Sports, St. Paddy’s Day fun, and a live soundtrack. This weekend’s a party, Kansas City. Here’s what’s going on.
Phillips 66 Big 12 Basketball Championships
March 14-15
One of college basketball’s top conferences will crown its champions at T-Mobile Center this weekend. The women already took the court March 5-9—congrats, Horned Frogs!—and the men’s tournament gets underway Tuesday.
By this weekend, the 15 Big 12 teams will be whittled down to three. Catch the semifinal games Friday night at 6:30 and 8:30, and the championship game at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Get tickets here.
Kansas City Current vs. Portland Thorns
March 15
Out on the riverfront, the Kansas City Current will host the Portland Thorns in their season opener on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. Non-resale tickets are scarce but still available.
If you can’t land a spot at CPKC Stadium, the second-best place to be is at a lively bar. The game will be on at Pathlight Brewing in Shawnee, Block 15 in the River Market, and Gael’s Public House & Sports, for starters.
Snake Saturday
March 15
Snake Saturday is a multifaceted St. Patrick’s Day affair. There’s a charity cook-off benefiting North Kansas City hospital on Friday and a parade on Saturday. Expect a carnival, a petting zoo, and the Lads & Lassies contest for the kids—and those are just the official events.
Loads of North Kansas City bars and breweries are throwing parties amid the official fun, including Paul & Jack’s Tavern, The Big Rip Brewing Company, and Cinder Block Brewery.
If you want to pre-game, here’s our roundup of Kansas City’s Irish pubs.
Music around KC
March 15-16
Kansas City’s beloved Celtic rock band The Elders will play at Knuckleheads on Saturday and Sunday. It’s the band’s 23rd annual hoolie (read as: wild party), and members of the O’Riada-Manning Academy of Irish Dance will ply their craft at the Sunday show.
There’s more to this weekend’s soundtrack than just Irish music. Fans of the Queen of Soul can catch R.E.S.P.E.C.T. — A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin at Johnson County Community College’s Midwest Trust Center on Sunday. Anime fans and symphony fans alike can catch Naruto – The Symphonic Experience at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts the same day.