Weekend Possibilities | World Cup, Butterflies and The Beatles Here Comes the Sun

A big party weekend in Kansas City kicks off with the best Women’s World Cup watch party at the Power & Light District. Round out the schedule with Cinder Block Brewery’s Summer Fest Saturday and Kansas City’s Lawn Party Sunday at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Friday, July 21

9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Festival of Butterflies is back at Powell Gardens, 1609 N.W. U.S. 50, this month. The botanical garden is introducing several new butterfly encounters and learning opportunities this year, adding a butterfly lab, moth cave, flutter fair and native butterfly exhibit to the experience. Festival admission is included in a Powell Gardens ticket. For $10, those 21 and older can upgrade to the +Pack, which includes one alcoholic beverage, a snack and festival souvenir. Garden admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $6 for kids ages 6-12. Parking is $5.

6 – 11:45 p.m. Worlds will collide at Friday’s Barbenheimer Party, hosted by Rewind Video Dive, located beneath North Kansas City’s Screenland Armour, 408 Armour Road. The nostalgic and neon throwback bar is celebrating the “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” releases with specialty cocktails made with J. Rieger & Co. spirits and is inviting movie lovers to dress up as their favorite Barbie or Manhattan Project character. The party is free. You must be 21 or older to attend.

8 p.m. The United States Women’s National Team kicks off its campaign for a third-straight World Cup title Friday night and, as always, KC Live! at Power & Light, 13 Grand Blvd., is throwing the biggest watch party in town. The U.S. will square off with Vietnam to start group play and soccer fans can expect the game on the big screen with audio and in-game entertainment. Wear your red, white and blue. Free tickets must be reserved in advance.

Saturday, July 22

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Bugs Extravaganza from Lakeside Nature Center of KC, 4701 E. Gregory Blvd., plans to answer all of your creepy-crawly questions about insects native to the region Saturday. The free event will include a hike led by a naturalist, a real beehive tour, information on local pollinators, plus an up-close look at critters like the Mississippi Kite and American Kestral. Registration is not required.

10:30 a.m. Mountain bike club EarthRiders will host a social ride Saturday morning on the Blue River Parkway Trails, 10831 Blue River Road. Whether you are new to mountain biking or are looking for a laid-back community ride, the group welcomes riders of any skill level. Be sure to check online for instructions on locating the meetup point. The ride is free and make plans for lunch around 12 p.m. following the ride.

Noon – 11 p.m. Cinder Block Brewery, 110 E. 18^th Ave., has big plans for this year’s Summer Fest. The North Kansas City brewery will re-release its first beer ever, the Northtown Native, offer beer and spirit tastings alongside Restless Spirits and have snacks available from vegan food truck Vuture. Live music will be provided by local duo Kristie Lynn and Galen Clark. Little ones can look forward to squirt guns, a bouncy house and yard games.

6:30 p.m. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Ziggy Marley, Mavis Staples and Robert Randolph Band are coming to Grinders KC, 1826 Locust St., for a night of live music Saturday evening. Tickets to see the seriously star-studded lineup in the heart of the Crossroads are $62, plus tax and fees. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 23

10 – 11: 30 a.m. Grab a buddy and build your best boat for Sunday’s Cardboard Regatta at the Merriam Community Center outdoor pool, 6040 Slater St. Teams of two will compete to construct a buoyant boat completely from pieces of cardboard and duct tape, fit to make it across the deep end. Only one team member will participate in the actual race. All materials will be provided. Advance registration for the race is required and costs $25 per team.

4 – 8 p.m. Close out the weekend with Kansas City’s Lawn Party throughout the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, 4525 Oak St. The free party will have a little bit of everything, from wall-to-wall live on-stage entertainment to tons of games and arts-related activities for guests of all ages and more than a dozen food truck options. Feel free to bring a picnic from home. Outside alcohol, grills, stakes and tents are prohibited.

8 p.m. Sunday night is your final chance to catch “Rain – A Tribute to The Beatles” at Starlight Theatre, 4600 Starlight Road. The touring musical experience honoring the Fab Four will include hits from the band’s entire catalog but will focus heavily on tunes from Abbey Road and the group’s famous 1969 London rooftop concert. Tickets are available starting at $15.

Clarence Dennis is audience and digital content strategist with Flatland.