Weekend Possibilities | Plaza Art Fair, Guns N’ Roses and Fall Fun

This weekend is stuffed with festivals celebrating seasons changing, a few day trip options, plus live music both local and legendary.

Friday, Sept. 22

11 a.m. – 9 p.m. It’s that time of the year. Oktoberfest at Riverwood Winery, 22200 State Route 45 N, starts Friday. The Rushville, Missouri, winery is shifting gears and serving craft beers out of Munich, Germany, while supplies last. Hot buttered pretzels will be on the menu through the end of October. Live music is scheduled from 5:30-8:30 p.m. There is no admission fee.

5 – 9 p.m. Camp Leavenworth returns to historic downtown Leavenworth, Kansas, and the area surrounding Leavenworth Landing Park, 2 Cherokee St., this weekend. The fourth edition of the free, two-day festival is packed with a plethora of activities for the entire family, like a chalk art contest, inflatables, a silent disco, arts and crafts, live music, s’mores, fireworks and more. Eleven local bands are scheduled, including The Zeroes, Casi Joy, Summer Breeze and the KC Latin Jazz All-Stars, to name just a few. Be sure to check out the full weekend schedule online in advance.

7:45 – 9:30 p.m. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is up next in Electric Park’s Movie in the Park series in Lenexa, Kansas, 17101 W. 87^th St. Pack snacks, a blanket, lawn chairs and bug spray to watch Mario, Princess Peach and Toad take on Bowser to save Luigi and the Mushroom Kingdom under the stars. Don’t forget your four-legged friend – dogs are welcome. The movie starts at dusk.

Saturday, Sept. 23

8:45 a.m. Did you know Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer, writer and inventor while he was imprisoned in Great Britain during wartime? With historical context in mind, The National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive, will host Sip and Stretch Saturday morning with the Kansas City Ballet, focused on the low-impact workout regimen. Folks of any fitness/experience level are welcome, just bring your own mat. Ruby Jean’s Juicery will serve refreshments throughout the session. RSVP in advance. Sip and Stretch is free.

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The work of more than 80 artists will be on display at Saturday’s Hallmarket: A Hallmark Art Festival, taking place in Crown Center Square, 2425 Grand Blvd. Hallmarket opens with a conversation featuring Hallmark creatives Tammy Haddix, Kevin Dilmore and Hannah Henry on-stage before a live music lineup and lunch from multiple food trucks and vendors. Kaleidoscope will have an activity tent set up for kids throughout the festival. There is no admission fee.

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you are in the mood for a day trip, the Lexington Old Homes Tour, 111 S. 11^th St., will provide a dose of local history and architectural knowledge, just an hour from downtown Kansas City. This year’s tour will take you inside five historic Lexington, Missouri, homes and includes admission to the Lexington Historical Museum, The Anderson House Museum at the Battle of Lexington Historical Site and Wentworth Military Academy Museum. A trolley service add-on is available for $10. Tickets are $25 per person.

6 p.m. There’s no chance of losing on Saturday evening at Kauffman Stadium, 1 Royal Way, with Guns N’ Roses in center field. Tickets are still available to check out the rock and roll legends with opener Alice in Chains, starting around $50, plus tax and fees. Parking lots open for tailgaters at 3 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 24

8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Ciderfest season at Louisburg Cider Mill, 14730 K68 Hwy., is officially here. The 45^th annual celebration of fall in Louisburg, Kansas, which pulls back the curtain on both the cider and donut-making process, starts each day with a pancake breakfast and rolls into lunch options, like barbeque and other food vendors. Aside from stuffing your face, Ciderfest has pony rides, inflatable slides, local craft vendors and live music.

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. It’s also opening weekend at KC Pumpkin Patch, 13875 S. Gardner Road. The Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch offers 40 acres of activities and attractions for visitors of all ages. Pumpkin picking, lawn games, a tricycle track, a jumping pillow, pumpkin bowling and a petting zoo are among the 60 experiences throughout the property. KC Wine Co. slushies are available for those 21 and older. A list of activities is available online. Admission is $14.95, plus fees.

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Three live music stages, 20 restaurant booths and 240 artists wrap up their weekend at The Plaza Art Fair Sunday afternoon. The three-day festival on the streets of the Country Club Plaza, 4706 Broadway, puts all sorts of art on display, available for both purchase and appreciation. Plan your weekend on the Plaza in advance. A map, live music schedule and complete participating artist details are available online. The Plaza Art Fair is free.

Clarence Dennis is audience and digital content strategist with Flatland.