Here’s what you need to know about the Riverfest’s newest Admiral Windwagon Smith
Kaye Monk-Morgan remembers being in the fifth grade and attending Riverfest for the first time in the early ‘80s with her family.
“We went for Mother’s Day and so that was the gift we gave my mom,” Monk-Morgan said. “I got to pick what the gift was.”
Monk-Morgan, a third generation Kansan, holds Riverfest near and dear to her heart. She has been involved with the festival for about 15 years — serving on committees, building out the festival, being on the board of directors for six years and chairing the board for a year.
This year, Monk-Morgan will serve the festival in a different capacity. She has been named the festival’s 49th Admiral Windwagon Smith, the official ambassador for the festival. She is the first black woman — and third woman overall — to be awarded the role.
“The Riverfest crew is lucky to have Kaye at the helm this year, as our admiral and official ambassador,” said Nancy Duling, president and CEO of Wichita Festivals. “Her years of service to WFI — and Wichita — well qualify her to host Kansas’ largest community celebration.”
Monk-Morgan will don the traditional red coat worn by Admiral Windwagon Smith for this year’s Riverfest that will run June 2-10.
“I am honored to have been selected to represent Wichita and our largest celebration in the community,” Monk-Morgan said. “Not everyone gets to do it, so it’s a real gift.
Besides her long-time devotion to Riverfest, Monk-Morgan has a extensive background in education and civic engagement in Wichita. She is the president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center and serves on boards for Emprise Bank, Kansas African-American Museum, NXTUS and the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State.
“I do a lot to support our community and so these are the things that keep me busy when I’m not at work,” Monk-Morgan said.
Monk-Morgan’s fondest memory of the festival is from 2022, a performance from artist Fred Hammond during Gospel Fest.
“That was my absolute most favorite memory,” Monk-Morgan said. “To have talent of that caliber came out and minister to our city.”
As admiral, Monk-Morgan will visit children at hospitals, speak to civic organizations and help host events during Riverfest.
She will be assisted by the 2023 Prairie Schooner Mates, a group of high school juniors selected by their schools to represent Riverfest.
Three things to know about Kaye Monk-Morgan’s Riverfest favorites:
▪ Food choice: funnel cake with powdered sugar and “no extra stuff... kind of classic.”
▪ Favorite event: Sundown Parade
▪ Favorite year of Riverfest: 2022 with performance from Fred Hammond, Grammy award winning gospel artist
Monk-Morgan takes over the admiral role from Barry Schwan, president and founder of House of Schwan Inc., the 48th admiral.
