Riverfest

DAY SEVEN- Thursday, June 9 Tonight I came to the Riverfest with a hungry stomach and left completely full thanks to Goodwill’s Cajun Food Fest. Goodwill volunteers formed several assembly lines to help get plates out quickly to hungry Riverfest attendees. The atmosphere at the Goodwill tent felt as though you had just stepped into New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz music was playing on speakers that surrounded the tent and a man in a giant lobster costume was walking around greeting guests.

The Wichita Riverfest celebrates 40 years in 2011, and officials have announced the return of the Riverfest Poster Artwork Contest. Since 2005 organizer Wichita Festivals, Inc., has commissioned the artwork because officials say there was a lack of interest and participation. In the following years, they say they've heard from local artists who wanted the contest to return. The artwork will be used on Riverfest posters, t-shirts, promotional materials and the Riverfest button.

Riverfest officials have canceled all events at this time. The festival grounds and Century II have been evacuated and any remaining people are advised to take cover. A tornado warning has been extended. KWCH will continue to update you with more details as more information becomes available.

Riverfest goers have been battling Kansas weather this weekend.  The festival started-off cold and wet, then it heated-up.  And now there's more rain in the forecast. Today's weather may have slowed down plans for  Riverfest, but it couldn't stop the festivities.  “Yesterday we put well over 600 people on the river in kayaks and canoes.  Today we've been just as busy,” said Bob Huei of the Arkansas River Coalition, which is running the kayaking and canoeing options at Riverfest.  “Of course we had a little hiatus with the storm that came through.” As always, some of the biggest crowds at Riverfest can be found down by the river.  But other venues have stasyed busy as well this first weekend, despite a chilly start on Friday and threts of severe weather on Sunday.

by Denise Hnytka (WICHITA, Kan.) Security is always on the mind of Wichita River Festival organizers. That's just one thing going on behind the scenes, just three days before Riverfest begins. Before the food Riverfest is known for comes the food court. The white tents are popping up near Century Two. "The weather is cooperating nicely this week," said Janet Wright, President of Wichita Festivals. "It is not affecting our set-up. " Soon the plaza will be flooded with people.

It's that time of year again. Buttons of admission to the 2012 Wichita River Festival are now on sale. Organizers held a “Button Launch Parking Lot Party” Friday afternoon at the new QuikTrip at Kellogg and Hillside. Those who attended could get buy-one-get-one-free tickets for River Festival concerts by Rick Springfield and Kellie Pickler for $15. The festival's buttons are $5. You can buy them at any QuikTrip or Dillons. The Wichita River Festival is June 1-9.

By Rebecca Gannon (WICHITA, Kan.) Vendors in downtown Wichita spent Tuesday evening trying to make up for lost time - and money. Monday's severe weather closed Riverfest and cash registers. Tad and his crew fry it all, namely chicken and shrimp. And he sells it, at Riverfest, and 50 other festivals, every year. "We love the good days," said Tad Blood, "we don't like the bad days. " Monday was one of the bad days. Organizers canceled the entire Monday line up for Riverfest in anticipation of severe weather.

Wichita's Riverfest is moving. Instead of taking place in May, as it has for years, the nine-day festival will run from June 3-11, 2011. Organizers say cold temperatures, rain and storms hurt attendance this year. In order to minimize disruptions caused by weather, organizers are pushing next year's festival back a month. "We believe this change will give families more opportunity to come enjoy the festival without the conflicts arising from school activities so prevalent during the month of May," Wichita Festivals Board Chairman Tim Richards said in a statement.

The Wichita River Festival has a new leader. Wichita Festivals, Inc., has hired Mary Beth Jarvis as its new President and CEO. She takes over November 1 from Janet Wright. Wright announced in July that she is stepping down after 13 years with the organization. Jarvis moved to Wichita in 1994 as a captain in the United States Air Force. She served as chief of public affairs for McConnell Air Force Base. From 1996-2011, Jarvis held various positions within Koch Industries, including Director, Public and International Affairs for Koch Companies Public Sector, Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, for INVISTA and Communication Director for Koch Industries.