KC events Aug. 24-30: American Royal, Arsenio Hall, KC Olympics, Sara Paretsky

The Kansas City fall tradition that lasts more than three months will kick off with the Cutting Horse Show, which involves a horse and rider separating a specific cow from a herd. The finals will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday. Other upcoming Royal events will include the World Series of Barbecue (Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at Kansas Speedway), the Pro Rodeo (Sept. 29-30) and the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show (Nov. 6-11). Events run through Dec. 3. 816-221-9800. Cutting Horse Show finals $12 (other ticket prices vary) through americanroyal.com.

Music won’t be the only attraction at Paola’s Roots Festival. The event also will feature a state championship barbecue cook-off, food vendors, arts and crafts, and children’s games and rides. Performers will include the Amanda Fish Band, the Nightowls and Stoney LaRue on Friday and the Brody Buster Band, Amy Helm, Paul Thorn and Vintage Trouble on Saturday. Music starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. rootsfestival.org. $15 Friday, $20 Saturday; under 10 free.

It has been more than 28 years since the syndicated “The Arsenio Hall Show” took the nation by storm and thrust its star into the limelight. The late-night talk show was canceled after six years, but Hall has continued to appear in movies and on TV shows. He won the fifth edition of “The Celebrity Apprentice” in 2012 and has focused on stand-up comedy the past several years. 816-746-3100. Tickets are $30 through argosykansascity.com.

If you’re a baseball fan who longs for the good, old days when games lasted less than three hours and players earned so little money they had to hold down second jobs, you might want to check out this one-of-a-kind game. Players from the Kansas City Men’s Senior Baseball League will play by 1929 rules at Herman Laird Park, just outside the gates of Shawnee Town Museum, at Johnson Drive and Cody Street. 913-248-2360. shawneetown.org. Free.

With kickball, sand volleyball, softball, whiffle ball, soccer and a tailgate pentathlon, these games will be more about fun than competition. KC Crew is putting on the event, with a Hairball concert highlighting the opening ceremonies at 8 p.m. Friday at Crossroads KC at Grinders and a closing ceremonies concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the same site. Fees vary at eventbrite.com/event/34912359808.

Members of the Living History Volunteer Corps and other World War I historians will share their knowledge in a camp setting. Visitors also can check out collections, view WWI-era aircraft and attend educational programs, and there will be a children’s obstacle course. The event is part of the World War I centennial commemoration. Museum’s southeast lawn. 816-888-8100. theworldwar.org. Free.

Take a trip into the past for “One Toke Over the Line,” which Brewer and Shipley will reprise for the classic song’s 50th anniversary. The duo that hails from Raytown and Kansas City is scheduled to play at 5:45 p.m., following Wildwood Boys, Millage Gilbert and the Down Home Blues Band, the Supermatics and the Keith Ladd Band. Meanwhile, artists will display their works along the walking trails, and there will be food trucks and children’s activities. 816-358-4100. raytownparks.com. Free.

When it’s called the All the Hits Tour, the audience knows what to expect. And Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey both have plenty of hits to deliver to their fans. Richie has been churning them out since the late 1960s with the Commodores, and after he went solo in 1982 he became one of pop’s biggest stars with singles such as “Truly,” “All Night Long” and “Stuck on You.” Carey hit it big with her debut album in 1990 and rode her diva image to superstardom. 816-949-7000. Tickets are $19.95-$147.95 through sprintcenter.com.

Owing to their early-August funk, the Royals dropped from a prime playoff contender to part of a dogfight among perhaps nine teams vying for the two American League wild-card spots. Like the Royals, Tampa Bay could nab a playoff berth with a strong finish to the season. Wednesday’s game will be the season’s final Bark at the Park, so dogs are welcome. 800-676-9257. Tickets are $10-$97 through kansascity.royals.mlb.com.

Catch up on the news from Lake Wobegon and the tales of Guy Noir as Garrison Keillor, who left public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion” last fall, hits the road to celebrate his 75th birthday. Joining him will be sound effects man Fred Newman, music director Rich Dworsky (with the Road Hounds) and singer Aoife O’Donovan. 816-753-8665. Tickets are $55-$195 through uptowntheater.com.

The author who introduced the world to V.I. Warshawski in 1982 and has written 17 more novels featuring the female detective will speak and sign books. Paretsky spent part of her childhood in Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas. She wrote the novel “Bleeding Kansas,” and in her most recent Warshawski tale, “Fallout,” the big-city investigator spends a month in Lawrence. 816-926-8753. Free; tickets required from lindahall.org.

Well, at least these stupid guys aren’t of the U.S. variety. Season 11 of the TV series “Trailer Park Boys,” which originated in Canada and is set in a fictional trailer park in Nova Scotia, was released on Netflix this spring, and Season 12 is in the works. Like the TV show, the stage version will follow the bumbling antics of Ricky, Julian, Bubbles, Randy and Mr. Lahey. 816-283-9921. Tickets are $34.50-$64.50 through midlandkc.com.

WellRed Tour, Aug. 25-26, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Doug Stanhope, Aug. 29, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Jerry Douglas Band, Aug. 24, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Marduk with Incantation, Abysmal Dawn and Stonehaven, Aug. 24, Riot Room. theriotroom.com

Maria the Mexican, Aug. 25, Nerman Museum. jccc.edu/performing-arts-series

Montgomery Gentry, Joe Diffie, Restless Heart, Sammy Kershaw and more, Aug. 26, Providence Medical Center Amphitheater. providenceamp.com

Ray Wylie Hubbard, Aug. 26, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

The Samples with Andy Frasco featuring the MGDs, Aug. 26, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com

Sister Hazel with Cowboy Mouth, Aug. 26, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com

2 Chainz, Aug. 27, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com

Ben Folds, Aug. 27, Liberty Hall. libertyhall.net

Pentatonix, Aug. 27, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com

“12th Street Jump” Live featuring Bobby Watson, Aug 29, Musical Theater Heritage. musicaltheaterheritage.com

Arts and Crafts Film and Beer Festival, Aug. 25-31, Screenland Armour Theatre. artscraftskc.com

FC Kansas City vs. Orlando, Aug. 26. Swope Soccer Village. fckansascity.com

Kansas State & Open Olympic Weightlifting Championship, Aug. 26-27, Mid-America Nazarene University. eventbrite.com/event/36294255094

Kids Triathlon, Aug. 26, Kill Creek Park. jcprd.com/special_events/jcprdukidstriathlon.cfm

Rock, Roll and Run 5K, Aug. 26, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com

Tour de Shawnee, Aug. 27, Power Play Family Entertainment Center. visitshawneeks.com/event/tour-de-shawnee

This story was originally published August 22, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "KC events Aug. 24-30: American Royal, Arsenio Hall, KC Olympics, Sara Paretsky."