Admission wristbands for the 2021 Smoky Hill River Festival are now on sale.
The wristbands went on sale today at 40 locations across Salina and in 18 other cities.
Advance-price weekend-admission wristbands are $15 each, or $20 at the gate. Children 11 and under get in free. A daily wristband for $10 is also available Thursday through Sunday, and is sold only day-of, at the Mulberry, Fourth Street, Oakdale, and Tony’s Pizza Events Center gates.
Weekend-admission wristbands are good for the entire 3.5-day event, beginning with the Festival Jam on Sept. 2. The festival's Fine Art and Craft Show, four live stages, Artyopolis kid's area, food vendors, art installations and more are open Sept. 3-4 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and again on Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Thursday, only food vendors are open from 4-10 p.m., with the Festival Jam on the Eric Stein Stage from 6 to 10 p.m.
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The sale of river festival admission wristbands accounts for more than 40 percent of festival revenue each year.
“We are excited about the switch to wristbands for the 45th-anniversary festival, and Vortex’s willingness to underwrite this important improvement,” said Brad Anderson, Salina Arts & Humanities executive director. “The convenience and safety of the weekend and daily wristbands is something festival-goers have wanted for a while, to be more convenient and to help provide affordable options for all.”
Anderson said many larger events around the country now use wristbands, with very positive results.
“The soft, colorful wristbands will be safer and more secure for our many festival fans ages 12 and up. As always, children 11 and under will get in free each day,” he said.
In addition to festival wristbands, festival t-shirts and tank tops, art-show gift certificates in $20 increments, and the limited-edition 2021 festival print by Kansas City artist Rena Detrixhe are on sale.
Festival t-shirts and weekend wristbands also may be ordered online.
Festival art-show gift certificates and the festival print are available in the Salina Arts & Humanities office, upstairs at 211 W. Iron Avenue, from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information on the 45th-anniversary River Festival, Sept. 2-5 in Oakdale Park, call 785-309-5770 or visit riverfestival.com. To see a complete list of Wristband Retailer locations or to order online, click on riverfestival.com/participating-retailers/ .