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"Read last week's KC Fact about the 14 downtown haunted houses in the 1980s and ended up at the Heartland Book Festival's flood history talk at the Central Library. Never knew the West Bottoms story went back to the 1951 flood. Free, and I learned something." - Danielle K.

P.S. Love the new setup. Thursday is my weekend planner, and Friday I get the news on my lunch break. Used to wade through everything at once, and now I actually read both.

Top 6 Weekend Events

OVERLAND PARK'S
DAN THE PUMPKIN MAN

( HAS MORE THAN 370 CARVED PUMPKINS ON HIS LAWN )

Daniel Taber has been building the display since 2011, and this year's pumpkins are arranged into scenes from Disney, Barbie, Harry Potter and The Goonies. Viewing is free. Visitors can donate to Harvesters food bank, and every $5 gets an entry into a raffle for a custom carved pumpkin.

🗓️ Through Halloween, Oct. 31 (viewing hours not listed)

📍 Corner of 124th Terrace and Nieman Road, Overland Park, KS

🎟️ FREE to view

KC FACT OF THE WEEK

🎃 Why this one, this week: The Coterie stages Electric Poe at Union Cemetery starting Wednesday, Oct. 14.

🧠 Union Cemetery, founded in 1857, is the oldest surviving public cemetery in Kansas City, and an estimated 55,000 people are buried there. In 1873 the cemetery's owners spent about $3,000 on a receiving vault that could hold up to 40 coffins while burials were arranged. Sources: Wikipedia, Union Cemetery Historical Society, Clio.

ART SCENE

​THE LIBERTY MEMORIAL BECOMES A FREE LIGHT SHOW THIS WEEKEND​

Liberty's Beacon, the projection mapping show marking the National WWI Museum and Memorial's 100th anniversary, returns to the Memorial tower this weekend. Bring a blanket to the North Lawn. Each 8 to 10 minute show repeats every 15 minutes, so there is no wrong time to show up. It runs every weekend through Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

🗓️ Fri, Oct. 9 to Sun, Oct. 11, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

📍 North Lawn, National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, MO 64108

🎟️ FREE, no tickets required

​THE KEMPER'S BARBARA TAKENAGA SURVEY OPENS FRIDAY​

Barbara Takenaga: Awestruck is the first comprehensive survey of the New York painter's work in nearly a decade, opening to the public Friday, Oct. 9. The museum stays open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays.

🗓️ Opens Fri, Oct. 9 · through Apr. 11, 2027 · Wed and Fri to Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thu, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Mon and Tue

📍 Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 4420 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111

🎟️ FREE

​THE NELSON'S AMERICAN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW IS ON VIEW​

American Prospects and Landscape Photography, 1839 to Today brings together about 80 works, including Joel Sternfeld's landmark American Prospects series alongside Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. Museum hours are at nelson-atkins.org/visit.

🗓️ Now on view through Apr. 11, 2027

📍 Gallery L10-11, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO 64111

🎟️ FREE, with a check-in wristband

​KC REP'S SEASON OPENER FOLLOWS FIVE YOUNG WOMEN IN A ONE-STOPLIGHT TOWN​

John Proctor Is the Villain runs about 1 hour 45 minutes with no intermission. Recommended for ages 13 and up, with adult language and references to sexual harassment and grooming, plus a brief mention of suicide. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the Copaken Stage lobby hosts FEMME RISING from 3:30 to 8 p.m. with art, music, performance, vendors and a ticket raffle (admission price not listed), and a free 30-minute roundtable discussion follows the 2 p.m. performance.

🗓️ Through Oct. 25 · showtimes vary, see kcrep.org​

📍 Copaken Stage, 1 H&R Block Way, Kansas City, MO 64105

🎟️ Ticketed · box office 816-235-2700

​OLATHE'S ARTS FESTIVAL TAKES OVER JOHNSON COUNTY SQUARE​

The 4th annual festival brings regional fine art, a main stage, food trucks and free Kidtopia activities for kids while supplies last. Free parking in the garage between W. Park and W. Loula.

🗓️ Fri, Oct. 9, 5 to 9 p.m.; Sat, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

📍 Johnson County Square, downtown Olathe, KS

🎟️ FREE

​BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL OPENS AT CROWN CENTER​

Music Theater Heritage opens its dark comedy musical in time for Halloween season, directed by Ernie Nolan. Other showtimes and prices are at musictheaterheritage.com or the box office, 816-221-6987 (Tue to Sat, noon to 6 p.m.).

🗓️ Opens tonight, Thu, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. · through Nov. 1

📍 Music Theater Heritage, 2450 Grand Blvd., Suite 301, Kansas City, MO 64108

🎟️ Ticketed, opening night $49, $55 or $59

​THE UNICORN OPENS RED LIKE FRUIT NEXT WEDNESDAY​

Amanda Kibler directs Red Like Fruit on the Jerome Stage. Prices are at unicorntheatre.org or 816-531-7529.

🗓️ Opens Wed, Oct. 14 · through Oct. 25 · Wed to Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.

📍 Jerome Stage, Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111

🎟️ Ticketed

​THE COTERIE TAKES EDGAR ALLAN POE TO UNION CEMETERY​

Electric Poe stages Poe's The Masque of the Red Death outdoors in front of the cemetery's Holding Vault, with one actor and one musician. About 60 minutes, recommended for ages 10 and up. Performances start at 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on Nov. 1). Tickets at thecoterie.org or 816-474-6552.

🗓️ Oct. 14 to 18, Oct. 23 to 25 and Oct. 30 to Nov. 1

📍 Union Cemetery, 227 East 28th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64108

🎟️ Ticketed, $22 to $29 with fees

​STILL RUNNING: THE HALLELUJAH GIRLS AT NEW THEATRE​

Richard Karn of Home Improvement and Tudi Roche star in the dinner theater comedy through mid-November. Times and prices at newtheatre.com or 913-649-7469.

🗓️ Through Nov. 15

📍 New Theatre & Restaurant, 9229 Foster St., Overland Park, KS 66212

🎟️ Ticketed, dinner theater

​ROOFTOP MOVIES IN THE CROSSROADS: SCREAM AND SINNERS THIS WEEKEND​

Rooftop Cinema Club's fall lineup leans spooky this weekend. Evening screenings are 16 and up. Check the site for later-week screenings.

🗓️ Fri, Oct. 9: Death Becomes Her 7:20 p.m., Scream (1996) 9:50 p.m. · Sat, Oct. 10: Sinners 7:15 p.m., Backrooms 10:20 p.m.

📍 2101 Broadway Blvd., 4th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64108

🎟️ Tickets from $19

​PRAIRIE VILLAGE'S JURIED ART SHOW IS UP THROUGH NOV. 13​

State of the Arts, the Prairie Village Arts Council's 20th anniversary juried show, is on the walls with the theme "Recollections."

🗓️ Through Nov. 13 · Mon to Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

📍 R.G. Endres Gallery, Prairie Village City Hall, 7700 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS 66208

🎟️ FREE

​THE NERMAN HAS JUDY CHICAGO'S BIG BLUE PINK ON VIEW​

Judy Chicago: Big Blue Pink runs through Dec. 13, alongside exhibitions by Norman Akers, Carlos Rolon and Betsabee Romero through Dec. 6. The museum is open Tue, Fri and Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wed and Thu 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sun noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mon.

🗓️ Now on view

📍 Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210

🎟️ FREE

​LAST WEEK FOR 100 CERAMIC PIECES AT KCAI​

Twenty-Two Springs: Two Tone Press and KCAI Ceramics pairs 22 letterpress posters with 100 ceramic works. It closes Sunday, Oct. 18. Gallery hours are at kcai.edu/events.

🗓️ Through Sun, Oct. 18

📍 KCAI Gallery, 4415 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111

🎟️ Open to the public; no admission price listed

NIGHTLIFE SCENE (18+)

• 👻 Edge of Hell and The Beast. Fri, Oct. 9 (entry slots 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.), Sat, Oct. 10 (6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) and Thu, Oct. 15 (7:30 to 11:30 p.m.); closed Oct. 11 to 14. Check in at the Central Waiver Station, 1300 W. 13th St., West Bottoms, one hour before your entry time. Single house (Edge of Hell or The Beast) $40, combo for both $66, VIP combo $88, plus a $3 fee per combo ticket ($5 per single) and 9.975% sales tax. Free parking.
• 🎤 Francisco Ramos, all-Spanish stand-up. Fri, Oct. 9 and Sat, Oct. 10, 6 and 8:30 p.m. The Comedy Club of Kansas City, 1130 W. 103rd St. General admission $27, preferred seating $32, fees included (price shown on the Fri 6 p.m. listing). Doors are one hour before the 6 p.m. shows.
• 😂 Dale Jones (21+). Fri, Oct. 9, 7 and 9:45 p.m.; Sat, Oct. 10, 6:30 and 9:15 p.m. Kansas City Funny Bone, 7260 NW 87th St. (Zona Rosa). $30.
• 😂 Winston Hodges (21+). Thu, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. (doors 5:45). Kansas City Funny Bone, 7260 NW 87th St. (Zona Rosa). $27 to $37.
• 👑 Fierce Fridays drag show at Hamburger Mary's (adults only). Fri, Oct. 9, 9 p.m., hosted by Lana Luxx and Candice Marie. 3700 Broadway Blvd., Suite 110. Dinner and a drag show; the venue says it fills up most weeks, so reserve a table. No ticket, but there is a $15 per person minimum purchase plus a $5 per person show surcharge.
• 🎤 Jeffrey Keller. Sun, Oct. 11, 8:30 p.m. (doors 8). The Comedy Club of Kansas City, 1130 W. 103rd St. General admission $25, fees included. Preferred seating is sold out.
• 🎤 Sam Tallent. Thu, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. (doors 6); the run continues Fri and Sat. The Comedy Club of Kansas City, 1130 W. 103rd St. General admission $30, preferred $40, fees included.

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