music festival in Winfield with live bluegrass and other acoustic style performances all weekend. Ticket prices vary and can be found at the festival website.
September 15-18 Clearwater Fall Festival Kicking off with Clearwater’s citywide garage sales, the festival fun includes a chili feed, parade, street dance, craft and quilt fair, and lots more fun.
September 16-18 Sedgwick Fall Festival Outdoor movie, kids’ tractor pull, BBQ, pony rides, street dance and other fun at the park at Fifth Street and Franklin Avenue. Wristbands for entry to most events are $5, sold at City Hall and other venues.
September 23-25 McPherson Scottish Festival (now named McPherson Festival of Cultures) The festival showcases food, entertainment and fun from diverse nationalities and ethnicities. Highlights include Highland games, pipe band events and dancers. Kids’ enjoy a bubble garden, face painting and other activities at Lakeside Park in McPherson.
September 24 Colwich Heritage Festival Parade, food, live entertainment, disc golf tournament, auto show, games, vendor booths, and fireworks. FREE
September 23-24 Valley Center Fall Festival Beer garden, food booths, craft show, carnival, live entertainment, parade, car show, and fishing derby. Admission is a $4 bracelet.
Sept. 29-October 2 Greater Andover Days Food, fun, and fireworks! Admission is a $3 festival button. Kids ages 5 and younger get free admission to the festival. A parade is at 10 a.m. on Saturday; other vents include an auto show, ice cream social, KidFest, fishing clinic, 5K, a Friday night tailgate party with live music, and a weekend-long business expo and craft fair.
Sept. 29-October 2 Taste of Newton/Bethel College Fall Festival Food, fine arts, and educational fun from Thursday through Sunday in Newton.
Sept. 30-October 1 Goddard Fall Festival Parade, carnival, car show, Voice talent show, bingo, beer garden and more. A $3 festival button supports other Goddard community events throughout the year. Tanganyika presentation on Saturday morning.
October 1 Buhler Frolic A pancake feed, 5k fun run, parade, live entertainmnt, kids’ activities, food and vendor booths, BBQ cookoff, and more. FREE
October 1 Winfield Art in the Park Painting, photography, sculpture and other fine art is on display 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Island Park in Winfield.
October 1-2 Whitewater Fall Festival Saturday events include a parade on Main Street, melodrama, kids’ tractor pull, library book sale, turtle races, car show, cakewalk, fireworks, and street dance. Sunday afternoon community potluck and antique tractor pull.
October 7-8 Haven Fall Festival Live music for 21+ on Friday night and a day full of all-ages fun on Saturday, including a parade, booster club breakfast, car show, inflatables, craft show, more live entertainment, and even a tethered hot air balloon ride.
October 7-9 Rose Hill Fall Festival A carnival, car show, craft show, parade, fishing derby, turtle races, live music and so much more fun is planned for this family favorite festival southeast of Wichita.
October 14-15 Maize Fall Festival Carnival, parade, car show, voice talent show, and more fun is in store at this free family-friendly fall festival just northwest of Wichita.
October 15 Bel Aire Fall Festival Fun activities, auto show and vendors round out this festival 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event is at Bel Aire Rec Center, 5251 E. 48th St. North. For information, browse the website or phone 316-744-2451
October 21-23 Haysville Fall Festival Parade, live entertainment, car show, kids activities, carnival and more for three days in Haysville’s Riggs Park. Festival buttons are $3 per person.
October 22 Park City Fall Festival Fun includes pumpkin painting, bonfire with s’mores and entertainment by a live band. Other features include costume contest for youngsters and hayrides. Entry is free, 6801 N. Hydraulic, Park City. Information is going to be online.
Related: Festivals in the Wichita Area Year-Round and Fall Farm Fun: Wichita-area Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, and More
Have I missed any community fall festivals? Please let me know in the Comments section below!
Please add the Tallgrass Film Festival, running now through Oct 16 in venues around Wichita. Featuring 191 films from 33 countries over 5 days in venues throughout the city, the Festival includes appearances by guest filmmakers, free educational events, parties, awards and more. Discover and share with a community that shares your passion for stories and voices from around the world. Learn more at
http://www.stubbornlyindependent.com. Thank you!
Carolyn, I want to say thank you for this site!
I have just stumbled across this gem, it will help with ideas for some outings for my seniors!!
Oh, absolutely. There are lots of great community events that are perfect for seniors. I’m glad it’s helpful. Be sure to let me know if there’s anything more I can do to help.
Not a ‘fall fest’ but we have a Holiday Shopping Expo coming up at Sedgwick Plaza Retirement Community on November 18, 2016 10am-4pm
Find us on Facebook for more details!
Steampunkesque Mulvane Festival October 14-16th.
Colwich is having their fall festival on September 26 with a color run!!
Oil Hill Elementary in El Dorado, Kansas will hold the 4th annual Arts and Craft Expo on November 7 from 8:00-3:00. Along with the 50+ booths, we will have breakfast, Bingo and a kids craft room where kids can work on fun art projects while you shop. The address is 2700 west 6th and is easy to find. If coming form Wichita, you get off the turn pike and turn left. The school is just around the curve. For more information call 321-9515 and ask for Jonna Garbee
Thanks! I’ll add this to the list of holiday events. You’re the first for the year! 🙂
Whitewater Fall Festival – Friday through Sunday, October 2-4, 2015. Celebrating 125 years!! 5K Run, Book Sale, Car Show, Quilt Show, Parade, Melodrama, Family Movie, Turtle Races, Chili Cook-off, Community Church Service, Antique Tractor Pull, & Much More! Head over to http://www.fallfest.whitewaterks.com/ for a complete listing!
Thank you for the information! I’ll get it added!
Derby is having their BBQ festival in two weeks. http://www.derbyweb.com/BBQ
That sounds yummy! I’ll add it to the list.
Need to take out Derby, it’s over
They’re all clearly dated, so we’ll just leave it in there. That way, if they do this same event next year we have it ready to update. 🙂
Can you tell me if you know of a website that is compiling a list of local trunk or treats or church activities for halloween/fall celebrations? Thank you!
What a nice idea. Maybe I can do that here. Have you heard of one? (I know of one, but maybe I can find more.)
trunk or treats wichita ks 2015
http://www.ymcawichita.org/calendar/trunk-or-treat
http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=activities&p=/trunkortreat/trunk_or_treat/
http://www.aldersgatechurch.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=26101&mast=Events&PG=Events&CID=257342
http://www.placestogoinwichita.com/events/580098-Trunk-Or-Treat/
http://www.placestogoinwichita.com/events/580110-Trunk-or-Treat/
https://roundtown.com/event/10999662/TRUNK-OR-TREAT-2015-Wichita-KS
Thanks for the links, Brenna! I’ll be sure to check them out and add them to the list of Trick-or-Treating events in Wichita next month.
Maranatha Worship Center (MWC)
888 S. Webb Rd
Wichita KS 67207
Free Community Halloween Party!
Hay ride, trunk or treat, candy apples, face painting, smores and games!
Clearwater is having a Fall Festival on October 20-23.
Ooh, thank you! I’ll add it as soon as I can!