August First Friday

If you’re looking for something fun to do in Wichita, check out First Friday in August! Now in its fifth month, Wichita’s music crawl, presented by House of Schwan, KMUW, & Heffys BBQ Sauce, promises to be an event to remember as Wichitans continue enjoying their summer. 22 venues will showcase artists from all genres of music during the event that will take place on the evening of August 7th. Most music starts at 7pm and goes until 10pm, with many venues having acts performing later into the night. This free event seeks to draw residents and visitors of all ages to the heart of the Wichita metropolitan area to enjoy live, original music.

Organizers of the crawl have partnered with Young Professionals of Wichita to encourage the city’s youthful, emerging workforce to get out and be part of the music scene. “We’re very fortunate to have a group like YPW that seeks to cultivate young talent and draw attention to the many exciting things there are for people to do in this city. It’s essential for the long-term vitality of our community that young workers feel Wichita is a fun place where they can enjoy life and be entertained,” said Jason Dilts, ROK ICT’s Director of Community Development. ROK ICT Owner and Executive Director Jared Birckman agrees, “I hope we see more young professionals coming out to be part of First Friday. It’s a natural fit.” “First Friday is for everyone, and we have people from all generations coming to enjoy the music. It’s particularly important, though, that the critical under 40 demographic knows good entertainment exists downtown and that they can be part of the scene here,” said Deputy Executive Director Adam Hartke. For more information about this event check out www.ypwichita.org.

Heffy’s BBQ Sauce will also sponsor a free barbeque in the Old Town Farm & Art Market.

First Friday is a collaborative effort involving ROK ICT, Hartke Records, Naked City Magazine, and The Wichita Downtown Development Corporation. It offers a unique opportunity to support the burgeoning music scene in Wichita. Trolleys, provided by the WDDC, will shuttle participants between venues throughout the night. Fans, bands, venues, businesses and/or any others who are interested in becoming a part of First Friday or learning more about the times and locations of musical acts during the event can go to www.FirstFriday.org, or www.ROKICT.com.