15 minute read
The Summer Guide
The Summer Guide
By The Pitch Staff & Pilsen Photo Co-op
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Juneteenth
May 31 - June 19
JuneteenthKC Film Festival, Screenland Armour
June 3
JuneteenthKC 6th Annual Cultural Parade, 18th & Vine District
June 16
Juneteenth National Independence Day: The Story Behind Our Newest Federal Holiday, Harry S. Truman Historic Site
June 17
BlaKCK MarQet Juneteenth Festival, 1801 Quindaro Blvd. (KCK)
3rd Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration, Harmon Park (Prairie Village)
Juneteenth: A Black Roots Reunion, Burcham Park (Lawrence)
Juneteenth Twilight Parade & Festival, Haymarket Square (Leavenworth)
4th Annual Advocacy & Awareness Peace March & Rally: A Juneteenth Celebration, Thompson Park (Overland Park)
JuneteenthKC Heritage Festival: The Homecoming, 18th & Vine District
The festival will be returning for its 12th year in the historic 18th & Vine District. With performances from Gospel Jubilee, Kim Keys & Loc’d, Sir Charles, and many more, JuneteenthKC’s festival will highlight Black artists at the American Jazz Museum Atrium hosted by Black Space Black Art. Admission is free and includes family activities such as face painting and pony rides. You can download the mobile app for the festival to stay up to date on the vendors and event lineup.
June 17-18
Juneteenth Celebration, Downtown Lawrence
June 19
“Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom” Dinner, Documentary and Discussion, 20 E Gregory Blvd.
Pride
June 2
Pride Kickoff NEON Party w/ VCMN, Lucia
June 3
Lawrence PRIDE, Downtown Lawrence Out with the Current, Children’s Mercy Park
KC Rainbow Tour Launch Party, Kansas City Museum
Queer Bar Takeover, J. Rieger & Co. Trixie Mattel, KC Live!
June 4
NUBIA: A Brave New World Tour, The Folly Theater
Hot Pink: But I’m A Cheerleader, Screenland Armour
June 9
Friday Night Lights: Super Queeroes, Gaels Public House & Sports
June 9-11
KC PrideFest 2023, Frank A. Theis Park
June 11
OUTside Voices KC: True Colors, Community Christian Church
June 16
Royals Pride Night, Kauffman Stadium
June 17
6th Annual Pride Bar Crawl, John’s Big Deck
Deja’s PRIDE Cabaret, Maceli’s Banquet Hall & Catering
June 17-18
Disney PRIDE in Concert, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Immerse yourself in a Disney-inspired multimedia celebration of LGBTQIA+ life and love at Disney PRIDE in Concert. Featuring the Heartland Men’s Chorus, the family-friendly concert will draw inspiration from classic Disney films like The Lion King and Mary Poppins, as well as modern sensations like Coco, and Zootopia. Along with the 150-member chorus, the show will feature a 25-piece orchestra, accompanied by animations from Disney and Pixar films and personal stories from chorus members connected to the meaning in their musical selections.
June 18
2023 Pride Celebration, Warren Place Venue (Gardner, KS)
June 24
Pride on Vine 3, 18th and Vine District Independence Pride ‘23, Englewood Arts District
June 26
Ragazza Pride Brunch, Ragazza
July 8
Queer Bar Takeover, The Black Box
July 29
Jinkx Monsoon: “Everything at Stake,” The Folly Theater
4th Of July
July 1
Osawatomie’s Lights on the Lake 2023, Osawatomie, KS
Stars & Stripes Celebration, Knuckleheads
Mozingo 4th of July Celebration, Mozingo Lake Recreation Park
Independence Day, Baldwin City Golf Course
Red, White & Blue Springs, Blue Springs South High Smithville Fireworks Show, Smith’s Fork Park
Mahaffie’s Independence Day, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm
July 2
#5 Patriotic Concert in the Park, Indian Creek Rec Center
Red, White and BOOMbox, Kansas City Live Block
July 3
SummerFest 2023, Douglas County Fairgrounds
Stars and Stripes Picnic, National WWI Museum and Memorial Red, White and Baseball, Kauffman Stadium
July 4
4th of July Fireworks, DeSoto Riverfest Park
4th of July Celebration, Platte County Courthouse
Lenexa Freedom Run, Lenexa, KS
Community Days Parade, Lenexa, KS CarrollTON’S of Fun Day, Carrollton Recreation Park
Stilwell KS 4th of July Parade, Stilwell, KS
Star Spangled Spectacular, Corporate Woods Office Park
Platte City 4th of July, Platte City, MO
Ward Parkway Four on the Fourth, Ward Parkway
July 4th Fireworks, College Boulevard Activity Center
July 6
Family Fun Nights- 1860s Fireworks, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm
Stages
June 3
Beartooth & Trivium, Uptown Theater
All Time Low, The Midland
RadFest Volume I, Lemonade Park
Radkey presents RadFest Volume I at Lemonad(e) Park. The first volume of RadFest includes a taste of rock bands Radkey, The Phantastics, The Many Colored Death, Drop a Grand, and more. The bands’ origins range from Columbia to St. Louis, and of course, Kansas City, providing crowd members a variety of sounds from across the region. Advance tickets are $25 and $30 at the door. The concert is 18+, and minors can attend with an adult. Doors will open on 1628 Wyoming Street at 4:30 p.m Show starts at 6 p.m.
June 5
Shakey Graves, The Truman
June 8
ILLENIUM, Azura Amphitheater
June 9
Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears, Knuckleheads
Summer Concert on the Lawn, Kansas City Museum
June 10
Luke Combs, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Taylor Tomlinson, The Midland
Raytown Live!: Package Band, Greenspace in Town Center
Nintendo Rave, Granada Blues Fest, Legacy Park Amphitheater
June 11
Weezer, Azura Amphitheater
June 13
Nickel Creek with Special Guest Gaby
Moreno, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
June 14
Dancefestopia: Yellow Brick Road, AURA
June 15
Gov’t Mule, Grinders KC
June 16
Dillon Francis, Kansas City Live Block
Coors Light and Mix 93.3 host music producer Dillon Francis and special guest Rossy at KC Live! Dillon Francis (aka DJ Hanzel) is best known for hit songs like “Get Low, Bun Up the Dance” and his work with Skrillex, Calvin Harris, A-Trak, DJ Snake, and other popular EDM artists. Electronic artist Rossy is from Liberal, Kansas, and is currently on tour. Her sound combines elements of classical music and trap, making Rossy and Francis a dynamic electronic pair. Doors will open at 7 p.m. at Kansas City Power & Light District on 110 E. 13th St. The event is 21+.
June 18
Matchbox Twenty, Starlight
June 21
Summer Concert Series: Madisen Ward, Crossroads Hotel Kansas City
June 23
Intocable, The Midland
Jonathan McReynolds: “My Truth” Tour, The Madrid
#IMomSoHard: Ladies’ Night, Liberty Hall
June 24
Fall Out Boy - So Much For (Tour) Dust, Azura Amphitheater
June 27
Dirty Heads, Grinders KC
Alesana, recordBar
June 28
Pallbearer, recordBar
June 30
Kansas City Reggae Music/Jerk Festival, Berkley Riverfront
July 1
Young The Giant with Milky Chance, Starlight
July 2
Between the Buried and Me, The Truman
July 7-8
Taylor Swift, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
For those lucky enough to secure tickets, Taylor Swift is bringing her recordbreaking Eras Tour to Arrowhead Stadium for two unforgettable nights. With a three-hour set that takes you through Swift’s entire musical career, it’s safe to say that she is doing it like nobody else. You officially have bragging rights. Swift has been in the game for over a decade now and hasn’t been on tour since 2018, so she’s making up for lost time with four albums never performed live.
July 8
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, Knuckleheads
Raytown Live!: Brass Rewind, Greenspace in Town Center
July 11
Gogol Bordello, The Truman
July 14
Summer Concert on the East Lawn, Kansas City Museum
July 16
Killer Queen - A Tribute to Queen, Uptown Theater
July 18
Foreigner, Starlight
July 19
Shania Twain: Queen Of Me Tour, T-Mobile Center
July 21
The Backseat Lovers, Grinders KC
July 22
Ann Wilson of Heart & Tripsitter, Uptown Theater
July 25
Death Grips, The Midland
YUNGBLUD: The World Tour, Uptown Theater
July 27
Kansas, The Midland
July 29
An Orchestral Rendition of Dr. Dre: 2001, The Truman
August 1
Goth Babe, The Truman
August 2
The Front Bottoms, Grinders KC
August 4
Ween, Grinders KC
August 5
Ed Sheeran, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Orville Peck, Uptown Theater
Famed for performing faceless in his signature fringed mask and cowboy hat, South African country music artist Orville Peck will be gracing KC with his presence late this summer. Peck has broken boundaries in the music industry by gaining a fanbase without showing his face while also speaking about his experience as being an openly gay man in the country music scene. His music stays true to classic country themes of longing and heartbreak but incorporates subtle themes of Peck’s experience with his own sexuality and masculinity. If you haven’t gotten into Orville Peck yet, the song “C’mon Baby, Cry” from his latest album Bronco is a great introduction. Don’t miss Peck’s performance at the Uptown Theater on Saturday, Aug 5. Tickets start at $35.
August 10
Ben Folds, Uptown Theater
Spitalfield, Encore Room
August 11
Q104’s Yallapalooza starring Parker McCollum, Azura Amphitheater
horsegirl, The Bottleneck
August 12
Raytown Live!: Lucidity, Greenspace in Town Center
Bully, The Bottleneck
August 17
The Wallflowers, Uptown Theater
August 18
Sylvan Esso, The Midland
August 19
Billie Joel & Stevie Nicks, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Trey Kennedy, The Midland Incubus, Azura Amphitheater
August 25
Weyes Blood, The Truman
The Black Keys, Starlight
August 26
Taking Back Sunday, Kansas City Live Block
August 27
Goo Goo Dolls with O.A.R., Starlight
August 30
Zach Bryan, T-Mobile Center
The Mega-Monsters Tour: Gojira, Mastodon & Lorna Shore, Azura Amphitheater
September 5
Tash Sultana, VooDoo Lounge
September 6
Poppy & PVRIS, The Truman
Movies
June 14
BASEketball (25th Anniversary), Screenland Armour
June 9
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Theatrical
Strays, Theatrical
June 16
The Flash, Theatrical
Elemental, Theatrical
The Blackening, Theatrical
Extraction 2, Netflix
June 20
South Beach Shark Club, VOD/Digital
June 23
No Hard Feelings, Theatrical
Asteroid City, Theatrical
Follow director Wes Anderson into an eerily bright desert town in the 1950s for a space-inspired comedy drama. The film will tell the tale of a Junior Stargazer/ Space Cadet convention’s interruption by earth-shattering events that result in danger for attendees. The cast includes Brian Cranston, Tom Hanks, and Hong Chau—but that is just the beginning of the long list of top-tier actors featured in the film.
June 24
Rise, Disney+
June 26
Free State Festival, Various locations
June 27
R.A.D.A.R.: The Bionic Dog, VOD/Digital
June 30
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Theatrical
Ruby Gilman, Teenage Kraken, Theatrical
Harold and the Purple Crayon, Theatrical
July 7
Insidious: The Red Door, Theatrical
Joy Ride, Theatrical
The Out-Laws, Netflix
July 12
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part
One, Theatrical
July 14
Theater Camp, Theatrical
July 21
Barbie, Theatrical
The highly-anticipated Barbie live-action movie will feature heartthrobs Margot Robbie as the iconic namesake plastic doll, and Ryan Gosling as Ken, her love interest. Barbie is directed by Greta Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Lady Bird (2017), and will follow Barbie on her adventure through the human world after she is expelled from BarbieLand for not being perfect enough. The film boasts a $100 million production budget and a star-studded cast, including Will Ferrel, Dua Lipa, Issa Rae, Helen Mirren, and more.
Oppenheimer, Theatrical
They Cloned Tyrone, Netflix
July 25
Once Upon a Time in Uganda, VOD/Digital
July 27
Happiness For Beginners, Netflix
July 28
Haunted Mansion, Theatrical
August 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Theatrical
Meg 2: The Trench, Theatrical
August 11
Gran Turismo, Theatrical
The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Theatrical
Heart of Stone, Netflix
August 18
Back on the Strip, Theatrical
Blue Beetle, Theatrical
Please Don’t Destroy, Theatrical
The Hill, Theatrical
August 25
White Bird, Theatrical
They Listen, Theatrical
Lift, Netflix
Vacation Friends 2, Hulu
September 1
The Equalizer 3, IMAX
Arts & Exhibits
June 3-4
Midwest Design and Furniture Fair, Overland Park Convention Center
June 9-10
Sugar Creek Slavic Festival 2023, Mike Onka Memorial Hall
June 10
Sexhibition: Rated Art, Weinberger Fine Art
Weinberger Fine Art and Habitat Contemporary present the second, sensually immersive experience of Sexhibition: Rated Art. The sexy safe space welcomes you to erotic works of art through visuals, music, and performance. Artists including Gerry Trilling, Winton Kidd, Jared Horman, and many more contribute to its creation. Featured performances are provided by R&B artist Stephonne Singleton, performance art collective Quixotic, and DJ Rico Dejoia. Cellar Rat, Aquesto Estila de Vida tequila, and Boulevard Brewing Co. will offer drinks to quench your thirst while Shroom catering settles your appetite with sweet treats. The 18+ event starts at 7 p.m.
June 13
Open Art Night, Henry’s Upstairs
June 23
Concert & Movie Night, Hyde Park
Downtown OP Art Fair, Downtown Overland Park
July 8
Art Garden KC, Berkley Riverfront Park
KC Children’s Urban Book Fair, Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center
July 14-16
KantCon 2023, Overland Park Convention Center
August 13
816 Day: For The Love Of The City, 18th & Vine District
The day the city honors itself is back this year on Sunday, August 13, starting at 9 a.m. In the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, this is a celebration the whole family can enjoy with everything from fitness and health, live music performances, dance, fashion, art, and more. This year they will highlight “The Horn Section” with performances by musicians who specialize in horns. There will be vendors, food trucks, a kids’ play zone, DJs, and more.
August 18
The 44th Annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Swope Park
August 25-26
Kaw River Roots Festival, Downtown Lawrence
Food & Drink
June 2
Festa Italiana, North Park at Zona Rosa
June 3
Global Neighbors & Flavors Fest, Lenexa Public Market
Bamboo Penny’s Thai New Year Celebration, Park Place
Hy-Vee SummerFest, Belton Memorial Park
Vaile Mansion Strawberry Festival, Independence, MO
June 10
Don’t Make Them Wait Food Truck Festival, Douglas County Fairgrounds
June 16-17
Boulevardia 2023, Grand Boulevard at Crown Center
Kansas City’s beer, food, and music street fest of the summer is returning for its ninth year the weekend of June 16 and 17. “Boulevardians” will be able to sip on Boulevard Brewing Co. beer and Quirk seltzers, indulge in a variety of cuisines, and enjoy a robust entertainment lineup including local, regional, and national artists. Friday night performances will feature John Isbell and the 400 Unit, The War and Treaty, and The Beths, to name a few. You can catch Surfaces, Grandson, K.Flay, and Big Freedia onstage Saturday night. The two-day fest has something for everyone, including a Podcast Stage, silent discos, and Taps and Tastes—a beer and food-tasting event featuring more than 50 national and international craft breweries. Get tickets and more information at boulevardia.com
June 21
KC Bier Company Giveback Event, Kansas City Bier Company
June 23
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, Sar Ko Par Trails Park
June 30
Happy Basset’s 3rd Annual BBQ Competition, Happy Basset Barrel House
Wellness
June 8
Northland Vaccination Clinic, 5340 NE Chouteau Trfy.
June 10
Golden Health Presents Brunch, Dip and Sip, 100 Northeast Tudor Rd. (Lee’s Summit)
June 17
Health Fair, St. Pauls’ Episcopal Church KCK
June 18
Dog Days, Powell Gardens
June 21
Music Bingo for a Cause: I Support the Girls & No Shame, Servaes Brewing Co.
June 22
2023 Pitch Golf Tournament, Painted HIlls Golf Club
June 24
1st Annual Ride for Mental Health, Sandy’s Restaurant (Blue Springs)
June 25
Yoga + Wellness + Mimosa, Colonial Gardens
July 1
July Wellness Weekend at the Historical Downtown Liberty Farmers Market, Liberty Square
July 22
Under the Stars: A Wellness Retreat, The Elms Hotel & Spa
August 3
The Elms Spa Annual Back to School Charity Event, The Elms Hotel & Spa
Out In The Sticks
June 3
Wine in the Wild, Sunset Zoo (Manhattan, KS)
June 2-10
Wichita Riverfest, Wichita, KS
June 9-10
Sedalia Hot Air Balloon and Kite Festival, Missouri State Fairgrounds (Sedalia, MO)
June 14
Downtown St. Joseph Sculpture Walk, Allied Arts Council (St. Joseph, MO)
June 17
Wichita Taco Fest, Wichita, KS
June 17-25
Sunflower Music Festival, White Concert Hall (Topeka, KS)
June 23-25
Anime Festival Wichita 2023, Hyatt Regency Wichita
June 24-25
Kaw Valley Wine Rally, Wellsville, KS
June 30-July 1
3rd Annual BBQ Competition, Topeka, KS
July 13-15
2023 Country Stampede, Heartland Motorsports Park (Wakarusa, KS)
July 14
49th Anniversary of the Ozark Music Festival, Puzzle Pieces Smoke Emporium (Sedalia, MO)
Makers
Now Available
Hot Girl Summer & Summertime bundle, Effing Candle Co.
Hot Girl Summer (with notes of watermelon lemonade) is the latest candle drop from Effing Candle Co. For a limited time, get four candles for $100 as part of the Summertime Bundle with featured scents: Hot Girl Summer, You Effing Matter, A Ray of Effing Sunshine, and Rooftop Margarita. Available at effingcandle.co
May Flowers Collection, MADE MOBB
MADE MOBB, a local apparel brand based in KC, has teamed up with Lily Floral Designs to launch its latest collection called “May Flowers,” featuring a range of tees adorned with vibrant floral prints, patterns, and a simple yet powerful message: “Give Your People Flowers While They’re Here.” Available online and in stores.
June 17
Batch #17 Chili Oil, J Chang.Kitchen
Each batch of J Chang.Kitchen chili oil is uniquely hand-made, hand-bottled, handlabeled, and hand-packed by James Chang and his family. All batches are gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free and contain no additional additives or preservatives. Batch #17 has a heavy emphasis on garlic and can be ordered online at www.jchangkitchen.square.site
