This weekend in Kansas City: Julian McCullough at Stanford’s, Quixotic, Grub & Groove Festival, Sly’s Rock the Block and microbrews at Zona Rosa

Julian McCullough

Thursday through Saturday at Stanford’s Comedy Club

Comedian Julian McCullough speaks candidly about the most painful and embarrassing moments of his life. He related a story about his experience with a burst appendix on the popular public radio program “This American Life.” He realized when he was sent into the emergency room ahead of a man with a bloody head wound that his condition was serious. He manages to find humor in a subsequent medical bill. Other McCullough routines examine his childhood as the son of itinerant parents and a failed childhood romance. He’s currently chronicling his diet on Twitter. A recent post: “I’m so hungry. The emptiness inside is no longer just spiritual.”

8:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, 7:45 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, and Saturday, Aug. 15. Stanford’s Comedy Club, 7328 W. 119th St., Overland Park. 913-400-7500. stanfordscomedyclub.com. $10-$35.

Quixotic

Saturday at the Lied Center

Quixotic has been redefining the possibilities of “movement, sound and technology” for a decade. The Kansas City-based multimedia troupe has found exciting new ways to present dance, music and visual illusions. Perhaps best known for its stunning open air exhibitions at public sites like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Quixotic is celebrating its 10th anniversary with its Gravity of Center program. The immersive show will premiere on Saturday.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Lied Center, 1600 Stewart, Lawrence. 785-864-2787. lied.ku.edu. $20-$30 in advance.

Grub & Groove Festival

Saturday at Parade Park

“And the Beat Goes On.” The title of the Whispers hit from 1980 partially explains the appeal of Saturday’s Grub & Groove Festival at Parade Park. A lineup of vintage soul, funk and pop ensembles will revive their time-tested material for an audience that also has access to a variety of “grub” vendors. The Whispers are R&B survivors with hit singles that span four decades. One Way songs like “Cutie Pie” were among the most vibrant funk hits of the 1980s. Rose Royce is remembered for the lovely ballad “I Wanna Get Next to You” and the theme song for the 1976 movie “Car Wash.” Tony! Toni! Toné! and KeKe Wyatt will also perform.

5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Parade Park. facebook.com/events/589635244511408. $35-$65.

Rivalry Run

Saturday in the Power & Light District

Between the “house divided” signs that indicate a couple from competing institutions of higher learning sharing a residence to the childish taunts that are commonly used to disparage the alumni of other schools, the Kansas City area simmers with a competitive undercurrent that’s rooted in rivalries between regional universities. The Rivalry Run allows people to apply their aggression to a positive cause. Benefiting the Domestic Violence Protection Services Agency, the annual event attracts thousands of runners and walkers proudly representing universities including Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and UMKC.

8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Power & Light District. therivalryrun.org. $30 in advance, $35 on the day of the race.

Sly’s Rock the Block

Saturday at Union Station

Eddie Cochran’s 1958 hit “Summertime Blues” addresses the strained dynamic between teenagers and politicians. A congressman tells a frustrated youth in the song that “I’d like to help you son, but you’re too young to vote.” While Kansas City Mayor Sly James is slated to give a brief address at the seven-hour Rock the Block event, the focus will be on entertaining thousands of politically agnostic youth. A dance competition, basketball courts, soccer fields and bounce tents will allow energetic kids to stay busy. Musical acts including soulful pop ensemble AY Musik and gospel singer Queyonoh will provide a soundtrack for the festivities.

4-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Union Station. 816-513-7500. kcmayor.org/mayorsnights. Free.

UNICO Microbrew Festival

Saturday at Zona Rosa

Lawfully drinking beer in the open air of a public space is one of the most underappreciated simple pleasures of American life. The annual UNICO Microbrew Festival offers a pleasing setting for imbibing. Cathedral Square Brewery of St. Louis, Mother’s Brewing Co. of Springfield, Radius Brewing Co. of Emporia and Root Sellers Brewing Co. of Kansas City, Kan., are among the approximately 30 breweries that will pour 4-ounce samples on Saturday afternoon. Food vendors, live music and the offerings of the many establishments in the Zona Rosa shopping center will keep even teetotalers occupied.

1-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Zona Rosa. 816-587-8180. unicokc.org. $25 in advance and $30 at the gate.

Archaeology Day

Saturday at Fort Osage in Sibley

Armchair archaeologists have an opportunity to stretch their legs during Archaeology Day at Fort Osage on Saturday. Following presentations about the historical significance of Fort Osage, archaeologist John Peterson will lead groups on a walking tour of the site. Founded next to the Missouri River in 1808, Fort Osage was an integral component of the western expansion of European settlers. Peterson and other archaeologists have uncovered fascinating details about the lives of the people who resided at the site, including the Native Americans who inhabited the area more than 1,500 years ago.

10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Fort Osage. 816-503-4860. jacksongov.org. $7, $4 for youth and $3 for seniors.

Sporting Kansas City

Saturday and Wednesday at Sporting Park

Sporting Kansas City is steadily inching toward the top of the standings of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer. The team’s supporters hope that Saturday’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Wednesday’s contest with the San Jose Earthquakes will further advance Sporting’s playoff prospects. Young Spaniard Jordi Quintilla, a recent Sporting acquisition, may fill in for Roger Espinoza. The star midfielder suffered an injury that’s expected to keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. Even so, 10,000 fans will receive Espinoza posters at Wednesday’s match.

vs. Vancouver, 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15

vs. San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19

Sporting Park. 913-912-7600. sportingkc.com. $20-$275.

Kansas City Royals vs. L.A. Angels

Thursday through Sunday at Kauffman Stadium

While the Royals appear to be certain to be the champions of the Central Division of the American League, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in a contentious battle in the league’s Western Division. A roster that includes animated slugger Mike Trout and former Independence resident Albert Pujols hasn’t been able to separate itself from the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. The Angels’ second baseman Johnny Giavotella, a former Royal, should get a nice reception from Royals fans. Mike Sweeney, another former fan favorite, will be inducted into the Royals’ Hall of Fame prior to Saturday’s game.

7:10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, 7:10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 6:10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, 7:08 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Kauffman Stadium. 816-921-8000. kansascity.royals.mlb.com. $11-$157.

Claire McCaskill for “Plenty Ladylike”

Sunday at Unity Temple on the Plaza

Most successful politicians strive to be as bland as possible. They tend to carefully gauge public sentiment and sidestep controversies. The unlikely ascent of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders indicates that there’s still a place in politics for bold firebrands. Claire McCaskill is a similarly outspoken politician. Currently representing Missouri in the Senate, McCaskill is the co-author of a new memoir. Sheryl Sandberg, the Facebook executive and author of “Lean In,” wrote that McCaskill’s book “nearly explodes with encouragement for women on how to achieve their dreams.”

2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47th St. 913-384-3126. rainydaybooks.com. $26, includes an autographed hardcover copy of “Plenty Ladylike.”

Buzz Under the Stars

Wednesday at the KC Live stage in the Power & Light District

Has reggae lost its way or is it more relevant than ever? Jamaican musicians who stay true to the traditional sound that was developed in their country rarely attain traction in the United States. Yet California-based acts like Sublime With Rome that combine lilting reggae rhythms with pop, hip-hop and rock elements are among the biggest live attractions on the summer festival circuit. At Wednesday’s radio station-sponsored concert, Sublime With Rome, Rebelution and Pepper will delight thousands of jubilant celebrants with a breezy version of reggae that would sound entirely unfamiliar in the streets of Kingston. Rapper Mickey Avalon is also on the bill.

6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19. KC Live in the Power & Light District. powerandlightdistrict.com. $30.

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 5:00 AM with the headline "This weekend in Kansas City: Julian McCullough at Stanford’s, Quixotic, Grub & Groove Festival, Sly’s Rock the Block and microbrews at Zona Rosa."