NEWTON, Kan. — The Sand Creek Summer Daze Festival is coming up in Newton, taking place on July 7 and July 8. The Sand Creek Summer Daze Festival’s 2023 theme is Sun, Surf & Sand Creek.
The Sand Creek Summer Daze Festival is a dynamic summer festival, encouraging Newton and surrounding communities to celebrate and discover numerous fun and enjoyable events bundled together on the banks of Sand Creek.
Sand Creek Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) that originated in 2017 to promote and establish fun, endearing and educational local community-based events in the Newton, Kansas area.
Sand Creek Festival, Inc. also uses its physical inventory and resources to help other local festivals and organizations which include: The Newton Kiwanis Club, Sedgwick Fall Festival, 2019 Newton High School Graduation Party, 2021 Newton High School Prom, Harvey County Now Blues, Brews & BBQ Event, Koerner Heights Youth Group, and the Harvey County United Way Chill Cook-off.
This year, Sand Creek Festival, Inc. will assist the Slate Creek PTO in raising money for the Slate Creek Inclusive Playground Project by using their brand-new Waterfall Dunk Tank. Instead of someone falling in a ton of water, a ton of water is dumped on particpants.
Caring Hands Humane Society will once again benefit from the Weiner Dog Races and costume contest at the festival. Bring your pet to run or dress to impress.
Events during the festival will range from entertaining to deliciously delectable, as well as competitive to educational.
The festival will boast multiple stage concerts and individual music performances. This year’s shows will be “for the girlz” with ladies taking the spotlight this year at the Country on the Creek Concert. Additionally, as part of this year's theme, this year’s Sand Creek Charli is a woman.
Sand Creek Charli is the real-life ambassador of the festival, based on the original who resided in Newton long ago.
Rachel Bachman is the first female Sand Creek Charli.
For those with a competitive streak, they can participate in the sand volleyball tournament or the water balloon challenge.
Summer Daze festivalgoers can casually stroll through the festival grounds to watch artists create murals featuring the beauty of Sand Creek and the Newton area.
Treat the taste buds with great food and beverages of all types or simply take a rest and watch a “heated” ice cream eating contest with free ice cream for all afterward.
Children can take a ride on the Sand Creek Sentinel, the official barrel train of Summer Daze or participate in water balloon launching. There will be several talent performances including dazzling magicians and ventriloquists.
Other activities include a Ford Mustang car show and the Ponies of the New West.
Finally, families can bring the kids into the YMCA Time Out 4 Kids adventure area with fun, interactive, athletic and educational activities. While there, stop and say ‘hi’ to this year’s Sand Creek Charli.
The festival also holds an over-21 craft brew area following the theme of each year's festival.
A Sand Creek Summer Daze Button must be purchased to enter festival grounds. Most events are free with the purchase of a button. Some events will have an extra fee attached. A list of events can be found at the Sand Creek Festival Summer Daze website.
The Sand Creek Summer Daze Festival will take place at Athletic Park located at 700 W. 1st St. in Newton, Kansas.
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