Here are sixteen things to do in KC this weekend, November 5—8 including Making Movies, The Marriage of Figaro and KC Book Fair.
Kansas City Roller Warriors
Thriving on gumption and grit (and the theatrical, witty monikers that players adopt), grassroots roller derby league Kansas City Roller Warriors is a sight to behold. Having grown significantly over the past few years, the organization opens its season with a new home team: the Rosedale Renegades. This weekend, all four home teams will compete at KCK’s Memorial Hall. The evening kicks off with a bout between the Midtown Misfits and the newly formed Rosedale Renegades, followed by a face-off between the Strawberry Hellions and the 18th & Vines.
November 7. 6 pm. Memorial Hall.
Tank and the Bangas
In 2017, genre-bending band Tank and the Bangas broke through to a national audience after unanimously winning NPR’s annual Tiny Desk Contest. Led by singer Tarriona “Tank” Ball, the group weaves together hip-hop, funk and R&B with their unmistakable New Orleans flair. The band stops in KC in support of their latest album, The Last Balloon, joined by Zeus and Ariel J.
November 5. 8 pm. The Truman.
Making Movies
Making Movies’ frontman Enrique Chi has one overarching goal with his music: to unite audiences. Braiding together traditions from Chi’s native Panama with those of his upbringing in Kansas City, Making Movies celebrates its latest release Una Vida, a project three years in the making that includes singles like “This Is a Photograph (bajo el sol de Panamá)” and “Déjala.”
November 7. 7:30 pm. Folly Theater.
Compositions and Reflections Featuring Carolina Calvache
Colombian-American composer and pianist Carolina Calvache has long been a gem of NYC’s music scene. Last year, she was named assistant professor at Warrensburg’s University of Central Missouri and, much to listeners’ delight, has enmeshed herself in KC’s music community. Flawlessly weaving together jazz, classical and folkloric music of Latin America, Calvache delivers a world-class performance alongside musicians from KC chamber music group Ensemble Iberica.
November 7. 7 pm. 1900 Building.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City Presents The Marriage of Figaro
Dress to the nines and head to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s classic comic opera, The Marriage of Figaro. Set in Seville, Spain, this four-act spectacle—which takes place over the course of one eventful day of romantic schemes—follows servants Figaro and Susanna as their employer tries to thwart their plans to marry. As is the case with all Lyric Opera of Kansas City productions, the detailed set design is built entirely in-house.
November 7, 13 & 15. Times vary. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
Karrin Allyson with the University of Nebraska Omaha Jazz Orchestra
Jazz singer and pianist Karrin Allyson is no stranger to Kansas City. Although the musician was born in central Kansas and raised in Omaha, she cut her teeth in KC’s jazz scene in the ’80s. Now residing in New York, the five-time Grammy nominee returns to the heartland, performing alongside her alma mater’s jazz orchestra in the city that helped shape her career.
November 6. 7:30 pm. Gem Theater.
Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks has sold out T-Mobile Center (formerly the Sprint Center) a whopping 16 times and is gearing up to do it again on the Blame It All On My Roots Tour. Best known for ’90s hits like “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls,” the multi-platinum country legend will perform fan favorites from his decades-long career.
November 6 & 7. 8 pm. T-Mobile Center.
Día de Muertos On Central Avenue
Celebrate Día de los Muertos in the heart of KCK. At this all-day festival and parade, witness monumental skulls, decorated floats, a car show and dancing Catrinas along Central Avenue. Be sure to bring an item of remembrance for the community ofrendas, pay a visit to a face-painting station and feast on authentic Mexican fare.
November 7. 11 am. Central Avenue, KCK.
Milestones: The Music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
This year marks the 100th birthday of two jazz giants: trumpeter Miles Davis and saxophonist John Coltrane. Each with their own distinct styles, both pioneers changed the genre forever with modal jazz albums like Davis’ Birth of the Cool and Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Featuring selections from those records and beyond, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra premieres tailor-made arrangements for this tribute performance.
November 7. 7 pm. Gem Theater.
Crossroads Flea
Mildred’s neighborhood market returns for the fall season. Inspired by New York’s bustling Brooklyn Flea, the morning market—held each second Sunday through November—features antiques, vintage wares, local produce, artisan made goods and more. Fuel up on the café’s beloved breakfast sandwiches (and coffee, of course) and shop away.
November 8. 9 am. Mildred’s (Crossroads location).
KC Book Fair
This all-ages book fair celebrates storytelling and literacy with drinks, food, live music and, of course, plenty of books. A collaboration with Rainy Day Books, the event supports Lead to Read KC, a nonprofit organization that supports young readers through mentorship and community.
November 5. 3 pm. Park 39.
Barbara Takenaga: Awestruck
New York City-based artist Barbara Takenaga, known for her abstract and meticulous dot paintings and print work, will have her first career retrospective, Awestruck, at the Kemper. Her work is held at institutions across the nation including the The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Broad in Los Angeles. The Awestruck exhibit will feature the past 25 years of Takenaga’s work.
October 9–April 11, 2027. Times vary. Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
Free Fallin’: The Music of Tom Petty & Bob Dylan
Music Theater Heritage celebrates American folk and rock with a musical review spanning the vast discographies of Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. The show features poetic hits like Petty’s “Learning to Fly” and Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”
November 4–15. Times vary. Ruby Room at Crown Center.
Snap Space: The Distance Between
In M. Willie Garcia’s mixed media print installation The Distance Between at the Kansas City Artists Coalition, the printmaker explores what it means to live alongside the unknown. Garcia draws from science, science fiction and personal identity to explore space and invites viewers to reflect on their place within a universe that has been expanding for 13.8 billion years. As a printmaker, Garcia has worked throughout the Kansas City area and has had work featured abroad in the “Sumi-Fusion” Mokuhanga exhibition in Nara, Japan.
September 18—November 6. Times vary. Kansas City Artists Coalition.
Troost United Fest
Local nonprofit Reconciliation Services hosts this free family-friendly festival. At Troost United Fest, enjoy a lineup of live music headlined by pop artist AY Young, food from Thelma’s Kitchen, giveaways, hands-on activities and more. Plus, browse the historical display that chronicles 200 years of the Troost corridor.
November 7. 11 am. Reconciliation Services.
Visions of the Flint Hills
At this annual art benefit and sale, celebrate the beautiful plains of Kansas, portrayed through art pieces inspired by the Flint Hills’ landscapes—the largest tallgrass prairie in North America. Artists from around the country find themselves inspired by the region and present their pieces at the Buttonwood Art Space this fall. Half of the proceeds go to the artists themselves, while the other half benefit the Friends of Konza Prairie, which promotes environmental education for the region.
September 28–December 9. Times vary. Buttonwood Art Space.
