Weekend Possibilities | Earth Day, Planet Comicon and Snoop Dogg So Much Stuff, So Little Time

Snoop Dogg live at Azura Amphitheater Friday night might headline the weekend’s busy calendar across Kansas City. Just don’t forget about Earth Day, Planet Comicon, Midwest Pottery Fest and Record Store Day.

Friday, April 22

1 – 8 p.m. Planet Comicon Kansas City kicks off Friday afternoon and will run through the weekend at Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th St. The three-day convention will have meet and greet opportunities with stars like Adam Savage from “MythBusters” and actors from “Star Wars Clone Wars,” plus an entertainment space, comic grading, guest speakers, a cosplay contest and much more. Friday tickets are $29.99 for adults and $10.99 for children, plus tax and fees. Be sure to check online for a full schedule of events and ticket pricing tiers.

7 p.m. There’s a legendary hip-hop trio coming to Azura Amphitheater, 633 N. 130th St. in Bonner Springs, Friday night. Tickets are still available to catch the Dogg Daze of Blaze Tour, featuring pioneers of the genre Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Warren G. You can get in the door for $39.50, plus tax and fees.

7 – 10 p.m. Fire Music: The Story of Free Jazz will be screened Friday evening at Stray Cat Film Center, 1662 Broadway. The documentary will cover the early days of the innovative and improvisational sound and feature many of the music’s key performers. There will be live music pre-screening, so be sure to arrive early. Proof of vaccination is required to attend. Tickets are $10.

Saturday, April 23

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Kansas City has plans to Celebrate Earth Day 2022 at Frank A. Theis Park, 47th and Oak streets. Join the party for teach-ins and tabling from organizations across the metro focused on protecting the planet. Other activities on the schedule include hands-on science activities, composting demonstrations, reading circles, plus plenty of room to play. Celebrate Earth Day 2022 is free to attend.

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. There’s an Empowering Women Pop-Up Saturday afternoon at Shop Local KC, 3630 Main St. Local women-owned businesses like Foxtail Vintage, Brown Sugar KC and Flower House KC will be set up throughout the space for a free day of shopping around with the gals.

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Morton Hall, 3936 Main St., is the venue for this year’s Midwest Pottery Fest and the full weekend of demonstrations and work on display is free and open to the public. The fest will feature works from a dozen talented artists and much of the work will be available to purchase. The first 50 people through the door will get a free cup. A flower bar will be set up on Sunday for anyone looking to fill a new vase with a complementary bouquet.

7 – 11:45 p.m. Saturday is Record Store Day and Manor Records, 401 N. 6th St., is throwing a party. The Kansas City, Kansas, nonprofit and used record store and bar won’t have any special Record Store Day releases, but there will be drinks, vintage records to look through and live music performances from Cuee and Field Daze. There is no cost of admission.

Sunday, April 24

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beautiful botanical displays and floral arrangements will be featured at this weekend’s Painted Garden event at Powell Gardens, 1609 N.W. U.S. 50. In partnership with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and featured artist Peregrine Honig, Painted Garden transforms the botanical garden into a living art gallery just in time for spring. Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair will be on hand if you’re interested in shopping around. Guests can enroll in Painted Garden classes that go behind the curation of botanical pieces for $50. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for kids (ages 5-12).

12 p.m. Part of KC Design Week, Not Your Average Historic Building at Hy-Vee Arena, 1800 Genessee St., will feature a presentation from professional preservationist Elizabeth Rosin that is focused on the challenges and opportunities in rehabbing mid-century modern buildings across Kansas City. Following the 30-minute chat, guests will have the chance to tour Hy-Vee Arena, which was renovated using historic tax credits. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $15, plus fees in advance or $20 at the door.

2 – 3 p.m. There’s free Yoga in the Park Sunday afternoon on the lawn at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St. All are welcome to stretch it out alongside the shuttlecocks, just remember to bring your own mat or come prepared for yoga in the grass. Donations are encouraged.

Flatland contributor Clarence Dennis also is a social media manager for 90.9 The Bridge.