Health Care

Events canceled, postponed across Kansas City region to stop spread of coronavirus

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Events and activities are being canceled across the Kansas City area Thursday after the World Health Organization classified the spread of the new coronavirus a global pandemic.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas declared a state of emergency for the city, forcing all events with more than 1,000 people to be canceled and halting non-essential travel for city employees. The order does not apply to schools.

On Friday, Jackson County Executive Frank White issued an order forcing the cancellation of all non-essential events with over 250 people who are not separated by at least four feet.

The order does not apply to school, work, essential public transportation and airport travel.

The city of Independence also declared a state of emergency Thursday. On Friday, the city of Liberty issued a community advisory —affecting Parks & Rec events, Community and Silver center programming. Johnson County and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas also declared a state of emergency on Friday.

Those announcements came along with a string of major cancellations and closings Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The Big 12 Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments has been canceled, along with the city’s Saint Patrick’s day parade. Universities across the regions have suspended classes.

However, more announcements were being made Thursday about events in and out of Kansas City that are canceled or postponed as companies and residents respond to the public health emergency.

The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph said Monday that all public Masses are suspended until at least April 3.

The Missouri Department of Corrections announced Thursday that visits to the state prisons would be suspended for 30 days. The Kansas Department of Corrections, the Johnson County Detention Center and the Clay County Detention Center made similar announcements Friday.

Cancellations

Here are the closings, cancellations and postponements we know of so far:

Shows and Speakers

  • Fruition Concert: Originally set for March 14, the concert is canceled.
  • Broadway through the Decades: The show, scheduled to run at the Quality Hill Playhouse through April 5 is postponed.
  • The Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland:Shows at The Midland between March 12 and April 1 are canceled. The company hopes to reschedule as many shows as possible but ticket holders will be able to request a refund if they are not available for the new date.
  • The Folly Theater: All performances are canceled through April 3.
  • The Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: All events from March 12 through April 1 at the center are canceled. Ticket holders are asked to contact the organization that issued the tickets. Performances of “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Aladdin” will be rescheduled, promoters said Friday.
  • Lawrence Arts Center: All productions in the center’s Mainstage Theatre and all Free Family Art Experiences through April 4th are canceled. Classes will be held as scheduled.
  • J. Roddy Walston concert: Originally scheduled fo March 15 at the Uptown Theater, this concert has been canceled.

  • Gaelynn Lea concert: All March shows, including one which was set March 17 at recordBar in Kansas City, have been canceled.

  • Carrot Top show: The March 20 show at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City has been postponed.

  • Third Eye Blind concert: Originally scheduled for March 20 at the Uptown Theater, the concert is postponed to June 3.

  • Bill More Chill: Originally scheduled to run from March 20 through April 5 the Theatre in the Park Indoors production is postponed.

  • Harriman-Jewell Series: Performances originally set for March 22, March 28 and April 6 have been canceled or postponed.

  • Vérité concert: Originally set for March 23 at RecordBar, the concert is being postponed.

  • Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real concert: Originally scheduled for March 25 at the Uptown Theater, this concert has been canceled.

  • Disney on Ice: Originally scheduled to run from March 26 through March 29 at the Sprint Center, the show has been canceled.
  • Aqueous Concert: Originally scheduled to perform at RecordBar on March 30, the concert has been canceled,
  • Hippie Sabotage Concert: Originally Scheduled for April 1 at the Uptown Theater, the concert has been postponed.
  • Beabadoobee Concert: Originally scheduled for April 3 at the Uptwon Theater, the concert has been postponed.
  • Dan + Shay Concert: Originally scheduled to perform at the The Sprint Center on April 9, the duo’s concert is rescheduled to Aug. 14.
  • Zac Brown Band Concert: Originally scheduled to perform at the Sprint Center April 16, the band’s concert will be postponed.
  • Cher Concert: Originally set for April 18 at the Sprint Center, the concert is rescheduled for Oct. 2.

  • Boston Camerata: The April 19 concert at the Linda Hall Library in Kansas City has been canceled, according to Friends of Chamber Music.

  • New Theatre & Restaurant: The remainder of the run of Church Basement Ladies, through April 12, has been canceled.

  • Johnson County Community College Carlsen Center: Performances canceled for three weeks starting March 14.
  • Silverstein Eye Centers Arena and Independence Community Ice: Public events suspended through April 5.
  • Unicorn Theatre: Remaining performances of “American Son” through March 29 canceled.
  • Kansas City FilmFest International: Postponed from mid-April to later in the summer of 2020.
  • Kansas City Symphony: All concerts and events suspended through May 10.

Sporting Events

Parades and Festivals

Government, court and political events

  • Johnson County State of the County Address: Originally set for March 24, the event is canceled.
  • Jackson County Circuit Court: All jury trials from March 16-27 as well as some hearings that involve a large number of people will be rescheduled. All hearings for defendants in the county jail will take place via video conferencing. High-volume dockets such as landlord-tenant cases, small claims and full orders of protection will be postponed and rescheduled.
  • U.S. District Court - Kansas City, Missouri: All jury trials are continued until March 29. All grand jury proceedings and non-emergency criminal and civil hearings are continued until March 29. Criminal matters before magistrate judges, such as initial appearances, arraignments, detention hearings, and the issuance of warrants, will continue to take place. Bankruptcy hearings and trials through March 29, will be conducted by telephone or continued based on the circumstances and at the discretion of the judge.
  • Johnson County District Court: All jury trials and non-essential chapter 61 hearings scheduled between March 16 and May 1 are postponed. No new marriage ceremonies will be scheduled. Non-jury hearings may be postponed at the discretion of the judge. All traffic and small claims cases rescheduled until May 11.
  • Wyandotte County District Court: All jury trials through April 19 are postponed.
  • Leawood City Hall: The City of Leawood is closing its city hall. Employees will still be able to answer calls but all meetings and events in the building are canceled.
  • Edgerton Municipal Court: All cases will be continued to April.
  • Edgerton Parks and Recreation: All parks and recreation events through the end of April are canceled.
  • JCCC Naturalization Ceremony: Originally scheduled for March 18 and Johnson County Community College the ceremony is canceled. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is working on a plan to reschedule.
  • City of Liberty: The City of Liberty issued a community advisory canceling events and programming throughout the city. These include: all Silver Center programs, all trips on the Liberty Access Bus, community center programs including exercise classes, events at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre, Liberty Parks and Recreation youth and adult sports practices and games, park shelter rentals, tours of city facilities, municipal court.

  • Kansas City Police Department community events: All events scheduled at Kansas City Police Department facilities have been suspended for at least 30 days. For more information, participants are asked to contact the nearest patrol station.

  • City of Shawnee: The Shawnee Civic Centre, Shawnee Town 1929 Museum and Shawnee Town 1929 Town Hall are closed through April 3. All Parks and Recreation programs and activities will be canceled through April 3. The Shawnee Municipal Court is rescheduling court dockets through April 3.

  • City of Olathe: Effective March 16, the library, community center and Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm will close. All parks and recreation programming are suspended. City facility tours, classes and programs are suspended.

  • City of Belton: All city building lobbies and golf courses closed to the public. City events and meetings scheduled March 14 to April 15 are canceled. The Belton Senior Center will be closed March 16-31, and the Belton High Blue Wellness Center will close March 14. Municipal court appearances and dockets will be suspended March 16 until further review.

  • City of Blue Springs: The Fieldhouse will close March 16 and reopen April 6. All recreation programs have been temporarily discontinued.

  • City of Lee’s Summit: All community centers will be closed March 16-27, including Lea McKeighan North and Summit Ice. All recreation programs, activities, leagues and events have been postponed until further notice.

Conferences and Business Events

Museums and Libraries

  • Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Starting March 14 the museum will be closed and all events will be canceled until April 3.
  • Kansas City Public Library: From March 13 through March 31 all group activities and events at the libraries will be canceled. All 10 locations will remain open but event spaces and meeting rooms will not be available for booking by the public.
  • Lawrence Public Library: From March 14-29, the library will be closed, and all library-sponsored events now through March 31 will be canceled. The library intends to reopen on March 30.
  • Johnson County Public Library: All library locations closed at 5 p.m. March 14 and will remain closed through March 31.
  • Mid-Continent Public Library: All locations will be closed from March 16 at noon until at least March 31.
  • Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library: All programs, outreach efforts, meeting room reservation and mobile library service is canceled through March 31. The library branches will remain open.
  • The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art: Starting March 14 the museum will be closed through April 3rd. All events during that time will be canceled or postponed.
  • Union Station: From March 14 till March 31 Science City, the Model Rail Gallery, the Planetarium and the Genghis Khan Exhibition will be closed. All other attractions, retail and offices will remain open based on individual tenants plans.
  • American Jazz Museum: From March 14 till April 3 the museum as well as its Blue Room and Gem Theater will be closed.
  • National World War I Memorial and Museum: The museum will be closed from 5 p.m. March 14 through April 3.

  • Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City: The museum will close March 14 and will remain closed as it monitors the virus outbreak, its website stated.
  • Cass County Public Library: All locations closed from March 17 to April 5.

Proceeding as scheduled

Some organizations have pledged to hold their events despite concerns. Here are the events still happening that we know of so far.

Shows and Speakers

  • The Uptown Theater: As of Thursday afternoon concerts at The Uptown Theater, which caps ticket sales at 1,000, are not being canceled. The theater’s website says that it is working with tours and adhering to directives of local, state and federal officials. Some concerts, including Lukas Nelson’s and Third Eye Blind, are canceling or postponing on an individual basis.

Educational Events

  • The Kansas City Zoo: Educational programs and camps as well as other events will continue as scheduled. The zoo has increased its cleaning and disinfecting practices.

This story is developing and will be updated. The list is not exhaustive.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:18 PM.

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Katie Bernard
The Kansas City Star
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Katie Bernard covered Kansas politics and government for the Kansas City Star from 20219-2024. Katie was part of the team that won the Headliner award for political coverage in 2023.
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