The KC Scene

Name: The KC Scene
Address: Kansas City, MO, 64113, US
Telephone: +17202706649
Rating: 5

KC Scene is your go-to source for what’s happening in and around Kansas City. Local news, development, events, and the stories shaping our city.
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We keep it honest, highlight what matters, and spotlight the people and places making KC what it is.

08/23/2026

Construction is finally underway at 31st & Gillham in Martini Corner! 🏗️

The Levee at Martini Corner was first proposed in 2020 and will bring 158 apartments, nearly 5,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and a new restaurant or bar.

After years of delays and revisions, the site is finally moving forward. 👀

Would you live here? Let me know!

08/22/2026

Kansas City is seeing big moves across housing, sports, local business, and community development this week:

- Price Brothers wants to add 465 homes, apartments, two big-box stores, and more across roughly 100 acres south of Bluhawk in Overland Park.

- Missouri youth soccer clubs are reporting their biggest growth year yet, with the 2026 World Cup inspiring more kids to get involved—even hundreds of miles from Kansas City.

- A KCPS teacher just won two years of rent-free living at Midland Lofts in front of roughly 2,000 colleagues at the district’s back-to-school convocation.

- Kansas Speedway is keeping two NASCAR weekends in 2027, including a fall Cup Series playoff race on Oct. 3.

- KCK’s Art’s Molino & Market, a 65-year-old tortilla operation now run by the team behind Yoli Tortilleria, is expanding into 53 Whole Foods locations while continuing to mill about 30,000 pounds of corn each week.

- An East Side nonprofit is launching a community-led anti-poverty initiative, starting with a $50,000 fundraising goal and outlining a long-term vision that could eventually reach $2 billion.

Follow for more Kansas City news, developments, and local updates.

08/21/2026

Trader Joe's has set a date for its Merriam store. The new location at 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway opens Wednesday, September 2 at 9 a.m.

It sits at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Antioch Road, on the site of the former Antioch branch of the Johnson County Library, and anchors the north side of Grand Station Marketplace alongside more than 200 apartments plus restaurant and retail space.

It's also the first grocery store to open in Merriam since Hen House closed its location there in 2018. The city council has separately approved plans to bring an Aldi to Merriam.

08/21/2026

🌩️ KCK STORM RECOVERY RESOURCES — SAVE THIS POST

Kansas City, Kansas is still recovering from the recent storms, and many residents are dealing with damage, debris, power outages and other urgent needs.

We put together this resource guide with key numbers, shelter information, debris drop-off details, food assistance and ways to get help with cleanup and home repairs.

📌 Save this post so you have these resources when you need them.
📲 Share it with a KCK neighbor, friend or family member who may be dealing with storm damage.

If you’re able to volunteer, donate supplies or provide skilled help, there are also local recovery efforts looking for support. 💛

Resources and availability can change as recovery continues. Please confirm current hours and services before heading to a location.

08/21/2026

KCK’s El Pollo Rey just got a BIG national shoutout. 👀🔥

The New York Times named the Kansas Avenue favorite one of America’s 41 greatest Mexican restaurants — and the recognition is already bringing in more hungry customers. The restaurant has reportedly been selling out of its famous wood-fired chicken before closing time. 🍗

After 24 years in Kansas City, Kansas, El Pollo Rey is officially getting the attention it deserves. 🇲🇽❤️

08/21/2026

🌟 KC WEEKEND ROUNDUP | August 21–23
Swope Park goes global, Parkville throws a parade, Bartle Hall fills with cosplay, and a rock opera opens at Crown Center.

-Ethnic Enrichment Festival
📍 Swope Park | ⏰ Fri 6–10 PM · Sat 12–10 PM · Sun 12–6 PM
Cultural festival. The 47th year of KC's biggest multicultural celebration — global food booths, dance and music from dozens of countries, and a fashion show. $5 at the gate, free for kids 12 and under, free parking.

-Parkville Days
📍 Downtown Parkville + English Landing Park | ⏰ Fri 6–10 PM · Sat 10 AM–10 PM · Sun 12–5 PM
Street festival. Three days of carnival rides, a Saturday 10 AM parade down Main Street, a beer garden, an art and craft fair, and $50 helicopter rides over the Missouri River. Free to attend.

-Planet Anime Kansas City
📍 Bartle Hall, Downtown | ⏰ Fri 3–8 PM · Sat 10 AM–7 PM · Sun 10 AM–5 PM
Anime convention. Voice-actor guests, a cosplay contest, artist alley, and panels across three days. $45–$55 single day, $80 weekend. Kids 7 and under free; 12 and under free Sunday.

-Heart of America Hot Dog Festival
📍 National WWI Museum and Memorial | ⏰ Sat 3–11 PM
Food festival. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's annual fundraiser — ballpark franks, food trucks, and a funk lineup with Zapp, Con Funk Shun and Klymaxx. $50 GA, $10 kids, $125 VIP.

-Bluey's Big Play
📍 Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Downtown | ⏰ Fri 6:30 PM · Sat + Sun 12:30 & 3:30 PM
Family stage show. The Heeler family brought to life with puppetry in a 50-minute production. Five performances this weekend. Tickets from about $53.

-Jesus Christ Superstar
📍 Music Theater Heritage, Crown Center | ⏰ Fri + Sat 7:30 PM · Sun 2 PM
Rock opera. Opening weekend of MTH's Lloyd Webber and Rice production, played with a live band in a 349-seat room seven rows deep. Runs through Sep 13. Ticketed.

✨ Know about a local pop up or performance happening this weekend?

Drop it in the comments. We love sharing community highlights.

Tag your crew + save this for weekend plans 🗓️

08/20/2026

The Kansas City Council approved the Royals stadium ordinance today in an 11-1 vote, with one abstention. Councilman Nathan Willett cast the lone no vote, while Councilman Crispin Rea abstained.

WHAT PASSED
The ordinance commits up to $600 million in public funding and authorizes the city to enter a lease and development agreement with the Royals for a new stadium, office tower, and a downtown baseball district. The project is estimated at $1.9 billion, split 60% public and 40% private.

Kansas City's share includes $90 million for infrastructure and $510 million in city-backed bonds. The lease would begin Feb. 1, 2031, run about 30 years, and have the Royals paying $1 per year in rent. The new ballpark is targeted to open in 2030.

THE AMENDMENTS
Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley said she secured an amendment requiring the Royals to provide $5 million upfront for urban core youth athletics, plus additional facility and program support throughout the agreement.

She said she approached the relocation of Kauffman Stadium with "serious apprehension" and remains focused on what will replace the longtime Third District asset. She previously sponsored Resolution 260322 to identify land and funding for an East Side Youth Sports Complex and said she is seeking funding for an architect to study potential sites.

City Commissioner Stephenie Smith also added an amendment giving the Parks Board a seat at the negotiating table.

THE OPPOSITION
Stand Up KC posted signs referencing the rejected 2024 Jackson County stadium ballot measure and held a rally after the vote. Leader Terrence Wise said the group plans to "use every tool in the toolbox to fight back." Critics have questioned the deal's transparency, speed, and lack of a vote.

WHAT'S NEXT
The vote is not the final step. Zoning authorization for the ballpark will be considered separately on Sept. 3. Patterson Hazley said discussions over shared equity and financial responsibility remain open. Mayor Quinton Lucas called it "a historic day" and said Missouri and Jackson County are now key parties in the negotiations.

08/20/2026

North Kansas City is finalizing a new 20 year Master Plan, and residents get a say in September.

City staff have spent about six months building the plan, called Northtown 2040. It covers land use, transportation, education, parks and trails, development patterns, housing types, infrastructure, economic development, and a parking study focused on downtown and the blocks near the high school.

Two ways to weigh in, both at the North Kansas City Parks and Recreation Building, 1201 Clark Ferguson Dr.

Planning and Design Charrette (hands on workshop, plan to stay the full session)
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 3, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Public Open House (come and go)
Thursday, Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

More at northtown2040.com

08/20/2026

Casual Animal Brewing Co. in Kansas City’s East Crossroads is drawing packed crowds with “Think and Drink,” a free lecture series held on the first and third Thursday of each month.

A year into the series, the brewery can seat up to 125 guests on a first-come, first-served basis, with standing room once those seats fill up—no tickets or assigned seating required.

The program is a collaboration between Casual Animal, UMKC, Linda Hall Library, The Third Place Historian and New Colossus Advisors, with some events also taking place at partner venues.

Designed as an unplugged “third place” where people can put their phones away and focus on learning and conversation, past lectures have covered topics ranging from sleep science and the history of Santa Claus to Black Kansas City, banned books, the impact of cars on the city and how local creatives make a living.

08/20/2026

Kansas City Streetcar riders can now experience a little bit of Oz during their commute thanks to a new partnership between the Kansas City Ballet and KC Streetcar Authority.

The specially decorated “Oz Express” features an emerald-green design and characters inspired by the classic Wizard of Oz, bringing a theatrical experience directly onto the city’s transit system.

The collaboration is the first between the two organizations and comes as excitement builds for the Kansas City Ballet’s upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz, which opens October 16.

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