Here are eighteen things to do in KC this weekend, September 19-22, including: Peter Pan, the Plaza Art Festival and STYX.
Renaissance Festival
Starting as a small benefit for the Kansas City Art Institute in 1977, the Renaissance Festival has blossomed into one of the city’s most-beloved events, drawing nearly a quarter of a million visitors each year willing to let their freak flag fly. Transport yourself into a long-bygone era with live jousting performances, giant turkey legs and men in tights.
August 31–October 13. Saturdays and Sundays. Times vary. 633 N. 130th Street, Bonner Springs.
Once
Once is your classic guy-meets-girl story. Two musicians named Guy and Girl bond over their love for music and learn important lessons about love along the way. Based on the 2007 motion picture by John Carney and directed by Stuart Carden, this performance at the Spencer Theater includes songs like the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly” and a heartfelt message about love and music.
September 3–22. 4949 Cherry St., KCMO.
Dial M for Murder
If you’re looking for a live murder-mystery with plenty of tension and twists, just pick up your phone and Dial M for Murder. Originally written by Frederick Knott, the show was adapted by Jeffery Hatcher to provide a more modern and fast-paced energy to this thrilling story. Presented by Kansas City Actors Theatre, which is committed to employing and supporting the local professional theater community, the performance will come to City Stage in Union Station.
September 11-29, 30. City Stage in Union Station.
Cider Festival
Get into the fall spirit at the Cider Festival at the KC Pumpkin Patch. There will be five hard cider samples when you attend the festival which takes place on the picturesque fields, with plenty of many fall photo ops along the way. Guests will also get a souvenir glass and there will be giant yard games, skeeball, adult tricycles, slides, and festival foods, wine slushies, wine, beer and cider available for purchase.
Weekends, September 14–22. 13875 S. Gardner Rd., Olathe.
Peter Pan
The classic adventure by J.M. Barrie, a favorite for nearly 70 years, is reimagined for the stage in this new adaptation by playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award-winner Lonny Price, with choreography by Lorin Latarro. Re-experience the magic of Peter Pan with old favorites like the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell and Captain Hook as Peter Pan convinces the children—and audience alike—to join him on an unforgettable adventure to the enchanted Neverland.
September 17–22. 8 pm. Starlight Theatre.
Joe Pera
Standup comedian, writer and filmmaker Joe Pera developed a cult-like following after his unassuming series on Adult Swim, Joe Pera Talks with You, gained surprising uber-popularity. In the show, Pera plays a fictionalized version of himself and talks directly to the viewer about ordinary subjects like breakfast and sleeping. His stand-up, The PERAS Tour, follows suit by gaining laughs with a quiet awkwardness and surprising, wholesome simplicity.
September 19. 7 pm. Uptown Theater.
Terra Luna
Quixotic Entertainment combines technology, music and dance to create the immersive experience Terra Luna, a half-hour walkable journey through Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Visitors will witness dance, acrobatics, art displays and more as they enter this multi-sensory experience. Food, drinks and souvenirs will be available before entering the path, and all profits will benefit the arboretum.
September 19–22. Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
Merrily We Roll Along
Don’t get it backwards! With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a recent Broadway revival in 2023, the show Merrily We Roll Along is not one you want to miss. The show will run at B&B Live, a movie theater complex that doubles as a live theater. Presented by MTKC Pro, the professional branch of Music Theater Kansas City, this musical tells the story of Franklin Shepard and his lifelong friends Mary and Charley in reverse chronological order as Frank’s dreams and character are corrupted.
September 19–22. 16301 Midland Drive, Shawnee.
Third Friday Art Walk
Every third Friday through October, artists and businesses set up booths and exhibits starting at EPIC Clay Studio in Downtown KCK for the Third Friday Art Walk, a celebration of local talent and creativity in the community. A program by Community Housing of Wyandotte County with the help of the Downtown Shareholders of Kansas City, Kansas, the event is great for the whole family. Check the digital map on their website to see each month’s vendors and events.
September 20. 5–9 pm. 609 N. Sixth St., KCK.
September Sounds at Leawood City Park
The Leawood Parks, Recreation and Arts Department is having a free live music series for the community. The fun fall event, which runs through September, continues with Liverpool KC, a Beatles tribute band. From “Love Me Do” to hits from The Beatles’ final albums, get ready for another wave of British invasion.
September 20. 6:30 pm. Leawood City Park.
Behzod Abduraimov and Shah Sadikov
The Park International Center for Music Orchestra and NAVO Arts team up to create a wonderful night of classical and neoclassical music at Folly Theater. Pianist Behzod Abduraimov and conductor Shah Sadikov, both alumni of Park ICM, are this performance’s featured artists. The music will include pieces by Ingrid Stolzel, Johannes Brahms, Mozart and more. As one of the only American music programs based on the European apprenticeship model, Park ICM prides itself on turning student protegés into talented classical artists. Meanwhile, NAVO seeks to create opportunities for arts students in the Midwest through the talent and guidance of several Internationally-recognized musicians like Sadikov.
September 20, 7:30 pm. 300 W. 12th St., KCMO.
Jurassic Park in Concert
Part of the wildly popular film with live orchestra series, the Kansas City Symphony presents Jurassic Park in concert. Guest conductor Jason Seber leads the symphony playing John Williams’ iconic score as Steven Spielberg’s legendary 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park plays. This now-iconic action-adventure becomes an all-out battle between prehistoric dinosaurs and modern scientists for a true test of survival of the fittest—because “Life finds a way,” always.
September 20 & 21, 8 pm; September 22, 2 pm. Helzberg Hall.
Camp Leavenworth
Pack your bags and get ready for s’more fun at Camp Leavenworth, a free festival near Leavenworth Landing Park and the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum that provides various outdoor activities. While some campers might be lured in by the promise of fireworks or children’s activities like balloon art or craft projects, others might want to try out more creative games like sidewalk chalk contests or silent disco. Visitors will also have access to the Makers Fair, which features a variety of handmade items for sale, as well as several food trucks to keep them energized. The festival is even partnering with the new Leavenworth Local Hotel so overnight campers can comfortably room less than a mile away from camp.
September 20 & 21. 2 Cherokee Street, Leavenworth, KS.
New Dance Partners
New Dance Partners, a project orchestrated by the Midwest Trust Center, features four different local dance companies, each performing original works of modern and contemporary dance at Yardley Hall with elite choreographers. This year, Kansas City Ballet will work with choreographer Peter Chu, while Owen/Cox Dance Group, Störling Dance Theater and the Regina Klenjoski Dance Company will team up with Alexander Anderson, Hélène Simoneau and Kia S. Smith, respectively.
September 20 & 21, 7:30 pm 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park.
Plaza Art Fair
With three live music stages, over 20 restaurant booths and 240 artists spanning nine city blocks, the Plaza Art Fair, now in its 93rd year, isn’t just a well-known national event; it is a well-loved Kansas City tradition. More than 250,000 people from around the Midwest are expected to come to appreciate one of the city’s best annual events. While the fair features numerous talented artists who excel in everything from photography to jewelry, one highlight you won’t want to miss is the work of featured artist Lydia Randolph, a painter who often uses basic shapes to depict nature that typically has some connection to her life.
September 20–22. 4706 Broadway Blvd, KCMO.
Jesse James Festival
The 53rd Jesse James Festival celebrating the life of the local legend and outlaw takes place in Kearney, Missouri, James’ birthplace, boyhood home and final resting place. Amid artifacts and DNA testing, the festival commemorates an era that shaped the nation.
September 20–22. Times vary. Jesse James Park, Kearney.
STYX
Legendary rockers STYX are hitting KC on their co-headlining Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foreigner and opener John Waite.
September 21. 7:30 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena.
Heavenly Bodies
KC Strips Presents: Heavenly Bodies is a fundraiser for the AIDS Service Foundation (ASF) of Greater Kansas City. KC Strips was founded 10 years ago to uplift artists while raising funds for the community, with performances from professional designers, musicians, actors, dancers, drag artists, burlesque artists, and more.
September 21. 8 pm. The Grand Theatre at Music Theatre Heritage (inside Crown Center).
