By Kristina Light
Winter in Kansas City doesn’t require hibernation. From live music to trivia nights, paint parties and theater productions, shopping events and the great outdoors, the south side delivers a bevy of options to beat the doldrums.
Bar games
Classic bar games provide an excuse to gather over drinks and friendly competition. These neighborhood hot spots stock shuffleboard, darts and trivia alongside craft beer and comfort food.
For more than forty years, Charlie Hooper’s has been the favorite gathering space in Brookside. Classic pub fare, shuffleboard, darts and craft beer are always on the menu. Wednesday nights bring Geeks Who Drink trivia from 7–9 p.m. with prizes as well as food and drink specials. Social in Waldo offers shuffleboard, darts and golden tee (arcade golf) alongside elevated bar food and live DJs every weekend. The Eagles Club in Belton was recently remodeled with all-new tables as a favorite spot for pool and darts. And Fowling Warehouse supplies a fun combination of football bowling.
Trivia competitions heat up throughout the week at neighborhood bars. Most events run free with drink specials and prizes for top finishers. Sunday afternoons bring KC Bier Co. in Waldo from 1–3 p.m., where the German-style brewery awards gift cards to the top three teams. On Tuesday nights, Tanner’s Bar & Grill in Red Bridge and Lew’s Grill & Bar in Waldo both host trivia at 7 p.m. with food and drink specials. The Piano Room in Waldo combines live music with trivia on Thursdays from 7:30–9:30 p.m. The best team names win free shots, and trivia winners receive discounts. Between rounds, patrons can request songs and join sing-alongs at the piano bar.
Theater and concert stage
Live shows this month range from classical ensembles to contemporary musicals, with ticket prices ranging from free to about $15 for full-length productions.
Reimagined fairy tales take the stage as First Act presents Alice By Heart February 12–15 at Avila’s Goppert Performing Arts Center. This musical follows Alice Spencer and her friend Alfred as they escape into Alice in Wonderland while sheltering in a London tube station during World War II. Tickets start at $14, suitable for all ages. Avila University’s Frantze Family Blackbox Theatre then stages Anton Chekhov’s final masterpiece The Cherry Orchard February 26–28. The story follows an aristocratic Russian family’s loss of their beloved estate due to debt and the decline of the aristocracy at the turn of the 20th century. Limited seating available, reserve tickets by calling (816) 501-3699.
Jonathan Larson’s rock musical Rent comes to The White Theatre at the Jewish Community Center on February 14–15, 19, and 21–22, following young artists in New York’s East Village. Tickets run $8–$10, recommended for ages 14+.
The Arts Asylum presents Rooted In Love, a festival and cabaret on February 14 at 7 p.m. The intimate 50-seat venue blends music, comedy, and theater. Ages 18 and up.
Classical music takes center stage on February 15 at 2 p.m. as Pinnacle Winds presents A Mighty Wind at First Church of the Nazarene. The concert band (think small symphony) performs masterworks, with tickets priced from $10–$20.
Join Benny “Jet” Jettamucci, jet-setter Italian “businessman”, for a memorial dinner he is hosting for his beloved dog Argos in the Levity Players’ murder mystery dinner theater “The Canine Memorial Dinner Valentine’s Murder”at the KC Bier Co in Waldo on February 26. The $75 ticket includes a 3-course dinner and play.
Eight Kansas City-area songwriters will perform 18 songs spanning six decades of Bob Dylan’s catalog at Art House Grandview’s The Songs of Bob Dylan: A Night of Collaborative Dylan Covers on February 27 at 7:30 pm. Proceeds from the show support free children’s music classes through Art House’s Guitar for Kids program.
Creative Nights Out
Turn creativity into a shared experience with guided art and craft sessions.
Throughout February, Painted Teacup KC offers buy-one-get-one-free tickets for paint classes led by owner and artist Adriana, who provides step-by-step instruction and all supplies. Guests bring their own refreshments to these sessions.
KC Clay Guild in Waldo invites novices and experienced potters alike to try their hand at wheel-throwing workshops and four-week courses. Classes include clay, glazes, and firings.
Fun with Friends
Nature takes center stage during the Great Backyard Bird Count at Trailside Center on February 14 (9:30–11:30 a.m.) and February 15 (3–5 p.m.). Missouri Master Naturalist volunteers guide free outdoor hikes along the Indian Creek Trail, where participants observe and record native species for Cornell University’s research database. Birders of all ages should bring binoculars and field guides.