First Friday weekend in Kansas City: A new Nelson-Atkins exhibit, West Bottoms brides
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is unveiling its first new exhibition since the pandemic hit Kansas City more than a year ago.
“Testimony: African American Artists Collective,” spotlighting 36 local artists, will open June 5.
It is the first of five new exhibitions, called “Past, Present, Future,” that will fill the museum’s Bloch Building galleries through March. The others are “Castles, Cottages, and Crime” (opening July 10), “Origins: Collecting to Create the Nelson-Atkins” (Aug. 14), “Weaving Splendor: Treasures of Asian Textiles” (Sept. 25) and “Art of Illusion: Photography and Perceptual Play” (Oct. 22).
After staying closed for six months, the museum reopened last September but delayed launching new exhibitions until this spring.
Admission is free, but reserved tickets and masks continue to be required to enter the museum.
Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Monday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Friday; the museum is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The time slots of 10-11 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for members.
For more information, go to nelson-atkins.org.
June First Friday
First Friday events also mark the upcoming weekend:
▪ Brides in the Bottom Weekend, with Wedding Bliss Giveaway, at West Bottoms, June 4-6 (most shops 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday). facebook.com/westbottoms.
▪ June exhibitions of works by Margo Kren, Jim Needham and Brian Spies at Kansas City Artists Coalition, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 4; through June 25. kansascityartistscoalition.org.
▪ “Reset,” Belger Arts’ annual resident exhibition at Belger Crane Yard Gallery, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. June 4; through Sept. 4. belgerarts.org.
▪ “We’ve Met Before” by Wolfe Brack at Bunker Center for the Arts, opening reception, 6-9 p.m. June 4. bunkercenter.com.
▪ “Colorful Landscape Paintings” by Anne Garney at Anne Garney Paintings, First Friday opening, 5-8 June 4; also, noon-4 p.m. June 4-5. annegarneypaintings.com.
▪ “Love Blossoms” June First Friday Art Party at Pop Up Art Gallery, 5-11 p.m. June 4. eventbrite.com.
▪ Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey First Friday Hip-Hop Dance Class, 6:30 p.m. June 4. kcfaa.org.
Festivals
Meanwhile, the summer festival season starts this week:
▪ Kansas City State Fair, 10 a.m. June 3-13, Cable Dahmer Arena ($8-$10). cabledahmerarena.com.
▪ Food, Art & Drink Festival, 5-10 p.m. June 4-5, Linden Square, Downtown Gladstone. lindensquare.info.
▪ Discover Fort Osage, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. June 5, Fort Osage National Historic Landmark ($4-$8). makeyourdayhere.com.
▪ Hy-Vee SummerFest, noon-10 p.m. June 5, Belton Memorial Park (free). facebook.com.
▪ Strang Hall Beer Fest, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 5, Strang Hall ($55). visitoverlandpark.com.
More entertainment
Here are other in-person activities:
▪ A new entertainment venue, Gleason Magic Experience, featuring Las Vegas headliner and Topeka native Greg Gleason, will open at Prairiefire in Overland Park, June 4. Shows will be on weekends only: 7 and 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. Sundays. ($29.95-$39.95) gleasonmagicexperience.com.
▪ Theatre in the Park will open its season with “Mamma Mia!” 8:30 p.m. June 4-6 and 9-12 ($6-$10). theatreinthepark.org.
▪ The Liberty Lounge Summer Vibes Series, an evening of conversation and music at the Liberty Lounge in Independence, will open with Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and jazz music, 6 p.m. June 4. indepsquare.com.
▪ The Troostival Street Tour pop-up show will include music from several bands at the Union Staton streetcar stop, 7 p.m. June 4. troostival.com.
▪ The traditional Hospital Hill Run, with a half-marathon, 10K and 5K, will take place in the Crown Center and midtown area, 7 a.m. June 5 ($17-$107). hospitalhillrun.com.
▪ “Quez Presents: Pride Edition,” the first Black LGBTQ+ event at 18th and Vine, will take place at Soiree, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. June 5 ($10). quezpresents.com.
Virtual events
Here are online ways you and your family can spend your coronavirus-induced stay-at-home time:
▪ Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak will perform their fusion music, on demand June 4-10 (free). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center.
▪ Learn about “Mademoiselle & The American Soldier: French War Brides of WWI,” 10:30 a.m. June 5 (free). theworldwar.org.
▪ The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey’s 2021 Virtual Gala, “A Tribute to Charlie Parker,” will honor Bobby Watson and feature the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 6 p.m. June 5 ($100-$300). kcfaa.org.
▪ The Pershing Lecture Series with Mark Hull of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College will focus on “The Imperial German Air Service,” 7 p.m. June 8 (free). theworldwar.org.
This story was originally published June 2, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
