Wichita’s Somewhere Festival Draws 15,000 Attendees Across Two Days

Photo Credit: Somewhere Festival (Deadmau5 Set)

The 2025 Somewhere Festival in Wichita, Kansas has wrapped up its second year, drawing 15,000 attendees from 31 countries and six countries.The two-day festival of music, art, conversation, and collaboration brought together 105+ local visual and dance artists, nearly 190 musical artists, 51 conference speakers, 22 social change partners, and 24 community partners—all produced by Wichita’s creative community. The festival included immersive art installations and skate ramp jams, genre-defying performances, thought-provoking panels, and a space for people from all walks of life to gather, share, and co-create.

“This year proved what’s possible when vision means collaboration,” Jessie Hartke, CEO of Midtopia shared with Digital Music News. “Wichita showed the world that we can build something meaningful from the ground up—no gatekeepers, just community, creativity, and heart.”

Midtopia seeks to establish sustainable and equitable opportunities for independent artists and music workers via concepts for contributive partnerships and alternative business models that harness the connected, collaborative power of interdependence.

Somewhere Festival serves as a platform for homegrown talent, helping retain Wichita’s creative workforce by offering new platforms and access to broader audiences. The festival broke down silos—forging respect and collaboration across music, visual art, dance, skate, production, food, and more. Attendees this year described the event as a welcoming, safe space that crossed neighborhood lines, demographics, and scenes—offering real opportunities for connection and social change.Programming this year reflected the spirit of inclusivity and creativity, with national headliners like Deadmau5, Suki Waterhouse, Flying Lotus, and Aloe Blacc with 2ŁØT taking the stage. It also included more intimate sets from regional and local favorite artists. Meanwhile, the conference half of the festival sparked vital conversations with panels on mental health, artist advocacy, DIY touring, and marketing without social media. It also includes workshops on PR, personal branding, tour routing, and live looping.

The Change Starts Somewhere Block Party invited hundreds to engage in hands-on community-building around addiction recovery, economic mobility, education, and creative expression.

“This experience reminded us all of what’s possible when a group of passionate people align around a shared vision and values,” adds Chase Koch, Founder of Movement Musick. “Wichita showed the world that music, creativity, community, and collaboration can truly transform a city.”