KC events Sept. 26-Oct. 2: Nick Offerman, Horror Film Festival, Delia Owens, Jack Hanna

In 1997, a Rolling Stone article deemed Bert Kreischer — then in his sixth year as a Florida State University student — the top partier at the nation’s top party school. From such inauspicious beginnings, Kreischer has evolved into a middle-aged comic known for storytelling and sharing anecdotes about his family and fatherhood. On the other hand, he also is known for performing without a shirt. 816-283-9921. Tickets are $39.75-$59.75 through arvestbanktheatre.com.

Montreal native Juan-Miguel Hernandez, considered one of the world’s top young viola players, has performed at some of the world’s leading venues, including Carnegie Hall and the King’s Place in London. He won first prize at the International Johannes Brahms Competition in Austria in 2009 and was appointed as a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2016. 785-864-2787. Tickets are $14-$25 through lied.ku.edu.

The fourth season of the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City will begin with “Blues in the Night,” a musical revue by Sheldon Epps that ran briefly on Broadway in 1982. It is set in a rundown Chicago hotel in 1938, focusing on three women who have relationships with the same man, and features songs popularized by Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and others. 816-663-9966. Tickets are $40 through brtkc.org; tickets for students ($15) and seniors ($30) available at door.

With his impressive facial hair and stoic demeanor, Nick Offerman typically plays a man’s man on television and in the movies. Offerman, known best for portraying Ron Swanson in “Parks and Recreation,” also is a professional boat builder and wood craftsman (see offermanwoodshop.com). When he takes his act on the road, it is hardly traditional standup comedy, as is suggested by promotional material promising “an evening of deliberative talking and light dance that will compel you to chuckle.” 800-745-3000. Tickets are $42.75-$197 through ticketmaster.com.

Despite having clinched their second consecutive 100-loss season, the Royals will provide drama in their final three games. How many home runs will Jorge Soler finish with after demolishing Mike Moustakas’ team record of 38? Will Whit Merrifield lead the major leagues in hits for the second consecutive season? Can Hunter Dozier end the season strong after putting together a breakthrough performance? How many tears will be shed in Ned Yost’s final games managing the Royals? Stay tuned. 800-676-9257. Tickets are $15-$166 through mlb.com/royals.

Billed as “the world’s first 4K drive-in cinema experience,” the Boulevard Drive-In will kick off the Halloween season with an event that serves as both a short film festival and a celebration of horror. In addition to submitted local, national and international shorts, the festival will present the classics “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (Friday) and “The Burbs” and “Candyman” (both Saturday), along with live music and costume and trivia contests. terrorontheplains.com. $10 at gate.

The Friends of Chamber Music will launch its 2018-19 season with a concert by the Calidore String Quartet. The New York-based quartet is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a tour taking it to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Poland, Spain and Switzerland, along with Toronto, Los Angeles and New York. The group will be joined by violist Matthew Lipman. 816-561-9999. Tickets are $15-$35 through chambermusic.org.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens is one of the biggest publishing success stories in recent years. After coming out in August 2018, it sold more than 1.5 million copies by March and was the top-selling print book in the first half of 2019, outdistancing Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” by a wide margin. Not bad for a first-time novelist. Owens, co-author with her husband of three non-fiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa, will discuss the novel and her work before signing books. 913-384-3126. Admission is $26 for one or two people through rainydaybooks.com; includes one book.

Members of the public can check out the latest in-home innovations, styles and decorating as nearly 300 houses by 97 builders will be open for the Parade of Homes, presented twice a year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Properties in six counties will include townhomes, villas and single-family homes ranging in price from $242,000 to $2.5 million. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. kcparadeofhomes.com. Free.

Washington, D.C., native Dominique Witten honed her comic skills as a postal worker before she took her act to local comedy clubs at the urging of coworkers and relatives. She has gone on to do standup for more than two decades, performing with the likes Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. She has appeared on HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam,” was a finalist on “Last Comic Standing” and stars in the TV series “Tropical Cop Tales” on Adult Swim. 816-759-5233. Tickets are $15-$45 through improvkc.com.

The long and trying season is drawing to an end for Sporting Kansas City, which is on course to miss the Major League Soccer playoffs for the first time since 2010 and finish with the franchise’s worst record since 2009. Sporting can at least close its home schedule with a victory and get a measure of revenge in this match against the Timbers, who beat Sporting 2-1 in Portland three weeks ago. 913-387-3400. Tickets are $38-$87 through sportingkc.com.

Over 30 years starting in 1985, Jack Hanna took a variety of animals onto more than 100 episodes of David Letterman’s late-night talk shows. The director of the Columbus Zoo endured the good-natured barbs of the show’s host while entertaining the audience with his down-home schtick, all the while educating America about wildlife. Since Letterman’s retirement, Hanna continued in his efforts as host of the Emmy award-winning “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild.” He will bring his live version of that show to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-994-7222. Tickets are $36-$66 through kauffmancenter.org.

Also this week

Classical music and dance

Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, “Night Reflections,” Sept. 26, Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. kcchamberorchestra.org

Conservatory Orchestra, Sept. 27, White Recital Hall. conservatory.umkc.edu

New Dance Partners, “The Ultimate Collaboration,” Sept. 27-28, Yardley Hall. jccc.edu/theseries

Heartland Men’s Chorus, “Dinner of Note,” Sept. 28, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. hmckc.org

St. Joseph Symphony, “Meet Me at the Movies – The Final Cut,” Sept. 28, Missouri Theater. saintjosephsymphony.org

Conservatory Wind Symphony, Sept. 29, Kauffman Center. conservatory.umkc.edu

Theater

Burlesque Downtown Underground, Sept. 27, Opera House. brownpapertickets.com/event/4331302

Cirque du Freak, Sept. 27, Aftershock. eventbrite.com/event/67086324001

“The Glass Menagerie,” Astra Theatre Company, Sept. 27-Oct. 5, Living Room Theatre. astratheatreco.org

Comedy

Andy Woodhull, Sept. 26-28, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com

Chad Prather, Michael Loftus, Brian Haner and Reno Collier, Sept. 26, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Donnie Baker, Sept. 27-28, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Colby Cusick and Devin Henderson, Sept. 28, Rino. eventbrite.com/event/71539714211

Music (rock, pop, jazz)

Damon Fowler, Freedom Affair, Womanish Girl featuring Katy Guillen and Stephanie and Junebug and The Porchlights, Sept. 26, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Roger Clyne with Dalton Domino, Sept. 26, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Ashe, Sept. 27, Encore. uptowntheater.com

Toto, Sept. 27, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

Tycho with Poolside, Sept. 27, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com

Wilder Woods, Sept. 27, Granada. thegranada.com

Air Supply, Sept. 28, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com

Blues Kitchen Reunion, Sept. 28, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Jeff Black, Sept. 28, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Jamey Johnson, Sept. 29, VooDoo. voodookc.com

Penny and Sparrow, Sept. 29, RecordBar. therecordbar.com

Max Weinberg’s Jukebox, Sept. 30, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Rakim, Sept. 30, Granada. thegranada.com

The Australian Pink Floyd, Oct. 1, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com

The Kingdom Choir, Oct. 1, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org

Moonchild, Oct. 1, RecordBar. therecordbar.com

Yungblud with Missio, Oct. 1, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Bowling for Soup, Oct. 2, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Boyz II Men, Oct. 2, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org

The Legendary Pink Dots, Oct. 2, Riot Room. theriotroom.com

Old Crow Medicine Show with Charlie Worsham, Oct. 2, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com

Periphery, Oct. 2, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Events/festivals/etc.

Evening of Latino Culture, Sept. 26, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. jcprd.com/327/arts-heritage-center

Shrine Rodeo and Demo Derby, Sept. 26-28, Leavenworth County Fairgrounds. shrinerodeo.com

Liberty Fall Festival, Sept. 27-29, Liberty. libertyfallfest.com

Oktoberfest, Sept. 27-28, Downtown Lee’s Summit. lsoktoberfest.com

Pumpkin Hollow, Sept. 27-Oct. 31, Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. artsandrec-op.org/arboretum

Bricks and Mavericks, Sept. 28, National WWI Museum and Memorial. theworldwar.org

Deaf Cultural Festival, Sept. 28, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. nelson-atkins.org

Grand Festival of Chez les Canses, Sept. 28, Fort Osage National Historic Landmark. makeyourday.com

Hedge Apple Days, Sept. 28, Powell Gardens. powellgardens.org

Louisburg Cider Mill Ciderfest and Craft Fair, Sept. 28-Oct. 6, Louisburg Cider Mill. louisburgcidermill.com

Mac Maker Fest, Sept. 28, International Front Lawn. eventbrite.com/event/69472689685

Main Street Fall Festival, Sept. 28, Platte City. plattecitymo.com

Overland Park Fall Festival, Sept. 28, Downtown Overland Park. downtownop.org/fall-festival-parade

Slime Festival, Sept. 28, Overland Park Convention Center. opconventioncenter.com/event/slime-festival

Village West WineFest, Sept. 28, T-Bones Stadium. villagewestwinefest.com

Book talks/lectures

Jonathan Van Ness for “Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love,” Sept. 29, Unity Temple on the Plaza. rainydaybooks.com

William McKeever for “Emperors of the Deep: Sharks — The Ocean’s Most Mysterious, Most Misunderstood, and Most Important Guardians,” Oct. 2, Linda Hall Library. rainydaybooks.com

Sports/recreation

Pro Rodeo, Sept. 27-28, Hale Arena. americanroyal.com

WWE NXT, Sept. 27, Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. silversteineyecentersarena.com

Food

Smoke on the Trails BBQ Competition. Sept. 27-28. Grand Slam Craft Beer, Wine & Spirits Fest. 7-10 p.m. Sept. 28. $35-$45. Celebration Park, 32501 W. 159th, Gardner. gardnerkansas.gov

Oktoberfest. 6-9 p.m. Sept. 25. $25. Chicken N Pickle, 1761 Burlington, North Kansas City. eventbrite.com/event/39307648234

KC Wing Fest. 3 p.m. Sept. 28. $10-$75. CrossroadsKC, 417 E. 18th. crossroadskc.com

Farm Table Dinner with chef Katee McLean of Krokstrom Klubb. 6 p.m. Sept. 28. $195. Green Dirt Farm, 19935 Mount Bethel, Weston. greendirtfarm.com, 816-386-2156

Fork & Bottle Dinner Series featuring Torn Label Brewing. 6 p.m. Sept. 26. $65. Parker at the Fontaine, 901 W. 48th Place. parkerkc.com, 816-437-8420

Guest Chef Series: The New Midwest. Chef Spencer Knipper of Urban Table. 6 p.m. Sept. 26. $100. The Savoy, 219 W. Ninth. eventbrite.com/event/64641143400 or thesavoykc.com, 816-443-4260

Shawnee Great Grillers BBQ Competition. 6-10 p.m. Sept. 27. Free. Shawnee Town 1929, 11501 W. 57th, Shawnee. shawneegreatgrillers.com

Village West WineFest. 6 p.m. Sept. 28. $75-$150. T-Bones Stadium, 1800 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. villagewestwinefest.com

Oktoberfest Brunch with Affare. 11 a.m. Sept. 29. $55. Transport Brewery, 11113 Johnson Drive, Shawnee. eventbrite.com/event/68575113009

This story was originally published September 24, 2019 at 6:00 AM.