Ever wonder how the floats are chosen for the Wichita Riverfest Sundown Parade? Turns out the people working behind the scenes to make one of Wichita’s iconic events a success are none other than a Wichita State instructor and a group of art students.

Kristin Beal is director of Wichita State Shift Space Gallery and co-founder of Harvester Arts. But every spring, she puts on a different hat – that of a creative consultant for Riverfest.

Along with help from students in her Intro to Communication and Social Practice class, Kristin plans the parade lineup by recruiting local creatives and brainstorming ideas with them.