Weekend Possibilities | KC Tacos and Tequila Fest, Camp Leavenworth and the Plaza Art Fair Fall into Fall With Art, Food, Music and Sports

Fall is officially here. What better way to enjoy the change in season this weekend than with Lee Summit’s Oktoberfest, or perhaps a free two-day music festival?

And those are just two of the options.

Friday, Sept. 24

5 – 8 p.m. There’s a Latino Arts Festival Pop Up Friday evening at El Centro Inc. in Kansas City, Kansas, 650 Minnesota Ave. DJ Droop is bringing the tunes, while area makers and vendors will put their work on display. Attending the pop-up is free. Food will be available for purchase.

5 – 11 p.m. Celebrate fall’s arrival with the area’s first Oktoberfest of the season. Downtown Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest, 220 S.E. Green St., will run through Sunday afternoon and treat festival goers to German cuisine, carnival rides, fun for the kids, dancing and, most importantly, beer. More than a place to put down pints, the festival biergarten will hold home brew and stein raising competitions. Oktoberfest is free to attend. Carnival rides, beer and food will cost you.

Saturday, Sept. 25

11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Camp Leavenworth, a two-day music festival that is completely free to attend near Leavenworth Landing Park, 2 Cherokee St., will welcome Leavenworth native Melissa Etheridge as its headliner. A full music schedule featuring local artists like Unfit Wives, The MGDs, Grand Marquis and Katy Guillen and The Drive will support Etheridge, along with Friday night headliner Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. Other camp activities include a silent disco, tree climbing, shopping with Strawberry Swing and more.

3 p.m. The Kansas City Tacos and Tequila Festival is bringing tastes and tunes to Legends Field, 1800 W. Village West Parkway. A ticket to the festival will put you in the crowd for live sets from Ludacris, Mario, Twista, Bobby V, Petey Pablo, not to mention exotic car and lucha libre wrestling exhibitions. There will be 50 different chef-inspired street tacos to choose from and 40 different craft margaritas on deck. Food and drink costs are not included in the price of admission. Tickets start at $59.99, plus taxes and fees. Attendees must be 21 or older.

5 – 10 p.m. Come hungry. Lenexa Public Market, 8750 Penrose Lane, will park more than a dozen food trucks for Saturday evening’s Food Truck Frenzy. Between sweets, barbecue, Mexican, burger options and more, there should be something for everyone. Participating food trucks include Taste of Brazil, Coco Loco, Spice Queens and Rolling in the Dough, just to name a few. There will be live music from Tre’ Mutava and the Holmes Street Band starting at 6:30 p.m.

7:30 – 10 p.m. Kansas City Fashion Week wraps up this weekend with runway shows Friday and Saturday evening. Tickets are still available to attend Saturday’s Finale Runway Show at Oak Park Mall, 11159 W. 95th St. The runway will feature pieces from eight different designers and brands. Tickets start at $30.

Noon – 5 p.m. The AMERI’KANA Block Party is Saturday at Grinders KC, 1826 Locust St. The busy afternoon, organized by Kansas City band Making Movies, in coordination with their Art as Mentorship music education nonprofit, will provide fun for the entire family. Expect cultural performances from artists like Ballet Folclórico de México/Panamá, Rebel Song Academy youth performances, food trucks, local artists, makers and more. The block party is free to attend.

Sunday, Sept. 26

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. River Market virtual reality arcade and pub DoubleTap KC, 310 Oak St., will have the Chiefs-Chargers game on its televisions Sunday. The Chiefs Tailgate & Watch Party will pour discounted drinks, provide a live DJ for pregame and put a food truck in the parking lot. No worries if you’re not into football. DoubleTap’s Vive Pro VR headsets offer more than 50 games to choose from. Standard lanes (3-5 players) start at $40 per hour.

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday provides the final opportunity to check out the 2021 Plaza Art Fair, 4706 Broadway. The 90th edition of the festival will feature works by 240 artists of multiple disciplines, across nine Country Club Plaza blocks. With more than 20 restaurant tents represented at the festival and live music scheduled through the weekend, poking around artist booths should be just part of the fun. The Plaza Art Fair is free to attend.

6 p.m. In what very well may be the match of the season, Sporting Kansas City will host the Seattle Sounders Sunday evening at Children’s Mercy Park, 1 Sporting Way. The showdown between the Major League Soccer Western Conference’s first and second place teams, respectively, should have passionate home supporters at full throat, as KC’s squad prepares for the postseason. South stand general admission tickets start at $30, plus taxes and fees.