Advertisement

Kansas City things to do: World’s first shopping center to celebrate 100th birthday

Dan Kelly
·5 min read

Highland Park Village in Dallas claims to be the world’s first shopping center, even though it opened in 1931, eight years after our Country Club Plaza. Highland Park’s architecture also is suspiciously similar to the Plaza’s.

In any case, Highland Park Village must wait eight years to celebrate its 100th birthday, which the actual world’s first shopping center is doing this year. The Plaza’s highlight event will be June 3, with three stages of live music, giveaways, food and other activities running 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Merchants will offer special deals and events, and there will be a community painting led by the 2023 Plaza Art Fair featured artist, Jenny Meyer-McCall. More information at countryclubplaza.com.

The parade is one of the highlights of Old Shawnee Days, which will run June 1-4 in Shawnee. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. June 3.
The parade is one of the highlights of Old Shawnee Days, which will run June 1-4 in Shawnee. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. June 3.

More festivals

▪ Old Shawnee Days, 5-10 p.m. June 1, 6-10 p.m. June 2, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. June 3 (parade 10 a.m.), 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. June 4, Shawnee Town 1929 and Downtown Shawnee (free). oldshawneedays.org.

▪ Enchanted Faire, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 2-3, Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens ($8-$13.27; includes admission to Gardens). artsandrec-op.org/arboretum.

▪ Downtown Days, noon-10 p.m. June 2, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. June 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 4, Downtown Lee’s Summit (free). downtownls.org.

▪ Meadowbrook Park Festival, 4-8 p.m. June 2, Prairie Village (free). jcprdfoundation.org.

▪ Festa Italiana, 5-11 p.m. June 2, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. June 3, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. June 4, Zona Rosa (free). unicokc.com.

▪ Food, Art, Drink Festival, 5-10 p.m. June 2-3, Linden Square, Gladstone (free). lindensquare.info.

▪ 50th Anniversary Block Party, 5:30-8 p.m. June 2, Mid-America Arts Alliance (free). maaa.org.

▪ Strawberry Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 3, Vaile Mansion (free; mansion tours $5-$10). vailemansion.org.

▪ Turkic Food and Art Festival, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 3, Dialogue Institute of Kansas City (free). eventbrite.com.

▪ SummerFest, noon-10 p.m. June 3, Belton Memorial Park (free). facebook.com.

▪ Our Blue Planet — A Handmade Parade and festival, 2 p.m. June 4, 18th and Vine District (free). stonelionpuppets.org.

Roy Wood Jr. of “The Daily Show” will perform three shows June 2-3 at the Kansas City Improv.
Roy Wood Jr. of “The Daily Show” will perform three shows June 2-3 at the Kansas City Improv.

More entertainment

▪ The Prairie Village Art Show will celebrate its 66th year at the Shops of Prairie Village, 5-8 p.m. June 2, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. June 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 4 (free). pvartshow.com.

▪ “Virginia Jaramillo: Principle of Equivalence,” the first major retrospective exhibition of the Mexican-American artist, will run at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, June 2-Aug. 27 (free). kemperart.org.

▪ Padgett Productions will bring “Evil Dead the Musical” to the Warwick Theatre, 8 p.m. June 2-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 7 p.m. June 25 ($32.50-$55). padgettproductionskc.com.

▪ Theatre in the Park at the Shawnee Mission Park amphitheater will kick off its summer season with “Freaky Friday,” 8:30 p.m. June 2-4 and 7-10 ($6-$10). theatreinthepark.org.

▪ Roy Wood Jr., “The Daily Show” regular and headliner of the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner, will appear at the Kansas City Improv, 7:30 p.m. June 2, 7 and 9:45 p.m. June 3 ($33-$43). improvkc.com.

▪ Prehistoric creatures will come to life for KC Jurassic Farm at the KC Pumpkin Patch in Olathe, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, June 3-July 2 ($22.95-$37.95). kcpumpkinpatch.com.

▪ Actor Max McLean will present “C.S. Lewis on Stage: Further Up & Further In” at the Kauffman Center, 4 p.m. June 3 ($57.50-$77.50). kauffmancenter.org.

▪ Trixie Mattel, winner of Season 3 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” will perform at KC Live!, 7 p.m. June 3 ($25-$75) powerandlightdistrict.com.

▪ “Saturday Night Live” star Heidi Gardner joins the roster of celebrity hosts this year for the Big Slick Party and Show at the T-Mobile Center, 8 p.m. June 3 ($75-$375). bigslickkc.org.

Notre Dame de Sion alum Heidi Gardner of “Saturday Night Live” will serve as a host for the first time at the Big Slick Party and Show on June 3 at the T-Mobile Center.
Notre Dame de Sion alum Heidi Gardner of “Saturday Night Live” will serve as a host for the first time at the Big Slick Party and Show on June 3 at the T-Mobile Center.

Music

▪ Clint Black, 8 p.m. June 2, Yardley Hall ($25-$115). jccc.universitytickets.com.

▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Stern Conducts Mahler and Montgomery,” 8 p.m. June 2-3, 2 p.m. June 4, Kauffman Center ($25-$95). kcsymphony.org.

▪ America, 8:30 p.m. June 2, Ameristar ($60-$189). ameristarkansascity.com.

▪ Beartooth and Trivium, 6:30 p.m. June 3, Uptown ($37-$135.75). uptowntheater.com.

▪ All Time Low with Mayday Parade and Games We Play, 7 p.m. June 3, Midland ($38.50-$65). midlandkc.com.

▪ Te Deum, “Monteverdi’s Venetian Vespers of 1641,” 7:30 p.m. June 3, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and 3 p.m. June 4, Village Presbyterian Church ($20-$25). te-deum.org.

▪ First Sundays featuring Black Crack Review, The Wind-Up Merchants and The Billy Bats with Jason Vivone, 1-4 p.m. June 4, Theis Park (free). kcparks.org.

▪ Kinnor Philharmonic, “Aaron Copland: Cowboychik,” 3 p.m. June 4, White Theatre ($30-$35). thejkc.org.

▪ Shakey Graves, 8 p.m. June 5, The Truman ($30-$60). thetrumankc.com.

▪ Brit Floyd, 8 p.m. June 7, Midland ($45-$79.50). midlandkc.com.