Free Fun for Saturday, October 3rd

Mama Ray's Jazz Meets Blues Jam is rockin' BB's Lawnside BBQ on Saturday, as per usual. No cover charge.

The Weston Applefest is this weekend (preceding next weekend's Weston Irishfest - which is definitely fun, and definitely not free) and it's free if you don't buy anything. I could go and not buy any merchandise, because it sounds like it will be very crafty, but the apple butter cooked over an open fire and apple dumplings would be harder to resist. Jim "Stinky Feet" Cosgrove will perform on Saturday, and Bob Reeder on Sunday, among others. Weston has a lot of "fests."

The U.S. Air Force Band will be playing at the Liberty Memorial begining at 4pm on the southeast lawn. Should be a beautiful evening, clear but cool, so bring a blanket.

Where's (Free Fun In) Waldo?

Waldo Fall Festival 2009 is this weekend! There will be the usual festival festivities - police cars and firetrucks and clowns and whatnot. You know. Family fun for all! Those of us in the neighborhood can just walk there and then walk and have an afternoon beer at Lews or on the roof at the Well and then walk home! See - it's all in the area and Saturday should be a beautiful day, weather-wise. However, I will be enjoying some free fun at the pool for the last swim Saturday of the season.
Also, this Saturday is the Falldo Waldo Crawldo! Not free. Tix are five bucks in advance, ten at the event, and it's a pub crawl, so you have to buy beers. And, if you are smart, cab fare home. Or just walk home - that would be the free fun portion of the evening, I suppose. This year is bigger and better than ever - fourteen neighborhood drinking esatablishements are participating! Since Kennedy's has re-opened in the last year, and The Well opened recently, that adds two new spots on the roster. And The Well is a pretty sweet addition to the neighborhood, I have to say. Swagger is also a new on the list. I hear they have some pretty serious bar food, and some serious beer on tap. Although the Case Man and I have yet to make it up there for a meal and a brew.

This Weekend in Free Fun

As usual, it's 2nd Saturday up in Weston, MO - Shopping and tastings 'til 8pm, dining and entertainment 'til midnight. And it's a nice late-afternoon or evening drive up to Weston. A lovely little town, it is.

It's 2nd Saturday in KCK, too. They have an Artwalk.

More free fun in KCK - the Strawberry Hill Festival. Click the picture of their poster below for details:
The 30th annual Art Westport is this weekend, as well. Not that exciting to me. But it is all local Kansas City area artists. And it's free - unless you stop for cocktails. Which probably makes it a

LOT more fun, but a lot less free. (This is the problem with a lot of free fun, I am finding. Free stuff is more fun if it involves alcohol, but the alcohol portion of the fun is generally not free.)

Also, there is the usual wine tasting at CVS at 75th & Wornall, in Waldo. Gomer's South has their usual tasting @ 3pm on Saturday, as well as a witbier tasting on Monday evening. Gomer's Lee's Summit has a Friday night wine tasting.

By the way, the Case Man and I drove past the Gomer's in Parkville on our little road trip north. It's really really nice looking. We didn't go in, but it looked pretty cool- like a giant wine barrel and they had grapevines growing outside the building and a nice looking patio, too, I think. They have a beer tasting at the Parkville location this evening from 4-7, and a wine tasting tomorrow afternoon from 12-4.

Alrighty...and now, for some Free Fun!

I'm back! Went on vacation, work as been crazy, blah blah blah.

So here's what's goin' on this weekend, kiddo's!

We've got lots of Free Music Fun:

Friday Night Live in the Power & Light - the Zero's are performing. Free admission, but the alcohol will cost if you aren't the DD. And being the DD is not only Free Fun, but DUI's are definitely NOT Free Fun. Far from it, in fact.

Eddie Money is playing at Crown Center for the Free Friday Night Concert Series. I bet he plays this song. And hey - you can even take the Metro to Crown Center. It's especially convenient if you live in my neck of the woods - there's a Park & Ride right near 75th & Wornall. The Metro isn't free, but it is very cheap! And you don't have to drive. And.....Eddie Money plays the saxaphone. Coo-ol!

Parkville Riverfest is back! And it's Free! Bring a lawnchair or blanket, it's gonna be a fabulous weekend for an outdoor event like this. No outside beverages are allowed, but they will have beer & wine vendors in the park.

If you will be at the Overland Park Farmers Market on Saturday morning, a band called The Brew will be playing there at 10:30. I have never heard of them / cannot vouch for their quality, but you can watch this video and judge for yourself. Hmmm. Should be pretty kid-friendly, I think.

The CaseMan and I, however, will be at the Farmers Market in the River Market Downtown. I doubt it will be Free Fun, because I know we will buy stuff, but it's stuff I won't have to purchase at the grocery store. And maybe I'll happen past the Shatto Milk booth!

Also, it's Ford Free Fridays at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. I can't find anything on their website, and I haven't ever attended, so I don't know what this is, exactly, since the museum is always free. So if anyone knows anything about this, feel free to leave a comment.

One more - Gomers Lee's Summit has a wine tasting this evening. There is also the usual Friday night wine tasting at CVS, 75th & Wornall.

Going to Grandma's...

So, Grandma Jean lives in an assisted living apartment. I know a lot of people are like "I would never put my mom/dad/grandma/grandpa/old person in a rest home. That's so mean and they will be mistreated" but I have seen a couple of those really sad pitiful depressing "rest homes" and Jean doesn't live at one of those. It's really a pretty sweet set up for her. They aren't mean to her, and she'll actually ask them for help with stuff because she is paying them to help her. And pretty much everything is taken care of - you get your meals, entertainment, drugs, everything - even cocktail parties. Yeah! With actual cocktails and beer and live music and everything! And they've got some fancy buffet's too y'all! And those cute little half sized soda cans. (When we were there for the St. Patrick's Day party, there was an old lady hoarding the little soda cans in her walker to take back to her room. A whole bunch of them. And she wasn't being very covert, either. Like they wouldn't bring her a baby soda if she asked for it.) The only thing is that Grandma Jean never invites us over for these things! She must be embarrassed of us. I think I may have to just start inviting myself. I'll make note of the next party - and just haul Grandma's butt down for a snack and a beer. It's free fun! If you have a relative who is staying in a retirement apartment (as Grandpa calls his place) go have some free fun at their happy hour. Most places have these parties a couple times a month, and they have adult beverages if you are lucky. Plus I guess it gives me an excuse to visit Grandma, too.

Free Fun in the Village

Villagefest 2009 is free! Well, you can pay five bucks for a plate of Chris Cakes for breakfast. And they will probably have other things there will cost money, refreshments and whatnot. But they will have Jim "Stinky Feet" Cosgrove and Funky Mama! Pony rides! Petting zoo! Public safety and firearms demo! I don't even have kids and I want to go! I love Jim Cosgrove!

But, the awesomest of all, is the Chinook helicopter landing. Yeah, that thing in the photo. Wow. Now that is worth the price of admission. But there's no admission, is there? Cool! Also, they will have firetrucks, I'm sure. So if you don't have plans for Saturday, and you have kids, or you just like awesome army helicopters and Chris Cakes, you can have free fun in Prairie Village.

Also, I don't see any fireworks on the schedule, but how much can we ask for in a free event, really?

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!

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!