Old Shawnee Days
The annual Old Shawnee Days is a jumble of all things that make you think “carnival.” The four-day outdoor event has carnival rides and games, vendors and a live music lineup headlined by country acts Jason Pritchett of America’s Got Talent and X-Factor alum Tate Stevens.
Thursday, June 2–Sunday, June 5. 6–10 pm. Saturday’s parade is at 11 am. Shawnee Town 1929.
Plant-Based Junk Food in KC
Vuture Food brings its popular comfort food tour from Los Angeles to Kansas City. Specializing in vegan nut-free “junk food,” their famous crispy “chik’n” sandwich and loaded fries are the perfect combination to accompany a cold craft beer or cider from artisan host Cinder Block Brewery.
Thursday, June 2, 3-9 pm. Cinder Block Brewery.
Food Truck Frenzy
Speaking of food trucks, the Food Truck Frenzy is going down in Old Town Lenexa this Saturday. There will be live music and more than ten food trucks, including Barbwire BBQ, Coco Loco Grille, Ragusa’s Italian Cafe and Taste of Brazil. Seating is limited, so you’ll want to might want to bring your lawn chairs.
Saturday, June 4, 5-10 pm. Old Town Lenexa.
Downtown Days Lee’s Summit
Come support the revitalization of downtown Lee’s Summit with the annual Downtown Days Festival, presented by Lee’s Summit Medical Center. The three-day festival includes over fifty handcrafted artisan vendors, fair food staples like funnel cakes and beer, carnival rides and games, and a lineup of live music—including the popular Fleetwood Mac cover band, Landslide.
Friday, June 3, 12-10 pm. Saturday, June 4, 10 am-10 pm. June 5, 11 am-4 pm. Downtown Lee’s Summit.
Meadowbrook Park Festival
The term “craft fair” takes on a new meaning with the Strawberry Swing Meadowbrook Park Festival. A list of local vendors curated by Strawberry Swing will be selling. The party continues with lawn games, live bluegrass music and a wide range of food trucks.
Friday, June 3. 3–9 pm. Meadowbrook Park, Prairie Village.
Tacos and Tequila Festival
The Tacos and Tequila Festival is back for year two, this time with a Throwback theme. The festival is headlined by T.I., Juvenile and Ginuwine, and the margarita lineup is almost as impressive, with flavors like mango creamsicle and basil melonball. The event also offers a hundred different street taco options, lucha libre wrestling and a showcase of exotic cars.
Saturday, June 4. Doors open at 2 pm. Legends Field.
Haim
Haim’s blend of soft rock and pop music with touches of R&B bring a unique energy to the stage. The three Los Angeles sisters will play hits from their most recent album, Women In Music Pt. III, which took over music charts everywhere at the time of its release in 2021.
Saturday, June 4. 8 pm. Starlight Theatre.
Strang Hall’s Beer Fest 2022
Forget the usual brunch and bottomless mimosas, check out a unique day-drinking and dining experience with a wide variety of beers, appetizers, and live music at Strang Hall’s second-annual Beer Fest. Each ticket includes four hours of unlimited tastings from twelve breweries, including favorites like Boulevard Brewing Co., KC Bier Co., and Torn Label Brewing. Fill your tummy with the endless select appetizers from the six kitchens inside Strang Hall and take advantage of the additional discounts on food for a unique dining and drinking experience.
Saturday, June 4. 2-6pm. Strang Hall.
2022 Guns N Hoses Charity Boxing Event
The seventeenth annual ‘Guns N Hoses’ Charity Boxing Event is coming to the Municipal Auditorium. Choose sides and cheer on your favorite local heroes as they are pitted against each other in the ring to support the programs of the KCMCC, primarily the Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund (SAFE).
Saturday, June 4, 6:30 pm. Municipal Auditorium.
The War On Drugs
If you’re a late-Xer aiming for Bob Dylan, you might get lucky and hit Bruce Springsteen. At least that’s what happened on I Don’t Live Here Anymore, the new record from The War on Drugs. Singer Adam Granduciel references Dylan to open the title track, but the end result for this Philly outfit is so Springsteen-y you can smell the steak sandwich on it.
Sunday, June 5. 7:30 pm. Grinders.
Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow
Starting this Friday Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, a new and haunting exhibition highlighting the decades between emancipation and the age of Jim Crow, will be on display at the National WWI Museum. The exhibit comes from the New-York Historical Society and has been enhanced by items from the WWI Museum’s collection. “This exhibition is important and relevant especially in light of the Buffalo shooting last week,” Karis Erwin says. “It’s disturbing, and we want people to sit with that and think.”
Through Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. The Wiley Gallery at the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
