Downtown flips on the holiday Dazzle this week

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Downtown will be Dazzling this week, as holiday season celebrations begin to light up the Big Town. Roll the highlight reel for Thanksgiving week in arts, culture and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Nov. 19-25:

Crown Center Ice Terrace – Kansas City’s only public outdoor ice skating rink – is open daily – including Thanksgiving – for its 46th season of great skating fun. The Ice Terrace is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays now through January. And, it will be open from 3-10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Downtown Dazzle – now in its fifth year – welcomes you to celebrate the holiday season in the neighborhoods, theaters, restaurants and destinations of Downtown KC, including Crown Center, Union Station, the Crossroads Arts District, the Power & Light District, the City Market, the Westside, the 18th & Vine Jazz District, Union Hill and the KC Streetcar. The seasonal event brings people together from across the region to explore Downtown Kansas City and celebrate the season special experiences, events and dining and shopping exclusives. Dazzle hits its full stride this week with a focus on:

.Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature three Symphony performances this week, including:

Danielle Nicole will headline a Thanksgiving eve party on Wednesday night at Knuckleheads.

Knuckleheads – the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 10 rockin’ performances this week, including the Danielle Nicole Band performing its 3rd annual Thanksgiving Eve Show American Music Experience and a very special tribute to Etta James and Aretha Franklin at 8 p.m. Wednesday; and The Jeremiah Johnson Band will rock the Gospel Lounge at 9 p.m. Friday.

The Midland will celebrating the Irish spirit this week with a KC encore performance by Celtic Thunder. The band is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a 75-city tour of the U.S. and Canada, including a stop in Downtown KC at 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Record Bar will light up the Crossroads with six nights of live music this week, including Ha Ha Tonka at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and two gigs with The Rainmakers at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Sprint Center will be soaring this week with four giant nights, including:

  • Hall of Fame Classic – featuring two nights of NCAA men’s basketball action at 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The game will feature Texas Tech, Nebraska, Missouri State and USC.
  • Twenty One Pilots will perform a Downtown flyover at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Special guests including AWOLNATION and Max Frost.
  • Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – After a career that has spanned more than 50 years, Bob Seger will hit the road one last time on their final tour with a stop at Sprint Center at 8 p.m. Saturday.

The Truman will feature Kasbo, the Swedish-born electronic music producer, with special guest Vancouver Sleep Clinic at 8 p.m. Friday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including three productions this week:

  • Christmas in Song featuring a blend of sacred and secular, popular and traditional, this Kansas City tradition has been called “the best Christmas show in town” and “Kansas City’s most consistently stirring Christmas show for 15 years” by critics and audiences alike. The fun begins on Friday at Quality Hill Playhouse.
  • Musical Monday & Tuesday – Only nine musicals have ever been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and this production will feature them all! From George Gershwin to Stephen Sondheim to Lin Manuel Miranda, this show pays tribute to the landmark musicals that redefined how musicals impact the world. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the MTH Theater in Crown Center.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical – Back by popular demand, the beloved television classic soars off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. Rudolph and his friends, Clarice, Hermey the Elf, and Yukon Cornelius learn what makes you different makes you special. Performances run through Dec. 31 at The Coterie at Crown Center.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Holidays Come Alive beginning Saturday at Union Station

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The holiday season officially returns to Downtown this weekend, as the Holidays Come Alive at Union Station beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The event is a day-long, free celebration packed with festive entertainment and family activities. It will conclude with a spectacular holiday lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. featuring Kansas City’s largest indoor Christmas tree and a breathtaking performance by Quixotic. All events will be held inside Union Station so there’s no need to bundle up the kids!

“The holidays at Union Station are more than lights,” said George Guastello, president and CEO of Union Station. “What Union Station does for the holidays is what it’s done for over 100 years; Union Station creates memories. We do that by creating holiday experiences you can’t find anywhere else.”

But, never fear, there will be lots of lights at Union Station. There are 25,000 lights on the gorgeous indoor Grand Hall Tree alone! Yards and yards of garland, mammoth wreaths, 70 Christmas trees and more will all be lit inside the Station on Saturday night.

The holiday will really come to life beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday with a ceremony that leads into a magical performance designed by the creative genius of Kansas City’s own Quixotic. Inside Grand Plaza, aerialists will fly through the air while magical reindeer, standing eight feet tall, will roam through the crowd leading them on a magical trip to the North Pole. Throughout the performance the interior will be lit in waves, ending with the Union Station ablaze in its holiday glory.

The exterior of the Station will also come alive in a dazzling holiday light show every evening on the half hour. This choreographed display will not only entertain, but also add to the festive illumination of the Downtown skyline.

In addition, there will be plenty of family photo opportunities (think holiday cards!) with larger-than life holiday props and décor, and concessions sold throughout the day. Kiss Under the Clock, a Union Station holiday tradition, returns this year from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with Kelly Urich from 94.9 KCMO Radio and holiday favorite,

National Lampoon’s, Christmas Vacation, will be running on the Regnier Extreme Screen throughout the day for only $3 per person. 

DAY OF ACTIVITIES – Saturday

All located in Grand Plaza, unless otherwise notated.

10:00 am – 4:00 pm:  Hands on Activities: Maker Studio & Strawberry Swing Holiday Activity

10:00 am – 4:00 pm:  Mesner Puppets Holiday Activity

10:00 am – 8:00 pm:  Letters to Santa (in Model Rail)

1:00 – 4:30 pm:  Balloon Artist & Sister Act Face Painters

6:00  – 6:30 pm:  Candy Cane Stop with 94.9 
7:00  – 8:30 PM Free Mini Train Rides

7:00 – 9:00 pm:  Holiday Model Rail

Stage Performances

*All located in Grand Plaza, unless otherwise notated.

10 – 10:45 am:  Mrs. Claus Holiday Stories

11:00 – 11:45 am:  KC Ballet 2 Performance

11:30 am – 12:30 pm:  Salvation Army Band

12:30 – 1:15 pm:  Quite Frankly the Band

2:00 – 2:45 pm:  Dan Riggs Big Band

3:15 – 3:30 pm:  Starlight Stars

4:00 – 4:45 pm:  Miller Marley Youth Ballet

5:00 – 6:00 pm:  HARMONIUM

6:30 – 7:00 pm:  Holiday Lighting Ceremony Featuring Quixotic

7:00 – 7:30 pm:  HARMONIUM

Event parking rate of $10 applies.

For a complete list of family friendly events that last all season long, visit www.unionstation.org/holidays. 

Construction to proceed on Downtown YMCA / Community Center

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The Downtown YMCA/Kirk Family Community Center will celebrate the beginning of construction of the former Lyric Theatre building on Friday.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas City will host a Construction Kickoff Celebration for the new Downtown YMCA/Kirk Family Community Center this Friday.

Donors, volunteers, members and the community are invited to gather at a special celebration at 11:15 a.m. Friday on the front steps of the former Lyric Theatre building at 1029 Central St.

The event will include a ceremony to commemorate the redevelopment of the 92-year-old building and illustrate bringing healthy living, youth and community programs to Downtown Kansas City. The new Y will bring important programs to the families and commuters in the heart of Downtown for the first time, including a medical clinic, swim lessons, healthy living classes for children and adults, community events, and opportunities for people of all ages to improve quality of life.

“The new Y builds on the success of Kansas City’s Downtown revitalization, and will bring much-needed community programs to this diverse and growing community,” said David Byrd, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. “This is a new chapter in history for our Y and for Kansas City as we transform the historic Lyric Theatre building into a community center that will benefit generations for years to come. We are so grateful to all of our donors and partners for their support to make this project possible.”

The $35-million renovation and reconstruction project is expected to be completed by spring of 2021. It’s funded by $16.9 million from the 11th Street Corridor Tax Increment Financing District, additional funding from the Missouri Development Finance Board, as well as charitable gifts from foundations and individual donors.

The Y will be named the Kirk Family Community Center. The Kirks are longtime YMCA of Greater Kansas City donors and supporters of the new Downtown Y. The family includes the late Phil Kirk, the former chairman of DST Realty, now part of SS&C Technologies. He played a key role in Kansas City’s Downtown revitalization and was instrumental in bringing the new Y to the former Lyric Theatre.

The Downtown Council honors Kirk’s strength and leadership each year by awarding its Philip J. Kirk Jr. Award to a community leader in recognition of community vision and Downtown stewardship. The Kirk Award will be presented to former Mayor Kay Barnes at the next DTC Annual Luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.

Other donors to the Downtown Y/Kirk Family Community Center include the Sunderland Foundation; Tom and Jean McDonnell; Illig Family Foundation; William T. Kemper Foundation, Commerce Bank, Trustee; The Kirk Foundation Trust; SS&C Technologies; Victor Speas Foundation, US Trust, Bank of America Corporation; Gary Dickinson Family Charitable Foundation; Kansas City Southern; Mabee Foundation; Dunn Family Foundation; UMB Trusts & Foundations: Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation; Jim and Annabelle Nutter Family; Sherman Foundation; KCP&L; Frank and Nancy Kirk; Mark One Electric; Tom and Jill McGee; Natalie Kirk Welch and J.C. Welch; Allen and Libby Blair; Charles and Judy Kahn; and Ron and Nancy Jones.

Features of the 62,000-square-foot Downtown YMCA/Kirk Family Community Center:

  • Preservation of the facade and lobby of the historic building including the original marble floors, ceiling tiles and more to become the new Y entrance.
  • A 42,000-square-foot section of new construction built on the north side of the lobby featuring a contemporary design. Behind the building, there will be a small green space for events and youth sports.
  • Dramatic two-story windows will be inserted into the new limestone walls along Central bringing natural light into the space and creating a contemporary, eye-catching look to the building’s exterior. The limestone will come from the same quarry that provided the limestone for the original Lyric building.\

Amenities inside the new Downtown YMCA/Kirk Family Community Center:

  • Three community rooms to give members and the community the opportunity to host meetings, celebrations of family and friends, and more. One of the community rooms will feature a teaching kitchen for healthy eating, nutrition and cooking classes.
  • A Kids Zone constructed near the entrance that will provide a safe and fun place for kids to learn and play.
  • An indoor family pool and lap pool to bring year-round life-saving swim lessons, exercise and recreational opportunities to families downtown for the first time.
  • An enclosed wood-floor gymnasium that can be used for basketball, volleyball, and other youth and adult sports.
  • A large health and wellness area offers a space for guests to improve their health through cardiovascular exercise and strength training featuring the latest state-of-the-art equipment.
  • Three studios for group exercise.
  • A suspended indoor walking and jogging track that will offer views of the lower levels of the center.

Truman Medical Center to offer a medical clinic at the new Downtown Y

The YMCA and Truman Medical Center will team up to offer a medical clinic at the Downtown Y. The two organizations first partnered to open TMC’s University Health Clinic adjoining the Linwood YMCA/James B. Nutter, Sr. Community Center in February 2018.
The Linwood Y partnership has already proven that working together toward a common vision and mission can improve community health at a time when chronic disease is rising and access to quality health care remains a challenge for many.
The Downtown clinic will make health care more accessible to Y members, as well as those in the surrounding area.
“It is part of our mission to get out of the four walls of the hospital and bring health care where it’s needed,” said Charlie Shields, president and CEO of Truman Medical Center. “We are excited about the construction of this new University Health clinic, because it’s in the right place, at the right time. The power of our combined services will make a great impact on the area’s health and wellness.”
TMC’s University Health Clinic is planned for the lower levels of the building. TMC also will partner with Cerner to bring advanced technology to the patient experience at the clinic.
“Bringing this Y and medical clinic to Downtown is truly a game changer and an important milestone for the Kansas City community,” said CiCi Rojas, chief volunteer officer for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City.
“We look forward to the completion of this project so that the Y may impact more lives for the better,” Rojas said. “There are still opportunities to give. The new Y will allow us to meet the changing needs of the community as more young professionals, families and empty-nesters call Downtown home, and will serve as a destination for the entire metro.”
Design and construction partners include BNIM Architects, JE Dunn Construction, Structural Engineering Associates, Henderson Engineers, Antella, Taliaferro & Browne, New Horizons, Land3 Studio, Larkin and FSC.
Development partners include Broadway Square Partners, the Downtown Council and MC Realty.
Financing partners include Sun Trust Bank, Industrial Development Authority of the City of Kansas City Missouri, and Missouri Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
To read more about the Downtown Y/Kirk Community Center announcement, visit CityScene KC.

Rock the Red Kettle + Folly Frolic set the tone for festive week ahead

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Lifehouse, the alternative rock band from Los Angeles, best known for their mega hits ‘Hanging By A Moment’ & ‘You And Me’ will headline the Rock the Red Kettle holiday kickoff concert on Friday at the Power & Light District..

From Lifehouse with Rock the Red Kettle to Oleta Adams with the Folly Folic; from Brian Wilson to Stephen Curtis Chapman; and from the smackdown fun of ‘School of Rock’ to WWE Raw … this promises to be a stunning week in Downtown Kansas City. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts, culture and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Nov. 12-18:

Central Library will play host to a sold-out, special appearance by the Queer Eye crew at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Near the end of four months of filming in Kansas City – and a couple of months after scoring three television Emmy Awards – the stars of Netflix’ infectious reality series Queer Eye sit down to discuss their new book Queer Eye: Love Yourself, Love Life. Their sold-out library appearance will be live-streamed at kclibrary.org/queereye.

Crown Center Ice Terrace – Kansas City’s only public outdoor ice skating rink – is open daily (through March 10) for its 46th season of great skating fun. The Ice Terrace is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during November through January.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Folly Theater will be dazzling this week with two show-stopping performances, including:

  • Steven Curtis Chapman presents his SCC Solo Tour – a celebration of three decades of music – at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Chapman’s amazing career as a Christian artist has accounted for 58 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, five Grammys, an American Music Award, 48 No. 1 singles … adding up to sales of 11 million albums.
  • Oleta Adams – the globally known blue and gospel singer, will take center stage as Kansas City celebrates the renewal of the iconic Folly Theater at 8 p.m. Saturday. Oleta’s songs draw deeply from her roots in gospel while crossing effortlessly into the realms of soul, R&B, urban, and popular music.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature six performances this week, including:

  • Brian Wilson – Returning to the Kauffman Center after his sold-out performance in 2016, the Beach Boys co-founder will perform his Greatest Hits Live, with special guests Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin. Beat Boot Revival will open the evening at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
  • Mozart, Bach and Schubert’s Ninth – The Kansas City Symphony Classical Series this weekend will feature two choral works, Mozart’s Ave verum corpus and Bach’s “O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht” to begin this beautiful program of reflection and transcendence. Then, John Adams’ On the Transmigration of Souls, evokes a “memory space” to contemplate and commemorate the events of 9/11. Performances are set for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Wild Kratts Live 2.0 – Get ready to dive into another classic Wild Kratts adventure with the Kratt brothers as they combine live action and animation, with Martin and Chris LIVE on stage and the rest of the Wild Kratts team on screen, at the Tortuga HQ. Two performances are set for 1 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Kauffman Theatre.

Knuckleheads – the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features a whopping 16 shows this week, including Ward Davis in the Saloon at 8:30 p.m. Thursday; Skid-O-Rama Fest at 7 p.m. Saturday; and the Peterson Brothers at 7 p.m. Sunday.

John Prine returns to the KC music scene this week for a long-awaited live performance at the Midland.

The Midland will be flying high with three huge events this week, including:

  • Maxwell, the multi Grammy-winning soul singer, brings his 50 Intimate Nights tour to the Big Town at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
  • John Prine returns to Downtown KC with special guest Conor Oberst at 8 p.m. Friday. Prine, a two-time Grammy-winner, singer-songwriter, is among the English language’s premier phrase-turners with music relevant to any age.
  • National Collegiate Hall of Fame Basketball Induction for the Class of 2018 will feature six former standout players and a pair of decorated former coaches. The induction celebration, presented by Nike, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Houston’s Otis Birdsong, Arizona’s Sean Elliott, Arkansas’ Sidney Moncrief, North Carolina’s Sam Perkins, Morgan State’s Marvin Webster and USC’s Paul Westphal will join former Charleston coach John Kresse and former Oregon Tech coach Danny Miles to make up the Class of 2018. For more information, www.halloffameweekend.com

The Record Bar will light up the Crossroads with five nights of live music this week, including Dolewite at 8 p.m. Friday and the Brad Cox Octet, part of the Alternative Jazz Series, at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Cassadee Pope, winner of season 3 of the NBC series ‘The Voice” will serve as the opening act of the Rock the Red Kettle holiday concert on Friday at the Power & Light District.

Rock the Red Kettle will feature former winner of The Voice Cassadee Pope and Lifehouse beginning at 6:45 p.m. Friday in the KC Live! Block in the Power & Light District. The 3rd annual RTRK show serves as the holiday campaign kickoff for the Salvation Army of Kansas and Western Missouri. RTRK is a FREE family event that also features numerous prize giveaways. You can sign up to win at: www.RockRedKettleKC.com

Sprint Center will be primed and ready for professional wrestling, as WWE Raw returns to the big top at 6:30 p.m. Monday. Check out the biggest stars in the sport – including Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose as they battle in the International Championships; Universal Champion Brock Lesner and Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey – get ready to rumble!

The Truman will be flying high this week with Celeste Barber – ‘the Australian queen of comedy’ – performing at 8 p.m. Sunday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including four productions this week:

  • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck’s classic text explores the decay of the American dream, and the enduring kindness that bond friends together for life. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents this dramatic giant through Saturday on the Copaken Stage.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical – Back by popular demand, the beloved television classic soars off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. Rudolph and his friends, Clarice, Hermey the Elf, and Yukon Cornelius learn what makes you different makes you special. Performances run through Dec. 31 at The Coterie at Crown Center.
  • School of Rock – the touring Broadway musical from Andrew Lloyd Weber – will rock the halls of the Music Hall for eight performances from 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
  • Show Boat – one of the most influential musicals in history and redefined how musical stories were told – opens Friday at the MTH Theater at Crown Center. The landmark collaboration between Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II runs through Sunday.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Amistice Commemoration continues through Sunday

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The National WWI Museum and Memorial will continue to capture the world’s attention this weekend with a flurry of activities to commemorate the centennial of the World War I Armistice on Sunday.

Highlights include Peace and Remembrance, the spectacular illumination of America’s official World War I Memorial that began last Friday and continues through Armistice Day on Sunday in recognition of the 9 million soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.

Comprised of nearly 55 million pixels to cover the Memorial with red poppies – a traditional symbol for commemorating military personnel who died inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Field.” Peace and Remembrance is viewable from a significant distance.

From today (Friday) through Sunday, admission to the Museum and Memorial is free for veterans and active-duty military personnel; general admission for the public is half-price.

On Sunday, Nov. 11, the multi-national Armistice Commemoration Ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Museum’s Memorial Courtyard. Free to the public, this special ceremony features moving readings of letters from soldiers, poetry, musical performances and more.

Armistice Commemoration – Friday to Sunday, Nov. 9-11

Reflections of Hope: Armistice 1918

When: All Day through Sunday, Nov. 11
Where: Reflection Pool outside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: Artist Ada Koch’s moving installation features 117 intricate metal poppy sculptures in a symbolic arrangement. Each poppy represents 1,000 American soldiers killed during the Great War.

Peace and Remembrance

When: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 9-11 (6 p.m.-1 a.m.)
Where: North Lawn outside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: The official WWI Memorial of the United States will be illuminated with a nearly 55 million pixel, 800,000 lumens display featuring more than 5,000 poppies each evening with a massive and moving light installation. Every 15 minutes, special presentations of images, footage and details about World War I will appear. The public is welcome to view the illumination from the grounds of the Museum and Memorial with the North Lawn being the best viewing location. Parking is available in the Museum and Memorial lots as well as along Kessler Road. In the event of inclement weather, the illumination will pause until the weather clears.

World War I Research Stations:

When: All Day, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 9-11
Where: Outside J.C. Nichols Auditorium Lobby inside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: Find your connection to World War I during Memorial Day weekend through research stations. With access to multiple databases including, Fold3.com, Ancestry.com, the Museum and Memorial’s online collections database, the American Battlefield Monuments Commission and the National Archives, discover how the Great War affected your family through records, photographs and much more. FREE to the public.

Vehicle Donation to Combat-Wounded Veteran:

When: 2 p.m. today (Friday, Nov. 9)
Where: South Lawn outside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: Join Robert Brogden Buick GMC, Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation for a special payment-free vehicle presentation to retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Steven Wacker. FREE to the public

Craft Your Own Poppy:

When: 10 a.m. -Noon, Saturday, Nov. 10
Where: J.C. Nichols Auditorium Lobby inside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What:Commemorate the Armistice by creating your own felt poppy pin or ornament in this family-friendly craft experience. FREE to the public.

Hands-on History:

When: 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 10
Where: Near Paul Sunderland Glass Bridge inside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: History is brought to life during this family-friendly program, where kids of all ages are invited to handle Great War artifacts. FREE to the public.

Armistice Ceremony:

When: 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 11
Where: Memorial Courtyard outside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: Join us for a commemoration of the Armistice of 1918 featuring representatives from more than 10 nations around the world, moving readings of poems and letters from soldiers, musical performances and more. FREE to the public.

Bells of Peace:

When: 10:55 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 11
Where: Memorial Courtyard outside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: Exactly 100 years after fighting ceased in Europe, organizations across the globe participate in a traditional bell tolling to commemorate this momentous event. Those unable to attend the ceremony are also invited to toll bells at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 to honor those who served. Collectively, the sound of bells represent this incredible moment of peace. The bell used for this ceremony was originally located at one of the federal buildings in downtown Kansas City and was rung daily by the Daughters of the American Revolution during U.S. involvement in WWI (1917-1918). It was also tolled 11 times at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1926 during the dedication ceremony of the Liberty Memorial.FREE to the public.

Walk of Honor Dedication Ceremony:

When: 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 11
Where: J.C. Nichols Auditorium inside the National WWI Museum and Memorial
What: More than 100 new Walk of Honor granite bricks will be dedicated during a special ceremony. The Walk of Honor, now more than 11,000 bricks strong, is divided into three sections: bricks dedicated solely to those who served in World War I; bricks dedicated to veterans of any military service; and bricks that honor civilian friends, family or organizations. Walk of Honor bricks are dedicated twice each year during Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. FREE to the public.

Special Exhibitions

For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI

Where: Wylie Gallery
What: Hailed as “remarkably prescient” by the New York Times, this special exhibition examines the American Jewish battlefield and homefront participation through a series of remarkable stories and objects. Featured items including Irving Berlin’s draft registration card and the handwritten draft of the Balfour Declaration, which eventually paved the way for the establishment of the Jewish state. Closes Sunday, Nov. 11.

Diggers and Doughboys: The Art of Allies 100 Years On

Where: Memory Hall
What: Australian and American troops fought side-by-side for the first time in July 1918 during World War I. Since then, the Diggers (Australians) and Doughboys (Americans) supported each other in every major military conflict, including Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. This exhibition features incredible artwork from the Australian War Memorial Collection illustrating the unique comradeship between the two countries.

The World Remembers

Where: Main Gallery
What: The World Remembers is an international education project whose purpose is to remember and honor these combatants who perished during each year of the war by displaying their names in more than 75 locations throughout Europe and North America for a period of eight weeks ending with the Western Front Armistice Day of Nov. 11. Closes Sunday, Nov. 11.

War Around Us: Soldier Artist Impressions

Where: Ellis Gallery
What: Creating art when surrounded by war seems contradictory. Artists Jean Lefort, Curtiney George Foote, Charles Thatcher Shellabarger, Myron Chapin and Jean Berne-Bellecour demonstrate several ways one can capture wartime experiences using the fields, villages, and people who witnessed the devastation of WWI. Closes Jan. 13, 2019.

Crucible: Life & Death in 1918

Where: Exhibit Hall
What: For the Doughboys on the Western Front, 1918 was their year. It was the crucible where the American land forces forged their fighting force. They fought alongside their main allies from Cantigny to Belleau Wood to the Champagne Region, the Piave River to the Marne to St. Mihiel to the Meuse Argonne to Vladivostok. This exhibition is not an illustration or timeline of how the 1918 battles were fought, rather it focuses on individuals and their lives and deaths in the crucible of 1918. Closes March 10, 2019.

Armistice Day Weekend Hours and Parking

The National WWI Museum and Memorial will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday and from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. To accommodate expected high Armistice Day Weekend attendance, additional parking will be available on the Southeast lawn of the complex (weather permitting).

The United States World War One Centennial Commission is the presenting sponsor of the Museum and Memorial’s Armistice Commemoration activities with Pioneer Services serving as the premier sponsor and Jackson County Executive and Legislature, the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund of Kansas City, Mo., and Wells Fargo providing additional support.

Click here for a complete list of Armistice Commemoration Activities.

Poppies, Butterfly, Wynonna & Carol to light up Downtown

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From Peace and Remembrance at the National WWI Memorial to Madama Butterfly at the Kauffman Center; and from Wynonna at Helzberg Hall to Carol Burnett at the Midland, this promises to be a breathtaking week in Downtown Kansas City. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts, culture and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Nov. 5-11:

Armistice Commemoration – To commemorate the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized Nov. 11 as Armistice Day – a day of somber remembrance recognized around the world, with many stopping for a moment of silence at the 11th hour of this day to honor those who brought about the end of the “Great War.” The National WWI Museum and Memorial will capture the world’s attention with activities for all ages leading up to the centennial of the World War I Armistice this Sunday. Visit TheWorldWar.org for complete details.

City Market – Join us for the 3rd annual Socks and Hops, a night of craft beer and chef-prepared small bites benefiting the City Market’s Healthcare for the Homeless Program and Mobile Medical Unit from 7-10 p.m. Saturday. Enjoy beer from local craft brewers paired with some of the best chefs in KC for a one-of-a-kind evening full of tastes, sips, and community.

Crown Center Ice Terrace – Kansas City’s only public outdoor ice skating rink – is open daily for its 46th season of great skating fun. The Ice Terrace is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during November through January. And, the Ice Terrace will remain open until March 10.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Folly Theater will feature two performances of Alice in Wonderland by the Heart of America Youth Ballet at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Wynonna returns to Downtown KC this weekend to perform with the Kansas City Symphony at the Kauffman Center.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature seven performances this week, including:

  • Orpheus Chamber Orchestra – a Grammy-winner, classical music chamber orchestra based in New York City –  is known for its collaborative leadership style in which the musicians, not a conductor, interpret the score. This innovation orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Bach, Bluegrass and Bourbon – The Kansas City Symphony performs its next Classics Uncorked concert at 7 p.m. Thursday in Helzberg Hall. After the show, enjoy a complimentary glass of wine while mingling with Symphony musicians in Brandmeyer Great Hall. A special selection of bourbons also will be available for tasting.
  • Madama Butterfly – The Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents the Puccini classic opera for three performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, and the finale at 2 p.m. Sunday in Kauffman Theatre. See the Lyric Opera listing below for more information.
  • Wynonna returns to the Big Town for an encore performance with the Kansas City Symphony in a celebration of great music, performing her country hits and rock classics along with staples of the American Songbook. This long-awaited reunion is set for 8 p.m. Saturday in Helzberg Hall.
  • KU Symphony Orchestra presents A Centenary of Conflict in commemoration of the 100th anniversary Armistice Day marking the end of World War I. The evening’s music selections commemorate loss and offer renewed hope for a peaceful world. This special performance is set for 7 p.m. Sunday – Armistice Day – in Helzberg Hall.

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features a whopping 16 shows this week, including Sky Smeed in the Gospel Lounge at 8:30 p.m. Friday; The Weepies at 8 p.m. Saturday; Black Lillies Band CD Release at 10 p.m. Saturday; and Skatalites at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Lyric Opera presents Madama Butterfly where young love falls for an old lie, and so begins what may be the greatest argument against long distance relationships ever made. Puccini pours melodic perfection (and keeps ’em coming) as “the happiest girl in Japan” eagerly marries a swaggering, shallow U.S. Navy man who embodies the phrase “love is fleeting.” The final three performances are set for Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

American icon Carol Burnett will light up the Downtown skyline on Saturday, when she performs at the Midland Theatre.

The Midland presents one of America’s most cherished entertainers Carol Burnett in a memorable evening of laughter and reflection at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The 85-year-old actress and comedienne was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 “for enhancing the lives of millions of Americans and for her extraordinary contributions to American entertainment.”

Power & Light District will feature rapper JA RULE in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday in the KC Live! Block.

The Record Bar will light up the Crossroads with six nights of live music including The Alarm with Julia Othmer at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Robert DeLong with Y God Y at 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Truman will be flying high this week with two rockin’ shows, including a sold-out performance by The Greeting Committee with special guests Brother Moses and Rachel Mallin + The Wild Type at 8 p.m. Saturday; and Behemoth – the Polish extreme death metal band – at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including three productions this week:

  • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck’s classic text explores the decay of the American dream, and the enduring kindness that bond friends together for life. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents this dramatic giant through Nov. 19 on the Copaken Stage.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical – Back by popular demand, the beloved television classic soars off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. Rudolph and his friends, Clarice, Hermey the Elf, and Yukon Cornelius learn what makes you different makes you special. Performances begin Tuesday and continue through Dec. 31 at The Coterie at Crown Center.
  • Show Boat – one of the most influential musicals in history and redefined how musical stories were told – opens Friday at the MTH Theater at Crown Center. The landmark collaboration between Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II runs through Nov. 18.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Armistice Commemoration to light up WWI Memorial – Nov. 2-11

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Commemorate the Armistice

Firing on the First World War’s Western Front ended on Nov. 11, 1918. This year marks 100 years since the stillness fell across the battlefields of Europe on the “the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.”

To commemorate the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized Nov. 11 as Armistice Day – a day of somber remembrance recognized around the world, with many stopping for a moment of silence at the 11th hour of this day to honor those who brought about the end of the “Great War.”

The National WWI Museum and Memorial will capture the world’s attention with activities to commemorate the end of the war, beginning Nov. 1 through the centennial of the World War I Armistice on Nov. 11.

Highlights will include Peace and Remembrance, a spectacular illumination of America’s official World War I Memorial, beginning at 7 p.m. today (Friday, Nov. 2). The lighting display will continue for nine consecutive evenings leading up to Armistice Day on Sunday, Nov. 11 to recognize the 9 million soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.

Comprised of nearly 55 million pixels to cover the Memorial with red poppies – a traditional symbol for commemorating military personnel who died inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Field.”

From Friday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 11, admission to the Museum and Memorial is free for veterans and active-duty military personnel; general admission for the public is half-price.

On Sunday, Nov. 11, the Museum and Memorial hosts a multi-national Armistice Commemoration Ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Museum’s Memorial Courtyard. Free to the public, this special ceremony features moving readings of letters from soldiers, poetry, musical performances and more.

The United States World War One Centennial Commission is the presenting sponsor of the Museum and Memorial’s Armistice Commemoration activities with Pioneer Services serving as the premier sponsor and Jackson County Executive and Legislature, the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund of Kansas City, Mo., and Wells Fargo providing additional support.

Click here for a complete list of Armistice Commemoration Activities.

About the National WWI Museum and Memorial

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war. To learn more, visit theworldwar.org.

Box Gallery pairs writers & artists for a creative challenge

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The Box Gallery is taking a creative turn with its new exhibition – Ekphrasis – that opens on Friday in the Commerce Arcade, 1000 Walnut.

The title of the exhibit was inspired by the Greek word, Ekphrasis, defined as a literary description of, or commentary on, a visual work of art.  The exhibit’s goal is to bring together regional artists and writers and challenge them to create new visual or literary art inspired by a specific work.

The free exhibit goes on display Friday, Nov. 2 and continues through Jan. 24, 2019. And, the public is invited to a free, opening reception is set for 6-8 p.m. Friday.

Some 20 writers and 20 artists from Missouri and Kansas were invited, via a jury process, to be part of the exhibit and to create a new work of art or writing inspired by one of the other’s original submissions. For example, a poet is given a painting and asked to use it as inspiration to write a new poem, while a painter or sculptor is given a poem and asked to use it as inspiration to create a new artwork.

Each artist and writer was blindly assigned to another person’s work. Neither the artists nor the writers know with whom they have been paired and will meet for the first time at the opening reception, when the exhibit reveals how each read the other’s work.

The show at The Box Gallery will consist of 40 works, made up of 20 pairs encompassing poetry, prose and visual art in a range of media.

“Interpretation of the arts is a subjective process,” said Robin Trafton, Box Gallery director. “This exhibit facilitates conversations between strangers and encourages them to connect, even if they see the world differently. We hope that visitors will enjoy comparing their own interpretations to those of the artists and writers.”

The exhibit is organized and curated by Diana Moxon, owner of Yocto Arts, LLC.  Moxon was the executive director of the Columbia Art League for 11 years and brought the exhibition concept to KC after successfully hosting a similar exhibit, entitled ‘Interpretations’ in Columbia, Missouri.

“We had 68 artists and 65 writers submit work to be considered for this exhibit.  Our two panels of jurors had a challenging time selecting only 20 of each for the show. It is evidence that there is a deep pool of talent here in the Midwest,” Moxon stated.

—

The Box Gallery is located in the Commerce Bank Building, 1000 Walnut, Suite 211.  It is always free and open to the public Monday-Friday 8:00am- 8:00pm.  Free parking validation is available at the security office.

Opera, Armistice, Crescendo & haunts raise the bar for the week ahead

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Armistice Day, officially recognized by President Wilson in 1919, will be observed at the National World War I Museum and Memorial on Sunday, Nov. 11. Known as Remembrance Day in many countries, the poppy is commonly worn and remains the symbol of commemoration

From the opening of Madama Butterfly to an 11-day Armistice Celebration; from the arrival of the Mayor’s Christmas tree to the seasonal celebration of First Friday; and from the UMKC Crescendo the Hunchback on Halloween, this will be a very special week in Downtown Kansas City. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Oct. 29-Nov. 4:

Armistice Commemoration – This year marks 100 years since the stillness fell across the battlefields of Europe on the “the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.” To commemorate the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized Nov. 11 as Armistice Day – a day of somber remembrance recognized around the world, with many stopping for a moment of silence at the 11th hour of this day to honor those who brought about the end of the “Great War.” The National WWI Museum and Memorial will capture the world’s attention with activities for all ages to commemorate the end of the war, beginning Thursday, Nov. 1 through the centennial of the World War I Armistice on Sunday, Nov. 11. Visit TheWorldWar.org for complete details.

Crown Center brings its traditional celebration of the holiday season with two opening events this week, including:

  • Arrival of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree – the culmination of a journey from Oregon – the 100-foot-tall tree arrives at 9 a.m. Thursday  and is put into its stand at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday!
  • Opening Day at the Ice Terrace – Kansas City’s only public outdoor ice skating rink opens for its 46th season of great skating fun. Join the excitement at the Ice Terrace with FREE skating, coffee and hot chocolate from 6-9 a.m. on opening day, Friday. The Ice Terrace will remain open until March 10.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

First Friday – KC’s hippest night of the fall season – returns this Friday with a sizzling collection arts and cultural experiences throughout Downtown via the:

  • City Market will be showcasing artists who want to explore their painting skills during an Art Experience class from 7-9:30 p.m. in City Market Square OR to demonstrate their techniques and exhibit their works during Be Part of the Art from 6-10 p.m. in Pavilion 1.
  • Crossroads Arts District featuring arts organizations, galleries, studios, and a wide variety of local businesses in a celebration of local, regional and national artists and live entertainment from 5-9 p.m.
  • First Friday on the Vine is a cultural experience of music, art, food, and shopping on every First Friday year round. Shop local artists and a diverse array of food trucks. from 5-9 p.m. And, all of the neighbors in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District present lively entertainment!
  • First Friday Warehouse Weekends – one of the finest vintage marketplaces in the country – flourishes every First Friday weekend (Friday through Sunday) in the West Bottoms.

Folly Theater welcomes two remarkable performances this week, including:

  • Vikingur Olafsson – Possessing a rare combination of passionate musicality, explosive virtuosity, and intellectual curiosity, this Icelandic virtuoso, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday in this special Friends of Chamber Music engagement.
  • Burning Sands Step Show – presented by the DEED Foundation and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. – returns to the Folly at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Haunted Houses – With Edge of Hell, The Beast and Macabre Cinema, all set in multi-storied commercial buildings built around 1900, the West Bottoms is home to three of the Midwest top attractions. For tickets and schedules, visit Full Moon Productions.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature six performances this week, including:

  • Mariinsky Orchestra – Following an astounding appearance a year ago leading the Stradivarius Ensemble, Valery Gergiev returns to conduct the maximum-strength orchestra. Praised for his “full-blooded and engrossing” musicianship by the UK Telegraph, Gergiev will conduct another unforgettable evening of music for the Harriman-Jewell Series at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Helzberg Hall.

  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Celebrate Halloween with guest organist Dorothy Papadakos, as she revives the 1923 classic silent horror film with a completely improvised score played on the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ and featuring Kansas City Symphony Principal Percussionist Christopher McLaurin improvising on orchestral chimes as Quasimodo.  The haunting magic begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Crescendo: Rhythm of a City – Join the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance for its annual fundraising event for scholarships, with music and dance performed in a fast-paced 60-minute prism concert by Conservatory students and faculty. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Saturday in Helzberg Hall, followed by dancing and a cash bar in Brandmeyer Hall.
  • Ballet Folklorico de Mexico has been bringing vibrant Mexican music and dance to audiences around the world since 1952. The famed ensemble will fill Helzberg Hall at 7 p.m. Saturday with an eye-popping performance featuring colorful costumes, thrilling music and spectacular dance moves that showcase Mexico’s rich cultural heritage. This performance is part of the Harriman-Jewell Series.
  • Madama Butterfly – The Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents the Puccini classic opera beginning Saturday evening in Kauffman Theatre. See the Lyric Opera listing below for more information.
  • Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band present “The Greatest Generation”, a tribute to the men and women of World War II. Audiences will enjoy many of the classic Big Band Era songs while the story of the war is told through pictures and videos beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall.

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 14 red-hot shows this week, including Bettye LaVette at 8 p.m. Thursday; Watermelon Slim Band and Scott Keeton & the Deviants at 8:30 p.m. Saturday; and Curtis McMurtry with Ali Holder at 8 p.m. Sunday in the Gospel Lounge.

Lyric Opera presents Madama Butterfly where young love falls for an old lie, and so begins what may be the greatest argument against long distance relationships ever made. Puccini pours melodic perfection (and keeps ’em coming) as “the happiest girl in Japan” eagerly marries a swaggering, shallow U.S. Navy man who embodies the phrase “love is fleeting.” Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and continue next week with three showings all in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

Tedeschi Trucks Band returns to Downtown this week to tear the place up a might.

The Midland will be smokin’ this week with two red-hot concerts, including:

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band – now 12 members strong, and with a catalog of five albums and nearly a decade of steady touring in the U.S. and abroad – returns to rock the Big Town at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tedeschi Trucks Band carries a distinguished reputation earned from both audiences and critics as one of the premier live bands in the world.
  • Big Gigantic – a pioneer of live electronic music since the band’s inception in 2008 – will light up the Midland beginning at 9 p.m. Friday. Special guests include Flamingosis and My Pet Project.

Power & Light District will be celebrating with the Wicked Wine Walk – a benefit for The Children’s Place – beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday. Sip, taste and explore Downtown Kansas City at this sold-out event, which features live music on 14th Street, wine tastings and small plates at each of the participating venues.

Lynyrd Skynyrd says farewell to its KC area fans this Friday at Sprint Center.

Sprint Center says farewell to Lynyrd Skynyrd at 7 p.m. Friday. After a career that has spanned more than 40 years and including a catalog of more than 60 albums with more than 30 million units sold, Southern Rock icons Lynyrd Skynyrd embark on their Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour with special guests Jamey Johnson and The Marshall Tucker Band.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers – the smart, road-ready outlaw country band – will rock The Truman on Saturday night.

The Truman will be flying high this week with five shows including Kasami Washington with Victory Boyd at 8 p.m. Monday; Tank and the Bangas & Big Freeda with Naughty Professor at 8 p.m. Wednesday; Tom Papa at 8 p.m. Thursday; Sir Sly and Joywave at 8 p.m. Friday; and Jason Boland & The Stragglers with Vincent Neil Emerson at 8 p.m. Saturday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including two productions this week:

  • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck’s classic text explores the decay of the American dream, and the enduring kindness that bond friends together for life. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents this dramatic giant through Nov. 19 on the Copaken Stage.
  • Show Boat – one of the most influential musicals in history and redefined how musical stories were told – opens Friday at the MTH Theater at Crown Center. The landmark collaboration between Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II runs through Nov., 18.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Halloween creeps up on the Downtown A&E scene this week

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From the Kansas City Symphony Pops Series featuring Glorious Gershwin to a vast graveyard of creepy and joyful Halloween treats, Downtown Kansas City will be groovin’ all week long. Let’s roll the highlight reel for the week in arts, entertainment and pure bliss – Monday to Sunday, Oct. 22-28:

Central Library presents Pictures of the Year International – a special exhibition of 50 arresting images by the world’s leading photographers – that runs through Sunday.

Crown Center presents BOO-TASTIC FUN this Saturday and Sunday. Have your photo taken with the Wicked Queen from noon-4 p.m. AND enjoy puppet shows from StoneLion Puppet Theatre at noon and 2 p.m. both days.

Crossroads KC will wrap up its outdoor concert season in the East Crossroads with SOJA featuring Collie Buddz and Xiuhtezcali at 8 p.m. Friday on the Grinder’s stage.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Haunted Houses – With Edge of Hell, The Beast and Macabre Cinema, all set in multi-storied commercial buildings built around 1900, the West Bottoms is home to three of the Midwest top attractions. For tickets and schedules, visit Full Moon Productions.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature five performances this week, including:

  • Chanticleer – Called “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker, the San Francisco-based GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble Chanticleer celebrates its 40th anniversary with the tour – Then and There, Here and Now tour – a panoramic look at their  complete musical history, featuring classical pieces, traditional songs, and modern melodies. The performance is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Glorious Gershwin featuring Patti Austin will light up Downtown with three performances this week with the Kansas City Symphony and its glorious in the latest edition of its Pops Series at 7 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Halloween Symphony Spooktacular – Your little ghosts and goblins will love this frightfully fun Halloween concert filled with creepy-crawly surprises! Experience symphonic chills and thrills as the orchestra guides you through spooky and silly music that’s not too scary but plenty extraordinary. The Kansas City Symphony invites the entire family to dress up in their favorite costumes and trick-or-treat afterward in the Brandmeyer Great Hall lobby. The fun begins at 2 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall.

Los Straitjackets – the leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental. – will rock Knuckleheads this Friday.

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 12 smokin’ shows this week, including Jeff Bergen’s Elvis Show in the Gospel Lounge at 8:30 p.m. Friday; Los Straitjackets with Suitcase Junket at 8:30 p.m. Friday; and English Beat Rain with The Red Ball Jets at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Midland will play host to the Freakers Ball featuring GHOST at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Celebrate Halloween in style on Saturday at CostumeCon in the Power & Light District.

Power & Light District will be celebrating the spirits of the season with CostumeCon from 8-11 p.m. Saturday in the KC Live! Block. Celebrate Halloween with a costume contest kicks off at 8 p.m., as three roaming judges select 15 contestants to be entered into the Live! main stage contest at 11 p.m. First place will take home $3,000 in cash, plus many more prizes.

The Truman will be flying high this week with two shows this weekend, including Maggie Rogers with Mall Rat at 8 p.m. Friday, and Thriller: Costume Dance & Party featuring four of KC’s best DJ’s and a $1,000 costume contest. The Halloween fun begins at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Union Station presents Spookfest: Night at the Museum from 5-7 p.m. Saturday at Science City. The 6th annual Halloween celebration will feature spooky science demos and activities, creepy critters and eerie edibles, a Spooktacular Science City Show, and a costume contest.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including two productions this week:

  • Broadway and All That Jazz – From the ridiculous to the sublime to the breadlines, American popular culture rode a roller coaster of epic proportions in the 1920s and 30s. Throughout it all, the founders of the Great American Songbook – George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern – produced timeless songs for jazz clubs and Broadway stages that is captured in this Songbook of the 20s and 30s that runs through Sunday at the Quality Hill Playhouse.
  • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck’s classic text explores the decay of the American dream, and the enduring kindness that bond friends together for life. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents this dramatic giant through Nov. 19 on the Copaken Stage.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Holiday Mart to light up Downtown – Thursday thru Sunday

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Downtown Kansas City will celebrate an early taste of the holiday spirit this weekend, as the Junior League Holiday Mart returns this weekend – Thursday through Sunday – at Bartle Hall.

Holiday Mart is Kansas City’s premier nonprofit shopping event, and features a series of Special Shopping Opportunities this weekend. Holiday Mart continues to support community projects sponsored by the nonprofit JLKCMO, including its Signature Programs focused on women and children.

Holiday Mark opens Thursday morning and runs through Sunday afternoon:

  • Thursday – 9 a.m. to noon: Preferential Shopping (special ticket required)
  • Thursday – Noon to 8 p.m.
  • Friday – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Saturday – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday – 10 a.m to 4 p.m.

To learn more, along with Frequently Asked Questions, visit https://www.jlkc.org/events/holiday-mart/

 

We’re off to see the KC Marathon, the Wizard & oodles more

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Get your motor running this Saturday at the Kansas City Marathon, which begins and ends in Downtown Kansas City.

From the Wizard of Oz to the Kansas City Marathon to Becoming Martin, Downtown Kansas City will be in the national spotlight all week long. Let’s roll the highlight reel for the week in arts, entertainment and pure bliss – Monday to Sunday, Oct. 15-21:

Central Library presents Pictures of the Year International – a special exhibition of 50 arresting images by the world’s leading photographers – that runs through Oct. 28; and a look back on Women’s Activism in Kansas City, 1870 to 1940. Author David Hanzlick traces the evolution of women’s activism in Kansas City from the post-Civil War era through the demise of the Pendergast political machine at 2 p.m. Sunday. RSVP now.

City Market presents Bounce-tober-Fest from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, featuring special inflatable fun for all ages, live music and dance party, yard games, a pumpkin patch contest and a beer garden. Check out the details and get ready to bounce!

Crossroads KC will rock the East Crossroads with a fury at 7 p.m. Friday, as The Dead South features four powerhouse acts, including Split Lip Rayfield, Whiskey Shivers, The Mighty Pines and Del Suelo.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Folly Theater will feature the UMKC Combined Wind Bands in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The Conservatory Wind Symphony and the Conservatory Wind Ensemble – directed by Steven D. Davis and Joseph Parisi, respectively – will perform CHEN YI: UMKC Fanfare; MESSIAEN: Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum; BARBER: Commando March; DEL TREDICI: In Wartime; and
SOUSA: Bullets and Bayonets.

Haunted Houses – With Edge of Hell, The Beast and Macabre Cinema, all set in multi-storied commercial buildings built around 1900, the West Bottoms is home to three of the Midwest top attractions. For tickets and schedules, visit Full Moon Productions.

The witch is back, as the Kansas City Ballet presents ‘The Wizard of Oz’ beginning this weekend at the Kauffman Center.

Kansas City Ballet presents The Wizard of Oz like you’ve never seen before – complete with all-new music, sets, costumes and more – beginning Friday and running through Sunday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets to one of the six remaining performances, click your heels together.

Kansas City Marathon returns to the streets of Kansas City this Saturday! This is KC’s largest and most exciting annual race event and it gives runners a tour of the city’s most beautiful landmarks and cool neighborhoods, including the sights and sounds of Downtown and more. The Kansas City Marathon – featuring the marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 5K runs – is expected to attract 10,000 participamts – will begin at Washington Square Park at 7 a.m. Saturday. Registration is open until Wednesday. Get your motor running… Fireworks will kick off the race and a huge after-party with live music, free food and local beer!

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature seven breathtaking events this week, including the final six performances of the Kansas City Ballet’s visit to the Land of Oz, including:

  • Stars of the Strings – Join your friends in the Kauffman Center lobby on Tuesday for a drink after work, followed by an inspiring, free  performance from Kansas City Symphony members. This program is all about strings with fugues from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, works by contemporary composers George Walker and Andy Akiho, plus Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge (Great Fugue). Cash bars open at 5 p.m. with a one-hour, casual concert in Helzberg Hall beginning at 6 p.m.
  • The Wizard of Oz – The much anticipated world premiere by Septime Webre, the creator of Alice (in wonderland), will take audiences on a fantastical journey to the Emerald City, courtesy of the Kansas City Ballet. Filled with all the familiarity of the classic story – Dorothy and Toto swept to Oz join up with three unlikely heroes to see the Wizard, their triumph over the Wicked Witch, and the quest to return home – yet realized with a bold, new spectacle of music, costumes, sets, projections and special effects. We’re off to see the Wizard for the final six performances this week (from Wednesday through Sunday) in Kauffman Theatre.

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 14 smokin’ shows this week, including Booker T. Jones with Atlantic Express at 8 p.m. Thursday; Johnny Winter All Stars featuring the Paul Nelson and Johnny Winter Band with Shannon and the Rhythm King Band at 7:30 p.m. Friday; and Blues Caravan with Bernard Allision and Mike Zito at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The Kansas City Prince Orchestra will celebrate the life and music of Prince on Sunday at the Midland,

The Midland will be on fire this week for three long-awaited gigs, including Hillsong Worship with Pastor Brian Houston in a sold-out appearance at 7 p.m. Thursday; Kansas at 7:30 p.m. Friday; and 4U – A Symphonic Celebration of Prince with the Kansas City Price Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Power & Light District will be celebrating the spirits of the season with a rockin’ Basic Witch Party at 7 p.m. Friday in the KC Live! Block. Featured artists include Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Meg Myers and Yes You Are.

Rod Stewart returns to Downtown KC for a performance – featuring special guest Cyndi Lauper – on Tuesday at Sprint Center.

Sprint Center will be smokin’ hot this week with three concerts, including Rod Stewart with special guest Cyndi Lauper at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Fleetwood Mac featuring a line-up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie along with newcomers Mike Campbell and Neil Finn at 8 p.m. Thursday; and Erykah Badu with guests CeeLo Green and Goodie Mob at 8 p.m. Friday.

The Truman will be flying high this week with four -yep, quatro – concerts this week, including Years & Years with CYN and Jess Kent at 8 p.m. Wednesday; Eden on his Vertigo World Tour featuring Kacy Hill at 8 p.m. Thursday; An Evening with Machine Head at 8 p.m. Friday; and Gregory Alan Isakov with Oh Pep! at 8 p.m. Saturday.

This Coterie world premiere by Kevin Wilmott runs through Sunday at Crown Center.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including three productions this week:

  • Becoming Martin – This world premiere centers on the mentorship Martin Luther King, Jr., receives when he enters Morehouse College at age 15. Through debate over civil disobedience concepts, Morehouse College President, Dr. Benjamin Mays, sets young MLK on a path towards fighting for civil rights. This play is a Coterie commissioned work by noted filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and playwright, Kevin Willmott. Performances run through Sunday at The Coterie at Crown Center.
  • Broadway and All That Jazz – From the ridiculous to the sublime to the breadlines, American popular culture rode a roller coaster of epic proportions in the 1920s and 30s. Throughout it all, the founders of the Great American Songbook – George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern – produced timeless songs for jazz clubs and Broadway stages that is captured in this Songbook of the 20s and 30s that runs through Oct. 28 at the Quality Hill Playhouse.
  • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck’s classic text explores the decay of the American dream, and the enduring kindness that bond friends together for life. The Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents this dramatic giant beginning Friday through Nov. 19 on the Copaken Stage.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com