Weekend Possibilities | Lord of the Drinks Pop-Up, SpongeBob Musical and Early Christmas Celebrations Prepping for the Happiest Time of the Year

There are plenty of pop-ups, super early Santa sightings and tacos to help make for a memorable weekend.

Friday, Nov. 12

4 – 9 p.m. Santa is coming to Martin City. If you can’t wait for the season, Santa’s Bake Shop at Martin City Brewing Co., 411 E. 135th St., is open and ready for business. The bake shop pop-up has sweets like the Krisp Kringle and Blitzen’s Brownie, plus hot cocoa, homemade ice cream and, of course, beer.

5 – 9 p.m. Stargazing, s’mores and statues — Luminary Night at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., should be a nice way to ease into the weekend. Stop by for the free, family-friendly event throughout the candle-lit north side of the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. Soda, cold beer, wine and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Save room for s’mores and celestial viewing with the Astronomical Society of Kansas City Stargazing Society.

Haven’t been to the movies in a while? Screenland Armour, 408 Armour Road, and Pluto TV are teaming up to dish out free movie tickets for a few weekend screenings at the independent North Kansas City theater. Completely complimentary tickets to see select films like Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” and the semi-autobiographical flick set in 1960s Northern Ireland, “Belfast,” are available for pickup at the Screenland box office during business hours.

Saturday, Nov. 13

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Local, handmade goodies are going to be available Saturday morning at The Roasterie Coffee Factory’s Holiday Artisan Makers Market, 1204 W. 27th St. Four area makers will put their work on display and up for sale. Grab a cup of coffee, enjoy the factory aromas and check a few items off the gift list. Goods available for purchase include handmade jewelry and other wearables, jams and preserves, visual art, wood signage, prints and more. The market is free to check out.

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Does your family have ties to the first World War? The National World War I Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive, is providing the space to dig into the historical records of the war this Veteran’s Day weekend. Stop by the museum’s outside auditorium lobby through Sunday to scan research stations equipped with multiple databases including Fold3.com and Ancestry.com and discover your ties to the Great War. The research stations are free to use all weekend.

1 p.m., 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. This weekend marks the world premiere of The SpongeBob Musical for Young Audiences at The Coterie Theater, 2450 Grand Blvd. Grammy Award-winning cast members will stage the story of SpongBob and all of his Bikini Bottom pals facing imminent disaster in the eruption of Mt. Humongous. Who else but Nickelodeon’s goofy yellow sponge can save the day? The musical is made for children ages 5 and up. Tickets are $18 for adults and $14 for kids.

5 – 8 p.m. Forget the Rockefeller Center, the Legendary Tree Lighting at Legends Outlets, 1843 Village West Parkway, is Saturday. Get in on the early celebration near the shopping center’s Civic Courtyard Fountain, where the tree dressed in more than 2,000 ornaments and lights will go up and all sorts of fun will go down. A live holiday concert, face painting, balloon animals, complimentary hot chocolate, yard games and raffle prizes round out the evening. The celebration at Legends is free.

Sunday, Nov. 14

8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Taco Naco has its brick-and-mortar location in Overland Park, Kansas, 8220 Metcalf Ave., and the former taco pop-up is slinging deliciousness. If fresh ingredients, tasty margarita mixes and unique street taco menu options weren’t enough, Taco Naco’s Market and Taqueria has high-quality Mexican products on the shelves, so you can whip up creations of your own at home. Most street tacos start at $3.75 each.

Noon – 4 p.m. Remember, feed the animals with an open palm — especially after a few brews. That’s right, Crane Brewing Co. in Raytown, Missouri, 6515 Railroad St., is plopping a Petting Zoo right outside its door on Sunday. The family fun day will have farm animals to feed, beer to drink, bites from the Big Red Food Truck and sweets from Mini Donut KC.

6 – 11 p.m. Vignettes Bar in North Kansas City, 2376 Armour Road, rotates themed pop-ups centered around eating and drinking and has plans to debut a holiday experience not far from Hobbiton. Lord of the Drinks: An Unexpected Pop-Up is a Lord of the Rings-themed celebration based on the “Fellowship of the Ring” book and film. Open for a limited time, the cover-free pop-up has LOTR themed drinks, shots and beers, plus appetizers, elves and appearances from the man with the big beard himself. Santa or Gandalf? Set off on the adventure to find out.

Flatland contributor Clarence Dennis also is a social media manager for 90.9 The Bridge.