Summer fun has begun!

By Kathy Feist

After a year of pandemic shutdown, summer can’t come fast enough. Travel, outdoor dining, swimming, concerts, movies, plays. With some Covid caution, south Kansas City can enjoy what’s been denied them. Here are some events to begin your summer fun.  

Outdoor Movies

Calvary Lutheran Church at 7500 Oak St. will present the free outdoor movie Honey I Shrunk the Kids at 8:30 pm on Friday, June 4, on the soccer field. They suggest bringing chairs, blankets, food and drinks. 

Grandview is featuring Croods 2: A New Age on June 18 at 8 pm at the Grandview Amphitheater, 13501 Byars Rd.. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and enjoy a movie under the stars. Food trucks will be on-site. Cost is $1.

South Patrol is bringing back its free monthly movies starting with the Disney family movie Soul on Friday, June 25, at 8 pm at its division campus, 9701 Marion Park Dr. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Free hot dogs and popcorn and a bouncy house provided. Sponsored by the KCPD’s South Patrol Division, Cerner Corporation and the 5th and 6th District City Council members.

The All Stars band kicks off the Grandview Amphitheater concert series.

Concerts

Concerts will be everywhere, especially at your local restaurant. But one to take note of is John Knox Presbyterian Kirk’s free outdoor bluegrass concert on Saturday, June 5, starting at 4 pm.  The musicians will perform at the church’s back lawn at 11430 Wornall Rd. Bring your own refreshments, blanket and chair.  Open to the public.

On Sunday mornings, you can hear poprock musician Chase Fanning perform outdoors near Caleb’s Breakfast and Lunch at Red Bridge Shopping Center from 11 am to 1 pm. On Thursday nights, you can find folk musician Wade Brown performing near Blue Moose Restaurant. 

Grandview kicks off its summer concert series at the Grandview Amphitheather, 13501 Byars Rd. with the AllStars, Friday, June 4, from 7 to 10 pm. Food trucks will be available. 

Ward Parkway Center kicks off its Restaurant Pavilion concert series Wednesday, June 2, 6-8 pm with Cellos on the Lawn featuring KC Symphony performers Susie Yang and Merideth McCook.  Expect live music every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the summer with different artists. This Friday, June 4th,  is Chris Foster and Saturday, June 5, is Mark Montgomery. 

Museum

 Kansas City is one of two stops in the United States for the Auschwitz exhibit Not Long Ago…Far Away at Union Station. The exhibit is the most comprehensive display dedicated to the history of Auschwitz and its role in the Holocaust. It is also an unparalleled opportunity to confront the singular face of human evil.

Swimming

The Bay Water Park, 7101 Longview Rd.,  opens Saturday, June 5th and runs everyday until September 6th from noon to 7 pm. Price of admission is $3 Monday through Thursday, and from Friday through Sunday is $5 for those under 48” tall, $7 for those 48” and taller, and $6 for Seniors 60 and over. Ages 1 and under are free. Check here for season ticket prices.

Theater

The Main Street Theater on 510 Main Street in Belton opens the summer with weekend productions of Arsenic and Old Lace starting Friday, June 4th to 20th. The Main Street Theater production features Peggy Mullinex and Lori Clyma-Lewis who play the sweet, yet diabolical Brewster sisters who take in boarders then treat them to a poisoned glass of elderberry wine. The play runs for three weekends with performances at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday matinees at 2:30. To purchase tickets call 816-406-9422 or visit www.mainstreettheaterbelton.com.  Seating will be limited to allow for social distancing and masks will be required.