Get the VIP Experience at West Bank Stage!

Want great seating, free drinks and snacks while watching the Opening Night Cheap Trick Concert at Riverfest?

Look no further!

You can enjoy the VIP Experience at the Riverfest Opening Night concert on Friday, May 7, beginning at 6:30 pm! The cost to enter the VIP tent is $20 cash (per person) and includes five drink tickets that will get you beer, water, Pepsi products, unlimited snacks and most importantly, premiere seating to see The Naughty Astronauts and Cheap Trick. As a VIP, you won’t have to wait in line for beer or food... or bring your own lawn chair!

How do you get the VIP Experience? It's easy!

Pay your admission at the West Bank gate, then make your way to the VIP tent, located to the left of the main stage. Have your $20 ready when you arrive at the tent entrance, pay, and walk in.

It's that easy!

The VIP Experience will be open from 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm. There are only 100 spaces available so come early!

Cheap Trick to Open Riverfest

You might have already heard the news, but it was confirmed last night that the band Cheap Trick will be the feature act for the Opening Night Concert at Riverfest on May 7. Cheap Trick replaces Bret Michaels who was forced to cancel his Riverfest appearance after suffering a brain hemorrhage last week

The Naughty Astronauts will open the Friday night concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by Cheap Trick at 8:30 p.m.

Cheap Trick created a substantial fan base in the mid 1970’s for their hard-edged pop sound. The band, who ranked 25th in VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, is known for its popular hits “I Want You to Want Me,”” Dream Police,” and “The Flame”. Cheap Trick’s hottest album, Cheap Trick at Budokan, launched the band into international stardom and sent the single “I Want You to Want Me” to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

We hope to see you all out next Friday night at the Festival! Lots of good times to be had!

Win Backstage Passes and Meet Your Favorite Performers!

Want to be a Riverfest VIP? Win backstage passes to meet your favorite artists just by following Riverfest on Twitter and Facebook!

If you aren’t currently following Riverfest on Twitter.com, find us at Twitter.com/Riverfest. Search for ‘Wichita River Festival’ on Facebook and ‘Like’ us today!

We will be giving away quite the concert package beginning next week! Our giveaway includes two pairs of backstage passes, two Riverfest buttons and two gate admission tickets to a Twitter follower and a Facebook fan to be given away every day of the week, beginning Friday, April 30 and ending Friday, May 7.

Schedule of Backstage Pass Giveaways
Cheap Trick: Friday, April 30
Jake Owen: Monday, May 3
The Funk Brothers: Tuesday, May 4
The Fabulous Thunderbirds: Wednesday, May 5
Joe Nichols: Thursday, May 6
Grand Funk Railroad: Friday, May 7

Each winner will receive a pair of backstage passes, plus two buttons and gate admission for that respective day’s entertainer. To enter your name in our drawing for a chance to win via Twitter, retweet our contest tweet by 5:00 pm each day. For a chance to win via Facebook, leave a comment under the post by 5:00 pm each day. Please only retweet once or leave one comment on Facebook. Commenting repeatedly will not guarantee you the winner.

Wichita Festivals, Inc. will randomly draw a winner from Twitter and Facebook shortly after 5:00 pm each day and notify winners by direct message on Twitter and message on Facebook.

Winners can claim their passes, buttons and gate admission tickets at Wichita Festivals, located at 1820 E. Douglas, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 pm, Monday, May 3 – Friday, May 7.

See you at Riverfest!

Great Events for the Kiddos at Riverfest!

Even though I'm sure all of you have already raced to pick up your Riverfest button and have browsed the Festival guide numerous times to pick out the events you'll be attending, I wanted to remind you of a few new events that you might want to bring the young ones to.

On Sunday, May 9, there will be a Hot Air Balloon Glow taking place on Hyatt Lawn, beginning at 6:00 pm. You won't want to miss this sight as the beautiful balloons light up the night sky! But there is also a Children's Balloon Release at 7:00 pm that night. The first 500 kids to arrive will get a balloon to release precisely at 7:00 pm. What a great photo that will be!

We will also be bringing back a family favorite on Thursday, May 13. Come Walk with Dorothy will take place on the Kennedy Plaza Stage that evening at 6:30 pm. Bring your entire family down dressed as your favorite character from the Wizard of Oz! Prizes will be awarded to those ages 2-7 with the best costumes! The Prairie Schooner Mates are working on this event and it will for sure be a great time!

The Festival is less three weeks and one day away... We can't wait to see you in Downtown Wichita on May 7!

Top 10 'Captain Who?' Names Revealed ... Vote Now!

Wichita Festivals, Inc. received more than 180 names for the 'Captain Who? Name the Raccoon' contest that ended yesterday, April 5, at 5:00 pm. A volunteer panel was able to narrow that large list down to the top 10 names...

And now, it is up to you!

We have listed the final 10 names in a poll located on the left side of the blog. You can vote for your favorite from now until Wednesday, May 5 at 5:00 pm.

Remember, the winning name will win a $1,000 at the Kansas Gas Service Grand Opening Celebration to be held on Friday, May 7 at 12:30 pm on the Midwest Ford Dealers Food Court Stage.

Let the voting begin!