Summer events, community gatherings in the Kansas City metro area
July 8
Tri-County Mental Health: A 12-week aging mastery program for caregivers, topics will include sleep, healthy eating, financial fitness, end-of-life planning, medication management and more, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 816-678-3036 or beckyf@tri-countymhs.org.
July 10
Gladstone Kiwinas Meeting: Potential members are welcome, meeting second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, noon, Antioch Bible Baptist Church, 800 NE 72nd St., Gladstone.
July 11
Music at the Farmstead: Summer concert: Join in for dancing and sing along with Funky Mama, bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks, 6:30 p.m., Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, 13800 Switzer Road, Overland Park, free.
July 12
The Teddy Bear Picnic KC 2019: Celebrate National Teddy Bear Picnic Day, bring a picnic blanket and grab your favorite teddy bear with music, games, crafts, face painting, ballon artist and more, 11 a.m to 1 p.m., Roanoke Park, 3601 Roanoke Road, Kansas City, free.
Summer Concert: Family-friendly event with music under the stars, bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic basket listen to the sounds of local musicians, 7 to 9 p.m., Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City.
July 13
KC Taco Fest: $2 tacos, cerveza, margarita, tequila and live music, competition among participating food vendor to determine the best tacos, 3 to 10 p.m., Crossroads KC, 417 E. 18th St., Kansas City, crossroadskc.com.
Little Big Band: Salute to the great swing bands of Kansas City, enjoy music, 10 a.m to noon, American Jazz Museum, 1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City, free, americanjazzmuseum.org.
July 13-14
Third Annual Second Saturday Weston Paint Out: Watch award winning Plein Air artists as they paint along the sidewalks throughout Weston, Orchard and Vineyards, food and activities for the kids including free drawing, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Main St., Weston.
July 19-20
Kansas City’s Reggae Music and Jerk Festival: Great food and music for all to enjoy, 4:30 to 11 p.m., Island Spice Caribbean Restaurant, 10 W. 39th St. Kansas City, $20, friendsofreggae.eventbrite.com.
July 20
Outdoor Movie: Enjoy a showing of “Coco,” bring blankets, chairs and snacks to watch the movie under the stars, 8:45 p.m., Charles A. Garney Park, free.
Annual 1951 Flood Reunion Dance: Enjoy the music by Picante and DJ Bobby C, food and beverage, raffles and more, 7 to 11 p.m., Pierson Hall, 1800 S. 55th St. Kansas City, Kansas, $17.
July 21
Kansas City’s Big Picnic 2019: Featuring Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra, enjoy live music, food trucks, art activities, and lawn games from the museum to Brush Creek, 4 to 8 p.m., Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City.
July 24
Jammin on the Green: Featuring Vine Street Rumble Jazz Orchestra, this 14 piece band will perform the same music that made Kansas City the place to be in the ’20s through the ’40s, light refreshments will be provided, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Shawnee Town, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, free.
July 27
Ziggy’s Creative Garden Series: Participants will be given one birdhouse to build then paint to take home, ages 5 to 18, noon to 3 p.m., Latino Foundation for the Arts, 1132 Oak St., Kansas City.
Independencia de Columbia: Bring the family out and enjoy food and music along with games for the children, noon to 7 p.m., Jacomo Lake, Shelter #3, 7401 Jackson County, free.
Water Lantern Festival: Witness the magic of lanterns as they light up the water, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, www.WaterLanternFestival.com.
Composting Basics Class: Instructors will teach you to start your own compost, no lawn required, this class will teach what elements are needed to start and maintain a compost, no previous gardening required, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Shawnee Town, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, 913-248-2360.
Aug. 7
Notable & Notorious People of the Twenties: Come visit with four of the area’s finest first-person intrepreters as they portray notable women and one notorious man of the 1920s, Amelia Earhart, Mrs. Henry (Clara) Ford, Zora Neale Hurston and Tom Pendergast, 7 to 9 p.m., Shawnee Town, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, free.
Aug. 10
Dog Days of Summer: Bring your furry friend for contests, prizes, visit with local vets, groomers, trainers and friends, all dogs must be on a leash, 10 a.m. to noon, Shawnee Town, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, free.
Lisa Lopez, llopez@kcstar.com
This story was originally published June 26, 2019 at 6:16 PM.