Here are dozens of free and cheap shows happening around Kansas City this summer
The summer concert season has begun, and Kansas City has all genres to offer.
Even if you are not looking to pay big bucks for a headliner at Starlight Theatre or Grinders, there’s still plenty to check out on a budget.
All around the city are free and cheap concerts and events that anyone can sit back and enjoy. Bring a lawn chair, set up a picnic and enjoy these shows around Kansas City this summer for $10 or less.
FUTURE STAGES FESTIVAL
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts hosts the free Future Stages Festival on Sunday, June 9, from noon to 5 p.m. at 1601 Broadway Blvd. The community festival showcases hundreds of Kansas City-based youth performers.
Performances are happening inside Helzberg Hall, Muriel Kauffman Theatre and on the outdoor stage. Find out which local bands and schools are performing online.
Tickets are not required, but visitors can RSVP to receive updates.
MOBILE MUSIC BOX
Kansas City Symphony’s “Mobile Music Box” is returning for the summer weather, bringing free concerts to different locations around the metro. Concerts have already been announced, and more will be revealed throughout the summer:
- 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28: Roanoke Park, 3601 Roanoke Road
- 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29: Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, 14907 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa
- 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 30: Westbrooke Church, 9777 Antioch Road, Overland Park
7 p.m. on Sunday, June 2: AdventHealth South Overland Park, 7820 W. 165th St., Overland Park
6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 3: MidContinent Public Library’s North Independence branch, 317 W. 24 Highway, Independence
6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5: Parade Park, 1600 E. 17th Terrace
Noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 9: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd.
6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 10: MidContinent Public Library’s Smithville Branch, 120 Richardson St.
6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11: Kansas City Kansas Public Library South Branch, 3104 Strong Ave.
KANSAS CITY MUSEUM
The Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., is hosting summer concerts on the east lawn starting on June 14 and every second Friday of the summer months. Bring your picnics and lawn chairs and enjoy the shows. All shows run from 7 to 9 p.m., and the gates open at 6:30 p.m.
- June 14: Brass Rewind
- July 12: Knobtown Skiffle Band
- Aug. 9: Jump Jive & Swing
- Sept. 13: Mariachi Estrella KC
It’s $7 for each adult and kids ages 12 and under are free as long as an adult accompanies them. Dogs and cats are also welcome to join the party.
POWER & LIGHT DISTRICT
It’s a summer of free live music at the Power & Light District, as the KC Live! Block hosts concerts every weekend night in June. These local acts will take the stage:
Friday, June 7: Cowardly Lions
Friday, June 14: Perpetual Change
Saturday, June 15: ZOSO
Friday, June 21: The Champagne
Friday, June 28: The Zeros
Saturday, June 29: Post Clarity
HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival returns to Southmoreland Park, 4600 Oak St., right by the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, from June 11 to 30. This year’s performance is “Julius Caesar,” telling the story of the conspiracy against Caesar, his assassination and the defeat of his conspirators.
The event is free to attend, but you can also get reserved seating for $25 on Sunday through Thursday performances or $35 for performances on Friday and Saturday shows.
The gates open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. You can visit the schedule, click on your preferred date and reserve your seats there.
BACKYARD MOVIES AT SCREENLAND ARMOUR
The Backyard Movie series returns to local movie theater Screenland Armour, 408 Armour Road in North Kansas City, for the summer. Every Saturday from June through August, the theater is showing a classic movie in the parking lot behind the building.
Most movies cost $5 per person, but there are a few free options available. Here’s what’s on the screen this season:
- June 1: “Wet Hot American Summer.” Free.
- June 8: “Cry-baby.” $5.
- June 15: “Drop Dead Gorgeous.” $5.
- June 22: “Practical Magic.” $5.
- June 29: “Dazed and Confused.” $5.
- July 6: “Little Shop of Horrors.” Free.
- July 13: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” $5
- July 20: “Dirty Dancing.” $5
- July 27: “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” $5.
- Aug. 3: “Happy Gilmore.” Free.
- Aug. 10: “The Goonies.” $5.
- Aug. 17: “Wayne’s World.” $5
- Aug. 24: “Mama Mia!” $5
- Aug. 31: “Grease.” $5
JAMMIN’ ON THE GREEN
Shawnee Town Museum, 11501 W. 57th St., hosts free concerts on the last Wednesday of each month, and they even provide snacks and water bottles. You’re encouraged to bring your own chairs, since picnic tables and benches are limited.
Vine Street Rumble Jazz Orchestra kicked off the summer series in May. The rest of the performances run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and include:
- June 26: Grand Marquis
July 24: Betse & Clarke String Band
Aug. 28: AnnaLee and the Lucky So & So’s
Sept. 25: Kansas City Ukesters
LENEXA’S CONCERT SERIES
Enjoy free concerts in Sar-Ko Park’s grand pavilion in Lenexa. From 5 to 6:30 p.m. on select Sundays, enjoy performances from artists of all genres, including:
Elsewhere in Lenexa, the Lenexa Public Market hosts its Friday Night Sound Bites series. Each performance has a special dinner and dessert to accompany the show from local food trucks.
Lenexa Public Market will announce more concerts as the season rolls on, but here is the current schedule of headliners:
OLATHE LIVE!
Olathe Live! returns to Stagecoach Park, 1205 E. Kansas City Road, for the summer. Shows start at 7 p.m. on Fridays and you can bring blankets, lawn chairs, food and non-alcoholic beverages.
- June 14: Doobies KC and Styx Illusion
- July 12: Surfin’ USA
- July 19: Liverpool Project
- July 26: Big Time Grain Co.
- Aug. 2: Peace Love & Music: A Tribute to the Bands of Woodstock
- Sept. 13: Liverpool
New this year is “Olathe Live! Over Lunch,” a concert series taking place from 11 am. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday in June and July at Olathe Downtown Library, 260 E. Santa Fe St.:
- June 4: Lindsay Blacksher
- June 11: Aaron Lucero
- June 18: John Sanders
- June 25: Caleb Blacksher
- July 2: Garrett Childers
- July 9: Nicole Springer
- July 16: Phil Wang
- July 23: David Smart
- July 30: Lester Estelle
RAYTOWN LIVE!
Raytown’s summer concert series, Raytown Live!, kicked off in May and continues throughout the summer. At 7 p.m. every second Saturday of the summer months, the Greenspace, 10009 E. 62nd St., across from the Raytown Mid-Continent Public Library, brings a free concert and food trucks for visitors.
Levee Town Band performed in May, and here’s who follows them for the summer:
- June 8: Brass Rewind
- July 13: AnnaLee & the So& So’s
- Aug. 10: The Vincents
- Sept. 14: Lucidity
FREE SHOWS IN OVERLAND PARK
Overland Park’s free “Concert in the Park” series takes place at Thompson Park, 8045 Santa Fe Drive, at 7 p.m. every second Thursday during the summer months. This year’s schedule includes:
- June 13: The Elders
- July 11: Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra
- Aug. 8: The Stolen Winnebagos
The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th St., is also hosting free movie nights for the first time this year. The movies will start at approximately 8:45 p.m. every fourth Friday of the summer months. One of the movies is limited to people 18 and up, but here’s what you can see at the arboretum this year:
- June 28: “Elemental”
- July 26: “Top Gun Maverick,” for ages 18 and up.
- Aug. 23: “The Goonies”
ZONA ROSA
Summer concerts in the park return to Northland shopping center Zona Rosa. Every Friday starting June 7, see a free show by a local artist in Central Park, 8731 N. Stoddard Ave. right next to Bravo Italian Cucina. Each performance is scheduled to go from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
June 7: The Suburbans
June 14: Vinyl Revival
June 21: Big Time Grain Co.
June 28: The Outttakes
July 12: The Zeroes
July 19: Superstar Mafia
July 26: Big People
KC WINE CO.
KC Wine Co., 13875 S. Gardner Road in Olathe offers free performances from local acts in the vineyard. You have to be 21 and older to attend these events, and they all run from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays all summer long.
Throughout the summer are $5 Fridays, with live music and $5 pints, glasses of wine and flatbread pizza from 4-9 p.m. Check out the schedule of performances online.
THEATRE IN THE PARK
Shawnee Mission Park’s “Theatre in the Park” is back for 2024, featuring five plays at the outdoor amphitheater and five movies playing at the outdoor amphitheater, 7710 Renner Road, from May 31 to Aug. 3.
The following plays are at Shawnee Mission Park’s outdoor venue this year:
- May 31-June 8: “Bye Bye Birdie”
June 14-22: “Anastasia: The Musical”
June 28-July 6: “Anything Goes”
July 12-20: “Hello, Dolly!”
July 26-Aug. 3: “Sister Act”
These movies are playing on the big screen during the summer:
- June 4: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
- June 18: “Despicable Me”
- July 2: “The Little Mermaid”
- July 16: “How to Train Your Dragon”
- July 30: “Barbie”
Tickets for plays are $10 for adults, $6 for kids ages 4-10 and free for children ages three and under, and tickets for movies are $1. Buy tickets online.
We will be adding to this list as more events are announced. If we’re missing one of your favorite places to visit or you think there’s something everyone can enjoy, let us know at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published May 23, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
