Cinco de Mayo, Star Wars and art fairs: 5 fun things to do in KC this weekend
The weekend begins on a fresh month, and hopefully the many April showers bring May flowers to kick off what the Kansas City area is hosting.
A historic Westside neighborhood organization gears up to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its iconic cultural festival, and a double feature of a beloved sci-fi movie franchise takes place on a rooftop just a few blocks away . The first outdoor art fair of 2026 also kicks off this weekend in the center of this bustling neighborhood.
Here’s what happening around Kansas City this weekend. If there’s something you have your eye on for next week that people should absolutely go to, email jhernandez@kcstar.com.
Cinco de Mayo festival at Guadalupe Centers
The Guadalupe Centers, 1015 Avenida Cesar Chavez, hosts its 100th anniversary of its Cinco de Mayo festival May 1-2. The street in front of the community center will be blocked off, where vendors, interactive activities and live entertainment will set up shop for the weekend.
It’s open from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 2. The festival is free for anyone to attend and is family-friendly. It’s also rain or shine.
Headlining acts this year include local rock band Making Movies, who received a Latin Grammy Award nomination in 2019, and Latin funk group Stranded in the City.
“Whether you’re a longtime attendee or a first-time visitor, we invite you to be part of this vibrant celebration of culture and heritage,” Guadalupe Centers said in a statement.
May the 4th be with you at Rooftop Cinema Club
Rooftop Cinema Club recently began its second year of hosting classic films as visitors overlook the Crossroads Art District. One of its double features showcased this season is centered around one of the most popular movie franchises of all time.
Ahead of Star Wars Day, which takes place May 4 annually, the rooftop movie destination is showing the first two films in the franchise, “A New Hope” and “The Empire Strikes Back.” You can watch these “Star Wars” movies under the stars on Saturday, May 2.
“A New Hope” starts at 8:40 p.m., and “The Empire Strikes Back” follows at 11:30 p.m. Tickets for each movie start at $20, and can be purchased online. The website says it’s only available for guests ages 16 and up.
Doors open at 8:10 p.m. for the first movie, and at 11 p.m. for the second movie.
The Brookside Art Annual
The 40th Brookside Art Annual showcase is Kansas City’s first outdoor art show of the year, and it runs from May 1 to 3 at 63rd and Brookside Boulevard between 63rd Street and Meyer Boulevard.
The art fair brings local and national artists together at the center of the Brookside neighborhood, with this year’s theme being “Back to the 80s.” You can engage in variety of activities on site, but the focus of the show is on the over 150 artists in attendance.
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Brookside’s art fair runs from these times:
- 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 1
- 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 2
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3
Prairie Village’s 75th anniversary parade
Prairie Village, the city in Johnson County with just over 22,000 residents, celebrates its 75th anniversary with parade traveling on Mission Road on Saturday, May 2.
The parade kicks off at 10 a.m., and visitors are encouraged to line the sidewalks of Mission Road from 79th Street to 83rd Street to watch. The parade ends near Corinth Square, located between Mission Road and West 83rd Streets, as that is the site of the after party and will run until 1 p.m.
The party features a classic car show with vehicles seen in the parade, yard games and other activities. Local New Orleans-style band Back Alley Brass Band will also perform during the celebration.
First Friday weekend in the West Bottoms
The West Bottoms neighborhood blooms for the first weekend of May, as they host their monthly First Friday weekend May 1-3.
The neighborhood is asking you to bring out your floral and spring time outfits, as there will be lots of photo-ops to take advantage of, with fresh flower displays lining the streets.
The Blooms in the Bottoms also opens up its many vintage and antique shops, like Treasures on 13th and Bella Patina. Live music is scheduled throughout the weekend, and a special plant sale runs May 2-3.
Shops should be open Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a press release.
