Experimental Spirits & Other Weekend Possibilities

Lifted Spirits Distillery (1734 Cherry St.) begins a new chapter with its Experimental Spirits Series this Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. They’re holding an open house and will sample jalapeño and herb vodka and jasmine rooibos with lemon (made with Hugo tea). The distillery will talk about ingredients and its process for creating spirits.

The Little Platte Distillery (210 E. Meadow St., Smithville, Missouri) has its grand opening from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. The distillery is producing legal moonshine from a corn mash, and will have apple pie, pecan pie, or berry infusions available.

The Kansas City Ballet’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” runs through this Sunday at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. You can catch a show Friday (7:30 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m., 7:30 p.m.), or Sunday (2 p.m.). Then, don’t miss our behind-the-scenes documentary, “Me, Dorothy…and This Road to Oz,” airing at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 on KCPT.

Me, Dorothy…and This Road To Oz | Flatland KC

Me, Dorothy…and This Road to Oz is an unprecedented immersive trip down the yellow brick road with the Kansas City Ballet as the cast and crew prepare for the world premiere of “The Wizard of Oz.”

When the temperature drops, it never hurts to think about warmer places. The Malihini Tiki Festival, a celebration of Tiki culture, is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center (8788 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas). Learn about tiki bars, Exotica music or how to dance the hula. General admission tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door (if available), and there is an additional fee for the seminars.

You can find heat in other ways too. The Lenexa Chili Fest is Friday (6 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) in Old Town Lenexa (Santa Fe Trail Drive and Pflumm Road). As teams vie to be named best in show in the chili, salsa, and hot wings categories, the public has the chance to walk through and snag samples of face-melting chili dishes.

The Drugstore (3948 Main St.) hosts a Fall Open Studios night on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. Check out the new artists in residence, drink Boulevard beer, and see the new mural from Sike Style.

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (3002 W. 47th St., Kansas City, Kansas) will be open this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are normally closed on Sundays. This has been a BSA — barbecue service announcement.

Chapter 1 | From Discard to DestinyKansas City is often called a melting pot of barbecue. The idea is that we’re willing to cook a lot of different meats, and that we’ve taken the time to understand how to do each one right (here’s a hint:…

Dodson’s Bar & Commons (7438 Wornall Road) hosts a Private Stock release party for J. Rieger & Co. in conjunction with the local chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The fifth annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration is from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday in Kessler Park, just to the west of the Kansas City Museum (3218 Gladstone Blvd.). The festival, presented with Mattie Rhodes, includes food trucks, crafts, sugar skulls, live music and a puppet show. You’re encouraged to bring your own picnic, too.

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