For five years now, August 16—816 Day—has been Kansas City’s official day to celebrate itself. (816, of course, is the area code and the area’s code for, “Hey, we’re pretty cool.”)
As usual, the city is brimming with fun deals and things to do. Here’s a rundown.
Editor’s note: If we missed something, email digitaleditor@inkansascity.com.
$8.16 Deals
This Friday, $8.16 will buy you any of the following:
- A cheese quesadilla from Cargo Cantina
- An 816 Chicken Biscuit from District Biskuits
- Pad Thai (chicken or tofu) from Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop
- Eight wings from KC Daiquiri Shop
- Jerk chicken wings with mac & cheese from Mesob Restaurant & Rhum Bar (Northland)
- A KC cheese steak and fries OR an Una Familia Reposado shot and a cocktail from Social Waldo
- Lil Monster Nacho from Deez Nachos
- Avocado toast OR biscuits and gravy from HomeGrown
- An Iron Street Classic Burger from Iron Grill
- A half-pound order of peel & eat shrimp OR a hurricane cocktail from Luna’s Southern Cookhouse
- A smoked pulled pork sandwich from Mudbug Cajun Po’ Boys
- A country fried steak OR a pork chop dinner (both with two sides) from Niecie’s Restaurant
- A specialty margarita from Guy Fieri’s Dive & Taco Joint
- Curry OR jerk chicken with rice and cabbage from 1VP Restaurant
- Two iced vanilla lavender lattes from HullHouse Coffee
- Pretzels and cheese from Caldwell Burgers
- Pork brisket from Pigwich KC
- An espresso martini from Third Place Lounge
Other 816 Day Deals
- If you mention 816 Day to the cashier at PT’s Coffee, you’ll get half off drinks from the summer seasonal menu.
- All purchases at plant shop rOOTS KC are 8.16 percent off.
816 Day Events
816 Day & Rieger Bourbon Release Celebration at J. Rieger & Co.
J Rieger & Co. is releasing a new bourbon on 816 Day, and the release party is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. We went into detail elsewhere—check it out in our guide to the weekend—but you can expect tasting stations, $8.16 cocktails, vendors, and live music.
All the Way Live at KC Live!
There’s a whole heck of a lot going on at KC Live! on 816 Day. Festivities start at 10 a.m. with an all-day vendor market and three hours of DJ’d brunch. The mayor speaks at 11 a.m., and kids activities—bounce houses, face painting, a STEM activity presented by Burns & McDonnell, and more—run from then to 6 p.m.
The activities keep coming into the evening. The lineup includes a fashion show, dance battles, live music, and several more DJs. Raise your glass to an 816 Day toast at 8:16 p.m.
Art in the Loop
Art in the Loop will bring live music, artist booths, merchandise, and a live sidewalk chalk demonstration to the City Market. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. Face it, you’re not heading home after work.
Like with the J. Rieger & Co. party, we break down the City Market festivities in our full weekend guide.
816 Day Scavenger Hunt Bingo
You can get going on this one in advance. Download a bingo card here, and turn it in Friday at Art in the Loop at the City Market.
Just stop by certain downtown destinations along the KC Streetcar route—spots like the KC Wheel, the Central Public Library, the Muse of Missouri fountain, and Burrito Brothers—and grab a sticker (or in certain spots, scan a QR code) to fill up your spaces.
You can turn in different configurations, like a blackout, a round robin, or a traditional bingo, for a chance to win different prizes. Just make sure you’re around for the drawing!