Plus, Southwest High School may see a revival.
 
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Mid-America Regional Council

Today’s Forecast

72º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:14 a.m. | Sunset 6:59 p.m.

 

🎃 Settle in for some spooky season fun

Plan ahead for these October 2024 festivals + events
Group of 5 people drinking beer at KC Oktoberfest celebration.
Tis the season to Wiesn! | Photo via @kcoktoberfest
We’ve prepped you for leaf peeping and shared the seasonal overview, but now it’s time to go fall throttle with your weekend planning. Here are 20+ exciting October events and festivals you’ll want on your calendar (plus, a few for next month).

Friday, Oct. 4
  • KC Oktoberfest | Friday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 5 | Times vary | Crown Center | $17+ | It’s the metro’s largest Oktoberfest celebration, featuring Bavarian-style bier, food, and music (lederhosen optional).
Saturday, Oct. 5
  • Plein Air Liberty | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Historic Downtown Liberty | $35+ | It’s the city’s first foray into painting al fresco as artists of all skill levels capture the essence of this picturesque town.
  • Applefest | Saturday, Oct. 5-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Historic Weston | Free entry | Everything apple to its core, with an apple-themed parade, apple butter demonstration, and more crafters + artisans than ever before — plus, warm apple dumplings to boot.
a gif featuring picutures from the 2023 Heartland Book Festival

We’ll see you there, Kansas City.

|

Photos by Kenney Ellison; GIF by KCtoday

Saturday, Oct. 12
  • Heartland Book Festival | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Kansas City Public Library — Central Library | Free with RSVP | The Heartland’s premiere fest for readers returns, with appearances by NYT bestselling author Stacey Abrams, Sarah Chapelle (@taylorswiftstyled), and the internet’s favorite wholesome librarian (@mychal3ts).
  • David Spade | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 8 p.m. | Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland | $45+ | The SNL alum and venerated comedy actor is bringing his “Catch Me Inside” tour to KC.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
  • Gold Over America Tour | Wednesday, Oct. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | T-Mobile Center | $70+ | Starring Simone Biles, prepare for a pop concert-style spectacle showcasing athletic brilliance, championship journeys, and of course, the Gold Squad dancers.
15+ more events
 
Events
Tuesday, Oct. 1
  • Pumpkin Hollow | Tuesday, Oct. 1-Thursday, Oct. 31 | Times vary | Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, Overland Park | $10+ | Take a horse-drawn hayride down to Pumpkin Hollow’s opening day, and let the kids run wild with mazes, pedal cars, petting zoos + old-fashioned games.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration | Wednesday, Oct. 2 | 6-8 p.m. | Johnson County KS Arts and Heritage Center, Overland Park | Free entry | Celebrate JoCo’s fastest growing community with performances by Mariachi Estrella KC, lowrider bike displays, and a papel picado community art project.
Thursday, Oct. 3
  • The Ghoulish SpookEasy | Thursday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 26 | 5 p.m. | Leinie Lodge & Beer Garden | Cover | This Tom’s Town Distillery collab invites you to step into the darkness with Halloween-themed cocktails, costume contests + trivia.
  • Learn to Play: Tabletop RPGs | Thursday, Oct. 3 | 6-9 p.m. | Cardboard Corner Cafe, Lenexa | Free with RSVP | Learn something new for your next game night with an introduction to popular tabletop RPG games + a one-shot session.
Friday, Oct. 4
  • Artist Talk with the Zhou Brothers | Friday, Oct. 4 | 5-8 p.m. | Zhou B Art Center Kansas City | $0+ | The center’s namesakes are back for an exclusive talk + private tour reflecting on their creative evolution spanning China to Chicago.
  • Gladfest 45 | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Linden Square, Gladstone | Free entry | Local artists and musicians take over Linden Square, before the carnival begins on Sunday.
  • Iliza: The Get Ready Tour | Friday, Oct. 4 | 7 p.m. | Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland | $40+ | Stream one of Iliza Shlesinger’s six Netflix specials to prepare for the stand-up extraordinaire’s Kansas City stop.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Environment

🥬 7 ways to minimize food waste (and save on groceries)

7 ways to minimize food waste (and save on groceries)
Presented by a KCtoday Partner
A woman loading bags of groceries into her car and a photo of a person scraping food into a trash can.
Did you know curbside composting pick-up is available in the Kansas City metro area? | Photos courtesy of Mid-America Regional Council; GIF by KCtoday
The person we are at the grocery store buying a salad isn’t the same person craving BBQ around lunchtime the next day. Trust us, we’ve all been there.

However, these actions can carry a big personal and environmental cost. The average American throws away roughly one-third, or $1,800 worth, of groceries a year. (Psst: That’s enough to fill the Rose Bowl every day for a year.)

To help Kansas Citians cut down their food waste, we’re sharing seven food-saving hacks:
  • Meal plan for the week.
  • Shop consciously.
  • Optimize food storage so fresh items last longer.
  • Prepare foods (like washing or chopping vegetables + fruit) before putting them away so it’s easier to grab on the go.
  • Adopt mindful eating habits, like only eating produce that’s in season.
  • Share food with friends + neighbors if you can’t eat it before it goes bad.
  • Compost at home. Choose the option that works best for you.
Bookmark this page for more tips + tricks on how to tackle food waste and help our community.
See more ways to save
News Notes
Sports
  • Against all odds. The Royals are in Baltimore today facing off against the Orioles at 3:08 p.m., the first in a best-of-three Wild Card series. It’s Kansas City’s first postseason appearance since our World Series win in 2015 — let’s hope it ends the same way.
Community
Biz
  • The corner of Brookside Plaza and 63rd may look empty, but there’s something brewing in the former Michael Forbes Bar & Grille location. Meet CRU, neighborhood bistro + bottle shop, expected to open January or February 2025. (Startland News)
Edu
  • Southwest High School has sat tall and empty since its closure in 2016, but its fate could possibly change. KCPS is considering the site for a new middle school, along with the former Bingham Middle School + new builds at the Southeast campus. One problem with the idea? Too much space. (The Beacon)
Traffic
  • The rebuilt Buck O’Neil Bridge is nearly complete, but it’s not fully ready for drivers just yet. The $220 million project celebrated a ribbon cutting on Monday after three years of construction. MoDOT shared the bridge’s official opening for later this month. (Kansas City Star)
Holiday
  • If our October events wasn’t spooky enough for your liking, give Kansas City Mom Collective’s list a try. Don’t be fooled, along with plenty of kid-friendly finds, there’s more than enough hellish haunted houses and ghoulish ghost tours for any older scare-seekers.
Finance
  • Which card now features 0% APR Into 2026? This card. (ICYMI, experts say balance transfer cards are one of the best-kept secrets for managing credit card debt.)*
Plan Ahead
  • Just take those old records off the shelf and relive the golden days of Journey, Bob Seger + more at Merriam Drive Live on Saturday, Oct. 5. Enjoy tribute bands, free whiskey + beer tastings, family-friendly activities, and a cornhole tournament from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Merriam.*
 
Edu

Edu

Consider this your fall break check-in
Presented by Wyzant
Student and tutor working together at an outdoor table
Wyzant is pay-as-you-go (read: no expensive packages required), offering lessons starting as low as $10. | Photo via Pexels
With October upon us and the school year in full swing, it’s a good time to pause and reflect (ideally with a cozy drink in hand): How is the student in your life doing?

Whether you have a house full of kiddos or are going back to school yourself, Wyzant‘s vetted instructors can help with 300+ topics, from academic core subjects and foreign languages to test prep, musical instruments, and more.

Meet in person with a local tutor, or take lessons virtually. The best part? It’s pay-as-you-go and starts as low as $10/session.
See what students have to say
The Buy

The Buy 10.01.24 (Affiliate)
A MagSafe Kate Spade wallet that conveniently attaches to the back of your phone. It boasts Kate Spade’s signature elegant design + can hold up to three cards and cash.
More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Madison
From the editor
While Kansas City was far out of Hurricane Helene’s path, we’re keeping those affected in our thoughts. If you know someone affected by the storm or are interested in how to help these communities, keep an eye out for our sister publications: TBAYtoday, COLAtoday, GVLtoday, and AVLtoday.
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