Salina Arts & Humanities
Prepare for an unforgettable experience at the Smoky Hill River Festival’s “Epic Arts Party!” Here's everything you need to enhance your enjoyment and ensure a smooth experience.
The Smoky Hill River Festival occurs in scenic Oakdale Park, one of Salina’s oldest and most beautiful spaces. To lessen the impact of more than 50,000 Festival-goers and provide a comfortable experience for everyone, the Festival asks for cooperation during the event.
Kenwood Park Drive Closure
Kenwood Park Drive will be closed on Thursday, June 11, at 3 pm through Sunday, June 14, at 9 pm to allow pedestrians safe access to and from the Smoky Hill River Festival as they enter the park on the Event Center Bridge.
From the North, the public is encouraged to access event parking lots using The Midway, South Kenwood Park Drive, and Bob Flaherty Drive. From the South, enter the parking lot using West Kenwood Park Drive and Bob Flaherty Drive.
Parking and Admission
Admission to the River Festival is by weekend wristband. Get them for $15 at one of our wristband retailers or online at riverfestival.com before June 9. After that, admission will be available at the gates for $20.00 cash, $20.75 card for a 4-day wristband or a daily wristband for $10.00 cash, $10.38 card. Children 11 and under get in free.
Festival Hours:
· Thursday, June 11: 4 pm - 10 pm
· Friday & Saturday, June 12-13: 10 am - 10 pm
· Sunday, June 14: 10 am - 4 pm
Parking is free and available in the lots adjacent to the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and in the general vicinity of the Festival or on public streets where permissible. No unauthorized vehicles, skateboards, or bikes are allowed in Oakdale Park.
Limited accessible parking is available for those with placards in the lot directly north of the 4th Street Bridge (the former Salina Journal parking lot, along the river) and in the Tony’s Pizza Event Center Parking lot.
Volunteers reporting for early shifts should come to the Mulberry Street or Tony’s Pizza Events Center bridges wearing their admission wristbands for security to see and check.
Coolers with food and beverages are permitted on the Festival grounds. No glass containers of any kind are allowed.
Guest services are available at the River Festival, including Information Booths, the First Aid Center, the Baby Station tent, Lost & Found, Ident-A-Kid, public restrooms, accessibility services, and ATMs on site.
Shuttles and Accessibility
Festival staff and committees are working to improve accessibility at the Festival. Staff from Independent Connection is available to support accessibility and mobility questions. Mobility Carts will be available for rent at the accessibility shelter near the shuttle stop. Additionally, Presbyterian Manor is offering a free “wave and ride” shuttle service through the park to support access to the most trafficked areas of the event.
Two free shuttle trams provided by Stryten Energy and one free CityGo shuttle bus from the Tony’s Pizza Events Center parking lot shuttle stops into Festival grounds are available on:
· Thursday, June 12: 4 pm – 8 pm
· Friday, June 13: 10 am – 8 pm
· Saturday, June 14: 10 am – 8 pm
· Sunday, June 15: 10 am – 4 pm
CityGo offers expanded bus service for the River Festival. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, between 8 and 10 pm, a CityGo bus will pick up riders at the Festival shuttle stop in Oakdale Park and take them to any CityGo stop in the City. Anyone wearing a Festival wristband can ride the CityGo Bus System for free on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Be a Good Festival Neighbor
· Blankets and chairs cannot be left overnight. Festival staff take all blankets, chairs, and other forgotten items to the Lost & Found trailer after the Festival closes each day.
· No one is allowed on the steps of the Eric Stein Stage except for the Festival staff and crew.
Please keep children at a reasonable distance from the stages and speakers.
· Balls of any kind are not allowed in front of the Eric Stein Stage.
· Place your trash or recycling in a marked receptacle. Help leave Oakdale Park in great shape!
· Shade umbrellas are allowed behind designated and marked sight lines only. No canopy tents are permitted anywhere in the park by the general public.
· Per City Ordinance No 12-11052, no smoking, electronic cigarettes, or tobacco products are allowed anywhere in Oakdale Park during River Festival 2026.
· The Smoky Hill River Festival is documented each year through photographs and video. These images are used in subsequent years for marketing purposes. By entering the park, you give implied permission to use your photo. Press that the Smoky Hill River Festival approves will have credentials.
· No pets on the Festival grounds. Only service animals are permitted.
For guest-service locations and details, see the Festival Program on-site or at https://www.riverfestival.com/attend/#visitor-info. Helpful final reminders about what to bring or not bring can also be found on the site.
“The creative energy in the park will be higher than ever as the community celebrates fifty years of the best Salina has to offer," shares Brad Anderson, Executive Director of Salina Arts & Humanities. "We invite you to be a part of this unique celebration."
For more information and details or to see volunteer opportunities, click here or call 785-309-5770.