Together With
Fall is here - both on the calendar and the weather. Thankfully.
Let's get to it!
- Landon Huslig
Together with Ideatek
Tired of bad internet? Take it from me.
I used to constantly fight with lagging speeds and dropped video calls until I finally switched my home internet to IdeaTek.
As an actual customer, I can tell you their Kansas-grown fiber is a complete game-changer. There are no contracts, no hidden fees, and if you ever need to call, a real person in Kansas actually answers.
They are running a massive Wichita push right now:
Sign up this month and get 3 months at 50% off plus FREE installation using promo code 3SAVE50. Head over to the link below to check your address and see why I made the switch.
Somewhere Fest
People love to complain that there is nothing to do in Wichita.
What will they say now?
Coming off of a great turnout at Open Streets ICT, the third annual Somewhere Fest is THIS WEEKEND and starts in just two days!
Somewhere Fest is the evolution of Elsewhere Fest that kicked off a couple of years ago..
Now that Wichita is on the map, it isnāt just āElsewhereā, but rather āSomewhereā.
The first year, Elsewhere Fest was a bit of a question mark. No one knew what to expect.
It started with the stylized diamond E spray paintedĀ at various locations downtown before it was officially announced and ended with people getting caked at Steve Aoki.
Last year, Somewhere Fest stepped it up a notch and this year they plan to continue the growth.
What is Somewhere Fest?
Somewhere Fest Ā is a chance for music enthusiasts of all genres to come downtown and celebrate big acts as well as local acts.
It consists of a few pieces - the music (duh), immersive art bringing together visual artists, sculptors, designers, and more, and social change with a goal to unite Wichita and help make our city a better place.
To hear it from the founders themselves:
Somewhere is a place you go to step away from the noise of the world to gain clarity within a community of deep thinkers and creative explorers.
The intention of Somewhere is to communally immerse ourselves in the vastness of the unknown, explore all that we cannot yet conceive, experiment purposefully, and embrace our shared consciousness to discover meaningful and impactful concepts and creations for the betterment of all.
Somewhere Festival and Conferenceās mission is to build community and opportunity for musicians and music workers in the Midwest, an area historically undervalued and underserved by the music industry despite its rich musical history.
Music Festival
There is noĀ oneĀ genre at Somewhere. Youāll find everything from hip-hop to alternative to EDM to punk to country and much more. This year definitely has shifted a bit from hip-hop heavy to more country heavy, but still has a bit of everything.
The genre-agnostic festival will feature performances from Bailey Zimmerman, DJ Diesel (aka Shaq), Ian Munsick, Ernest, Two Friends, and more.
To put it in perspective a few of these acts and how big they are (on Spotify):
Bailey Zimmerman - 11.7 million monthly listeners. American country singer.
DJ Diesel (Shaq) - 245.3k monthly listeners. Rapper, NBA legend. (Cāmon Shaq, we need to get those numbers up.) Iāve heard he gives an incredible performance.
Ian Munsick - 2.1 million monthly listeners. American country singer from Wyoming. We saw him at Wave a year or two back. Incredible, sold out show. 2 weeks later he sold out Red Rocks.
Two Friends - 1.6 million monthly listeners. American DJ/ production duo.
ERNEST - 4.5 million monthly listeners. American country singer.
You may notice there is more country on the list. Weāre in the midwest and the festival is evolving with the peopleās wants. People love country around here.
When you look at some of the other genres, Wichita is pretty stagnant on the bigger stage so theyāre trying to improve that too. You might also notice the various different stages around the area.
Somewhere Fest gives Wichita a chance to see bigger artists who would typically not book Wichita.
āA festival like (Some)where is the type of place where if I walk to this stage as a kid and I see this and Iām like oh thatās amazing and then I walk next door and see this other thing and then in 10 years I put those things together and Iām playing Elsewhere. Thatās the dreamā - Rudy Love Jr. on Wichita by E.B. Podcast
Immersive Art Activations
There is immersive art all over the area with local visual artists, sculptors, and designers. Youāll see graffiti, painted dinosaurs and much more.
Be the People Community Block Party
Be the People Block Party (presented by Stand Together Foundation) isĀ a two-day celebration of community, creativity, and social action held during festival weekend.
It will take place from 5:30 - 8:30pm on 9/25 and 3pm - 8:3pm on 9/26.It is COMPLETELY FREE - no festival ticket is required.
I also encourage you to explore the State of our City Dashboard and provide feedback.
Where is Somewhere Fest?
Somewhere Fest is scheduled to take place along St. Francis St.
Who is behind Somewhere Fest?
Movement Musick is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower artists, support music industry professionasl and drive community redevelopment.
How much does it cost?
You can get a single day pass for $75 or two-day pass for $122.
You can also get a single day VIP pass for $145 or two-day VIP pass for $299.
VIP comes with premium sightlines of main stages, VIP bar access, expedited entry lanes, and VIP restrooms.
Some people say this is overpriced. Some people also say $20 Riverfest buttons are overpriced.
āElectric Forest up in Michigan (also coming up soon) has passes for thousands of dollars. Dancefestopia in KC is double the price. Coachella has tickets starting at $500.
DJ Diesel is in Wichita on Friday, the next day his tickets alone are ~$45 down in West Lafayette.
Ian Munsick tickets are $64 tonight in a different city.
There are plenty of studies out there about the economic impact of concerts, festivals, and events that show for every dollar that is spent on concert tickets between $3-12 are brought into the local community.
I'll leave you with a quote from The Shout article and interview with Jessie Hartke:
"Thereās no way we could sell enough tickets to break even. Fortunately, profit is not driving us. Our big return on investment is culture.ā
Let's help support the culture here in Wichita.
Wichita now has a chance to make a mark in our own unique way with Somewhere Festival.
What do you want to see us go deep on in a future deep dive?
Together with the Holiday Galleria
Holiday Galleria is back October 1ā3 at Century II!Ā Shop local, regional, and national merchants while supporting the Junior League of Wichita and its work in our community.
Oct. 1: A Very Merry Soiree Preview Party | $50
Oct. 2: Sleigh Girl Sleigh Girlsā Night Out | $30
Oct. 2ā3: General Shopping | $10
Saturday includes a Grinch appearance, entertainment, and the best merchants!
Get your tickets and kick off the holiday season in style!
Anyway, that's it for today!
If you enjoyed today, share this email with someone who would love to see Shaq in person.
Thanks!
- Landon
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