Festivals abound in Kansas City this weekend: Cinco de Mayo, BBQ, beer, burlesque
The Cinco de Mayo Festival at Guadalupe Centers will celebrate the Mexican holiday with free events over two days, including entertainment on two stages. The popular Tex-Mex band Little Joe Y La Familia will headline Saturday night’s offerings.
In addition to bands, mariachis and folkloric dancers, the festival will feature food trucks, kids rides, a petting zoo, vendors and artists.
Hours will be 5-10 p.m. May 6 and noon-10 p.m. May 7. More information at guadalupecenters.org.
More entertainment
▪ The Kansas City BBQ Festival will take place in Parking Lots C and D at Arrowhead Stadium, 5-10 p.m. May 6, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. May 7, 10:30 a.m.-5p.m. May 8 (free). Also, the KC Brew Fest will go on inside the stadium, 6-10 p.m. May 7 ($50-$90). kcbbqfest.com and kcsummerbeerfest.com.
▪ “Radio Royalty — Barry, Karen, Elton” at Quality Hill Playhouse will feature hits of Barry Manilow, Karen Carpenter and Elton John, opens 7:30 p.m. May 6; runs through May 22, ($42-$45). qualityhillplayhouse.com.
▪ The First Peoples Festival will include music, dancing, food and demonstrations at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 7 (free with regular admission, $1-$3). opkansas.org.
▪ Independence will celebrate native son Harry S. Truman’s 138th birthday (May 8) with Cakes and Quotes on the Independence Square, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 7 (free). Also, the Truman Library will resume normal Sunday hours, noon- 5 p.m. May 8 ($5-$12). indepsquare.com and trumanlibrary.gov.
▪ R&B Hall of Famer Phil Perry will perform as part of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s “Jazz & Jackie: A Musical Salute to Jackie Robinson” at the Gem Theater, 7 p.m. May 7 ($25-$35). nlbm.com.
▪ Touring comedian Bert Kreischer will play at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland, 7 p.m. May 7-8 ($39.75-$109.75). arvestbanktheatre.com.
▪ The historic Folly Theater will play host to the 10th annual Kansas City Burlesque Festival, 7:30 p.m. May 7 ($30-$55). follytheater.org.
▪ The two-part “The Inheritance” at the Unicorn Theatre follows three generations of gay men in the decades after the AIDS epidemic. Part 1 opens 7:30 May 11, and Part 2 opens 7:30 p.m. May 18; runs through June 12 ($22-$44). unicorntheatre.org.
Music
▪ Rosanne Cash, 7:30 p.m. May 5, Lied Center ($19-$50). lied.ku.edu.
▪ Buddy Guy, 8 p.m. May 5, Knuckleheads ($58.50). knuckleheadskc.com.
▪ Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, 8 p.m. May 5, Uptown ($65-$250). uptowntheater.com.
▪ “Revolutionary Icons” with Eckart Runge and Jacque Ammon, 7 p.m. May 6, Yardley Hall (sold out). chambermusic.org.
▪ Jordan Davis, 7:30 p.m. May 6, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland ($29.50-$35). arvestbanktheatre.com.
▪ Asleep at the Wheel, 8 p.m. May 6, Knuckleheads ($35). knuckleheadskc.com.
▪ Kansas City Symphony, “The Composer Is Dead and other Musical Mysteries,” 2 p.m. May 7, Kauffman Center ($25-$40). kcsymphony.org
▪ Ben Rector, 7 p.m. May 7, Starlight ($35-$69.95). kcstarlight.com.
▪ Merle Jam with Walter Trout and Stacy Mitchhart, 8 p.m. May 7, Knuckleheads ($27.50). knuckleheadskc.com.
▪ Air Supply, 8:30 p.m. May 7, Ameristar ($57-$75). ameristarkansascity.com.
▪ OMD, 8 p.m. May 8, The Truman ($32.50-$59.50). thetrumankc.com.
▪ Danzig, 6 p.m. May 11, Uptown ($45-$99). uptowntheater.com.
▪ Jesse McCartney, 8 p.m. May 11, The Truman ($30-$60). thetrumankc.com.
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
