Arts & Entertainment
KC Live! and Downtown Score Big Time with World Cup Fans
By Kevin Collison Kansas City Live! cemented its reputation as being the place to gather in the metro to watch big sporting events with more than 10,000 people screaming their patriotic hearts out for the U.S. women’s soccer team Sunday. It was where Rob and Andrea Gladson traveled from Olathe to share the excitement and…
Star Wars Launches Crown Center Free WeekEnder Series July 12
Free Friday night movies and live music with food trucks at a downtown, outdoor venue easily reached by streetcar, what’s not to like? Crown Center launches its WeekEnder series July 12 with the original 1977 Star Wars classic ‘A New Hope” at about 9 p.m. after a performance by County Road 5, a band described…
Family-Friendly PNC Plaza Opens in Power & Light District
PNC Bank is partnering with the Power & Light District to rebrand an outdoor space in the downtown entertainment area “PNC Plaza” and plans to make it a hub for family-friendly activities. The plaza at the base of the H&R Block tower was formerly called Elements Courtyard because of its fountain and fire feature. It’s…
Boulevardia Back to The Bottoms This Weekend
Boulevardia returns to the West Bottoms this Friday and Saturday, adding carnival rides, big name concert artists and of course, plenty of beer to the historic birthplace of Kansas City. This year’s festival will feature an expanded Silent Disco where dancers enjoy themselves with music piped into wireless headsets and a couple of new attractions,…
Downtown Open Returns, Fun Chance to Hit Golf Balls Off Tall Buildings
By Kevin Collison The new streetcar has been a vehicle for a lot of things–downtown commuting, spurring development and drawing weekend tourists–but a golf cart? That’s the plan for this Saturday when the Downtown Open organized by KC Crew returns for a fourth year. Participants will start at the event’s Washington Square Park “clubhouse” and…
Blade & Timber Flipping from West Bottoms to Power & Light District
Blade & Timber is throwing its axe from the West Bottoms and burying it in the Power & Light District with plans to relocate to 13th and Baltimore by late summer. The popular axe-throwing hangout that opened its first location in 2017 at 1101 Mulberry St. has been lured to space formerly occupied by Kobe, a…
Bar + Rec Plans Lively Entertainment Center in Old KC Star Building
By Kevin Collison Bar + Rec, the first tenant announced for the ongoing redevelopment of the old Kansas City Star building, has a year-old pile of sand and months of work ahead before its planned opening at year’s end. Partners Mark Musselman and Luke Wade continue to push forward with their ambitious plan to create…
KCAI Launches Liberal Arts Project, Part of $30M Campus Overhaul
By Kevin Collison The Kansas City Art Institute kicked off construction of a new liberal arts building last week, part of a $30 million campus building program that’s creating a new future for the 134 year-old school. “This is a pivotal moment in our college’s history,” said Tony Jones, the Nerman Family President of KCAI….
College Basketball Experience Refreshing Its Game
By Kevin Collison The College Basketball Experience next to the Sprint Center is replacing some dead wood, specifically its center basketball court which has gotten tired after 12 years of abundant bouncing. “We have 100,000 visitors annually and 100 basketball tournaments every year,” said CBE spokeswoman Celeste Lupercio. “It’s also our main space for corporate…
Vibrant Crossroads Street Art Scene Subject of New Guided Tour
By Kevin Collison To the uneducated eye, when it comes to the explosion of street art brightening the alleys and buildings in the Crossroad Arts District in recent years it’s hard to know the difference between a “tag,” a “throw up” or a fully realized “burner.” Much less who some of the better artists are…