When the right elements come together, extraordinary things happen!
This NEW EVENT brings together Wichita’s leading innovators, philanthropists and science enthusiasts for an unforgettable evening in the Adventure Playscape.
Get ready for the most memorable night of the year as 500 brilliant drones fill the Wichita sky. Paired with a live string quartet, every note and light are timed to create an unforgettable fusion of music and graphics that will leave you awestruck.
Includes parking for one vehicle and festival admission for up to 9 individuals.
The Carload Pass is perfect for those needing parking and/or are bringing multiple guests. Only those who have pre-purchased a Carload Pass will be allowed to bring their vehicle onto the event grounds and parking lot. Carload Passes will not be sold at the event gates and will likely sell out before the event dates, so grab your pass early to ensure parking and entry.
$99 Super Carload Pass
Includes all of the benefits of the Carload Pass plus all-day museum admission before the festival for everyone in the vehicle.
Individual Ticket
Includes festival entrance for one person. Does not include parking.
A limited number of individual tickets will be available for each day. These tickets do not include parking and are for walk-in entry only. If you require parking, including those who have a Disabled Parking Placard, you will need to purchase a Carload Pass to park in the Exploration Place lot.
Great for those who will be riding a bicycle or walking.
Reserved Chair
Leave your outdoor chairs at home and let us save you a seat.
For a nominal fee, you will have reserved access to the amphitheater bowl. The seating attendant will give each person a wristband so that you can come and go freely and enjoy the rest of the festival. Your seat will be saved with a marked identifier so that your seat is waiting for you when you return for the live music or drone show.
Each person in your group will need to purchase the seat upgrade to access this reserved area. This is an add-on for those with Car Load or Individual Tickets.
VIP Add-On
Enhance your visit with our VIP Add-On.
This package is sold per person after purchasing an individual or car pass ticket. The VIP Add-On includes access to an air-conditioned VIP lounge with a buffet and bar, an exclusive viewing area offering the best vantage point for the drone displays, and a behind-the-scenes drone tour to discover the technology and artistry behind the light shows. VIP Add-Ons will not be available at the event gates and will likely sell out before the event dates, so secure yours early to enjoy these exclusive benefits.
Watch the drones take flight at 9 pm! 500 drones will create a series of moving, 3D formations. Set to a musical score that is only available on the Exploration Place grounds – this is a sight to behold!
Returning for 2026, by popular demand, the musical score for the Drone Light Show will be performed by a string quartet, led by John Harrison. The combination of live music and stunning visuals creates something magical. Throw in pyro drones, and now you’ve really got something you have to see to believe!
The Nailbiters, hailing from Derby, burst onto the local music scene in 2024 and quickly made their mark with a dynamic blend of classic rock infused with touches of soft rock and country rock. Their timeless yet fresh sound resonates with audiences of all ages, offering something familiar to fans of the 70s and 80s classics and the younger generation who grew up listening to their parents’ music.
The band is powered by the talents of Blayne Albright (rhythm guitar, vocals), Landon Francis (drums), Karter Holinde (bass guitar, vocals), Ellis May (lead guitar, vocals) and Johnny Pernice (keys and guitar). Together, they create electrifying live performances that showcase both musicianship and undeniable vocal blends, sure to wow any crowd.
Nestled in the heart of the Adventure Playscape is a grove of mature trees that provides a canopy over seating. Trevor Stewart, a native Wichitan and local musician, will entertain guests with a live performance on a Chapman Stick. Adjacent to picnic grove is Graze. This is a great place to grab dinner, have a seat and enjoy the live music.
Included with your Drone Light Festival ticket is access to the museum and exhibits. This includes the brand-new Adventure Playscape! This is the perfect place for the kids (and adults!) to explore before the drones take flight at 9 pm.
Free screenings of Laser KPop Demon Hunters in the Dome theater. Sing along to the award-winning film’s most popular songs, choreographed to a vivid laser light show!
Shows will be at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 pm. Line up at the Dome entrance; admission for seating will be first come, first served.
Join us starting at 6 pm for food, fun, music and more as we wait for the sun to go down and the drones to fire up.
6:00 pm
Gates Open
6:00 – 9:00 pm
Explore the museum and exhibits, including the new Adventure Playscape
Food trucks available
Explore Store and Snack Lab open in the museum, Graze opens in the Adventure Playscape
Free Laser KPop Demon Hunters shows in the Dome at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 pm
Live Music in the Wichita Foundation Amphitheater starting at 6:30 pm
and more!
9:00 pm
Main event starts! Drone show and Keeper of the Plains fire display
10:00 pm
Museum closes
Gates close
Subject to change – check back for updates!
Museum admission, the Adventure Playscape, laser shows and live music are included with your Drone Light Festival pass/ticket. Food trucks, concessions and merchandise are available at an additional fee.
Located northwest of the property, the Wichita Foundation Amphitheater is an open-air, riverfront amphitheater that will showcase the nightly Keeper of the Plains fire pots experience and be a venue for year-round outdoor programming.
An event of such monumental proportions takes a team! Join Exploration Place staff to provide an awesome experience for our community. Volunteers receive entry into the event, a cool t-shirt to wear that night, special reserved parking and a prime viewing spot for the Drone Light Show.
Sign up using the link below then navigate the calendar to the date/experience that you’d like to sign up for.
The Drone Light Festival will be here before we know it! These are some helpful things that guests should know before arriving:
• Carload passes:
Please have your confirmation email and QR code pulled up as you approach the parking lot gate. All guests (up to 9 people) must be in the car at the time of entry. • Individual tickets:
Enter on foot through the pedestrian gate on McLean Blvd, near the Entrance Plaza. • Reserved chairs:
After arriving, make your way to the amphitheater bowl. Show your receipt for reserved seating to the attendant. Each person in your group will need to purchase the upgrade. • VIP tickets: After entering the festival, the VIP lounge can be accessed through the large Explorer Room doors on the west side of the building.
• Please be on-site 60 minutes before the show time (drones fly at 9:00 pm) in case the launch time needs to be adjusted due to weather concerns.
• The rain date is Monday, September 28. If the rain date is also canceled due to inclement weather or technical issues, or you are unable to attend on Monday, the price of your ticket will be converted into a tax-deductible donation for Exploration Place. No refunds will be issued.
• Seating will be on the grass and paved areas along the river. Lawn chairs, blankets and cushions are all highly encouraged. The amphitheater turf is reserved for those who have purchased a seat upgrade.
• A variety of food trucks will be on-site for your convenience. Outside food and drink are welcome, with the exception of alcohol. No glass containers, please.
Drone light shows are performed by swarms of lighted drones arranged into aerial formations. Almost any image can be created in the sky by a computer program that turns graphics into flight commands and communicates them to the drones. The lights can be animated, and choreographed with music, to create a mesmerizing and powerful experience. What makes the experience truly magical is that the image is 3D. Imagine a sphere spinning in the sky versus a 2D flat pancake. A bird flapping its wings, a plane soaring or a tornado whirling. The depth of the images make them come alive in a way that only drones can do.
The program will be presented by Firefly Drone Shows, one of the most experienced operators in the country. They are launching 400 drones into formations that will soar up to 400 feet above the Wichita skyline (as a point of reference, the Epic Center is 320 feet tall).
This year’s show will feature 500 drones with vibrant LED lighting. A variety of animated scenes will be presented, including several that have been customized specially for us. The show will culminate with a special lighting of the Keeper of the Plains fire pots.
Our advice is to find a spot on the river bank or river path that provides a clear view of the Keeper of the Plains, and the two bridge pillars. If you can see all three, you should have a great view. The sound system will cover the whole viewing area. See site map for details.
Seating for the amphitheater turf will be reserved for those who have purchased a seat or VIP upgrade.
We can confirm that the show will be directly over the Keeper.
The gates will open at 6 pm and we encourage you to come early! On the grounds, there will be live music, demonstrations, games, local vendors, food, drink and other entertainment. It’s also a great opportunity to explore Exploration Place, which is fully included with your admission to the event. In addition to all of our established favorites, don’t miss the brand new Adventure Playscape.
Please note that if you have purchased a Carload Pass, all guests must arrive in the same vehicle and none can walk in separately through the gate using that pass. Because you have purchased a Carload Pass it will guarantee you parking at the event.
Details subject to change as we get closer to the event.
The VIP area is reserved for show sponsors and those with pre-purchased tickets. Tickets are available for $125 per person and is in addition to the Carload Pass or individual admission. VIP ticket holders will have access to designated seating during the Drone Show, seating in the indoor VIP lounge, food and drinks, a guided tour through the drone launch zone and more.
A limited number of accessible parking spaces are available, and a wheelchair accessible viewing area has been assigned for the drone show itself. See site map for details. The Exploration Place buildings and exhibits are ADA compliant.
Accessible parking spaces will require the purchase of a Carload Pass. Individual tickets do not include parking, including accessible spaces.
It is unlawful for any person to have any animal at any festival or community event authorized under a permit issued pursuant to the City Code* and occurring within the city, unless such animal is a specially trained service dog and actually in the control of the disabled person. For this reason, we cannot allow admission of any animals or pets within the festival grounds unless they are certified service animals.
*Pursuant to Chapter 3.11 of the Code of the City of Wichita
Please do not bring alcohol onto the site. Glass bottles and containers are also prohibited. Pets are prohibited. There is no smoking inside Exploration Place, Adventure Playscape, or our surrounding property.
Re-entry is not permitted for vehicles. If you need to leave the gated area by foot, stop at the check-in tent and get a wristband for re-entry. Without a wristband, you will not be able to re-enter.
The drones can fly in wind speeds of up to 25mph –by comparison, 20mph winds will cancel most fireworks shows. The show may be delayed for up to 1 hour to allow temporary weather conditions to pass. In 2022 we had to move the launch time forward (earlier) to avoid pending storms.
In the event of cancellation or delay, announcements will be made as soon as possible via social media and using the sitewide PA system. Please make sure you are on-site 60 minutes before the show’s start time in case of a last-minute weather change.
In the unlikely event of complete cancellation, the rain date is Monday, September 28. The show will be held unless Exploration Place decides to cancel due to wind, lightning or other unsafe conditions.
Please note that there are no refunds for Drone Light Festival tickets, even in the case of inclement weather. We are thankful for your understanding.
The mission of Exploration Place is “to inspire a deeper interest in science and technology through creative and fun experiences for all.” We believe this is a creative and fun way to appreciate the increasing importance of drones and UAVs in the modern world.
Like fireworks, the drones will be visible from miles around and all spectators are welcome, wherever they are. But the prime viewing spot will be at Exploration Place, for two big reasons. (1) The positioning and orientation of the show in the sky will be optimized for spectators watching from Exploration Place. (2) The show is choreographed to music that will be played through a sound system that covers the Exploration Place grounds.
Tickets are sold by specific date, with no refunds or rainchecks. The rain date is Monday, September 28. If the event is canceled due to inclement weather or technical issues, the price of your ticket will be converted into a tax-deductible donation for Exploration Place. No refunds will be issued.
