There's always something on
KC packs its year with art, festivals, sports and one-of-a-kind traditions. Below: Chiefs season at Arrowhead, a live feed of what's happening right now, and the annual events locals plan their calendars around — season by season.
Chiefs season is on at Arrowhead
From September into February, Kansas City runs on red. Home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead are the loudest Sundays in sports — and the tailgate starts hours before kickoff. If you're in town on a game weekend, the whole city will be electric.
GEHA Field at Arrowhead
Officially the loudest stadium on Earth — and the clock is ticking. The Chiefs move to a new domed stadium in Kansas around 2031, so see the open-air cathedral while you can.
Tailgate at sunrise
Lots open about 4.5 hours before kickoff and the parking lot is a destination of its own — smoked meat, cornhole, and the free-entry Ford Tailgate District on Lot M.
Watch downtown
The KC Live! block at Power & Light turns into one giant living room every game day — big screens, big crowd, walkable from downtown hotels.
Chiefs Season HQ — live schedule & what's next →
Book early for home-game weekends
Hotels, dinner tables and parking tighten up on home weekends — especially prime-time games and any January playoff date. Reserve well in advance, buy parking prepaid (no cash at the gates), and build in extra time for crowds and security on game days.
Live from Kansas City
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The KC events worth planning around
A handful of these come back every single year, and the city shows up for all of them. Here's the rhythm of a Kansas City year, season by season.
All year long
First Fridays
In the Crossroads Arts District, the first Friday of every month turns into a free, year-round street party: galleries throw open their doors, food trucks line the blocks and live music spills onto the sidewalks. The easiest, most reliable great night out in KC.
Late summer & early fall
KC Irish Fest
Held at Crown Center over Labor Day weekend, this is one of the city's biggest culture festivals — music on multiple stages, dancing, food and a famously friendly crowd. A perfect end-of-summer send-off.
Plaza Art Fair
On the Country Club Plaza, roughly 240 artists take over the boulevards for a weekend of art, music and food beneath the Plaza's Spanish-style towers. Confirm exact dates closer to the event.
Late fall & the holidays
Plaza Lighting Ceremony
A nearly 100-year tradition: on Thanksgiving night, a single switch lights up miles of bulbs across the Country Club Plaza, and the crowd roars. The lights glow nightly through mid-January, so there's plenty of time to see them. Confirm the date closer to Thanksgiving.
Always double-check
Dates, times and locations shift from year to year. Always confirm with the organizer before you plan a trip, book a hotel, or build a whole day around an event.
What's everyone doing this weekend?
Swap tips, find a First Fridays meetup, or ask a local what's actually worth your time. Anonymous, local, and live.
Make a full day of it
Got your event picked? Now nail the rest of the trip.