Your June Bucket List for Kansas City (World Cup and All)
June in Kansas City is almost unfair. The weather is still in that sweet spot before the real August heat moves in, every park has something going on, and this year we have the whole world showing up because the World Cup is here. If you have been waiting for a sign to get out of the house, this is it.
Here is what I have on my radar this month, a mix of the big stuff and the quiet free stuff that ends up being my favorite.
The World Cup actually being in our city
It still feels a little surreal to type that. If you did not score match tickets, do not write the whole thing off. The FIFA Fan Festival is running at the National WWI Museum and Memorial from June 11 all the way through July 11, with live match screenings, music, food, and that big international block party energy. Even if you are not a soccer person, standing on that lawn with the Liberty Memorial behind you and a crowd from everywhere is worth the trip.
Free music for the solstice
Make Music Day lands on June 21, the longest day of the year, and the whole point is free live performances popping up in parks and community spaces across the metro. It is the kind of thing you can stumble into with a coffee and no plan and walk away in a great mood. My favorite kind of summer afternoon.
Juneteenth in the Jazz District
The JuneteenthKC Heritage Festival takes over the 18th and Vine Jazz District on June 19 and 20, and this year it is headlined by Common. If you have never spent time down there, this is the weekend to do it. There is also a free Juneteenth celebration at the Nelson-Atkins on June 13 with live music, storytelling, and hands on art, which is a lovely lower key option if you are bringing little ones.
Future Stages at the Kauffman Center
On June 14 the Kauffman Center hosts the Future Stages Festival, a free one day event with hundreds of local performers ages five to eighteen spread across four stages. It is free, it is indoors and air conditioned, and watching kids absolutely go for it on a real stage will get you every time. Great for families.
Shakespeare in the park
The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival is back at Southmoreland Park with a free production of Macbeth. Pack a blanket, some snacks, and a sweater for when the sun goes down, and you have a date night or a girls night that costs you basically nothing. The fireflies usually show up right around intermission.
The takeaway
You really cannot lose in June here. Whether you want the big World Cup spectacle or a free blanket on the grass under the stars, KC is putting it all out this month. Dates and details do shift, so double check the official pages before you load up the car, especially for the free events.
What is on your June list? Tell me in the comments so I can add it to mine. So glad you are here.
Pam
