Shakespeare Festival

An annual summer event – relax and enjoy the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.

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The Great Outdoors... for Art Lovers

By Lysa Allman-Baldwin

The “alfresco” season has arrived and Kansas City is a great place to enjoy a wealth of outdoor arts, from expressive murals, to spirited performance art, unique art fairs and more.

Larger than life

12th & VineBeautiful mural projects throughout the area offer a larger than life perspective of the city’s early history.

In the Historic River Market, the Lewis and Clark Mural represents the landmark 1804 expedition by these famed explorers, while the Town of Kansas Mural depicts busy commerce along the Missouri riverfront, circa 1850.

Near 12th Street and Park Avenue, patriarchs of the Gates Bar-B-Q dynasty spring to life, and at Grand and Truman there is a vivid tribute to the many iconic African-American musicians and baseball players that put Kansas City on the map.

Bring on the drama!

William Shakespeare’s words “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players” literally – pun intended – come to life June 16 to July 5 in “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Every year the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival delights Shakespeare fans with free performances of his popular plays on the lawn of Southmoreland Park just west of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Those who prefer to live “on the fringe, will love the Kansas City Fringe Festival. The event is a tribute of sorts to a group of artists in Ethnic Enrichment Festival_001_LA.jpgEdinburgh, Scotland in the 1940s who were shunned from participating in the major festival there, and decided to create their own. From July 19 to 26, the festival features storytelling, live theatre, puppetry, performance and visual art, and dance at several venues throughout the city.

August 21 to 23 marks the 30th anniversary of the Ethnic Enrichment Festival, where attendees are encouraged to “feel the world beat in the heart of America.” Held in Swope Park, the festival attracts some 40,000 people to celebrate the 60-plus countries and ethnic groups represented in the Greater Kansas City area. Live music, dance, ethnic culinary fare, and arts and crafts are just the beginning.

Perennial Annuals

For a unique flavor and flair of Kansas City’s diverse neighborhoods, checkout these annual art fairs:

May 29 to 31
The Prairie Village Art Fair showcases primarily local and regional artists, plus live music from student and area bands, culinary booths from the surrounding Prairie Village Shops restaurants and children's activities.

Power & Light District Art FestivalJune 26 to 28
The newest, and already very popular art fair in town is the District Art Annual Downtown Kansas City Art Fair. Held in the new Power & Light District, the fair features a wealth of local, regional and national artists, retail product booths and children’s activities. There are also 9 city blocks of diverse retail, restaurant and entertainment options within the Power & Light District.

September 25 to 27
Celebrating its 78th anniversary this year, the Plaza Art Fair draws an estimated 300,000 art enthusiasts to the streets of the Country Club Plaza. Over 200 artists from 36 states will create a beautiful outdoor art gallery here featuring outstanding photography, ceramics, jewelry, glass, fabric, sculpture, and other artworks. Gastronomy from the city’s best restaurants and a bevy of live musical performances round out this very popular annual event.

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