Weekend Possibilities | Buck O’Neil Hall of Fame Plaque in KC, Mystic Fair and Melissa Etheridge Good Times

You can honor Kansas City’s new Hall of Famer, get into the mystic or enjoy a show from music star Melissa Etheridge this weekend.

Friday, Aug. 12

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Kansas City Royals and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, 1616 E. 18th St., are borrowing Buck O’Neil’s Hall of Fame plaque from Cooperstown this weekend. Baseball fans can see the piece of history honoring the icon at the museum during the day Friday before the plaque moves to Kauffman Stadium for the Royals’ Saturday matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The game will pay tribute to Negro Leagues history. Admission to the Negro Leagues Baseball Baseball Museum is $10 for adults and $6 for kids (5-12).

6:30 – 9 p.m. Musicians, poets, comics and storytellers of any skill level are invited to PH Coffee’s All Sorts Open Mic, 2200 Lexington Ave. The Pendleton Heights coffee shop will provide a comfortable space for performers to do their thing, while serving tasty coffee beverages, snacks and beer. Sign ups are first come, first serve. Performers get five to 10 minutes. The open mic is free.

7:30 p.m. The MTH Theater at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd., will clear its stage for a production of Cabaret in the Grand Theater through Aug. 28. The 1967 Tony Award-winning musical, directed locally by Tim Scott, will bring the classic score and story of Bohemian Berlin, Germany, just before the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich to audiences all month. The runtime is 70 minutes with an intermission. Tickets for Friday’s performance start at $35.

Saturday, Aug. 13

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Shawnee Town 1929’s Dog Days of Summer, 11501 W. 57th St., is Saturday. Put your pup on a leash and stop by for treats, tricks, food trucks, splash pools for the dogs, animal rescue group information, vendors, competitions and much more. Be sure to enter the Dog Days raffle for the chance to win a Bar K birthday party for your lucky dog. There is no admission fee.

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kansas City’s first Vietnamese coffee shop, Cafe Cà Phê, has plans for a Grand Opening at its new brick and mortar location in Columbus Park, 916 E. 5th St. The day starts with the ribbon-cutting ceremony and continues with live DJs, food trucks, a dragon dance and local vendors. 

11 a.m. – 7 p.m. The KC Mystic Fair comes to Independence, Missouri, this weekend. The three-day event featuring all things spiritual and metaphysical will take place at Stoney Creek Hotel, 18011 Bass Pro Drive. Plans for the weekend include tarot and chakra readings, healers and spiritual guides, crystals, essential oils, massage and reflexology exhibitions and more. Be sure to check out the full schedule online. Single day entry is $8. Two-day passes are available for $15, the full weekend is $20.

1 – 8 p.m. If high octane IPAs are your jam, a few beers on the patio or in the air conditioning at BKS Artisan Ales, 633 E. 63rd St., is the right move. The Brookside craft brewery menu offers both beer-to-go and pours from the bar. Options include the Lift With Your Legs IPA (10% ABV), Repetitions on Comet Hazy DIPA (8.5% ABV), plus craft lagers, other ales and pilsners. You can order canned beers online ahead of time. 

Sunday, Aug. 14

6 p.m. Top off the weekend with live music at Rotary Park in Blue Springs, Missouri, 600 N.W. Vesper St. Sunday’s concert in the park will feature music from local legends The Nace Brothers. Bring a blanket and picnic. Concerts in the park by Blue Springs Parks and Recreation are free to attend.

7 p.m. Melissa Etheridge returns to her home state Sunday evening for a concert at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, 644 Massachusetts St. The Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician is touring on her 2021 record, “One Way Out.” Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is required for entry. Tickets are available starting at $69, plus tax and fees.

Clarence Dennis is audience and digital content strategist with Flatland.