Weekend Possibilities | Music Festivals, Fiesta Hispana and Spinach Fest in Lenexa

Can’t wait until the Kansas City Chiefs open the 2021 NFL season against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday?

Football fans can ease their nerves and pass the time with any number of live music and cultural festivals happening over the weekend leading up to kick-off.

Friday, Sept. 10 

9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. It’s migration season. You can join the movement this weekend at George Owens Nature Park’s Hummingbird Festival, 1601 S. Peck Road. As ruby-throated hummingbirds pass through the region, the Independence, Missouri, green space will increase its feeders to 50, upping the chance for you to see the delicate creatures up close. George Owens will have experts on hand to answer any questions about the species, plus activities for the kids. The festival is free to attend.

4 – 11 p.m. Feeling festive? Make your way to this weekend’s Grain Valley Fair, happening Friday and Saturday in Blue Springs, 715 W. Main St. The two-day schedule of events offers plenty of live music, carnival rides, baby contests, reptile shows, dozens of vendor booths, food trucks and more. The festival is free to attend.

Dancefestopia Emerald City, a five-day electronic music fest, is underway on the grounds of the Wildwood Outdoor Education Center in La Cygne, Kansas, 7095 W. 399th St. The festival features performances from more than 150 artists across four stages. Headliners include Griz, Zeds Dead and Rezz. Three-day weekend music and camping passes remain available for $265.

Saturday, Sept. 11

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Did you know Lenexa, Kansas, was once regarded as the “Spinach Capital of the World?” Saturday’s Lenexa Spinach Festival at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, 87th Street and Lackman Road, plans to honor its leafy history and some with all-day arts and craft activities, food, live music and an opportunity to meet a herd of goats tasked with removing invasive species from the Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park stream corridor. There’s also a spinach recipe contest, craft vendors and the festival’s grand spectacle, the world’s largest spinach salad. Spinach Fest is free to attend.

Noon – 10 p.m. Fiesta Hispana is back on the grounds of Barney Allis Plaza, 1220 Wyandotte St., this Saturday for a celebration at the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. Created to promote cultural, educational and economic development advancement of the Hispanic community, Fiesta Hispana will have more than 75 booths offering resources, lessons in Hispanic heritage and cultural traditions, arts, and, of course, food. All that, plus music on Sunday from Mexican Norteño band, Los Cadetes De Linares. Fiesta Hispana is free to attend.

1 – 9 p.m. Local and regional talents will take the stage across four different venues for Saturday’s Crossroads Music Fest 2021. The one-day fest plans for 30 acts, including The Freedom Affair, Deshica Rage with Jessica Paige & Kadesh Flow, Arquesta Del SolSoul and Danny Cox, to name a few. Look for schedules of music from the recently-moved, fully-outdoor festival from Lemonade Park, Stockyards Brewing Co., MOD Gallery and Parlor. Festival passes are $25 in advance or $30 at a venue door.

3 p.m. Kansas City’s newest country music festival is coming to the shores of Longview Lake, 11101 Raytown Road. Get Shake The Lake tickets to see sets from headliners Dustin Lynch and Chris Janson, but that’s not all. Shake the Lake will have an interactive games area, line dancing stage and local restaurant pop ups. General admission tickets are $49. A VIP ticket that grants access to the swim beach area and front stage seating is $119.

Sunday, Sept. 12 

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kansas City-area artists of multiple disciplines will showcase their work over this weekend’s Art Westport, 4500 Pennsylvania Ave. The three-day, locally focused and outdoor art fest will feature works from more than 150 jewelry-makers, photographers, painters, mixed-media artists, woodworkers and more. Art Westport is free to attend.

1 – 5 p.m. J. Rieger & Co. Distillery, 2700 Guinotte Ave., is inviting We Got It Covered to their East Bottoms joint for the food service’s Meal Prep Relaunch. We Got It Covered will have representatives, including a certified nutritionist, on hand to chat about dietary needs and fitness goals, while providing tasty samples of the meal prep menu. There will be music and a cash bar. The information and sampling session is free.

1:25 p.m. The Chiefs open the 2021 season Sunday afternoon at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against the Cleveland Browns. A rematch of last year’s Divisional Playoff game, the opening game should be a thrilling start to the NFL season. If you aren’t headed to the game, KC Live! At Power & Light District’s Gameday: The Ultimate Game Experience, 13th Street and Grand Boulevard, is a solid second option. The game on the big screen, tailgate games, pre-game food and drink specials, plus in-game entertainment might have downtown as fired up for football as the stands at Arrowhead. Doors open two hours before kickoff. Admission is free.