KC events Sept. 27-Oct. 3: American Royal rodeo, Air Expo, OP fall festival
Royals vs. Cleveland
7:15 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Sept. 27-28; 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29; 2:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30; at Kauffman Stadium
The end is at hand. What appeared to be a total disaster of a season for the Royals will conclude with this series against the American League Central champion Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City’s late-season surge has assured that its final record won’t be as bad as many feared. On the other hand, the Royals still have a shot at their team-record 106 losses from 2005. 800-676-9257. Tickets are $15-$509 through mlb.com/royals.
American Royal Pro Rodeo
7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Hale Arena
Members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association will compete for prizes in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Attendees who stick around after the rodeo will be able to eat at food trucks, enjoy tailgate games and dance to Hudson Drive (Friday) and Phil Vandel (Saturday). 816-221-9800. Tickets are $15-$75 through americanroyal.com/rodeo/prca-rodeo.
“Broadway and All That Jazz: SongBook of the ’20s and ’30s”
Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at Quality Hill Playhouse
With songs such as “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Fascinating Rhythm,” this will be just the beginning of Quality Hill’s season-long tribute to Broadway and jazz. Ensuing cabaret revues will focus on songs from the 1940s (Jan. 18-Feb. 17), 1950s (March 8-April 7), 1960s and ’70s (April 26-March 26) and 1980s to the present (June 14-July 14). Runs through Oct. 28. 816-421-1700. Tickets are $45-$48 through qualityhillplayhouse.com.
“The Illusionists”
8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 28-30, at Starlight
After dazzling audiences around the country and before returning to Broadway for the holiday season, “The Illusionists” will showcase their talents at Starlight. The group consists of five cast members: Darcy Oake, the Grand Illusionist; Jeff Hobson, the Trickster; An Ha Lim, the Manipulator; Jonathan Goodwin, the Daredevil; and Chris Cox, the Mentalist. 816-363-7827. Tickets are $14-$120 through kcstarlight.com.
Universal Film Festival
6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28; 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29; 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30; at Alamo Drafthouse
Independent films of all types — from shorts to full-length motion pictures, from animation to documentary, from drama to comedy — will be honored at the seventh annual Universal Film Festival. The event will begin with a red-carpet greeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 and will conclude with an awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Sept. 30. Screenings open to the public will begin at 7:15 p.m. Sept. 28, 4 p.m. Sept. 29 and 2 p.m. Sept. 30. 816-474-9988. One-day passes for $15 are available through universalfilmfestival.com.
Air Expo Open House
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 29-30, at New Century Air Center
The Heart of America Wing of the Commemorative Air Force will showcase 100 years of military aviation with displays, flight demonstrations, museum tours and other activities. Visitors can arrange for rides in aircraft ranging from four minutes in a helicopter to flights in vintage World War II planes. The “Rise Above” traveling exhibition about the Tuskegee Airmen will be open both days. 913-907-7902. kcghostsquadron.org. Free; aircraft rides $45 and up.
Retro Rock
10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and noon Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 29-30, at The Garment House
The inaugural Retro Rock will put hip hop in the spotlight through competitions featuring dancers, rappers, DJs and graffiti artists from across the country, with top street-dance judges deciding the winners. Part of the new Open Spaces KC arts experience, the event will also include dance workshops and booths from local businesses. artskcgo.com/event/retro-rock-hip-hop-culture-jam. $10-$20 at door.
Momix, “Opus Cactus”
8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Yardley Hall
More than an international-touring modern dance company, Momix combines dancing with acrobatics, gymnastics, mime and more to create a surreal fantasy world. In “Opus Cactus,” that world is the landscape of the American Southwest, which will come to life with dynamic images of cactuses, insects, lizards and fire dancers. Moses Pendleton founded Momix in 1981 and remains its artistic director. 913-469-4445. Tickets are $20-$45 through jccc.edu/theseries.
Overland Park Fall Festival
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Santa Fe Commons Park
Most of the area’s other big fall festivals stretch over two or three days, but this one packs everything into an eight-hour extravaganza of good times. One highlight of the Overland Park Fall Festival will be a parade through downtown that will begin at 10 a.m. There also will be an arts and crafts fair with more than 100 booths, a farmers’ market, three stages of concerts, food trucks and children’s activities. opkansas.org/events/overland-park-fall-festival. Free.
Steve Martin and Martin Short
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Lied Center
The Martin and Short Show has become an annual event in this part of the world, and local fans are still gobbling up tickets. Despite appearances at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in September 2016 and at Starlight in July 2017, “An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life” with comic icons Steve Martin and Martin Short has been sold out at the Lied Center for quite some time. The show includes musical sketches, jokes and lots of banter. 785-864-2787. lied.ku.edu. Tickets ($39-$100) are sold out.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake
4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Children’s Mercy Park
While Sporting KC was enduring more than a month without a victory in the middle of the Major League Soccer season, it was hard to imagine it would be in this position just a few weeks later. Sporting, having won six of its past eight matches, stands in second place in the Western Conference entering the final month of the season. A victory over Real Salt Lake, which has playoff hopes of its own, would be a good way for Sporting to start its stretch run of five matches in four weeks. 913-387-3400. Tickets are $44-$79 through sportingkc.com.
Ann Curry
4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Helzberg Hall
The former co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” and “Dateline” will be the keynote speaker at the Women’s Foundation “We Work for Change” Annual Event. With the theme “Truth Tellers: Stories that Change the World,” the event will present discussions on current issues, including the need for more women in leadership roles. The Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women in Missouri and Kansas. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-994-7222. Tickets are $156.50 through womens-foundation.org/annualevent.
Also this week
Classical music and dance
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, “Musical Passages,” Sept. 27, Old Mission Methodist Church. kcchamberorchestra.org
KU Symphony Orchestra with violinst Blake Pouliot, Sept. 27, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu
Musica Nova, Sept. 27, White Recital Hall. conservatory.umkc.edu
Andrew Bird with Kansas City Symphony, Sept. 29, Kauffman Center. kcsymphony.org
Kansas City Symphony, “Sounds Relaxing: Recharge,” Oct. 3, Kauffman Center. kcsymphony.org
Theater
“Little Prince,” Mesner Puppet Theater, Sept. 29, Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. mesnerpuppets.org
Musical Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 1-2, MTH Theater at Crown Center. mthkc.com
Comedy
Steve Brown, Sept. 27, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Pauly Shore, Sept. 28-29, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Bobby J and Friends, Sept. 30, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Eric Schwartz, Oct. 3, Bottleneck. thebottlenecklive.com
Music (rock, pop, jazz)
Keb’ Mo’ Band, Sept. 27, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Ramsey Lewis and Urban Knights, Sept. 27, Folly. follytheater.org
Romeo Santos, Sept. 27, Sprint Center. sprintcenter.com
Taj Mahal with Otis Taylor, Sept. 27, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com
Car Seat Headrest with Naked Giants, Sept. 28, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com
Gordon Lightfoot, Sept. 28, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
’90s KC Fall Fest featuring Troop, Silk, Public Announcment and Tony Terry, Sept. 29, Music Hall. ticketmaster.com
Carbon Leaf, Sept. 29, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com
Giorgio Moroder, Sept. 29, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Mr. Criminal, Sept. 29, Aftershock. aftershockshows.com
NKC Music Fest, Sept. 28, North Kansas City. nkcmusicfest.com
Oak Ridge Boys, Sept. 29, Ameristar. ameristar.com
The Revivalists, Sept. 29, Kansas City Live! powerandlightdistrict.com
Indigo Girls, Sept. 30, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com
Lil Pump, Sept. 30, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
Alina Baraz, Oct. 1, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Ben Howard with Wye Oak, Oct. 2, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Death Cab For Cutie with Charly Bliss, Oct. 2, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
UB40 with 77 Jefferson, Oct. 2, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com
Black Violin, Oct. 3, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Børns, Oct. 3, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Visual arts
“Visions of the Flint Hills,” Oct. 2-Nov. 17, Buttonwood Art Space. buttonwoodartspace.com
Events/festivals/etc.
Westport Oktoberfest, Sept. 27-30, Westport District. westportkcmo.com
International Custom Cutlery Exposition, Sept. 28-30, Downtown Marriott. icceshow.com/index.htm
Liberty Fall Festival, Sept. 28-30, Downtown Liberty. libertyfallfest.com
Oktoberfest, Sept. 28, Shawnee Civic Centre. visitshawneeks.com/event/oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, Sept. 28-29, Downtown Lee’s Summit. lsoktoberfest.com
Pumpkin Hollow, Sept. 28-Oct. 31, Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. artsandrec-op.org/farmstead
Strawberry Hill Blocktoberfest, Sept. 28, Kansas City, Kan. visitkansascityks.com/event/strawberry-hill-blocktoberfest/5057
Ciderfest, Sept. 29-30 and Oct. 6-7, Louisburg Cider Mill. louisburgcidermill.com/ciderfest
Fall Remodeled Homes Tour, Sept. 29-30, multiple sites. remodelingkc.com
Festival of the Lost Township, Sept. 29, Raytown. festivalofthelosttownship.org
Grand Festival of Chez les Canses, Sept. 29, Fort Osage. makeyourdayhere.com
Book talks
John Green will appear with his brother Hank Green for Hank’s “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing,” Sept. 29, Unity Temple on the Plaza. rainydaybooks.com
Kyle Mills for “Red War: A Mitch Rapp Novel,” Oct. 1, Mid-Continent Public Library-Woodneath Library Center. mymcpl.org or rainydaybooks.com
Deborah Harkness for “Time’s Convert,” Oct. 3, Mid-Continent Public Library-Woodneath Library Center. mymcpl.org or rainydaybooks.com
Sarah Smarsh for “Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth,” Oct. 3, Kansas City Public Library-Plaza Branch. rainydaybooks.com