Ten minutes and 3 ½ funnel cakes later, James Bradley Price II swore that he did not feel even the slightest bit sick. He proved it by picking up the half of the funnel cake he didn't quite finish before the buzzer and taking it to go ... "I was getting stuffed a lot," Price said nonchalantly post-contest. "But there was no nausea or anything." ... Price was the winner of the Wichita River Festival's first (but not last) funnel cake eating contest, conducted Wednesday evening on the Food Court
Rain and weather have forced a few more changes to the Wichita River Festival schedule ... The Budweiser Wild and Wacky Cruisers, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tonight at 81 Speedway, 7701 N. Broadway, has been postponed to 7:30 p.m. Thursday ... The paddle boats and Star Million Dollar Hole-In-One events also will be canceled for the fifth straight day on Wednesday because of high waters in the Arkansas River ...
Threatening skies have caused Wichita River Festival officials to move tonight's Intrust Festival of Broadway indoors to Century II Exhibition Hall ... The event, which is set to begin at 7 p.m., was scheduled for the Kennedy Plaza stage ... Also, the Star Million Dollar Hole-In-One and paddle boats are canceled again today because of high river waters. Festival officials will decide this afternoon whether to cancel the events again on Wednesday ...
The Wichita River Festival has canceled three events for Sunday because of rising water levels in the Arkansas River ... The Paddle Boats on the River, Arkansas Coalition River Rides and Star Million Dollar Hole-in-One were canceled for the second straight day ... Festival officials said they will decide Sunday afternoon whether to stage the events Monday ...
Jean Davis had to block the sun from her eyes to see the Goddard High School marching band bring up the tail of Friday's Sundown Parade -- the official kickoff to the nine-day Wichita River Festival ... But she wasn't complaining. Davis said she was just happy to finally have some sun to block ... "It's better than rain," she said. "It's so much better than rain." ... The weather was near perfect Friday evening for the start of the annual Wichita River Festival -- a prospect that seemed iffy
The Arkansas River's overflowing banks have prompted the cancellation of three Wichita River Festival events on Saturday ... The paddle boats, the Star Million Dollar Hole-in-One contest and the Arkansas River Coalition River Rides -- all three events that were to take place in the river -- are canceled for Saturday ... Festival officials will decide Saturday whether the events will be canceled again on Sunday, said spokeswoman Allyson Clark ...
The Wichita River Festival is facing more than its usual share of challenges this year, admits Janet Wright, chief executive of Wichita Festivals Inc ... Sponsorship is down by $100,000. Corporate and group button sales are down by 35 to 40 percent ... Water in the Arkansas River is high, with more rain in the forecast. And festival organizers are struggling with a new city ordinance that requires them to hire and pay for the hundreds of police officers the festival needs for security ... But