HUMBOLDT — This week’s blistering heat wave can be capped off Saturday with one of the coolest, most refreshing events in Southeast Kansas: Water Wars.
It’s an opportunity to get blasted from all sides by water guns, hoses and balloons, particularly during the annual water-themed parade around the Humboldt square starting at 11 a.m. Floats, boats and fire trucks wage a wet battle on bystanders. The crowd is actively encouraged to return fire, with several barrels full of chilly water on standby around the square to refill your weapon of choice.
After the parade, the drenched crowd will disperse to stations scattered throughout the center of the square for a series of water-themed activities such as slides, a watermelon eating contest, bubble wands and kiddie pools. Food trucks will be set up nearby.
“It’s a wild day,” Damaris Kunkler, one of the organizers with A Bolder Humboldt, said. “Get ready for uninhibited fun and laughter for anybody and everybody, from age zero to 100. Bring your water gun and a sense of humor.”
Water Wars is a Humboldt tradition from the 1980s and 90s that gave the local fire department a chance to demonstrate its equipment and have a little fun squirting water on the crowd. A Bolder Humboldt reimagined the event in 2019. After a COVID-19 break in 2020, the event has returned every summer to thrill and chill the community before kids head back to school.
“It’s nostalgic,” Kunkler continued. “We’re delighted to bring this back and add elements to make it even more exciting. And it’s usually one of the hottest days of the summer, so come out to get saturated and have a good time.”
This year, the popular slip-and-slide will double in size to reduce wait times. It will offer four 75-foot lanes.
For those looking for even more “refreshment,” the beer garden is getting a tiki makeover with frozen tropical cocktails.
The original Water Wars featured a barrel blaster event, courtesy of the Humboldt Fire Department. Teams of firefighters and the crowd compete against each other, using the department’s high-powered hoses to blast a barrel hung high over the square. Think tug-of-war but with water. This year’s event will start earlier in the day and includes new equipment to encourage more participation in this classic event.
The fun wraps up at 2 p.m.
