Spectrum


Column:
Top Ten Reasons to Be in Kansas City This Summer
By Eric Knight

#1: The Art Scene: Believe it or not, Kansas City has one of the better art scenes in the country, rivaling New York and Los Angeles. The thing that sets the K.C. scene apart from its counterparts on the coasts is its accessibility to the ordinary patron and artist. Galleries in K.C. show very accomplished artists at reasonable prices. This leads to a wider variety of artists being shown, and more people being able to afford the artwork. The economics of the situation explains itself: more people are interested in art, and more artists are on the market. Artists are traveling from St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Austin, and even international artists are making stops. Smaller galleries are popping up in storefronts all over the Crossroads and the East Crossroads. In addition to the ritual "First Friday" openings, quite a few galleries are having a "Third Friday" closing to the shows. Remember, try not to make fun of the way all of the art kids dress; they will see the error of their ways soon enough.

#2: Downtown Emerges: For years, people have complained that there is nothing to do downtown at night. The new Power and Light District and Sprint Center are opening at the end of the summer. Touted to be a twenty-four-hour area with shopping and entertainment, plus a long-awaited grocery store, the Power and Light District could be the shot in the arm the downtown nightlife was missing. To go along with all of the new businesses, over 5,000 housing units are being built or renovated. Kansas City is spending more on its downtown than any other city in the country right now, and we get to reap the rewards shortly. Many other cities have flipped their downtown areas and started attracting tourists. It worked in Baltimore, and it could work here. Imagine tourism in Kansas City for something other than NASCAR.

#3: Gas Prices: Prices might be higher than we like to see, but overall, K.C. has some of the cheapest gas in the country. As major cities go, only St. Louis averages cheaper gas citywide. Perhaps it’s because this is a “car only” town, or maybe it’s because the overall cost of living is so low here that it affects prices across the board. Either way, enjoy the break you get at the pump, because the national average is usually around thirty cents more per gallon, and California motorists are about to start paying four dollars per gallon. Remember, it can always get worse.

#4: Wakarusa Music Festival: If you have never been to Wakarusa, make this your first year going out there. Wakarusa is four days of hard-core recreation. Bands all night, swimming and Frisbee golf all day, camping, barbecue for sustenance, and twenty thousand of your closest friends. While the largest complaint from last year was the search procedure at the gate, be warned: a big deal is made about the first hundred people arrested. Play it cool when you first get there, then as soon as you’re in, go nuts. Good times, good bands, good people, and good beer (the event is sponsored by New Belgium Brewery). www.wakarusa.com

#5: Boulevard’s New Beer: For those of us who enjoy a good beer, Boulevard is always a comfortable, go-to kind. When no one can agree on a beer, Boulevard always seems to win. But this year the Kansas City brewery is unveiling four new flavors of beer to go with their four regulars and three seasonals. Already released is the new Lunar Ale, which hints at a Belgian white ale, with a darker complexion and fuller body. Later this summer, we shall meet the new cast, including a Belgian Trippel, a Double Indian Pale Ale (IPA), and finally, a Saison, which is a French style of pilsner. Through unnamed sources, the new flavors were sampled and enjoyed by this staff writer. The Double IPA will knock your socks off. It is going to be one of the hoppiest beers available. The Trippel is thick and smooth, and the Saison is a lighter beer than we are used to seeing from Boulevard, but tasty nonetheless. www.boulevard.com

#6: The Housing Market: While the housing bubble has burst in some larger cities around the country, Kansas City has a healthy and robust housing market. Even though the population has not increased much in the last ten years, houses continue to be built, and people continue to buy them. The CEO of Reece & Nichols, Jerry Reece, was recently quoted in the Kansas City Star, describing the market as “characterized by low interest rates, a lower number of days a house is on the market, and a higher average sales price.” So as sales slump and prices reach the millions for a single-family house in coastal cities, you can still buy a cheap house in the K.C. area.

#7: Shakespeare in the Park: Summertime is about finding fun and preferably free things to do outdoors. Shakespeare in the Park is holding its twelfth annual festival in Southmoreland Park, located on the corner of Oak and 47th streets. This year, the academy of outdoor thespians are performing Romeo and Juliet. While this might seem like a cliche, it is the first year they have done it. The atmosphere is quite casual, and entry is free (donations are accepted, of course). It is a great destination for a first date or change of pace from the television. Before you go, remember the essentials; the plays are outdoors but no seats are provided, so bring a chair, and food and beverage is allowed in the park, so bring your own dinner and beer. www.kcshakes.org

#8: The Royals: They might not be the best team in baseball, but at least they might not be the worst this year. Royals games are fun and cheap. The best part of the whole experience is pre-game tailgating. Few places encourage people to get drunk and rowdy, but for some reason sports fans see it as a sign of loyalty. If the team is winning, Kaufman Stadium can be a good place to party and blend in. If the team is losing, you can walk right up behind home plate and watch from there. Some tickets are as cheap as nine dollars, which is equivalent to a movie ticket on Friday night. Go out and support your local team, or at least have fun in a large venue. www.royals.mlb.com

#9: The Funkhouser Mayorship: Newly elected mayor Mark Funkhouser campaigned on a platform of improving city services and infrastructure. If he lives up to his campaign promises, then all of those metal plates covering unrepaired holes in the streets should start disappearing soon. That feat alone could improve the morale of the city. Other services he says will improve include trash pickup and enforcing abandoned property laws, which require property owners to clean up abandoned lots.

#10: Hey at least it’s not Iraq: We can all take solace in the fact that Kansas City is not a war zone (regardless of how the local media clowns try to portray the east side). Many of our brothers and sisters will be spending their summer in the sands of Iraq. While many people disapprove of the administration that started this war and blundered every strategic decision they had to make, it is important to remember that not a single soldier had a choice to fight this war. So when the names of the fallen flash by on the television screen, be reminded of two things. First, every one of those names was a person who needlessly died, and is now one more flag above a fireplace mantel. Second, you are not there. You are in Kansas City and get to enjoy your summer in a free society. (Until next time I see you, stay safe, Ryan.)


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