General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

Wichita by EB - How Would I Improve the Wichita River Festival?

Let’s talk about one of the most polarizing events in town, the Wichita River Festival.

So many people complained about the event. I’m a believer in the complaints are valid if your intention is you want the event to improve. Some just want to see the world burn down, while others truly want a better Wichita.

I stopped by the event three different times, saw some things, thought about it for a while and wanted to make a list of five things I think would make for a better Wichita River Festival.

I like that Eddy is taking a positive approach to this. People who ***** just to ***** can shut up. Improvements can be made to the event and dialogue is necessary to help find those potential improvements.

1.) Better Advertisement for Button Prices, Promotions, and Early Bird
2.) Involve More Community Businesses
3.) Bring back the Block Party in some fashion
4.) Clean Up the Riverfest Website
5.) Have an Adults Only Area for the Festival

There's more detail on each of those five in the link.

I will admit, that I never saw anything about the early bird prices for Riverfest buttons until well after that time had expired and it was only in comments by people on FB articles.

I can't speak to how involved local businesses are with the event these days. It would seem like a no-brainer to have local businesses working together with Riverfest to make the event better and give a better hometown feel to it.

I know nothing about the Block Party.

The website does have a lot going on.

An adults only area would be a pretty good idea.

Now, I didn't attend so I can't really speak to much of this or anything else and can only go off of what I've read and heard from others.

[Kung Wu]

I was shocked at how many options we have in Kansas for tags (you gotta pay an extra $45.50 every 5 years for specialty tags). There are some really cool specialty plates, IMHO. Of course I went with the WSU one, but it was a tougher choice than I thought it would be, because there are some neat options.

I wish they would visually show all the options on a single web page, like they have them displayed on the wall at the tag office. But that's too obvious. Anyway that link above lets you check the options out.

e.g. I dig the Gadsden Flag one.

[SubGod22]

I was shocked at how many options we have in Kansas for tags (you gotta pay an extra $45.50 every 5 years for specialty tags). There are some really cool specialty plates, IMHO. Of course I went with the WSU one, but it was a tougher choice than I thought it would be, because there are some neat options.

I wish they would visually show all the options on a single web page, like they have them displayed on the wall at the tag office. But that's too obvious. Anyway that link above lets you check the options out.

e.g. I dig the Gadsden Flag one.

I knew there were options, but I didn't know there were this many options. All of the colleges make sense. Amateur Radio Operator? I don't know what Braden's Hope is and the link isn't working for me. Ducks Unlimited? Never thought about the Masons having their own tag, but of course they do....lol.

Part of me wouldn't mind the Pet Friendly one. The KSU College of Veterinary Medicine does a lot of good. I did have to say goodbye to one of my furbabies up there, but they were wonderful to work with and I could definitely support that.

The City of Wichita one has been of value to the parks department. They're getting over $150K a year in royalties from them and who doesn't like the Wichita Flag? It is a nice looking plate.

[AG1219]

I was shocked at how many options we have in Kansas for tags (you gotta pay an extra $45.50 every 5 years for specialty tags). There are some really cool specialty plates, IMHO. Of course I went with the WSU one, but it was a tougher choice than I thought it would be, because there are some neat options.

I wish they would visually show all the options on a single web page, like they have them displayed on the wall at the tag office. But that's too obvious. Anyway that link above lets you check the options out.

e.g. I dig the Gadsden Flag one.

The Pearl Harbor Survivor one has always been funny to me. To qualify to have that plate you need to have been at/near Pearl Harbor and active member of the military during the attack. I wonder how many of these they have issued recently or at all. That has to be the rarest of plates anywhere.

[Kung Wu]

The Pearl Harbor Survivor one has always been funny to me. To qualify to have that plate you need to have been at/near Pearl Harbor and active member of the military during the attack. I wonder how many of these they have issued recently or at all. That has to be the rarest of plates anywhere.

Wow, you're right. Are there any in Kansas anymore? I know you are allowed to use old plates on antique vehicles, so that would be the only way I could see one still being out there on the roads?

[SHOCKvalue]

I like the Gadsden plate too, but would worry quite a bit about some leftist nutso damaging my truck. Wish it didn't have the "Kansas State Rifle Association" across the bottom. Nothing against them, but the Gadsden flag represents the libertarian position which encompasses a ton of stuff other than just "don't take my guns". Also, the progressive agenda, with the willing help of the MLM, has also done an excellent job of convincing the general public that the Gadsden flag is only associated with racists and anarchists.

Like the Wichita flag one simply because it is nice looking, not necessarily that I'm all that pro-Wichita (which probably sounds strange).

They're coming out with four wildlife and parks plates soon as well. High hopes they actually have someone with artistic ability put those together.

Wish the university tags had a little more pizzazz. Geez they're (again) blah.

[SubGod22]

Right on about the Gadsden flag and that it goes way beyond guns and is a huge piece of American history and the desire to not be ruled as subjects that need permission to do everything...

Sad how far we've come in that sense, but that's a different topic.

I do like that there are options to help certain groups raise some funds. I haven't pulled the trigger on any myself, though I do consider it every so often.

[SHOCKvalue]

I'm not sure I really have much of an opinion on Riverfest, but I know it is almost a crime that the "Air Capital of the World" doesn't have an annual air show.

[ShockerFever]

I'm not sure I really have much of an opinion on Riverfest, but I know it is almost a crime that the "Air Capital of the World" doesn't have an annual air show.

I would trade Riverfest in for an air show.

[SubGod22]

Why not both?

I do know people love planes. Stearman Field in Benton doesn't necessarily have air shows, but they do have a few times a year when they bring in specific planes that people can see and maybe ride in. WWI and WWII planes are always a draw. The Blackhawks and Chinooks from Fort Reilly also bring a lot of people in. I know I've seen a lot of different planes as I've driven by and there are times when they run out of parking and open up some land/grass on the other side of the runway to park as well as a makeshift lot across 30th, and the airport, for overflow parking. Even at that, cars can sometimes line the side streets or park along 30th (not recommended) or in the ditch. They have changed the speed limit through that section and dropped it down to 40mph which helps a little.

I'm just trying to imagine how different it is if they could somehow work with the AFB to bring in some of the stars like the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds or the Stealth Bombers out of Whiteman AFB. I'm not sure what other performance based groups there may be. Then Doc could always be a centerpiece as the pride and joy of such an event. One of only a handful of still functioning WWII bombers that was built right here in Wichita.

I would say you don't even have to have it all military based, but I'm not sure how the private plane market works and if there's value in participating in such an event and would it bring in possible clients for Textron in any way?

If done right, and I'm not saying I know exactly what that entails, it could be a draw and something a good portion of the community could get behind. I'm not sure one would need to ditch the Riverfest to do something like this. You could continue to hold Riverfest in early June and have the Air Show later in the summer/early fall.

I've never officially been to an air show, but the idea is intriguing. And maybe this would appeal to a different group of area citizens who don't enjoy or partake in Riverfest. There's no one size fits all anything when it comes to entertainment.

Also just thought that NIAR could possibly be involved in some way or benefit from such an event as they already have plenty of private and defense contracts and connections. Could be a way to grow that and showcase some things.

I need to stop daydreaming.

[SHOCKvalue]

I would trade Riverfest in for an air show.

In a heartbeat.

Really enjoyed the one that was held out at Jabara those couple of years about 10-15 years back. Was ran and put on by the same group that does Riverfest, but it just disappeared with no reason given.

[SubGod22]

I know a guy, kind of, that's a part of the Riverfest board or whatever. I may reach out to him and simply ask if there's any interest, or would be, in doing something like that. Might take a few years to put together. Don't know if what they did in the past maybe lost too much money or wasn't supported.

[Veritas]

What’s the hold up on making a decision on 1972 Century II What happened with these guys?

https://www.penumbrariverwalk.com

[SHOCKvalue]

What’s the hold up on making a decision on 1972 Century II What happened with these guys?

https://www.penumbrariverwalk.com

That group was a ridiculous joke from the get-go.

[SubGod22]

What’s the hold up on making a decision on 1972 Century II What happened with these guys?

https://www.penumbrariverwalk.com

Been a while since I've heard anything about Penumbra. I believe there were questions with their financing and if they really could make the investment that they said they would. They were talking an insane amount of money ($2B?) and all from private funds if I remember correctly. I like the ambition and would love to see something like what they envision take place.

I'm guessing things have fallen apart as one would assume if they were really in this to do this and truly believed in it, they wouldn't have fallen into the shadows.