Downtown on Track for Red-Hot Super Bowl Weekend

By Kevin Collison

Downtown will be revved-up for the Chiefs Super Bowl this weekend starting Friday with a special Red Friday Ride and Red Kingdom Rally featuring Tech N9ne at Kansas City Live!, and an all-day watch party at the entertainment district Sunday.

“It will be just a huge party in a really dynamic environment,” said Rachel Waller, spokeswoman for Kansas City Live!

“Tech N9ne is hyped up about the Chiefs and wants to be part of the celebration.”

Kicking off the celebration at 5:30 p.m. Friday, the Chiefs Streetcar will leave Union Station for a 1 1/2 loop Red Friday Ride that ends at the northbound stop at 14th and Main near the Power & Light District. Along for the ride will be KC Wolf and the Rumble Drumline.

Once the streetcar arrives at 14th and Main, fans can follow KC Wolf and the drummers into the Red Kingdom Rally at Kansas City Live! There will be a chance to win prizes including Chiefs hats, flags and other swag.

The Chiefs Streetcar will take fans on a Red Friday Ride to KC Live! Friday. (Photo by Margaret Norcross courtesy Streetcar Authority)

Before boarding at Union Station, McDonalds will be giving away food samples and there will be the Arrowstream Photo Both used at all tailgate parties at Arrowhead, said streetcar spokeswoman Donna Mandelbaum.

Inside Union Stations, fans still will be able to take selfies in front of giant Chiefs props on display. In recent weeks, Union Station has been the number one place for Chiefs fans to take selfies, according to spokesman Michael Tritt.

He estimated 20,000- to 30,000 people have had their photos taken over the past couple weeks at Union Station.

Kansas City Live! will open at 5 p.m. Friday for its Red Kingdom Rally. It’s an all-ages, free event although after 9 p.m. only people 21 and over can enter the space. The rally is sponsored by Sports Radio 810 and the station’s host will be Nate Bukaty.

Throughout the event, goodies and Chiefs swags will be tossed to the crowd and there will be contests throughout, Waller said.

The Chiefs Rumble Drumline will perform on the streetcar Friday and at the game party Sunday. (Image from Streetcar Authority)

Music will be provided by the Wonderfuzz party band with Chiefs videos on the big KC Live! screen as a backdrop. To cap off the evening’s live entertainment, Tech N9ne is expected to begin performing at around 8 or 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday, a new mural will be unveiled Saturday morning at the Power & Light District featuring the Chiefs’ dream team – Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. It is on the side of McFadden’s on Grand, and painted by local artist Alexander Austin.

On Sunday, the majority of venues at the Power & Light District will open at 11 a.m. The Kansas City Live! space, which can accommodate about 5,000 people, will be open on a first-come basis and stage events will begin at 11 a.m.

“We’re encouraging people to get there early,” Waller said.

Entertainment before the game will include DJ’s, the Marching Cobras, KC Wolf and the Rumble Drumline. After the kickoff at 5:30 p.m., fans can watch the game on the 39- by 17-foot video screen with music played during commercial breaks except half-time.

In a statement posted on social media late Wednesday, Kansas City Live! said the Sunday watch party was expanding:

“We are closing off the streets for the Super Watch Party KC! and expanding the party on to Grand with a 15-foot LED screen to broadcast the game. Complete with a 30-foot beer truck, grill stations and more.”

“It’s all about the atmosphere for us,” Waller said. “It keeps people hyped up during the game. We’ll be ready to party until the end of the night.”

(Editor’s note: Beginning in December 2019, CityScene KC has become a paid subscription publication)