Event FAQs
- April 20-June 19 - Early bird registration includes a $5 discount with shirt included - $20
- June 20-August 19 - Regular registration with shirt included - $25
- August 20-September 19 - Last chance/onsite registration - no shirt included - $30
Registration covers the entire weekend. While Friday is free to the community, Saturday and Sunday events cost. However, with your one registration, it covers the entire weekend.
If you're on a team, you need to contact your team captain to arrange pickup directly from them.
If you are the team captain, please see the schedule below:
- Thursday, September 24th - 12-6pm
- Friday, Septemeber 25th - 10am-6pm
- Saturday, September 26th - 10am-2pm
Once packet pick up is complete, items are boxed in preparation for the onsite pickup on Saturday, Oct. 3rd Please stop by the registration area to pick up your items beginning at 9am.
Team captains will collect the items for the entire registered teams, including wristbands, tshirts, and other information. Please visit the team captain representing your team to retrieve your items.
Nothing. We've added new and exciting components, while securing additional sponsorship to cover the added expense, so our families and community members can get the most out of the weekend!
No. If you are wanting to attend and register, please start with registration. It will allow you to make a donation during your process. A donation is appreciated, but we have no way of combining the two different things.
This fundraiser is to support the work of the Down Syndrome Society of Wichita. DSSW is able to operate because of the generous support through this event. We love to acknowledge those who go above and beyond to make a difference! Please see the incentive deadlines here:
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- May 19th - Raise $100 - participant gets spotlight in social media ad
- June 19th - Register 21 team members and get a participant fathead
- July 19th - Raise $500 - get a 2x8 themed team banner with Team Name featured
- August 19th - Raise $1,000 - get a marked team tent displaying team name for the event day
- September 19th - Raise $2,500 - participant gets featured in
- September 19th - Most team members - receive a $100 gas card and a trophy
Friday is night is all about awareness! While we invite our families, friends, supporters and volunteers to join us for the fun, this event is geared toward the community as a whole to spread awareness at the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month (October). As a smaller nonprofit, we want to take every effort to share our mission. Our goal is to form new bonds, spread awareness and connect with community members.
Friday night is free.
Yes! Friday night is family-friendly.
Naftzger Park, located in downtown Wichita. The address is 601 E. Douglas.
Friday night - there are parking options surrounding the park and across the street. Please adhere to the policies for wherever you choose.
Saturday - we utilize the parking garage on 2nd and Waco, and there is parking surrounding the park.
Saturday spectator - TBD
Sunday - Wichita State University has free parking throughout. Please adhere to the policies.
There will be food trucks available for individual purchase.
No, just simply show up, and bring a friend!
Your lawn chair, blanket and your family!
Think of this as a laid back hangout with friends. We'll connect, play games, jam out to the live DJ and enjoy the sounds from a guest musical artist (to be announced, soon!).
No. While you can hang out for the whole event, come as you wish! It is a come and go type of vibe.
- Saturday has received a major upgrade! We have not taken any of the wonderful components away from Saturday. We are adding to the excitement with additions!
- The Parade of Stars will now be an actual parade. We are creating an adaptive parade, to including community organizations, supporters, and we're encouraging our teams to go all out! Decorate your car, wear funky headbands, and sport your team banners in support of the stars of the day!
That's the excitement! We are creating a magical parade and teams have four options including electric green, pink, blue or yellow for their team color. Whatever color the team captain picks will be for the entire team. All individuals with Down syndrome will have an orange shirt. Remember, shirts are included with registrations until August 20th.
Yes! We are still celebrating with our teams, but you will receive a specific team number and line up time.
The distance and route has not changed. It will still be 1-mile around Central.
Yes.
The parade line up will be at 9am. Your team will be assigned a specific time to arrive. The parade will begin at 10am. The celebration ceremony will follow at 11am, followed by lunch and carnival games.
We're not letting these go! There will still be a pathway sign Walk of Fame, just placed closer to the gathering grounds. We want to eliminate stalling the parade, so signs will have their own dedicated space so you can still pictures with your loved one and celebrate!
The pathway sign deadline is September 11th. You can submit your pathway photo here.
Yes. Registration is required. The parade participation and its surrounding activities are for paid registrants. Spectators for the parade are free.
Absolutely. We will cover our regular route on Central. Spectators are encouraged to join us on Central to watch the parade.
Spectators can register to participate onsite. However, the ceremony, food and games is reserved for registered participants, only.
They will need to register. Onsite registration will open at 9am. We are glad to welcome them to join in!
Yes. Food is still included with your registration and will be provided by our presenting sponsor, Thrive Restaurant Group.
No. We will have that as a separate event at a different time.
Yes. They will start after the Celebratioin Ceremony, which begins at 11am.
Yes. It will begin immediately after the Celebration Ceremony at 11am. Tickets will be available for $1, $3 and $10. If you pay via card, there is a 3% service fee.
We encourage cash!
Have mailing labels with your name and phone number to save time writing on each ticket.
As in years past, we will have popcorn, sno cones, a photo booth, a community and job resource fair, food, caricature drawing, the live animal farm and MORE!
Sunday is about advocacy and development. This day is intended to allow families to learn and grow in both advocacy and a focused topic. A guest lecturer (coming soon), will lead the conversation and provide expert insight. Sunday is designed for families, advocates, educators and professionals.
The cost is included with registration. If you have not registered, you can buy a Sunday only Advocacy to Action event ticket here.
Yes! We will present a Spanish track for both advocacy and the guest lecture presentation to eliminate language barriers.
You can! Individuals with Down syndrome are free with a paid registration. Once you register your team, the link will be included in your confirmation email that allows you to register your participant.
For this event, we have community resource and partner agencies spots available for $50, which gets your space and also a place in the parade!
Job site resources are able to attend at no cost, but will not be part of the parade line up.
For a community resource form, please email info@dsswichita.org
