By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Wild West Festival is back this year after a year's pause because of the pandemic.
The festival starts on July 1 and will run through July 4. Tickets are on sale now.
Tickets
General admission tickets for all three nights are available for $20 at the Hays Welcome Center or any of three Hays Cerv's locations. General admission tickets at the gate for one night will cost $25.
VIP tickets, which includes three nights of access, a catered meal, reserved seating, VIP restroom access and beer, wells or non-alcoholic drinks, are $150 per person and can be purchased at the Hays Welcome Center at Vine and 27th streets.
Tickets can also be purchased online.
Entertainment
The entertainment has been set. The concert series will kick off with Brock Wagoner opening for Logan Mize at 7:30 p.m. July 1. Wagoner is a Kansas musician, who plays a mix of country and classic rock.
Mize, a native of Clearwater, will take the stage at 9 p.m. His latest album is "Come Back Road." His single "Ain’t Always Pretty" hit No. 2 on the iTunes chart and has been streamed more than 20 million times on Spotify.
Jake Gill will open at 6:30 p.m. July 2 for Blackhawk and Shenandoah. A country artist, Gill is also a Kansas native.
BlackHawk, who will take the stage at 8:30 p.m, has sold more than 7 million albums, scoring multiple country hits in the '90s. Some of their Top 5 singles included “Goodbye Says It All," “Every Once in a While," “I Sure Can Smell the Rain," “Down in Flames” and “That’s Just About Right.”
Other hits included “I’m Not Strong Enough To Say No," “Like There Ain’t No Yesterday," “Big Guitar," “Almost a Memory Now," “There You Have It” and “Postmarked Birmingham."
Shenandoah, who will take the stage at 10 p.m., are know for hits, including "Two Dozen Roses,” “Church on Cumberland Road” and “Next to You, Next to Me." Their duet with Alison Krauss “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart” won a Grammy. Their album, “Reloaded,” was recently released.
Paramount, which plays '80s arena rock, will open at 7:30 p.m. for Firehouse on July 3.
FireHouse will take the stage at 9 p.m. Fans will remember this '90's rock band for hits, including "Don’t Treat Me Bad," "Love of a Lifetime," and "When I Look into Your Eyes."
The beer garden is expanding this year to give the Kiwanis more room to operate. Food vendors also will be available.
"We are hoping to have some good options for people to be able to just sit back, relax, have a time to be outdoors, socialize for the first time in how long," Jeff Ridgway, festival president, said. "It's just a time to relax and have a good time."
Fireworks are scheduled for 10 p.m. July 4.
See a complete schedule of Wild West Fest events.
Carnival
WEEE Entertainment of Ford, Kan., will be providing the carnival for this year's festival. It will be open July 1 through 4.
WEEE will feature a “Pay Our Price” promotion every day from 6 to 10 p.m. A wristband will enable patrons to ride for that period for $25. Regular prices are single tickets for $3 or 10 tickets for $25. One ticket per person is required for each ride if a wristband is not purchased.
Parade
Entries are still being taken for the festival parade that will be at 10 a.m. July 3 on Main Street, Hays. Deadline for entries is June 30. The parade registration form can be found online.
Wild West Festival 5K
Registrations are also being taken now for the Wild West Festival 5K, which will be at 8 a.m. July 3. The registration fee is $25, but will increase after July 1. The run will start from the Hays Aquatic Park at Fourth and Main streets.
You can sign up online.