KCKidsFun

Did you know that Kansas City is home to North America’s oldest Irish business?  And that that particular business was first opened in 1887?!?  I am talking about none other than Browne’s Irish Market & Deli, located at 3300 Pennsylvania Avenue in KCMO.

If you’ve never been, the Market features room after room of Irish and Celtic gifts.  You can also find the best Irish breakfast in town!  A great opportunity to check out Browne’s is the upcoming Annual Irish Street Faire on Saturday, June 19, 2010.  In addition to commemorating the 123rd anniversary of the business, the Faire benefits “Cycling for Change”– a 5000-mile cross-country bicycle ride led by a Jesuit priest from Kansas City.  The mission?  A call to action for all people to address the growth of poverty in America.

The Faire is from 4pm-11pm, and advance tickets for ages 12+ are $8.  Kids under 12 are FREE!  Activities include:  bagpipers, Irish dancers, shopping, food and drink, and even a performance by KC’s Elders!  Kids and adults alike LOVE The Elders, and rightfully so;  their unique brand of lively Celtic rock is unmatched.  There will be a Children’s Area, balloon animals (benefiting Shriners Children’s Charities) and a fire truck for the kids to see, courtesy of the Kansas City Fire Historical Society.  And…there will undoubtedly be plenty of Guinness on tap!  ***Lots of parking is available at the VFW (406 W. 34th St.) and lawn chairs are welcome!!

If you plan on making a weekend of it (and why not–it’s Father’s Day!) there is a great deal to be had at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel.  For $79, you can have a standard room, which includes 2 tickets to the Irish Street Faire!

We are lucky to have such a unique family-owned business right here in KC– and the Annual Street Faire is a great excuse to take the whole family to enjoy a little Irish charm and hospitality!

Our spotlight this week is turned squarely on local musician Bongo Barry (Bernstein).  His untimely passing in August, 2009 left a void in the artistic community–and some pretty large shoes to fill!

On Friday, November 20, 2009, the Plaza Library/Truman Forum at 4801 Main will host the FREE Bongo Barry Tribute Concert.  Local favorites will be paying their musical respects to Bongo Barry and his unique brand of music–including Mr. Stinky Feet (Jim Cosgrove), Funky Mama, Dino O’Dell and more. What a great way to kick off the weekend with your family!  The fun starts at 6:00pm at the library.

In addition to the wonderful music, your kids can take part in the instrument-making workshop, hosted at the Plaza Library by Wonderscope Children’s Museum!  The workshop runs from 6-645pm and the concert kicks off at 7pm. This free event is open to the public.

Donations will be accepted for Healthy Sounds–where Bongo Barry’s musical mission will continue to be carried out.  Retreats and unique programs use music as the springboard to build community amongst schools and organizations.  There are retreats and other programs, too.  Learn more by visiting Healthy Sounds.

If you have little ones, you’ll want to mark your calendars for two upcoming tours on their way to Kansas City – Curious George at Sprint Center from November 5 through 8 AND the Imagination Movers: Live from the Idea Warehouse tour at the Midland Theatre, October 22.

CURIOUS GEORGE LIVE! is a live stage musical starring the famous inquisitive little monkey named George who takes everyone along on intriguing problem-solving adventures. Your kids will laugh, tap their toes, sing and dance as you follow Curious George on his quest to win the Golden Meatball Contest. There are several shows on the schedule – different days, different times – something for everyone! (For discounted Curious George tickets, call 816-949-7175 and ask Kerri for the KCKidsFun discount!!)

If you haven’t seen the Imagination Movers on the Disney Channel, you’re missing some of the most energetic and catchy kids’ music on TV. In concert, the Movers teach high-energy dances, play games with the audience and make music on their one-of-a-kind trashcan drumset. Kids and parents help perform new kids classics like “Shakable You,” “The Medicine Song,” “What’s in the Fridge?” and “I Want My Mommy (Time for Bed).” (Unfortunately, we don’t have a discount for Imagination Movers tix, but they are available for $25-35 thru Ticketmaster.)

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And, for those of you with older kids, you might want to check out the NBA exhibition game coming to Sprint Center on October 15th! Miami Heat vs. New Orleans Hornets. You’ll get to see superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul in action – and, oh yeah, a few guys who used to play around these parts: Mario Chalmers, Julian Wright and Michael Beasley… (Click the banner at the top of this page and use our promo code “kckids” for discounted tickets!)

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TONS of great family-friendly stuff going on in Kansas City this weekend –

get the full listing at our Events Calendar!  Have a great weekend, everyone!