Organizers of the Wichita River Festival have revealed the 51st Admiral Windwagon Smith.

Alan Howarter has been a volunteer with Riverfest for 45 years, starting in the festival’s food court.  Howarter has competed in over fifteen 10K River Runs and was part of a “poorman’s team” that raced in four years of the festival’s bathtub races, even securing a third-place finish. His team proudly claims to have built the first propeller-driven bathtub boat in Riverfest history.

Howarter is a native of Dodge City who worked in a Wichita accounting firm for a number of years, then in 2006 he joined Vess Oil Corporation as Vice President of Financial Reporting. In this role, he oversees accounting for more than 60 related entities, including SEC reporting for two publicly sponsored royalty trusts.  He has served on multiple nonprofit boards, often as treasurer, including the American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Heartspring, St. Vincent de Paul Endowment Association, the  Wichita Public Library Foundation, and the Great Plains USBC Bowling Association.

The tradition of Admiral Windwagon Smith dates back to 1974, when John Bell first wore the red coat during the third Riverfest, then known as the Wichitennial River Festival.

The Prairie Schooner Mates were also announced on Wednesday.  They serve as youth ambassadors for Riverfest, and they accompany the Admiral at public engagements, civic events and volunteer activities throughout the festival.

Isabella Hunsberger – Andover Central High School
Emma Jittawait – Andover High School
Laine Graf – Bishop Carroll High School
Avery Kassman – Campus High School
Julia Koehn – Circle High School
Rowan Ake – Derby High School
Madeline Watson – Goddard Eisenhower High School
Brody Cole – Goddard High School
Mason Collins – Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School
Isabella Ponce – Maize South High School
Landon Hauschild – Northeast Magnet High School
Emily Penn – Sedgwick High School
Kyra Parris – Sunrise Christian Academy
Jack Roe – The Independent School
Danika Campo – Valley Center High School                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Shelbie Emerson – Wichita Collegiate School
Dex Martinez – Wichita East High School
Israel Carter – Wichita Heights High School
Benjamin Bloyd – Wichita North High School
Noah Gegan – Wichita Northwest High School
Jane Nguyen – Wichita South High School
Kathy Nguyen – Wichita Southeast High School
Jocelyn Xiloj – Wichita West High School

Riverfest runs from May 30th to June 7th.