This Week in KC: Oktoberfest at Power & Light, U.S. gymnasts at Sprint, Elvis Costello

The Power & Light District will be the place for the entire family to party Saturday.

While Oktoberfest is taking place at Kansas City Live!, the Sprint Family Fun Days Fall Festival will provide even more fun on 14th Street between Main and Walnut streets.

Oktoberfest will include beer, food, live entertainment and weiner dog races. Family Fun Days will feature trick-or-treating, pony rides, inflatables and face painting. Both events are free.

Other festivals will dot the area map over the weekend, highlighted by the Shawnee Indian Mission Fall Festival, the Summit Art Festival, Meyer Fest and the Weston Irish Festival.

Summit Art Festival, Oct. 7-9, Downtown Lee’s Summit. summitartfest.org

Weston Irish Festival, Oct. 7-9, O’Malley’s Pub & Courtyard. westonirish.com

Artisan Chick Event, Oct. 8-9, Crown Center. chickevents.com

Botanical Brewfest, Oct. 8, Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. opabg.org

Friendship Fair, Oct. 8, Sylvester Powell Community Center. culturalcrossroads-kc.org

Harvest Festival, Oct. 8, Shoal Creek Living History Museum. shoalcreeklivinghistorymuseum.com

KC Horsepower Festival, Oct. 8, Twin Drive-In. kchorsepower.com

Magic Woods, Oct. 8, Lakeside Nature Center. lakesidenaturecenter.org

Meyer Fest, Oct. 8, St. Peter’s Catholic Church. stpkc.org

Neighborhood Birthday Party, Oct. 8, Kansas City University. nekcchamber.com

Oktoberfest, Oct. 8, Kansas City Live! powerandlightdistrict.com/oktoberfest

Shawnee Indian Mission Fall Festival, Oct. 8-9, Shawnee Indian Mission. simfoundation.org/fall-festival

Sprint Family Fun Days: Fall Festival, Oct. 8, Power & Light District. powerandlightdistrict.com

There is something about men dressed as women that audiences find hard to resist. Bianca Del Rio, born Roy Haylock, is the latest drag queen comedy sensation, and she will appear at the Folly as part of her Not Today Satan Tour. Known for her insult comedy, she won the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2014 and now has a movie, “Hurricane Bianca,” which is available on iTunes. 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. Folly Theater. 816-474-4444. follytheater.org. $37.50-$199.

Musical Theater Heritage collaborates with the National World War I Museum for an original revue that will reflect the influence the war had on music of the era. George Harter, founder of the theater, will serve as host for the show, which will be presented in the round. 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6; runs through Oct. 16. Musical Theater Heritage. 816-221-6987. mthkc.com. $15-$58.

The Irish group Celtic Thunder brings its five male vocalists and eight-piece band for its current show, “Legacy.” Expect traditional favorites such as “Danny Boy” as well as more current tunes such as “Galway Girl.” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. 816-283-9921. midlandkc.com. $50-$75.

At this point in his illustrious career, Elvis Costello can do pretty much whatever he wants. In 2011, the Brit rocker appeared on “Sesame Street” and performed with Elmo and Cookie Monster. Last year, he released his memoir, “Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink.” Now he’s touring North America, with a show that fuses the old with the new and the serious with the humorous. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Yardley Hall. 913-469-8500. jccc.edu/performing-arts-series. $46-$125.

With music by Felix Mendelssohn added to a comedy by William Shakespeare, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a can’t-miss proposition. The story of mistaken identities and romantic misadventures involving mortals and fairies was choreographed by Bruce Wells and will feature the full company along with 50 Kansas City Ballet School students and live vocalists. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-15, 2 p.m. Oct. 16. Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-931-2232. kcballet.org. $35.50-$125.50.

“Classic Big Band Broadway” will open the season for the orchestra, so fans of Broadway musicals won’t want to miss this show. Among the songs slated are “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Cabaret,” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “Maria.” 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-225-4949. kcjazzorchestra.net. $20-$55.

Six months ago, most people probably had no idea who Simone Biles was. After her performance in the Rio Olympics, just about the entire country knows her name, her face and her amazing ability. Winner of five medals, including four golds, Biles dominated the gymnastics competition in Rio. She will perform at the Sprint Center with Aly Raisman, Gabrielle Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Nastia Liukin and other members of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic teams. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Sprint Center. 816-949-7000. sprintcenter.com. $27-$297.

From reigning as Arizona’s Junior Miss to becoming a YouTube sensation to getting voted off “America’s Got Talent” to writing a memoir before the age of 30, Lindsey Stirling hasn’t exactly taken a traditional path to musical success. But she’s not exactly a traditional musician, either. Her act consists of high-energy choreographed violin performances, and it has made her a huge success. She is touring in support of her third album, “Brave Enough.” 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Music Hall. ticketmaster.com. $34-$57.

If the NFL season has started, that means the NBA can’t be far behind. The basketball league is gearing up for the 2016-17 season with its annual slate of exhibition games, one of which will be played at the Sprint Center. Former Kansas Jayhawk Andrew Wiggins will come to town with the Minnesota Timberwolves to take on the Miami Heat. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. Sprint Center. 816-949-7000. sprintcenter.com. $15-$250.

Why go to a bunch of bars to see music when the music can come to you? At Porchfest, bands of all genres perform acoustic or near-acoustic music on dozens of front porches in the same neighborhood while festival goers walk from porch to porch. Food trucks will be on site, but no coolers or alcohol will be allowed. This will be the third year for Porchfest, which grew from 3,500 attendees the first year to 5,500 last year. Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. Valentine neighborhood. porchfestkc.com. Free; tips encouraged.

This is a unique show that has the feel of a documentary as it tracks a real-life Marine and his wife and their real-life joys and sorrows. The story follows the Marine to Afghanistan, the birth of the couple’s child while he is overseas and an injury that sends him home. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times named the show one of 2014’s top 10 theater performances. 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. Polsky Theatre, Carlsen Center, JCCC. 913-469-4445. jccc.edu/theseries. $19-$33.

When the producers say this two-woman comedic variety show is intended for female audiences, they are serious. Their website includes the following statement: “This show contains feminine subject matter including teenage diaries, breast feeding, tampons, shadow puppets, pantyhose, menstrual cycles, slumber parties, menopause and maxi pads.” But it’s all in good fun. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11; runs through Oct. 23. Starlight Theatre Cohen Community Stagehouse. 816-363-7827. kcstarlight.com. $36-$56.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "This Week in KC: Oktoberfest at Power & Light, U.S. gymnasts at Sprint, Elvis Costello."