Feels like summer for First Friday. What you can see in the Crossroads and West Bottoms
April showers brought May flowers and they’re in full bloom for June. The first Friday of the month is the perfect time to walk around.
CROSSROADS
The gateway to downtown Kansas City has a lot to offer this first Friday. From art galleries to comedy shows, here’s a sample of what you can see.
A free comedy show at The Bird Comedy Theater. It runs from 7 to 9 p.m.
Glow Friday at Arts Tech. It’s a nighttime painting event where you’ll see your artwork shine under the stars. It runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and costs $5 for each canvas.
Inspiration Point | Sparks of Art is a collaborative exhibit between MINDDRIVE and Studios Inc., a local art studio designed to connect mid-career artists in Kansas City with each other. Students in MINDDRIVE, a program that emphasizes project-based learning, selected artwork from the Studios Inc. collection to be their inspiration for their latest project. The students’ creations will be on display from 5 to 8 p.m.
The art goes on, and you can find more exhibits here. The Art Alley at 18th Street between Baltimore Avenue and Wyandotte Street will be open, along with the food truck lot at 20th and Grand Streets.
WHEN TO SHOW UP
Events in the Crossroads start as early as 10 a.m. on Friday, and there are a number of events happening on Saturday and Sunday as well. Here’s where you can see all the events, including what time they start.
WHERE TO PARK
Parking will likely be tight on a First Friday. People who show up early will have the best chance at on-street parking, according to the Crossroads website.
You can use public transit like the Kansas City Streetcar to avoid any parking nightmares. The 16th Street and the 19th Street stops will put you right in the heart of the Crossroads.
WEST BOTTOMS
It’s a “Brews in the Bottoms” type of event for June. For beer enthusiasts, check out Stockyards Brewing Co., where they have their Cerveza Royale, Fox Trotter Scottish Ale and West Bottoms IPA on tap now.
You can also visit West Bottoms Whiskey Co. and enjoy their whiskey cocktails.
If beer isn’t your thing, enjoy some wine at either Amigoni Urban Winery or Fountain City Winery.
The brewing weekend will also feature some good West Bottoms shopping. Shops should be open on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about the West Bottoms shops here.
If you and your crew are looking for a fun group activity, Full Moon Escape will be open for groups to solve puzzles and work through the escape room from 12 to 11:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 12 until 8:45 p.m. on Sunday.
WHEN TO GO
The First Friday festivities will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
WHERE TO PARK
Free street parking in the West Bottoms is typically extremely limited during First Friday weekends. City parking lots cost $10 for the day and may require a short walk. Here’s a map of the neighborhood parking lots.
