Community Vote to Decide Free Concerts on Wichita’s Riverfront

WICHITA, Kansas — Exploration Place is asking the community to help secure a national grant that would bring a free outdoor music series to Wichita for three summers beginning in 2026. Public voting from Sept. 5–15 will play a decisive role in whether Wichita is selected.

The Levitt Foundation, a national funder of free outdoor concerts, is offering multi-year grants of up to $120,000 over three years for towns and cities to host 7–10 free, family-friendly concerts annually. Performances feature professional musicians across diverse genres, from country and blues to folk, rock, and more.

Voting takes place at levitt.org/vote or by texting WICHITA to 877-409-5525. Each voter may support up to five proposals, and broad community participation will be critical.

If Wichita is selected, Exploration Place will host a free summer concert series in 2026, 2027, and 2028 in the new Wichita Foundation Amphitheater, overlooking the Keeper of the Plains.

Why it matters:

• Wichita is where the electric guitar was first performed publicly in 1932, changing the course of music worldwide. Exploration Place envisions a concert series that celebrates this legacy by showcasing the guitar across many genres—from the roots of blues and country to the energy of rock and the creativity of jazz and folk.
• Free, live music strengthens community life and welcomes audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and income levels.
• The concert series would activate Wichita’s riverfront as a vibrant civic gathering place.

Grant recipients will be announced Nov. 18, following a review of voting results by the Levitt Foundation. Exploration Place is encouraging residents, businesses, and organizations to spread the word and rally support for Wichita’s proposal.