Kansas City Entertainment offers a variety of entertainment options for people of all ages. From live music to festivals, KC has something for everyone!
The Power & Light District is one of the main entertainment areas in Kansas City. It’s home to several restaurants, art galleries and hotels. It also hosts a monthly First Friday event with pop-up galleries, food trucks and venue deals.
Power & Light Entertainment Center
The Power & Light Entertainment Center is one of the most popular venues in Kansas City for dining, entertainment and nightlife. It offers a variety of restaurants, bars and other venues, including the T-Mobile Center.
The Cordish Company of Baltimore developed the district in 2008, and it has become a key attraction for people visiting Kansas City. It includes nine blocks of dining, retail and office spaces in downtown Kansas City.
If you’re a fan of sports, the Power & Light District is an excellent place to watch your favorite team. There are many bars and restaurants in the area that cater to different sporting events.
During Big 12 Tournament weekends, the entire district transforms. Restaurants offer special menus and close streets. There are also many crawfish-eating contests and fire jugglers.
Kansas City Entertainment The Plaza
The Plaza is one of Kansas City’s most stylish and historic shopping, dining and entertainment districts. This fifteen block Seville-inspired neighborhood is home to quiet courtyards, stunning sculptures and remarkable annual festivals.
No trip to KC is complete without a stop at the Plaza. It’s a bustling hub of shops and eateries that will keep you busy for a few hours.
It’s also known for the Plaza Lights, the most spectacular holiday lighting display in the country. Each year, a crew of electricians from Capital Electric string lights over the plaza to create the festive atmosphere.
Its owners, Taubman Centers and Macerich, are bringing in smaller retailers through short-term leases that offer lower rent than national chains or long-term tenants. The strategy enables local businesses to get a foothold in the district and has become a popular way to boost the Plaza’s economy.
Starlight Theater
The Starlight Theatre is Kansas City’s largest and oldest performing arts organization. Located on 14 acres in Swope Park, it seats 7,900 people.
The history of the Starlight Theater began with a showcase event organized by the Kansas City Federation of Music in 1925. The event raised $7,000 that helped convince the public to support an outdoor theatre.
In 1949, after 15 years of proposals, a committee was selected, Swope Park was chosen as the location and construction began. On June 4, 1950, the historical revue Thrills of a Century opened at Starlight and thousands of Kansas Citians flocked to see it.
In 1958, Jerry Lewis paid for a stage extension that covered the orchestra pit, bringing on stage action closer to the audience. This extension lasted until the building of the Jeannette and Jerome Community Stage in 2000.
Kansas City Entertainment Kansas City Zoo
A trip to the zoo can be a wonderful day out for the entire family. However, it can be tiring if you are taking small children, so it is important to plan ahead and prepare accordingly.
The 202-acre zoo in Swope Park is home to more than 1,700 animals from around the world. It is ranked as one of America’s best zoos and is open year-round.
Start the zoo off by visiting the African display, which features elephants, cheetahs, hippos, zebras and giraffes. The display is more than two miles long, so the zoo recommends visiting it first before moving on to other exhibits.
After leaving the African display, take a short walk to Beaks and Feet Street, where you will see Indian peafowl, green iguana, military and green-winged macaws, Swainson’s toucan, black-billed magpie and golden lion tamarin. You will also encounter river otters, tamarins and gibbons.
Martin City Melodrama
One of the earliest theater troupes in Martin City, the Melodrama is a quirky group that specializes in satire, song parodies and meticulous re-creations of historic theatrical traditions. The company has been entertaining Kansas City audiences for 31 seasons and has a mission to help rescue senior animals and provide acting opportunities for special needs adults and children.
The company’s original location in Martin City was a church on 135th Street. After a massive 1957 tornado tore through the area. It was rebuilt and served as the site for the company’s first 16 years. Then, due to deteriorating conditions, the company relocated to other local theaters before settling in Metcalf South.
