Weekly planner: First Friday awakens from its slumber with bevy of art openings
The First Friday tradition is returning to something resembling its former grandness in Kansas City after six months of near hibernation.
The weather should be outstanding for the Festival of the Full Moon Weekend in the historic West Bottoms, where the stores filled with antiques and collectibles will open Oct. 2-4.
Although the streets of the Crossroads Arts District won’t be filled with folks as in years past, several art galleries will open new exhibitions, some in person and some online, for First Friday on Oct. 2. Among them:
▪ Belger Crane Yard Studios, “Vibrant” by Christina Erives, Lauren Mabry and Shalene Valenzuela, belgerarts.org/vibrant;
▪ Bunker Center for the Arts, “Exposure: Brush & Lens” by Daniela Failla (virtual reception), facebook.com;
▪ Buttonwood Art Space, “Visions of the Flint Hills” (virtual reception), buttonwoodartspace.com;
▪ Hilliard Gallery, “Geometric Mutations 2020” by Trey Morgan and “Dumpster Fire” by Dan Frueh, hilliardgallery.com;
▪ Kansas City Artists Coalition, “The Freaks of Fashion” by Chico San, facebook.com;
▪ Travois, “Disappearing Earth/Invisible Sky” by Starr Hardridge (digital artist talk), travois.com.
Here are six in-person activities to consider for the next week:
▪ The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, normally open only until 5 p.m., will present Night at the Arboretum, 7-9 p.m. Oct. 2 (regular admission, $1-$3). opkansas.org.
▪ Exiled Trail of Terror is a mile-long hike of horror in the dark woods near Bonner Springs, 7:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 2-31 at Zip KC ($40-$50; time-slotted reservations). exiledkc.com.
▪ Exactly one month before the election, Keeping Communities On Guard will hold a “Rock the Vote” Festival at the 18th and Vine District. In addition to providing assistance with voter registration, the event will feature information booths, speakers and live entertainment, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 3. facebook.com and eventbrite.com.
▪ The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra (quintet version) will return for a second drive-in concert at Plexpod, this time performing “Tribute to The Jazz Messengers,” 6 p.m. Oct. 3 ($30-$50). kcdriveinconcerts.com.
▪ Kansas City Parks will begin its Walktober series, with participants walking or running a different trail each week in October, on the Rock Island Trail, noon-2 p.m. Oct. 4 (free) at the 98th Street trailhead. kcparks.org. In conjunction with each walk will be a quick-paint contest at the same site, with check-in starting at 10:30 a.m. kcparks.org.
▪ They won’t be the same without Tom Brady at quarterback, but the New England Patriots (2-1) will come to town to play the Chiefs (3-0), and a lucky few thousand fans will be able attend, 3:25 p.m. Oct. 4 ($315-$670 for two). The rest of us can watch on CBS. chiefs.com.
Here are five online ways you and your family can spend your coronavirus-induced stay-at-home time:
▪ Learn about “Kansas City Ghost Stories” from paranormal researcher and investigator Becky Ray, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at facebook.com/mcpl360. More information, mymcpl.org.
▪ Kansas City Actors Radio Theatre will begin a 10-part original series, “Kansas City: 1924” by local playwright, actor and director Forrest Attaway, noon Oct. 2 on 90.1FM KKFI (streamed at kkfi.org/listen). More information, kcactors.org.
▪ “The Dancing Word” will consist of the poetry of Glenn Stewart read and interpreted by dancers Sonja Schultz and Heidi Loubser, 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at wcakc.org.
▪ Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey will present a free First Friday Afro Beat Dance Class, 7 p.m. Oct. 2. facebook.com.
▪ Hip-hop dancer, choreographer and teacher Amirah Sackett and Ahmed Zaghbouni, aka MR MiC, will perform “Separation,” inspired by the classic Arabic story of “Layla and Majnun,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 (free) at vimeo.com. More information, lied.ku.edu.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
