Wichita’s oldest pipe organ to be celebrated
St. Anthony Church will mark the 100th anniversary of its pipe organ with a concert at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25. The church is located at Second and Ohio streets. The public is welcome and there is no admission charge.
According to the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, the organ, an 1886 Hinners model, is the oldest functioning organ in the city.
St. Anthony acquired the organ in 1922 at a cost of $4,500, replacing a smaller one installed when the church was built in 1905. That organ required a choir member to manually pump it. The church held a recital with its new organ on May 21, 1922.
Dakota Bennett, left, who is the organist for the church’s Saturday Mass, will perform sacred and classical music for the June 25 concert. The church choir will be featured in several pieces. A reception will follow.
Botanica lectures back
Botanica’s Lunchtime Lecture series has resumed and will continue through October. The talks are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Attendees are urged to bring their own lunch to enjoy in the gardens or indoor space before the lectures. Free cookies, water and tea are provided. Admission is free for Botanica members, $10 for the general public.
This month’s schedule is: June 1, Libby Albers of the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands will discuss the vital role those ecosystems play for wildlife, the climate and more; June 15, Michelle DeHaven of Wichita State University will discuss the Wichita Litter Study, which sought to measure litter quantity and trends here.
Veterans reunite at lake
The 2022 Kansas Veterans and Family Reunion will be held June 17-19 at Veterans Point on El Dorado Lake. The event features a car show, live music, food, vendors, kids activities, fireworks and more. Admission is $5 for the weekend. Veterans Point is located near the lake office. For more information, visit ksvetsreunion.org.
Drone light show coming to Exploration Place
Wichita’s first drone light show is coming to Exploration Place on the opening weekend of Riverfest, June 4-5.
The show features synchronized drones, choreographed with music while flying over the Keeper of the Plains. It starts at 10 p.m. both nights and ends with a lighting of the Keeper of the Plains.
The drones should be visible from five miles away. Exploration Place is selling “prime viewing tickets” that include access to Exploration Place exhibits, live music, games and vendors.
For more information, visit www.ICTdroneshow.com.
Stearman hangars host Junior League fundraiser
BENTON — Get a look at the private hangars at Stearman Airfield during Hangar Hangout, a fundraiser by the Junior League of Wichita scheduled for 3-6 p.m. June 11. The event will feature aircraft on the ground and flying overhead, pop-up shops by local businesses, a wine tasting and a party in a hangar with cocktails, hors d’ oeurvres and entertainment by the Loose Gravel Band. There will also be a silent auction and a wine, whiskey and cigar pull.
Proceeds benefit the Junior League’s effort to combat child abuse and stabilize families who are at risk for homelessness.
To buy tickets, visit https://cbo.io/tickets/JLW/tix.
