Downtown KC revels in the All Star home stretch

All-Star Game fever is in full bloom around Downtown Kansas City. Visitors and baseball enthusiasts have been pouring into Downtown hotels, restaurants and attractions over the weekend in preparation for the stretch run of All-Star activities today and Tuesday.

Today’s highlights include day 4 of the Major League Baseball All-Star Fan
Fest at Bartle Hall; an open house at the amazing Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts; a free Home Run Derby watch party this evening at the Power & Light District; and a private, late-night fundraiser at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum hosted by Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Ryan Howard.

The Kauffman Center will open its doors today for a free open house to welcome visitors who want to learn more about the nation’s grandest performing arts center. Today, Kauffman Center guides will offer free one-hour presentations about the performing arts center, including its history, construction and unique design. These presentations will be held in Muriel Kauffman Theatre at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday. Free reservations may be made at www.kauffmancenter.org.

Here is the highlight reel of the hottest All-Star events for today, Monday, July 9:

  • MLB All-Star Fan Fest @ Bartle Hall (9 a.m.-8 p.m.)
  • Free FanatiKCs Trolley linked the Fan Fest to 8 Downtown districts and attractions (8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.)
  • Amateurs to All-Stars exhibit @ Central Library (9 a.m.-9 p.m.)
  • Baseball Spectacular by Bazillion, Quixotic & Substream @ Municipal (9:30 p.m.)
  • GO: The Future of Mobile Payments @ Kauffman Center (2-4 p.m.)
  • Home Run Derby Watch Party @ Power & Light (7 p.m.)
  • KC All-Star Big Band, featuring Bobby Watson @ Blue Room, American Jazz Museum (5-11 p.m.)
  • Little Big Town: Hot Country Nights concert @ Power & Light (9 p.m.)
  • They Were All-Stars exhibit @ Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (9 a.m.-6 p.m.)
  • World War I All-Stars exhibit @ WWI Museum (10 a.m.-5 p.m.)
  • And, oh yes, baseball:
  • MLB Home Run Derby @ the K (7 p.m.)

For more All-Star action, visit www. Facebook.com/DowntownKansasCity or www.visitkc.com/allstar

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