Here are fifteen things to do in KC this weekend, July 25-28, including: Moulin Rouge, Olivia Rodrigo and Shrek the Musical.
Prairiefire Summer Music Series
Prairiefire has free live music concerts all summer long, for an evening of music, community and family fun. This week, Flashback performs live. Bonus: Alcohol can be taken from any restaurant or bar at Prairiefire and into the street—grab a cocktail and feel free to roam.
Every Thursday from July 4 to September 5. 7–10 pm. Prairiefire.
KC Fringe Festival
The 20th annual KC Fringe Festival kicks off this weekend. The 16-day festival showcases local, national and international artists, showcasing film, live performance pieces and the visual arts. The various shows and activities are scattered throughout the downtown area across the two weeks.
July 9–July 27. 12–6 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Various locations.
The Festival of Butterflies
The Festival of Butterflies at Powell Gardens kicks off this weekend and nature enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to celebrate butterflies—those fluttery creatures loved by all. Spend a day outdoors exploring tropical and native butterflies alongside stunning botanical displays.
July 18–August 4. Times vary. Powell Gardens.
Moulin Rouge
Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film comes to life on stage in a new jukebox musical version of Moulin Rouge. Directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers with choreography by Emmy nominee Sonya Tayeh, this musical is a celebration of beauty, freedom and love. Moulin Rouge takes audiences to a world filled with glitz, glamor, drama and romance at the turn of the 20th century in Paris.
July 23–August 4. Times vary. Kansas City Music Hall.
The Accordionists & Teachers Guild (ATG) International 2024 Festival
The Accordionists & Teachers Guild (ATG) International 2024 Festival brings more than 170 accordion players and teachers from across the globe to KC for educational sessions and a series of concerts over four days. The performances will be led by local accordion conductor Joan Cochran Sommers, who established the accordion degree program at UMKC Conservatory of Music in 1961.
July 23–July 27. Times vary. UMKC White Recital Hall.
Lorene’s Reverie
In this original musical based on the diaries of the playwright’s great-grandmother, Lorene’s Reverie offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a woman navigating the complexities of 20th century America in a reimagination of her story as a musical. The show also features local talent and the Kansas City Aerial Arts training company.
July 25–27. 7 pm. Music Theater Heritage Main Stage at Crown Center.
Alienation: A Solo Exhibition by Juan Diego Gaucin
This evocative art exhibit by Kansas City based, Mexican-born artist Juan Diego Gaucin invites viewers to contemplate the human toll of contemporary migration issues. Gaucin’s figurative oil painting challenges viewers to confront their perceptions and foster empathy in a polarized world.
July 27–August 24. (Opening Reception July 27, 5–7 pm). Gallery Bogart.
Crown Center’s WeekEnder series
Crown Center’s free family event series continues this weekend with a live musical performance by The Accidental Moguls and an outdoor screening of Dungeons & Dragons. There will also be food trucks and beverages available for purchase (rotating weekly) and guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to watch the film under the stars.
July 26. 6 pm. Crown Center Square.
Olivia Rodrigo
Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo exploded on the scene with “Driver’s License,” which dominated airwaves and charts and catapulted her to stardom virtually overnight. She hits KC on her world tour in support of her newest album, Guts.
July 26. 7:30 pm. T-Mobile Center.
Dream State
Performed by Denver Aerial Dance Collective, Dream State is a non-stop aerial dance experience set to a selection of dreamy-dramatic music from the artists of Son Lux. The performance is focused on the human experiences, exploring themes of love, loss and transformation.
July 26 & 27. Times vary. City Stage Theatre at Union Station.
Breakneck Twelfth Night
Breakneck Twelfth Night is the oddball one-man production by actor Tim Mooney. Mooney is known for performing Shakespeare’s most beloved works in a fast-paced, innovative Breakneck style, playing all of the characters and giving brand new tunes to Shakespeare’s old words.
July 26 & 27. Times vary. Whim Space (414 Prospect Ave).
GULAG GIRLS
Based on true accounts, GULAG GIRLS tells a story of courage, hope and loss in a Soviet Union-era women’s prison. Arrested as Enemies of the People, a group of women bravely fight the system from within the constraints of a Soviet era gulag, proving the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
July 26 & 27. Times vary. The Arts Asylum.
Shrek the Musical
Shrek the Musical is a family friendly musical based on the beloved 2001 family adventure tale of an unlikely ogre hero on a life-changing journey alongside a smart-mouthed Donkey and a headstrong princess.
July 26–28. 8 pm. Starlight Theatre.
2024 Celebrate AMERI’KANA Festival
AMERI’KANA is a living love letter to the Black, indigenous, immigrant and Latino heroes of American music to inspire generations. The music and performances of AMERI’KANA give opportunities for young artists in the programs to gain real world experience. This free day-long festival features Rubén Albarrán of Café Tacvba along with Making Movies, Justus West and more.
July 27. 1 pm. Concourse Park.
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
As part of Screenland Armour Theatre’s Backyard Movies series, cult-classic comedy for all ages Pee-wee’s Big Adventure will be playing underneath the stars. Based on Pee-wee’s Playhouse TV series that aired in the mid-to-late ’80s, the PG-rated comedy follows Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman, an eccentric child-like man who goes on a hilariously bizarre cross-country road trip to be reunited with his beloved bicycle at the Alamo.
July 27. 9 pm. Screenland Armour Theatre.
