OUR BOARD & STAFF 1 WFI UPDATE 2 VIRTUAL AWARD WINNERS 4 HEY NEIGHBOR! 5 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER 6 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 7 AUTUMN & ART GOES ONLINE 8 FESTIVAL CREW 9 GRAB SOME MERCH 10
2019-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2020-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR Kim Gattis
CHAIR Shane Stuhlsatz
CHAIR-ELECT Shane Stuhlsatz
CHAIR-ELECT Jeff McCausland
SECRETARY Jeff McCausland
SECRETARY Deb Haifleigh
TREASURER Lisa Binau
TREASURER Lisa Binau
PAST CHAIR Ty Patton
PAST CHAIR Kim Gattis
BOARD MEMBERS: Rigby Carey Zach Fugate D.J. Fulton Deb Haifleigh Teketa Harding Shaun Isham Tom Johnson Chris Ladwig Tim Norton Ron Ryan Denise Sherman Joe Surmeier
BOARD MEMBERS: Fabian Armendariz Rigby Carey Zach Fugate Teketa Harding Troy Houtman Shaun Isham Tom Johnson Chris Ladwig Tim Norton Ty Patton Ron Ryan Joe Surmeier Sean Tarantino
STAFF Meghan Doyle Director of Community Engagement
Ann Keefer Vice President/Programming
Jennifer Green-Miracle Director of Sales & Development
Jill Massey Director of Volunteers
Lisa Hansen Vice President/Finance
Teri Mott Director of Marketing & Communication Troy R. Wells Graphic Designer
On the cover: Admiral Windwagon Smith XLVII Clay Bastian meditates on a challenging year in a photo taken by Kate Bastian for the Where’s Windwagon? game at Virtual Riverfest 2020.
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444 E. William, Wichita, KS 67202 316.267.2817
HeyNeighborICT.com WichitaFestivals.com
AutumnAndArt.com WichitaRiverfest.com
A WICHITA FESTIVALS INC. UPDATE by Shane Stuhlsatz WICHITA FESTIVALS UPDATE Hey Neighbor! It’s great to see you, and while I hate to cut to the chase so abruptly, the fact is we need your help. It should come as no surprise that 2020 has been an unprecedentedly challenging year for Wichita Festivals, Inc. You are our festival family, and I wanted to catch you up on what’s been happening in our world. One year ago, WFI staff was planning for Riverfest 2020,
excited about the concert lineup that was coming together beautifully and working with sponsors and partners to create a vision for the 49th festival. The year began with a joyful reveal of the 2020 poster and button artwork at the end of January, but by March, due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, staff members were forced to work remotely. In early April we joined members of the festival and event industry all over the world when we announced that Riverfest 2020 would go virtual, presented mostly on our social media channels. The online event took place May 29 through June 6. It was well received and a wonderful way to stay in touch with festival fans. Not being able to host an in-person festival, however translated into a 90% reduction in revenue! Many people don’t know this but Wichita Festivals is a not-forprofit organization, not a government entity, so the revenue loss was a devastating blow.
The winning Riverfest 2020 poster by Meghan and Juanta Wolfe was just revealed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The charming design, featuring DJ Nobrac and his trusty disco ball, had barely seen daylight, so with a few small updates it will be the Riverfest 2021 poster as well.
After hoping for the best for our community and holding on to the hope of hosting an
in-person event with Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair, pandemic numbers and the regulations that go with them made it necessary for us to hold that outdoor festival virtually as well. On September 18, our staff and so many of our incredible volunteers hand-delivered Patron Party boxes to the homes of our supporters. Although the Patron Party in a box was a big hit, and we were delighted to welcome back favorite artists from throughout the years through our virtual booth platform, revenue opportunities from a virtual event remain slim. WFI staff began work on an event named Wonderfall, hoping to celebrate the 150th birthdays of Wichita and Sedgwick County by gathering downtown on the first weekend of November. Again, despite our high hopes and hard work, the raging pandemic foiled our plans. In late September we made the tough decision to reduce WFI staff by 30%. Remaining employees are working an 80% schedule. On the bright side, we successfully hosted the 44th River Run as a virtual event on Nov. 7, and toasted our town’s 150th with an outdoor art installation of Wichita luminaries, “Depth of Field: A (Continued on page 3)
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hosting large-scale festivals, giant celebrations that bring together families and friends, neighbors and even newbies who are exploring Wichita for the first time. Keeping attendees safe is a priority for us, and the associated costs of sanitation stations, additional security, masks and gloves for volunteers and so much more are making the already high costs of producing major events leap even higher. Our team is an optimistic and determined group, and planning for 2021 is moving ahead. We see the potential for Riverfest 2021, Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair and the Wichita Festivals Golf Tournament and are building pivots and contingencies into our plans, so we can adapt to whatever the new year brings.
Meghan and Juanta Wolfe’s button designs will be recycled for the 2021 festival. If you purchased a 2020 Riverfest button, you can use it to get into Riverfest 2021!
Wichita Photo Album,” on display along St. Francis, Nov. 6-16. During these chaotic months, staff members have been thoroughly assessing the potential to safely present live events by meeting with other representatives of the industry and attending webinars hosted by International Festival & Entertainment Association and other experts in the field several times a month. The WFI team is forming a task force to help us make informed decisions with the support and assistance of a variety of authorities, including government health officials. As you know, our business is 3
In order to move forward, however, and maintain the vision of community pride and celebration we have established over the past 49 years, we need your help. Our team feels a heartfelt obligation to give the same gift to future generations that WFI has given to the past two: big community events that bring us together as neighbors. Events that help families create memories together. While we can’t gather in person right now, we don’t want to lose what the talented and creative teams that went before us built. So we are here to ask you, neighbor: What are your joyous, music- and laughter-filled festival memories worth? Is Riverfest a part of your family? When you were growing up did you dream
of sharing Riverfest with your kids and grandkids? If the answer is yes, we urgently ask you to support WFI and Riverfest now. What can you do? A gift of any amount to the Hey Neighbor! campaign will help. Just visit HeyNeighborICT.com to give. Our events are for every citizen, regardless of age, background or interests. Whatever you can give according to your ability would be a blessing to our organization, and would help ensure the future of both Riverfest and Autumn & Art. We’ve also got some cool merchandise you’ll want to check out. (I know Santa would appreciate some help filling those stockings.) visit WichitaFestivalsShop.com We are working hard to keep the doors open and to keep building family memories. Many thanks to those of you who have already given to the campaign! With you by our side we will give our all to keep Riverfest and the other community traditions we’ve established vital and growing, like the city we are proud to call home. Thank you for your consideration, until we can meet again.
Happy Holidays to You and Yours! Shane Stuhlsatz Chair, Board of Directors Wichita Festivals, Inc.
AWARD WINNERS VIRTUAL CAR SHOW
SHOEBOX PARADE
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WICHITA FESTIVALS, INC. NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW! • WFI produces Riverfest, the largest community event in Kansas and one of the top 35 in the world! • It is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, not a government entity. • The COVID-19 pandemic meant no in-person Riverfest 2020, tough times for our sponsors, and Revenue down 90%. • Your support is needed to ensure the future of Riverfest and WFI.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
GIVE NOW AT
HeyNeighborICT.com
• WFI events have been making Wichita a vibrant place to live and raise a family for 50 years! • Riverfest brings $35 million to the Wichita economy. • Help us keep building memories for Wichita families.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US MOVE INTO THE FUTURE! 5
A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER By Admiral Windwagon Smith XLVII Clay Bastian
Oh, yes: 2020—a year none of us will forget, no matter how hard we try. I was selected as Admiral Windwagon Smith XLVII in secrecy by Riverfest’s Past Admirals Windwagon Smith. My year started with planning the public reveal, getting fitted for my uniform, and trying to keep the chatty Past Admirals from exposing me to the public. As far as getting suited up, the Riverfest has worked with two vendors for many years: Fruhauf Uniforms and Hatman Jack’s Wichita Hat Works. Fruhauf is located in an industrial area, so going in there to get measured for the red jacket doesn’t draw any attention. Alternatively,
Hatman Jack’s is a retail store with shoppers. When I went there, I asked for Jack and figured he would take me to a discreet area to be fitted for the Admiral’s hat. It turned out Jack was out of town and a young man named Austin could help me. I quietly told him, “I’m the Guy, you know, the next Admiral.” For the next hour Austin measured, steamed, and formed a hat into the shape it needed to be to fit my noggin. The hat would be ready in a few weeks with all the fancy details attached. After we parted, I’m walking back to my car in the rain. Austin comes out of the store after me and says, “Please, just one more thing.” We go back into the shop and he asks if he could get a picture with me. I’ve got nothing on me that says Riverfest or Admiral. At that point it sunk in that this Admiral gig is a really big deal. March 4 was the public Admiral Reveal at Shift Auto Society. Shift is kind of a garage social club for motorheads and hipsters. The Schooner Mates and I did a procession up the basement ramp in a silly little car to the main floor of Shift, amid clouds of fog and applause from the gathered crowd. After a few speeches and press interviews, it was party time. The following week was the first of my 44 scheduled community group events promoting the Riverfest. Then it all fell apart. The 2020 (in-person) Wichita Riverfest was officially cancelled.
were able to get together (socially distanced) to present awards to a number of contest winners and to distribute food packages at the Salvation Army, but that was about it. These young people represent the 24 best and brightest juniors at Wichita area high schools. This was their year, and like so many other things that have happened in 2020, this was another massive disappointment. There is some good news. I’ve been asked to serve as Admiral Windwagon Smith XLVIII for Riverfest 2021, and any Schoonies who are available will join me. 2021 can’t come soon enough. The unpredictability of our environment hasn’t changed, but the next year has to be better than the one we’ve stumbled through. Let’s all support the determination of our city, state, and nation to achieve a better normal and be able to party together soon.
Somehow, the staff at Wichita Festivals, Inc. came up with a plan for a Virtual Riverfest on social media channels. These nine days of activities featured a symphony concert, contests, numerous videos, a shoebox parade and even a car show. My wife, Kate, took goofy photos of me all over town for a game called “Where’s Windwagon?” Everyone did a heck of a job, but we all missed being together, of course. My time with this year’s Prairie Schooner Mates was far too short. We
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RIVERFEST VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT By Jill Massey, Director of Volunteers
The thing I miss most about not having Riverfest this year is our Volunteers. Our Volunteers are an extension of our WFI Family. I love reconnecting with 1000’s of people every year, who volunteer at Riverfest. It is always a highlight of my year to get to see all of your familiar faces. I love catching up on what each Volunteer has been doing. What changes have happened in their lives? I celebrate the new births in their family, the new job situations, the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings. I weep with them when they tell me that they have lost a loved one, they have a new illness, or they are struggling in life. I consider each Volunteer as a part of my extended family and I miss them, each one of the 9147 Volunteers. Through this Volunteer Spotlight I want to remember all of our Volunteers & thank each one of you for being the heart and soul of our organization. What memory do you hold close to you & miss from volunteering at Riverfest? I miss volunteers greeting attendees as they enter Riverfest. I miss seeing volunteers encourage runners as they go along the River Run route. I miss seeing all of the Businesses and Organizations selling Food Court tickets and buttons. I miss watching volunteers load attendees into Paddle Boats. I miss seeing all of the Wagonmasters and Past Admirals in the Parade. I miss seeing the Prairie Schooner Mates on stage in front of 1000’s of people. I miss seeing our clean team during lunch rushes at the Food Court. I miss seeing volunteers sell their favorite merchandise at our Merchandise Tent. I miss seeing the rainbow of our Committee’s colors on the footprint, which most of them volunteer 20 hours a day. I miss seeing every one of your Volunteer’s faces, which I know by name. I miss celebrating our successes at our Annual Volunteer Party. My fondest memories at Riverfest are of all of the Volunteers. Thank you for giving your time and energy to us. We can’t wait to see you next year and have you volunteering again!
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Thank you WFI Board of Directors, Finance, Operations, Volunteer Committee Members, and Past and current Admiral Windwagon Smith, Prairie Schooner Mates, parents, teachers, students, individuals, civic organizations, businesses, churches and sponsors. We are so thankful you are each a part of our Volunteer Family. PRAIRIE SCHOONER MATE ADVENTURES Even though our Riverfest did not happen, our 2020 Prairie Schooner Mates made the best of a situation and participated in Virtual Riverfest. These amazing youth spent time, social distancing and wearing masks and making fun videos for everyone to watch. They also helped out our Community. On several occasions, our Schoonies worked with Salvation Army and prepared and passed out food to people affected by COVID. Schoonies also helped at Convoy of Hope. Schoonies delivered prizes to our Shoebox Parade Winners and even helped deliver meals to our Autumn & Art Patrons. We are excited that some of our 2020 Schoonies will be returning to be a Schoonie in 2021. We will have a unique class of Juniors and Seniors for our upcoming Riverfest. These youth are some of the most hard-working, kind-hearted, giving youth you can find! We can’t wait to work with them all!
shop with 72 artists for three days and enjoy entertainment and demos.
GOES ONLINE
Autumn & Art pivoted from an outdoor show to an online art exhibit and sale this September. The popular Patron Party was translated into a colorful box of goodies and gifts with a tote filled with delicious food from Il Vicino, Newport Grill and Yaya’s EuroBistro, delivered to Patrons on opening night. The online festival allowing attendees to
Autumn & Art 2020’s Evergy Featured Artist team is Mary Ann and Michael Robinson Holmes, AKA M. Robinson. Michael grew up in Glidden, Iowa, and attended Kansas State University, where he studied interior architecture. After graduating, he began drawing with pastels and later transitioned into acrylic painting. This figurative, textural and vibrantly colorful artwork is created under the name Michael Holmes. Michael later developed an abstract line of work, evolving a similar technique. This is the work of M. Robinson, a collaboration with his wife, Mary Ann. Raised in Kansas City, Mary Ann Holmes earned a bachelors degree in psychology from Arizona State University. Working with a French artist in San Francisco, she learned a myriad of faux finishes and painted in various venues. Returning to Kansas City, she continued painting decorative finishes. When Mary Ann met Michael in 2009, he introduced her to his painting techniques and they have been collaborating ever since.
and leaving impressions. After the paste dries, they paint it with a coat of black gesso, allow drying time, and then layer vibrant, high viscosity paints onto the piece. After the piece cures, they deconstruct the painting by sanding layers off, revealing the tinted modeling paste and gesso in selected areas. Finally, a twopart epoxy is carefully applied in stages, utilizing a torch to remove bubbles and creating the glasslike resin finish. The Holmes generously donated three small artworks to encourage Patron Party ticket sales. Three lucky Patrons received the works inside their Patron boxes. The 2020 Featured Artist Poster with M. Robinson’s piece, “Opening New Doors,” is available at WichitaFestivalsShop.com, as is a facemask with artwork by M. Robinson and Edward Bartoszek, another popular and frequent Autumn & Art talent.
The Holmes begin their work by building boxes with cherry wood. Next, they tint lightweight modeling paste and apply it to the box, pressing objects or drawing images into the modeling paste 8
FESTIVAL CREW DONORS Riverfest is made possible by the support of our community. Generous individuals and businesses join our Festival Crew and provide tax-deductible charitable gifts to help cover expenses. Ahoy! And thanks, to our 2020 Festival Crew! FESTIVAL CREW LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Jim & Shari Hand Derry & Kay Larson Larson & Company PA Howard & Jana McDaniel Dave & Janet Murfin Sandlian Realty Scott Schwindaman Shane & Justin Stuhlsatz Joe Surmeier Bob Munhall FESTIVAL CREW Richard & Suzanne Ahlstrand Jean & Dennis Artz Gary & Shirley Austerman Tim & Brooke Aziere Clay & Kate Bastian Alysha & Phillip Besperat Lisa Binau/Dunning & Associates Jim & Vera Bothner Deb Brinegar Martha Buford Bruce & Maribeth Buhr Connie Clark William Cohen Steven Cohlmia Kristin & Matt Conrad Valerie Cowan Ashley Cozine Cozine/Broadway Mortuary Cynthia Cross Shaker & Kathie Dakhil Linda & Jack Davidson Nolan Dealy Steve & Gena Dillard Martin Dondlinger Luetta Duerksen Elizabeth & Kent Farran Sheila & Greg Fenwin Foley Industries Charitable Foundation Frank & Betty Hedrick Foundation Justus Fugate D.J. Fulton Kim Gattis Dennis Gillen Robert & Rosalie Goebel Bryan & Darcie Green Mike & Marie Greene Bobbi Hansen Lisa Hansen Robert Harbison
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Greg & Karen Harman Jim Hattan Phyllis Hayworth Dave & Cheri Hill Ron & Karen Holt Mary Beth Jarvis Tom & Terry Johnson Pat Jones Ann Keefer Scott & Stephanie Knebel Karianne Kutz Michael & Julie Lievens Vicki Little Cory Longhauser Foley Industries Charitable Foundation Giving Program Suzanne & Errol Luginbill Christopher & Jennifer Magana J.T. & Beverly Manuszak Mark & Shelley Masterson Jeff & Laurie McCausland Fred Menefee Nual Milfeld Belden Mills Kay Monk-Morgan Valencia Monk-Morgan Teri Mott Dr. Joe & Mrs. Nold Tim & Susan Norton David & Julie Oles Michael & Juanita Olson Ty & Chelsea Patton John Philbrick Donal & Bettina Pracht Dick Rader Richard Rader Betty Reiger Jim & Sandy Remsberg Erlene Robertson Phyllis Robertson Donald Sbarra LewJene Schneider & Tony Caputo James & Glenda Schueler Barry Schwan Greg Shelton Denise Sherman Harvey & Stephanie Sorensen Doug & Kathi Stark Ty Stork Jerry & Diane Strausz Ty Tabing Willard & Barbara Thompson David Traster UMB Dan & Alissa Unruh Janice Van Sickle Van & Kristi Williams Bill & Donna Wise Stephen & Cathie Yager
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