River Market downtown skyline
One of downtown's most pleasant experiences, visiting the City Market during the summer.

Annual 816 Day Features Music, Circus Acts and Ice Cream

August 8, 2023  |  Kevin Collison  |  3 min read

This year’s 816 Day downtown celebration includes live music, circus acts, specials on food and drinks and a fun way to check out new destinations, the annual Scavenger Hunt Bingo game.

The event will be held Wednesday, Aug. 16, and starts with breakfast specials from 8- to 9:30 a.m. at the Strang Chef Collective in the lobby of the lightwell office building at 1100 Main.

The festivities then move to Eighth and Broadway from 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m. for a special Garment District Grooves concert with music by Billy Ebeling. Chilakillers and Tom’s Travelers Bartending will be selling food and drinks.

During the afternoon from 3- to 5 p.m. there will be an 816 Day happy hour at the PNC Plaza in the Power & Light District.

The grand finale will be the Art in the Loop KC Streetcar performance at City Market on August 16 from 5:30-8:00pm featuring:

—Traditional Music Society: Soundz of Samba. The musical excursion will take you to pageantry that is the Carnival of Rio De Janeiro with bass drums, bells, shakers, snares, and whistles all recreating the national rhythm and dance of Brazil, samba.

—Circus Scorpius | Bing! is a somewhat improvised circus production with audience participation. Audience members randomly draw a BING ball number and the circus will perform the act associated with it.

Potential acts include a variety of aerial and acrobatic numbers from Circus Scorpius’s repertoire.

—Underground Homies which will feature artists Steddy P, a Kansas City native, and GIPSON, a KC transplant, that focuses on being ‘Made in KC’ as people. The artists have different styles of music which will help create a narrative that highlights the diaspora of KC sound and culture.

You also can pick up a free 816 Day cup at any of the events above. Bring it with you to the City Market for an ice cream float special from Fountain City Scoops and Floats and a Round Robin Bingo prize raffle ticket.

There also will be a drawing for raffle prizes at the City Market event for participants in 816 Day Scavenger Hunt Bingo. No purchase is necessary to participate in the hunt and all ages are welcome.

816 Day Scavenger Hunt Bingo is a fun way to discover new downtown destinations.

From now until Aug. 16, you can roam downtown and visit participating destinations with your Bingo card. Complete the card by snapping a QR Code or picking up a sticker at the select downtown businesses, restaurants, artworks, landmarks and the KC Streetcar.

Other 816 Day events include live music in the Electric Park Garden Bar at J. Rieger & Co. in the East Bottoms with $8.16 drink specials. DoubleTap KC will serve an $8.16 cheeseburger and fries, local beers for $4 and a Chief’s Bomb for $4.

816 Day is named after our city’s area code and takes place yearly on August 16th. More details can be found here.

816 Day Downtown Bingo is brought to you by the Downtown Neighborhood Association, KC Streetcar, Art in the Loop, Downtown Council, City Market, KC Power & Light District, and the River Market Community Association.

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