Dan Kelly has been covering entertainment and arts news at The Star for 10 years. He previously worked at the Columbia Daily Tribune, The Miami Herald and The Louisville Courier-Journal. He also was on the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty for six years, and he has written a historical novel, “Soaring with Vultures.”
Thousands will flock to downtown Lee’s Summit June 3-5 for Downtown Days.
File photo
Festivals of all sorts will fill the area over the weekend, highlighted by Festa Italiana at Zona Rosa.
Featuring music, food and a motorsports show, it will run 5-11 p.m. June 3, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. June 4 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. June 5. Like most of the weekend’s celebrations, it will be free. More information at unicokc.wordpress.com.
Also:
▪ Old Shawnee Days, 6-10 p.m. June 2-3, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. June 4, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. June 5, Shawnee Town 1929 (free). oldshawneedays.org.
▪ Downtown Days, noon-10 p.m. June 3, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. June 4, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 5, Lee’s Summit (free). leessummitdowntowndays.com.
▪ Meadowbrook Park Festival, 3-9 p.m. June 3, Prairie Village (free). jcprdfoundation.org/events.
▪ Food, Art, Drink Festival, 5-10 p.m. June 3-4, Linden Square, Gladstone (free). lindensquare.info.
▪ Strawberry Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 4, Vaile Mansion (free). vailemansion.org.
▪ JuneteenthKC Cultural Parade, noon June 4, 18th & Vine District (free). juneteenth-kc.com.
▪ Clay County Bicentennial Celebration, 2-5 p.m. June 4, Downtown Liberty (free). historicdowntownliberty.org.
▪ Strang Hall Beer Fest, 2-6 p.m. June 4, Strang Hall ($15-$60). eventbrite.com.
▪ Tacos & Tequila Festival, 2-11:30 p.m. June 4, Legends Field ($79-$199). kctacosandtequila.com.
▪ Wine & Brew on the Square, 5-9 p.m. June 4, Independence Square ($25-$40). indepsquare.com.
Music
▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, World Premiere of Rogerson’s Violin Concerto,” 8 p.m. June 3-4, 2 p.m. June 5, Kauffman Center ($25-$88). kcsymphony.org.
▪ Wheeler Walker Jr., 8 p.m. June 3, Uptown ($30). uptowntheater.com.
▪ The Band Camino, 7 p.m. June 4, The Truman ($29.50-$55). thetrumankc.com.
▪ Spire Chamber Ensemble, “There is a Balm in Gilead,” featuring bass-baritone Jonathan Woody, 7:30 p.m. June 4, Westport Presbyterian Church ($10-$25). spirechamberensemble.org.
▪ Haim, 8 p.m. June 4, Starlight ($42.50-$102.50). kcstarlight.com.
▪ Ambrosia, 8:30 p.m. June 4, Ameristar ($32-$48). ameristarkansascity.com.
▪ Rock ’n’ Sundays at Volker Park, 1 p.m. June 5, Theis Park (free). facebook.com.
▪ Lord Huron, 7 p.m. June 5, Starlight ($39.50-$75). kcstarlight.com.
▪ The War on Drugs, 7:30 p.m. June 5, GrindersKC ($36-$71). grinderskc.com.
▪ Slipknot with Cypress Hill and Ho99o9, 6:30 p.m. June 7, Azura Amphitheater ($24.250-$99.50). azuraamp.com.
▪ Jackson Browne, 7:30 p.m. June 7, Music Hall ($50.50-$252). kcconvention.com/event.
▪ Brit Floyd, 8 p.m. June 8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland ($45-$79.50). arvestbanktheatre.com.
More entertainment
▪ Writer and comedian Maeve Higgins, a New Yorker originally from Ireland, will perform at the Kansas City Irish Center’s Drexel Hall, with Kailee Karr opening, 7 p.m. June 2 ($20-$50). irishcenterkc.org.
▪ New exhibits will open at the area’s two big art galleries: “Between Myth and Reality: Ancient Greek Vases From the Joslyn Art Museum” at the Nelson-Atkins Museum (June 3-April 29) and “The Regional” at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (June 3-Sept. 11); both free. nelson-atkins.org and kemperart.org.
▪ Eleven luxurious homes around the area will be on display for the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s Artisan Home Tour, noon-7 p.m. June 3-5, 10-12 and 17-19 ($15-$25; benefits Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). artisanhome.kchba.org.
▪ “Dazzling Divas — Judy, Barbra, Liza” at Quality Hill Playhouse will highlight the music of Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli, opens 7:30 p.m. June 3; runs through June 26 ($42-$45). qualityhillplayhouse.com.
▪ It will be Rose Day at the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in Loose Park, where families will be able to enjoy some 3,000 roses as well as live music and other activities, 1-5 p.m. June 5 (free). kcparks.org.
▪ The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical comedy “Hairspray” will run at Starlight, 8 p.m. June 7-12 ($15-$98). kcstarlight.com.
