What is there to do in Wichita, KS for free? Wichita is known for being an affordable place to live with great quality of life for residents. And it’s true – some of the best things to do in Wichita are completely free!
I’ve asked readers to recommend the Best Free Things to Do in Wichita, and here are the results, along with some honorable mentions that are just too good to keep to ourselves. Do you have any suggestions to add of wonderful, free things to do in Wichita? Please do let me know in the comments below!
You can always find more fun things to do in Wichita KS by exploring the categories at the top of this page. This website is bursting at the seams with events, activities, and ideas for things to do.
The Top 5 Free Things to Do in Wichita
- Visit the Keeper of the Plains during the lighting of the “Ring of Fire” The centerpiece of Wichita, this striking sculpture by Blackbear Bosin stands at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers. At nightfall throughout the year, the Ring of Fire surrounding the Keeper of the Plains is lit for 15 minutes. Learn more about the Keeper of the Plains.
- Go on a treasure hunt for sculptures, murals, and other public art You can wander through town and see what you find or you can use a map to plan your tour and see the most art in the shortest amount of time. Downtown is filled with bronze sculptures that are placed just in the right way to be a delightful surprise. Murals in the Douglas Design District (and elsewhere around town) adorn the side of businesses with color and positive messages. The Wichita State University Campus is the site of some iconic outdoor art. Old pianos and musical instruments decorate an otherwise ordinary stretch of sidewalk in northeast Wichita’s Art Park. And a new art installation is underway in Sedgwick County Park called the Art Walk. Wherever you go, you’re bound to find something fun, interesting, colorful, or thought-provoking. Take a selfie in front of the art you find and share it with us on Instagram!
- Stop in to the Great Plains Nature Center More than just a place to explore the wonders of Kansas wildlife, the Great Plains Nature Center is a wonder of cooperation by three government agencies. The City of Wichita, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service all work together to provide environmental education to residents and visitors of South Central Kansas. And it’s always free. Find upcoming free and cheap events at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita.
- Enjoy the Riverside Park Zoo and Fountain At the approximate center of the city of Wichita, you’ll find Riverside Park. Flanked by the Arkansas River on three sides, this park features a children’s playground, an interactive fountain, and a Kansas Wildlife Exhibit that locals call the “Riverside Zoo.” Families with young children can stay entertained for hours here without paying a cent.
- Participate in the Final or First Friday Art Crawl Find a place to park and hail a trolley (for free) on the last Friday of every month in downtown Wichita. Galleries, museums, and retail shops open their doors to visitors to browse collections of art or watch artists at work. Some venues will even provide free light refreshments. Learn more about Final Friday in Wichita.
More Free Things to Do in Wichita (Honorable Mentions)
Fine Arts
Shakespeare in the Park The Wichita Shakespeare Company performs at various parks during the summer, and the performances are always free. More info
The Wichita Art Museum Always free on Saturdays, the art museum often features free or inexpensive programs for kids and families. Free and cheap events at Wichita Art Museum
City Arts With weekly gallery exhibits and three floors available to the public, the City Arts building is free to enjoy. If you pop in at the right time, you might be able to see an art class or two in progress. CityArts is one of my favorite art galleries to visit.
Wichita Ballet in the Park Wichita has offered several free – and wonderful! – performances in the summer and fall at area parks that are perfect for both adults and kids. These are not to be missed! Find out about upcoming Wichita Ballet in the Park performances.
Take a Mural Tour in the Douglas Design District When we first made up this list of free things to do in Wichita, the idea of taking selfies in front of the murals wasn’t even a thing! Now, mural-selfies are definitely on the list of most fun you can have for free.
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Sports
Bike Wichita Although the city is hard at work making Wichita into a more bike-friendly place to live, we do have miles and miles of bike paths to enjoy. Enthusiasts can ride from one side of town to the other and spend the majority of the trip on a dedicated bike path.
Disc Golf, sometimes called Frisbee golf, is an inexpensive pastime, and another of the many free things to do in Wichita. The City of Wichita maintains two disc golf courses -one in Oak Park and another in Hermann Hill Park. There’s also a disc golf course in Derby, in Stone Creek Park.
Discover a great place to walk Or run, if that’s what you do. See our guide to Where to Walk in Wichita for plenty of good ideas.
Float the Arkansas River The Arkansas River Coalition frequently sponsors “Twilight Floats” on the Big or Little Arkansas River for anyone with a kayak or canoe. If you don’t have a canoe, you can borrow one from them with a suggested donation of $15. Otherwise, the trips are free, and provide participants with a whole new perspective of the city of Wichita.
Old Town/Downtown Wichita
Window shop in Old Town It’s fun just to be in Old Town, peering into warehouses-turned-retail stores and restaurants and walking along the brick paths. Of course, you won’t be able to resist actually going in to some of them, which include a few trendy local eateries (and drinkeries), a museum filled with treasures from around the world, and an all-digital movie theater that serves a full food and bar menu directly to you at your seat while you’re watching the movie.
Shop at the Old Town Farmers Market From spring to fall, the Old Town Farmer’s Market offers locally-grown produce and handmade items for sale, along with free live entertainment, activities for kids, and free cooking demonstrations. It’s a lively and fun way to spend a Saturday morning in Wichita. Find farmers markets in the Wichita area.
Bronze sculptures downtown Whether you’re driving or walking downtown or really anywhere in Wichita, you will likely come across a sculpture that is beautiful, interesting, or downright surprising. (I’m almost always startled into tapping my brakes when driving by one particular sculpture on Douglas. In my peripheral vision, it looks like a person about to cross the street! Thankfully, I don’t think it’s caused any accidents yet.)
The Fountains at Waterwalk Each Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May through October, enjoy a 10-15 minute choreographed show with lights and music at noon, 8 p.m., 9 p.m., and 10 p.m. Park for free in the Gander Mountain parking garage, the Waterwalk parking garage, or in the lot just across from the boathouse. The fountain show won’t go on if winds are higher than 15 miles per hour.
Wichita’s History
Old Cowtown Museum is free on Sundays April through October. Explore the Wichita of the 1800s by walking through real and reproduction buildings, watching a gunfight at high noon, and moseying up to the saloon for some sarsaparilla.
Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum Although even regular admission is very affordable, the museum often has free programs on Final Fridays, and at other times during the year. We really love this museum for its unique focus on local history and its housed in Wichita’s old city hall building. You’ll know you’re at the right place when you spot the clock tower! Find more info and upcoming events at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum.
Related links
Things to do in Wichita KS this weekend
Free and cheap Wichita events calendar
Wichita’s Fabulous Parks
Chisholm Creek Park This park features a beautiful paved walking path through carefully maintained native Kansas grasses and plants. It’s the perfect place for solitude, exercise, and enjoying Kansas wildlife – all within the city limits.
Sedgwick County Park There’s no place like Sedgwick County Park for a nice time out with the family. The park has several fishing ponds, playgrounds, and fields for kite-flying or playing games of softball. A walking path around the perimeter of the park takes you through shady and sunny spots, through quiet areas and places teeming with activity, up and down hills, and over a covered bridge. Covered pavilions and enclosed shelters at Sedgwick County Park are available and affordable to rent for picnics and meetings.
O.J. Watson Park is a favorite for many, many families in Wichita because it has rides (train, pedal boats, pony rides!), games, and other activities available for just a few dollars each. It’s a kids’ paradise.
The WATER Center in Herman Hill Park boasts aquariums, interactive displays for kids, and knowledgeable staff who make it all come alive. Tours of the groundwater treatment plant are also available. Water Center information and events
Interactive Fountains Many of our parks have playgrounds with leaping fountains where kids (and grown-ups) can splash around to keep the heat at bay. There’s also a fountain at New Market Square in West Wichita, and one in Old Town Plaza downtown. All are free and open to the public. Find a FREE splash park in Wichita.
Pracht Wetlands Park Here’s a brand new park that is officially open to the public and wonderful for nature lovers and anyone who wants a nice place to walk.
Pawnee Prairie Park With miles of walking trails, horse trails, and bike paths, as well as a covered picnic shelter and children’s playground, this west Wichita park is really unique. It’s a lovely wooded park that you’ll want to allow plenty of time to explore.
Community Events
Woofstock Free with donation, Woofstock is held every fall at Sedgwick County Park as a benefit for the Kansas Humane Society. Bring your dog — on a leash — for a day of canine fun.
MorningStar Community Church Family Movie Night When a popular Wichita movie theater closed, a church moved in. Now the church offers free family movies with extremely low-priced concessions on the first Friday night of every month. It’s located near E. Kellogg and Greenwich Road. Sponsored by WayFM.
Free Outdoor Concerts
Bradley Fair Jazz Concerts Held in June every year, these concerts bring in the big names in jazz, like Grady Nichols and Joseph Vincelli. The last concert before the Fourth of July always includes a wonderful fireworks display. It’s hard to believe that these concerts are free.
KEYN/Wichita WaterWalk Summer Concert Series Just this year, the free KEYN Summer Concert Series moved to the Waterwalk in downtown Wichita, with plenty of parking nearby. These concerts often feature local favorites like the Grateful Not To Be Dead, Rudy Love, and Blue-Eyed Soul. They make for free and fun Friday nights during hot Wichita summers!
Misc.
The Wichita Public Library offers so many free fun and educational programs throughout the year that it’s impossible to list them all here. Not only do they have a fantastic summer reading program, storytimes and other activities for kids, and spring break activities, they also offer many adult programs and events as well.
Watch the sun set from anywhere The sky is transformed by fire-lit clouds at sunset on any given day here in Wichita. If you drive just 5 minutes outside the city limits, ordinary fields stretching out to the horizon take on a golden glow. The view can be breathtaking.
Free Things to Do in Wichita during the Holidays
Horse and carriage ride during the holidays Whether we’re enjoying a winter wonderland or experiencing unseasonably mild temperatures, the free carriage rides at Bradley Fair shopping center will make you think of sipping cider and opening presents by the fire. They’re also almost certain to make you want to open your wallet and buy gifts at the shopping center’s many upscale retail stores, which is probably the idea.
Christmas light displays in Wichita range from brilliant, over-the-top Griswold-style arrangements set to music to sweet, traditional expressions of holiday cheer.
8 Responses
Cow town is free on sundays
You are so right! Since they just started that, I hadn’t added that to the list here yet, so great reminder!! Thanks Jill!
Club Suede in Old Town-141 North Rock Island hosts FREE Salsa Dance lessons EVERY Friday night from 8-9pm!
Great tip, Gina! Thanks!!