Fireworks!

It's nearly that time of year! The 4th of July is never complete without fireworks - whether you are watching a huge, professional display, or just shooting them off in the street in front of your house (which very well may be illegal, depending on where you live.) In the spirit of free fun, the Case Man and I don't usually go out and spend a bunch of money on fireworks (and we certainly will not be doing so this year) as there are plenty of free displays (or at least cheaper and safer than buying some fireworks to put on your own show) to check out around town. In fact, I had no idea there were so many to choose from around Kansas City until I started researching for this post. So, I have compiled a (hopefully comprehensive) list of the ones I could find, but let me know if I have missed any that should be included.

• KC Riverfest at Berkley Park on the Riverfront. Admission to the festival is $5 for adults (purchased in advance online) and kids 5 and under are free. Events are ongoing the afternoons of the 3rd and 4th, and it looks like they have fireworks starting at 10:05 both nights, too.
• Parkville has their 4th of July celebration at English Landing Park, with fireworks over the Missouri River starting at about 9:30pm. A shuttle will run from 6pm-midnight to and from Park Hill South High School and Park University, which might not be a bad idea, since parking in Parkville is tough to begin with.
• Corporate Woods Star Spangled Spectacular has lots of country music, a live remote with Q104, a "show band" (I don't know what that means) and the Kansas National Guard Band. As far as I can tell, this is free fun unless you want to make a donation to the OP Rotary. Fireworks start at 9:30pm, and as big as Corporate Woods is, I would imagine this would involve a lot of walking, especially if you're going late for just the fireworks.
• Worlds of Fun still has their fireworks display, I think. I remember parking along I-435 (along with a bunch of other people) to watch it once or twice when I was a little kid, which isn't very safe, but it was free. I didn't find anything on their website specifically about the 4th, but they have lots of other stuff going on in July - none of it's free, though.
• The City of Independence has a fireworks display at the Mormon Visitors Center (the big spiral.) Also, there will be a kids 4th of July parade in old Downtown Independence, and the kids can decorate their bikes and scooters and stuff. Now that sounds like free fun!
• Powell Gardens Booms and Blooms festival is actually on the 3rd of July, but sounds lovely with live orchestral music, homemade ice cream, and of course fireworks. Festival admission ranges from $5-$10.
• The Smithville Marina will have a display shot off of the Smithville dam, but the calendar on the Clay County website wasn't working, so I can't verify this.
• Weston has the Jaycees fireworks show at the West Platte High School athletic field.
• The City of Olathe will have their 4th annual fireworks display begining at about 9:30pm at the Great Mall of the Great Plains
• The Royals will be playing the Chicago White Sox at The K on Thursday, Friday and Saturday over 4th of July weekend. Fireworks on Friday, as usual, and Saturday for the 4th, too. Saturday's give-away freebie is an old school ringer tee for the dudes and an old school halter for the ladies. Sweet!

One fireworks show that I thought for sure would be listed online somewhere is the Shawnee Mission Park display - it's kind of an old standby for people who don't have big plans, you can just mosey on over and check it out if you feel like it. I did finally find on the JoCo Parks and Rec site that they won't have it this year due to budget cuts. Bummer. I was also hoping to find a listing for a display at the Liberty Memorial, but found nothing there. Let me know if anyone knows anything about that - we were hoping to watch it from the Case Man's aunt's house. Perhaps we'll still be able to see the one's at the Riverfront? We'll see.

UPDATE: Neighbor Shane says there is also a display in Fairway - and there is! At Bishop Miege High School, 5041 Reinhardt Drive, at 9:30pm. Thanks Shane!

Kansas City Area Farmers Markets

The whole Urban Farm tour thing has farmer's markets on my brain. Maybe it's the craving I've had for salads lately. Of course you have the City Market, downtown, every weekend. Go check it out! Also, the Farmers Community Market at Brookside at 63rd & Wornall, Saturdays from 8am - 1pm! Their "Flower Festival" is this Saturday, June 27th. Farmer's markets are free fun if you can resist the urge to buy anthing. But I already have a grocery budget, so it doesn't really count, right? I know what I'm doing on Saturday morning. I hope Shatto Milk Company has a baby cow at their booth at City Market.

KC Urban Farms and Gardens Tour

So this one isn't completely free, but it's only $5 per person, or $12 per family. This Sunday, June 28th, you can take a self-guided tour of 30 Kansas City area community gardens and urban farms. Visit their website to purchase tickets online, download a map of the tour stops, and check out pre-tour events for this week leading up to the main event on Sunday. Some of the tour stops will even feature storytellers, scavenger hunts and other kids activities, and even cooking demonstrations and live music! Sounds like a bargain for five bucks!

More free fun in KCK

I guess they know what's goin' on with the free fun over in Kansas City, KS. They always have free street festivals! This weekend is the KCK Street Blues Festival. It's free - you can bring chairs and a cooler over to 13th & State, and they will have some food vendors, it sounds like. And this year's Festival Queen is none other than the legendary Mama Ray! Other featured artists include Lee McBee & the Confessors, Millage Gilbert Downhome Blues Band, Levee Town with Sue Stubbs, Little Eva and Samantha Fish, PMS Blues Band, Doghouse Daddies, Luqman Hamza and Lucky Wesley, Bill Carter and Ron Teamer.

Kansas City has a world class art museum. And it's FREE!

Yes! Free! Every day! Take a guided tour. Pack a picnic and enjoy the gorgeous south lawn and sculpture garden. If you can, donate a couple of dollars for admission.

Plaza Live! Concerts

Free fun can be had on the Plaza every weekend. Window shop ('cause who can afford to regular shop - especially down there) and enjoy free music from 2-5pm at the Penguin Courtyard (on Nichols Rd. between J.Crew and Scandia Down,) Mermaid Courtyard (at Nichols Rd. and Broadway by Eddie Bauer) and Neptune Courtyard (on 47th St. by Houston's) on Saturdays and Sundays. This Saturday Stan Kessler & the Sons of Brasil will be playing the Mermaid Courtyard, and Roland Allen will be playing the Penguin Courtyard. Sunday will feature Lonesome Hank & the Heartaches at the Mermaid Courtyard, and Bayley Kate & The Bluegills at the Neptune Courtyard. So grab a seat near a cooling fountain, catch some free tunes, and splurge and spend a couple of bucks on an ice cream cone or an iced latte, since it's so stinkin' hot out.
Libby also has a suggestion for some free fun for your canine friend to have on the Plaza. She says that if you take your dog for a walk on the Plaza to be sure to stop in at the Three Dog Bakery. It's the original store! The first one ever. They don't charge anything for your doggie to sniff the yummy treats in their store, and they even hand out free samples!

Free Will

The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival is back! The Merry Wives of Windsor began its run at Southmoreland Park (just east of the Plaza, across Oak Street to the west of the Nelson-Atkins) this past Tuesday and runs through July 5th. Performances are nightly at 8pm (except Monday, June 22nd, and Saturday, July 4th) and it's free! Although there are Shakespearian people at the gate that will give you a Free Will sticker if you make a small donation. Even if it's just 50 cents. Just bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, and you can purchase refreshments there or pack your own picnic. The Case Man and I like to pack a picnic and a bottle of wine. If only it weren't so hot outside...

Dave Stevens!

Some of you know about Dave Stevens. Some of you do not. Those of you who know about Dave and his swing band know he is fantastic, entertaining and adorable. Once again, I wish I could have this fun that requires no exchange of currency (Francie) but, alas, I have previous obligations. The Dave Stevens Band will be playing at Zona Rosa for their summer concert series that costs no money on Saturday, June 20th, from 6-9pm. Thanks to M.B. for the tip! And they have some good bands playing up there at Zona Rosa this summer - The Elders are scheduled for July 17th, and Ida McBeth will be playing Jazz on Town Square (which is also a weekly event) on September 24th. And once again, these events involve no monetary expenditure!

Shatto Family Day!!!

Holy cow, this would be so much fun! If only I didn't have the Case Man's birthday to celebrate. Shatto Milk Company is having their open house Family Day at the Farm on June 20th. You can schedule a tour of the farm anytime of the year, Tuesday thru Saturday, but it's by appointment only and it's normally $5 per person (kids age 2 and under are free.) Family Day is free! I have been wanting to visit the Shatto Farm forever. I guess we'll have to wait for their next event to have some free fun at the dairy farm. And I love their milk. It's so yummy! It says so on their charming glass bottle! Try the rootbeer flavor - it's like a creamy rootbeer float in liquid form. Good stuff, Maynard!

This cow is so cute. I want to meet her!

UPDATE: You can also meet Shatto Milk at the City Market on Saturday's. And I hear they may even hand out free samples!

So I really like Left Hand Beer. Turned out the tasting at Gomers's SoKC wasn't quite free, because we did buy a sixer of their Polestar Pilsner - it's a good summer porch drinkin' kinda beer. And the Case Man purchased a case of PBR, but all in all, free fun could have been had by all. Damn beer, tastin' good and crap, makin' me buy some. I didn't think to take a picture until after I drank three and one-third beers (on Annie's porch) and since you aren't reading the KC Beer Blog, we aren't expecting that kind of attention to detail around here. So here ya go.

Free Tastings...Yum!

Check out CVS in Waldo at 75th & Wornall on Friday evenings. They have free wine tastings in their liquor department! Plus, if you purchase a "six-pack" of wine, you get a nice discount - 10% I think.

Gomer's also has free wine tastings and events at their stores. I'll try to keep up with them on my blog, but you should call and check your favorite location each week. In my neck of the woods, at the South Kansas City location, tonight there is a meet & greet with Left Hand Brewery (and their brewmaster) from 4-6pm. I have not tried their beer yet - I will as soon as I get out of the office this afternoon - but I already like them. They dig chicks who dig beer. They even have a girls-only club. Cool! Too bad I'd have to go all the way to Colorado to attend a meeting. Also, on Saturday from 12-3pm, SoKC Gomer's is having a wine tasting.

Downtown KCK has free fun.

This weekend is the KCK Arts Network Street Fest. Guess what? It's free! The Street Fest is in conjuction with Downtown KCK's Second Fridays. Second Fridays are, evidently, a lot like First Fridays in the Crossroads. And, yes, there are galleries outside of the Crossroads. (I am just discovering a lot of this stuff, because it is only recently that I have been enlightened as to exactly how FREE fun can really be. It's making me a much more well-rounded person.) This whole Street Fest thing sounds pretty cool, though. Live music (afro-beat/funk, swing, and a jazz trio - I like all of the above) and a puppet show and battling break dance crews? Awesome! Food and drinks are availble for purchase, so it might not be totally free if you buy stuff. I may have to check out Second Fridays sometime. I wonder if they have free adult beverages like some of the galleries on First Fridays.

Too bad it's a school night...

Free beer at the Riot Room in Westport? That is some free fun I can definitely endorse. There is a CD release party tonight for a band called the Also Rans. I know nothing about them, except that they have free beer at their party, and any money collected at the door goes towards more free beer. I just might have to become a fan.

UPDATE: After checking out their myspace, the Also Rans could be kinda cool. Garage Rock. Probably a lot more fun live (and drinking free beer) than sitting at my desk with the volume down so as not to annoy others.

Katie Horner is Free Fun...?

Yes. Yes she is. Who knew? Some dude named Adam. He had the genius to make up a Katie Horner drinking game. So now, instead of getting pissed AT Katie Horner when she interrupts programming to tell us the same stuff over and over for two hours, we can get pissed while Katie Horner interrupts an important story on 60 minutes to tell us to get our survival kits and find our safe place because she saw lightning. Even if I'm not watching 60 Minutes, Grandma will call me and have me look up the phone number for KCTV 5 so she can call them and complain. So either way, it effects me. Grandma didn't even say hi.

Here are the rules:

The Katie Horner Drinking Game

If Katie's wearing jeans, it's clearly casual day. All players must be in their underwear.

If Katie mentions a watch or a warning of any type, hold tight to your drink and sip nervously.

If Katie tells you it's hailing in you area, run outside to freshen the ice in your cup.

If Katie speaks directly to your children, give them a heavy dose of cough syrup. (If you don't have kids, drink it yourself.)

If Katie says "Tonganoxie," everyone passes their drink to the person on the right and chugs.

If Katie says "Take cover," top off your drink. It's gonna be a long night.

If Katie talks about being scared for your life, chug.

If Katie asks the audience to e-mail her rainfall totals or storm damage reports, take a crazy party pic and send it to her.

If Katie references Newschopper 5, take 5 gulps.

If Katie announces a tornado warning, fire up the blender and make some pina coladas.

If Katie talks about Doppler coupling, make out with the person to your left.

If Katie walks off screen, take a long, steady chug until she returns.

If Katie talks about peace of mind, drink.

If Katie tells you you're in the clear, the game ends.

If a tornado actually hits your house, move the party to KCTV5 and get Katie drunk with you!

Legos are fun.

Legos are awesome. Crown Center has an exhibit this summer that is all stuff built from Legos. The Art of the Brick will be on display until September 7th on the 1st floor of the Crown Center Shops. And it's FREE!

Also happening at Crown Center - they have a lot of Free Fun at Crown Center - Kansas City Chalk & Walk Festival on June 19th & 20th. According to their website "Artists start with empty squares of asphalt and by the end of the weekend, these squares will be transformed into magnificent pieces of artwork." Sidewalk chalk on steroids? Sounds cool! Also, it's free!

Legos and sidewalk chalk are fun. But you can't eat them. Well...I guess you could, but why would you when you can have free fun with food? Food prepared by chefs like Debbie Gold, one of America's greatest female chefs? Check out Crown Center again for more free fun with The Chef's Taste of Summer Series, first featuring Martin Heuser of the Westin on Friday, June 19th. Frank Majowicz of the Hyatt Regency is scheduled for July 17th, and Debbie Gold of the American Restaurant on August 21st. It's FREE, but it starts at noon, so I'll be at the office eating a lunch I had to pay for and probably had to thaw from a frozen block and heat into a pile of mush. Not free and not very fun.

Welcome to Free Fun!

Okay. So times are tough. Money is tight. I think most of my friends and family know that I am all about FREE FUN in 2009. And there was a lot of free fun to be had this past weekend! It was First Friday's in the Crossroads, there was the Gay Pride Festival, the Nathan's regional hot dog eating contest, and "Kansas City's Premier U2 Cover Band" played at the Power & Light District. All things a person could potentially do with out spending any money at all. I don't want anyone missing out any free fun. So this weekend, while I was buzzin' on wine (free!) at the galleries down in the Crossroads (free!) I decided to start a blog. 'Cause blogging is free fun, too! And who doesn't like free fun, right? It's free. It's fun. It's free fun!

Hence, I will be compiling all of the free, fun (or at least super super cheap) stuff I find to do in Kansas City here on my new blog. I'll probably throw in some good happy hour deals and cheap eats or whatever. I prefer free, but as long as it's easy on the pocketbook, that's cool.

Here is some free fun for those if us who live in the Waldo area - Movie Night at Tower Park!
Sponsored by the Tower Homes Association and South-Broadland Presbyterian Church.
June 13th at sundown they will be screening Ghostbusters (and if that ain't a fun movie, I don't know what is!) and it's FREE! (I hope people are catching on to exactly what this blog is about by now.) Bring your own chair or blanket, and your own refreshments. I believe (according to the sign on the register at Soil Service, but not posted on the THA website) there will be some concessions for sale, too, if you want to splurge.
http://www.towerhomesassociation.org/news/1-latest-news/131-movie-night.html

Another note about the P&L District - I generally don't hang out there very often unless I am looking for some fun that is not so free (and generally that means drinking beer that costs money at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, which is only the best selection of yummy yummy beer in the whole city, so I'm willing to pay for that kind of fun from time to time), but they do have free concerts every Friday at KC Live. Some I don't care/know so much about, but The Zero's are a pretty cool 80's cover band, and Rattle & Hum is the aforementioned U2 cover band. Admission is free, but if you're drinkin', that's not free. So it's kinda free fun, especially if you are the designated driver. Depending on your perspective. Here's a link to the concert calendar:
http://www.powerandlightdistrict.com/index.cfm?page=events-calendar&date=06/12/2009&event=358