Weekend Possibilities | March Madness, Cannabis and Cats Flinging into Spring

Even though no local teams are playing in this weekend’s March Madness action at T-Mobile Center, sports fans can expect high-quality basketball with a spot in the Final Four on the line.

Bracket already busted? Other options include the Johnson County Cat Show, a cannabis expo and a film festival in Leavenworth.

Friday, March 24

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Lucky Leaf Expo is coming to Missouri for the first time this weekend for two days of panels, exhibitors and activities focused on the adult-use cannabis industry in the state. Held at Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center, 2345 McGee St., the business-to-business conference will provide a wealth of information for anyone involved in or interested in learning more about the budding industry, from cultivation to accounting, web sales and so much more. Be sure to check out the full schedule of speakers in advance. Single-day tickets are $45, plus tax and fees.

6:15 p.m. High-stakes college basketball returns to the T-Mobile Center, 1407 Grand Blvd., Friday and Sunday. In Friday’s Sweet 16 games, the No. 1 ranked Houston Cougars will take on the Miami Hurricanes at 6:15 p.m., followed by a matchup between the Xavier Musketeers and the Big 12’s Texas Longhorns around 8:45 p.m. Sunday’s Elite Eight game will send one team to the Final Four in Houston, Texas. Resale tickets are still available for the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals and final. Ticket prices vary.

Saturday, March 25

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Calling all cat people. The Johnson County Cat Show will be held on the Johnson County Fair Grounds, 136 E. Washington St., in Gardner, Kansas, this weekend. The show’s schedule includes household and purebred cats competing for the “Best In Show” crown, free cat coloring books for the first 100 kids, a cat costume contest and the opportunity to shop around for food, toys and more for your own furry friend. Adult tickets are $10. Seniors and children get in for $7. Family four packs are available for $25.

1 p.m. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform onstage at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Saturday afternoon. The world-famous group of performers, originally organized by Chicago dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey in 1958, will draw on both works of the past and more contemporary pieces. Tickets are available starting at $38.50.

3 – 11 p.m. Look forward to flights all night at Cinder Block Brewery’s Spring Fling Cider Fest in North Kansas City, 110 E. 18^th Ave. Ciders on Saturday’s flight lineup include prickly pear, passionfruit, peach ginger and acai fizz, to name a few. Be sure to vote on your favorite for the chance to win two cases of Cinder Block’s Cherry Limeade Cider. Cider cocktails and slushies are also on the menu. Cider Fest is free to attend.

4 – 7 p.m. Strange Days Brewing Co., 316 Oak St., will host this season’s KC Glory Kick-Off Party. Entering its fourth season, the Kansas City women’s football team plans to mingle with fans, reveal the 2023 uniform, give out raffle prizes and raise a glass to the start of this year’s campaign. The Glory’s first home game is April 1 at Shawnee Mission North High School. The party is free.

8:30 p.m. Whiskey Dynamite, a “nonsensical neo-western cabaret”, is the latest project from the performance art collective Quixotic and the production hits the stage for the first time this weekend at The Grand Theater in Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd. Expect a performance full of colorful acrobatics and theatrics set to a soundtrack somewhere between Americana and psychedelic funk. The dress code is “bright western Americana.” Tickets are available starting at $60.

Sunday, March 26

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It’s Live, Love, Vintage weekend at Village West, 10500 Parallel Pkwy. The traveling three-day vintage market is an upscale shopping experience where one can find antique furniture and clothing, handmade jewelry, original art, outdoor furnishings and more. Food trucks will be on site for the hungry. Sunday tickets are $10, plus tax.

Noon The four-day First City Film Festival wraps up Sunday at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St., in Leavenworth, Kansas. The final day will show seven films across three screens, although a few showtimes overlap, so be sure to go online and strategize in advance. Categories include documentary, comedy, horror, love and loss, personal history and friendship. Day passes are $25. Individual block tickets are $6.

2 p.m. Yoga in the Park has returned to the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St. The second session among the shuttlecocks this season will be led by instructor Emily Cox and is open to yogis of any skill level. The practice is free. Be sure to bring sunscreen, water and a mat or towel.

Clarence Dennis is audience and digital content strategist with Flatland.