Weather damages Wicked City Roller Derby's biggest fundraiser in Wichita

Severe weather hit Wicked City Roller Derby’s largest annual fundraiser at 1300 N. Nelson Dr. near Derby Plaza Theaters in Derby, leaving the Wichita flat-track league to absorb losses from damaged stock and extra cleanup. Volunteers pulled tarps and inventory up from low ground after flooding turned the site soggy, then spread about 45 bags of mulch to keep customers out of the mud as strong winds kept pressure on the tents.

The fundraiser matters well beyond a single weekend for the skater-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which is a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. Wicked City says the fireworks sale is its biggest fundraiser of the year and helps pay for tournaments along with other league functions through the season. When the weather hit the stand, some fireworks were destroyed, adding a direct financial hit to a business that exists to bankroll a volunteer sports organization.

Shauna Holloway, speaking for Wicked City, said the storm damage was "a punch to the gut." The league now has to cover ruined products, replace supplies and make up for the lost value of inventory that was set out for sale during the July run. The sale had been scheduled to run through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., then Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., a window that normally gives the group its strongest cash flow of the year.

The setback lands as Wicked City tries to build on a recent stretch of growth. A March 2025 profile said the league had grown to more than 40 skaters and, for the first time in more than 15 years, was fielding two home teams, the Delano Devils and the Riverside Riot. Wicked City says it rebranded in 2023 after previously operating as ICT Roller Girls and ICT Roller Derby, a change that came as the organization formalized itself as a nonprofit and pushed its program forward.

For a grassroots roller derby league, a storm-hit fundraiser can ripple through the rest of the calendar quickly. Travel to tournaments, equipment needs, venue costs and the league’s year-round programming all depend on the money raised in a short summer stretch, and this week’s damage forced Wichita’s skating community to confront how fragile that balance can be.