Exploration Place officials and community leaders gathered Wednesday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on a new amphitheater.
The Wichita Foundation Amphitheater will showcase the nightly Ring of Fire show at Wichita’s Keeper of the Plains sculpture. It will also provide a location for live performances, free family movie nights and other community events. Exploration Place board chair Gayle Malone said the project will include a new stage, pedestrian pathways, EV charging stations, and landscaping along the river.
Exploration Place officials said the amphitheater will be a harmonious blend of art, architecture and nature and it will open in September 2024. One of its defining features will be its unparalleled and uninhibited sightlines across the Arkansas River to the Keeper of the Plains. The 1,500-capacity amphitheater also includes a mixed-use space designed to promote a vibrant, bustling atmosphere along the river, where pedestrians and cyclists can gather safely.
The amphitheater is part of the EP2 Initiative to expand and revamp the Exploration Place facility and its programs. It is expected to open later this year.
