Weekend Possibilities | KC Beer Fest, American Royal World Series of Barbecue, And Fiesta Hispana

There are about 48 hours between leaving work on Friday and the time you start thinking about work once again on Sunday night. Weekend Possibilities is your roadmap for food, drinks and fun for the perfect Kansas City weekend.

Friday, Sept. 13

5 p.m. Start your weekend with KC Fiesta Hispana, one of the Midwest’s largest celebrations of Hispanic heritage. Barney Allis Plaza (301 W. 13th St.) will be dotted with more than 75 fiesta booths offering authentic Latino cuisine, fine art and jewelry, games, activities and more. Additionally, there will be information about employment opportunities, health services and community initiatives. Expect plenty of live music and dance all weekend long. Admission is free.

6 – 9 p.m. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (5235 Oak St.) is opening its doors to grown ups only for Paint & Sip Night. Visitiors aged 21 and over will tour the museum before sitting down with a glass of wine to create a mini masterpiece of their own. The event is free for members. Non-member tickets are $8.  

9 p.m. Pomp & HERcircumstance should have the The Rino (314 Armour Rd. in North Kansas City) laughing late into Friday night. The all-female comedy showcase will feature sets from Andrea Caspari, Maeret Lemons, Moneisha Williams, Katie Davis and Cori Stewart. Tickets are $10. The show is for ages 18 and up only. 

Saturday, Sept. 14

11 a.m. – 12 a.m. As summer winds down, head to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun (4545 Worlds of Fun Ave.) for Halloween Haunt. The park’s annual fall fright fest kicks off this weekend with terrifying mazes, scary shows, award-winning roller coasters and rides for the whole family. Tickets are $42 for adults. Junior and senior tickets are $32. Halloween Haunt runs every weekend through October 27.

11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Kansas City is doing what it does best at The American Royal World Series of Barbecue this weekend at The Kansas Speedway (400 Speedway Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas). Certainly the best-smelling portion of Kansas City’s more than 100-year-old tradition, the American Royal’s barbecue competition brings the world’s best to the Midwest for two days of cooking, good eating, live music and more. Be sure to visit the website for a complete schedule of events. Single day ticket prices vary. A weekend pass is $40.

3 – 6 p.m. If not barbecue, then how about beer? Kansas City Live! in the Power & Light District (1330 Grand Blvd.) is the stage for KC Beer Fest. The annual festival features more than 200 craft beers from around the world and food from joints like Flying Saucer and Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken — all for a good cause. This year’s KC Beer Fest will donate proceeds to Drink Local, Think Global, whose goal is to provide clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. You can get in an hour early with VIP tickets, available for $75. General admission tickets are $45.

4 – 10 p.m. Aren’t ready to head home? The West Bottoms Block Party (1101 Mulberry St.) should be in full swing with live music, entertainment, local makers like Normal Human and Whiskey Bone, plus plenty of food and drink. The party is free. 

Sunday, Sept. 15

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Native American Cultural Celebration has a full day of events planned for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak St.) to wrap up the weekend. The free event will feature live music and dance performances, storytelling, gallery discussions, Native American-inspired menu items and more. 

2:30 – 7 p.m. Martin City Brewing Company (500 E. 135th St.) is the place to be for the Chiefs’ Week 2 showdown against the Oakland Raiders. The VIP Watch Party & Game Day Buffet will roll out all you can eat pizza, wings and sides, with drink tickets available for some of MCBC’s most-popular pours. Attendees will go home with a special edition ‘KC’ cup. Tickets are available for $20 online in advance and $25 at the door.