Best of March

Enjoy extraordinary shows, exhibits, and family fun. Our top picks for March in Kansas City are here.

Note: We are looking forward to each event on this list. They are numbered to correspond with their position on the map, not in order of preference. We love them all.

For more inspiration, check out these seasonal guides:

• COVID-19 Cancellations
• Spring Break Guide
• Spring Break Staycation
• St. Patrick's Day Fun Guide
• Easter Fun Guide

Also, mark your calendar for these school open houses:

• March 11 & 12: Notre Dame de Sion
• March 11: Barstow
• March 20 & 27: Summit Christian Academy - CANCELED

• The Phillip’s 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship - SUSPENDED

  The Phillip’s 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship has been suspended.

  The Big 12 Conference has announced the immediate suspension of all Conference championships until April 15, resulting in the cancellation of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in Kansas City, along with its upcoming gymnastics and equestrian championships.  Conducting future Big 12 championships this season will be evaluated and determined by April 15.

  “After consultation with our Board of Directors it was decided that cancelling these championships was in the best interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes,” said Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. 

  Details will be forthcoming on full refunds of ticket purchases for these championships.

• Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures - CANCELED

  Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures Mar. 26-29 at Sprint Center has been canceled.

  In compliance with the State of Emergency declared by the City of Kansas City, Mo. prohibiting events with 1000 or more attendees amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, Disney On Ice scheduled from March 26-29 at #SprintCenter has been canceled.

  Tickets purchased with a credit card through AXS.com, SprintCenter.com, in person at Price Chopper Box Office at Sprint Center, or charge-by-phone at 888.929.7849, will receive automatic refunds to the original card used for purchase.

  Tickets purchased with cash directly at Price Chopper Box Office at Sprint Center may be returned for a refund during business hours, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

  More info: bit.ly/DOISC2020

• Fairy Tale Village at Crown Center - CLOSED

  The Crown Center Shops remain open and welcome visitors to our shops, restaurants, theaters and attractions. Fairy Tale Village will temporarily shut down at the close of business, Saturday, March 14, through Friday, April 3, 2020, as we take extra precautions in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.  Photos with the Easter Bunny scheduled for April 4, 5, 10 and 11, 2020 have been canceled. Some of our shops, restaurants, theatres and attractions may choose to close temporarily as well.  Please check with the individual business for details.  Read More: https://www.crowncenter.com/covid-19-response

  **

  Fairytale Village, a FREE exhibit at Crown Center, Feb. 8 - May 3:  Classic children’s tales come to life when families visit Fairy Tale Village.  Enter an enchanted world where kids can interact with characters from their favorite stories and rhymes.  Discover a world of make-believe around every corner.  Meet the Ice Queen in her Ice Palace and experience the giant adventures of  “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Sit in Cinderella’s magic carriage and later stroll with “Little Red Riding Hood” through the woods to Grandmother’s house.  Run safely inside the brick house of “The Three Little Pigs” and then have lunch with the “Seven Dwarfs.”  See “Pinocchio” come to life and more!  This interactive exhibit includes a reading area where parents can share their favorite tales with their kids.  Open Monday – Friday, 10am to 6pm; Saturday, 10am – 7pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm.   816-274-8444. 

• Science City's NEW "All Aboard" Exhibit - CLOSED

  In coordination with the latest guidance – including Jackson County's limit to gatherings of 250 people or more – and with the greatest sense of community and care for our guests, associates and partners, Science City, Planetarium, Model Rail Gallery and the Genghis Khan Exhibition at Union Station will be closed today, March 14th, thru March 31st.  This DOES NOT include our other tenant attractions, restaurants, retail or offices at this time.  Union Station's building and other tenants – Post Office, Amtrak, etc – remain open.  Please check with those entities and organizations directly for their latest plans and announcements. Union Station will continue our robust and enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols throughout our spaces, as we know there are multiple reasons for guests and tenants to still visit our historic campus. As always, we will communicate regular updates via our websites, email and social channels as well as via local media.  We look forward to welcoming back our significant and enthusiastic audiences – at the appropriate time – to our award-winning attractions. For additional information and to read our full update, please visit >> http://bit.ly/USKCupdate

  Science City introduces All Aboard: March 14

  It's Science City’s biggest expansion since its 1999 opening, and starting March 14, this major new initiative will dramatically change the landscape of how our community serves our youngest learners, ages birth-7.

  In this behind the scenes preview, we take a look at "All Aboard" - a brand new train centric space that explores how steam engines work while encouraging play, exploration, observation and collaborative problem-solving. Just one of three amazing new spaces opening to the public on March 14.

  We can't wait to share these new spaces with you! You’ll be coming back again and again, so get your Union Station Membership now and enjoy unlimited free visits to Science City along with many other exclusive benefits! unionstation.org/membership

• PUFFS or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic at Coterie

  PUFFSor Seven Increasingly Eventful Yearsat a Certain School of Magic and Magic Feb. 25 - March 22:  For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain school of magic. But in this story, the sorting hat assigns us to the house of Puffs—where an owl informs an ordinary American named Wayne that he’s a wizard. Together with his school of magic pals – Oliver, Megan, and heartthrob Cedric – they wonder if conquering evil is in the cards for them.

• Johnson County Museum staff, 2020

  FREE Admission Day: Johnson County Museum - CANCELED

  Beginning Monday, March 16, JCPRD facilities including; Ernie Miller Nature Center, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center and Johnson County Museum, Mill Creek Activity Center, Roeland Park Sports Dome, Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, Okun Fieldhouse at Mid-America West Sports Complex, New Century Fieldhouse, Roeland Park Community Center, Lanesfield Historic Site, and 50 Plus programs at Matt Ross Community Center will be closed until further notice.

  FREE Admission Day at the Johnson County Museum on Mar. 19:  Featuring award-winning long-term and changing exhibitions as well as public and school education programs, the Museum is a great place to spend the day learning about our county’s history and having fun in our hands-on exhibit spaces.

• Miller Marley Youth Ballet

  Snow White Dancing Tea Party

  "Snow White's Dancing Tea Party" Mar. 28 at Miller Marley School of Dance: The event includes a craft, dance routine, snack, storytime, and a Meet & Greet with Miller Marley Youth Ballet's very own Snow White & Friends! It is designed for children ages 3 - 7 years old. The cost is $25.00. Children must pre-register by calling 913.492.0004.

• Storybook , Open House, and Workshops

  Event Update:

  We hope to celebrate life responsibly while respecting the current situation. We have decided to scale back our Spring Kickoff event (formally known as “Ladies Day”) and our Storybook Gardens Spring Open House event. Spring Kickoff (formally known as “Ladies Day”) on Friday, March 20th and the Spring Open House events on March 21st-22nd have been set aside for this season. The Workshops will resume again in the summer with our Annual Summer Festival, hosted at our Liberty, along with our Kids Horticulture Camp, hosted out our Shawnee store. Finally, our annual Fall Fest will resume as planned in the autumn at our Shawnee store.

  Although we are disappointed, remember every day is a flower show at Family Tree Nursery. Come at your leisure to the Overland Park location to see the beautiful Storybook Gardens displays for inspiration and fresh ideas. Viewing will be from March 15-March 31st. We will be offering sales and promotions over the next two weeks for the early gardeners as an alternative to our event. We have much to celebrate and be grateful for as we wait this out together.

  All 3 locations are loaded with beautiful early spring flowers. We have pre-planted combination pots and hanging baskets ranging in all shapes and sizes for your front porch, back deck or patio.

  It’s a perfect time to plant your cool season vegetables like onions, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, radishes, spinach, peas, and kale. Fresh trees and shrubs are arriving daily, and our tropical greenhouses are filled with unique houseplants. It’s the perfect time to plant your early season flowers, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

  Thank you for your understanding as we weather through this situation together. We do look forward to celebrating all of the new life and energy that comes with the spring season.

• March Shows at Carlsen Center at JCCC - CANCELED

  In order to help minimize spread of the coronavirus, Johnson County Community College will be closed starting March 14 through April 5. Gatherings pose unique risks. For that reason, all on-campus gatherings and events, including the Carlsen Center Presents, will be canceled for three weeks. We will continue to monitor and assess the risk for any events beyond April 5. The ticketed events affected are:

  • All The Ruel Joyce Recital Series and the Jazz Series thru April 6th.
  • Winterlude - Nate Nall Quintet - March 15
  • Quartet San Francisco - Masters of
  • Pop, The Beatles and Beyond - March 19
  • Drum TAO 2020 - March 20 & 21
  • Kelley Hunt - March 27
  • The Reminders - April 2
  • Piff the Magic Dragon - April 3

  We will do our best to reschedule events if possible, but cannot guarantee this. 

  March Shows:

  • Kannapolis: A Moving Portrait Mar. 6:  Kannapolis: A Moving Portrait offers a unique and touching glimpse of a bygone vision of America. Acclaimed musician Jenny Scheinman and her trio perform an original score of folk songs and field sounds live over H. Lee Waters's Great Depression film vignettes, Movies of Local People, masterfully reassembled by film director Finn Taylor. The films are of regular people going about their lives—mill workers streaming out of factories, a mother and daughter dancing on a dirt road, an old man reading a war-time headline, children racing in slow motion toward a huge wooden teeter totter. Scheinman's music pairs with these images for a beautiful, bittersweet, sometimes breathtaking emotional journey.
  • Danú – St. Patrick’s Celebration Mar. 7:  Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Playing to standing-room-only concerts throughout Ireland, Danú delivers high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. For two decades, Danú’s virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki and vocals (Irish and English) have taken audiences on a musical journey to their native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience.
  • Seeds Mar. 11 & 12:  SEEDS is dramatic re-enactment of the seven-year legal battle between Saskatchewan famer Percy Schmeiser and multinational biotech corporation Monsanto Inc. While debates about genetically modified organisms are multiplying everywhere, life-changing experiments are being conducted in the food we eat. This documentary play leads us through a suspenseful labyrinth of legal conflicts around patent rights, scientific debates about genetically modified food, and property clashes between farmers and the biotech industry.
  • Deborah & Max: The Life and Times of Dexter Gordon Mar. 13:  With a powerful sound, Kansas City-produced jazz singer Deborah Brown will mesmerize you with the musical compositions of Dexter Gordon and the standard compositions of his day. The show was put together with the endorsement of Maxine Gordon, Dexter’s widow and author of his biography, Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon.

  Dear CC Performing Arts Patron,

  In order to help minimize spread of the coronavirus, Johnson County Community College will be closed starting March 14 through April 5. Gatherings pose unique risks. For that reason, all on-campus gatherings and events, including the Carlsen Center Presents, will be canceled for three weeks. We will continue to monitor and assess the risk for any events beyond April 5. The ticketed events affected are:

  All The Ruel Joyce Recital Series and the Jazz Series thru April 6th.

  Winterlude - Nate Nall Quintet - March 15

  Quartet San Francisco - Masters of

  Pop, The Beatles and Beyond - March 19

  Drum TAO 2020 - March 20 & 21

  Kelley Hunt - March 27

  The Reminders - April 2

  Piff the Magic Dragon - April 3

  We will do our best to reschedule events if possible, but cannot guarantee this. If you hold tickets to a Carlsen Center Presents event that was to take place between March 14 and April 5, you have two options:

  A special voucher for the value of tickets to a cancelled event. This voucher may be applied to events taking place through the end of the 2020-2021 Season. The new season will be announced in late April (this date has been pushed back, also because of the COVID-19 closure)A refund of the full value of your tickets.Because staff has been told to stay home through April 5, we ask that you contact us to exercise your options for a voucher or a refund starting April 6, when we return to campus. You may then call the Box Office at (913) 469-4445, Mon-Fri, 10 am to 5 pm. Credit card transactions that are more than six (6) months old and all check or cash sales will be paid by JCCC check. Credit card transactions that are less than six (6) months old will be refunded to the credit card. Please allow 10 business days from April 6 for your voucher or refund check to arrive.

  Future actions will be informed by guidance from the Johnson County Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control. Be assured that we intend to return to normal campus operations as soon as possible. We will continue to consult with public health officials in order to make the most prudent decisions.

  As we’ve seen, this is an evolving issue and will continue to change over the coming weeks. Please know that we will share updates as soon as we can. In the meantime, the best source for updated information is our COVID-19 website. There you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions, tips on how to keep yourself healthy, and details on our response to the outbreak.

  Finally, we are in extraordinary circumstances that have called for less than desirable measures. I ask for your continued support and patience as we continue to navigate this difficult situation.

  Thank you, and please take good care of yourself.

  Emily Behrmann

  General Manager, Performing Arts/Carlsen Center

  Johnson County Community College

  carlsencenter@jccc.edu

• March at the Kansas City Zoo

  March Events at the KC Zoo:

  • FOTZ Sneak Peek of Elephant Exhibit Mar. 7 from 9-11am: Friends of the Zoo members will get an exclusive sneak peek at the progress of our new elephant habitat renovation. Tour the construction site and see the new Elephant Expedition.
  • Photo Scavenger Hunt Mar. 7 & 8:  Head out to the Zoo for some family adventure! Pick up your clue sheet as you enter the park and see the Zoo from a new perspective as you try to match our photo clues to their locations in the Zoo. Find all the clues and drop your clue sheet back off on your way out of the park to be entered into a drawing for some Zootastic prizes!
  • Cheetah Enrichment Mar. 7 & 8, 21 & 22:  Cheetah brothers, Rhaegal and Viserion, will receive this enrichment at 10:30 a.m. at the cheetah exhibit in Africa. A Zookeeper will also be on hand to chat with guests about the cheetahs and the various enrichment they receive.
  • Yoga Night Mar. 22 & 25:  Hosted cooperatively by the Kansas City Zoo and the Kansas City Zoo Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK), a significant portion of this event’s proceeds will go to conservation efforts.  This unique opportunity includes a one hour Yoga class taught by Daisy Chavez at various locations in the Zoo. After yoga, we’ll embark on a Twilight Tour to view some of our nocturnal collection.
  • St. Patrick’s Day at the Zoo Mar. 14 & 15: We have cancelled this weekend’s animal parade, leprechaun meet and greet, and Irish dancers in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. However, animals will still receive St. Patrick’s themed enrichment items. As of now, all other future events will go on as planned, but we will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.
  • Royals Day at the Zoo Mar. 28 & 29:  GO BLUE for the boys in blue! The animals will be enjoying special KC Royals enrichment items like t-shirts, cups, scarfs, and rally towels. Tigers, lions, elephants, penguins, orangutans and many more will show their support for the Boys in Blue. You can join in the fun too! Bring your camera on Saturday and have your picture taken with Sluggerrr from 10 am to noon and again from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Wear your KC Royals gear and save $3 off the regular admission price to Royals Day at the Zoo.
  • Humboldt Penguin March Mar. 28 & 29: Join us on the fourth weekend of each month as our birds parade around the Helzberg Penguin Plaza, enjoying the fresh outdoor air. Get an up-close encounter with Humboldt penguins as they strut their stuff for all Zoo guests to see.

• USA to Z at The Folly - CANCELED

  With the health and safety of our patrons, volunteers, staff, and performers being our top concern, the Folly in partnership with our presenters, has canceled/postponed all events through April 3rd in accordance with the Mayor's State of Emergency and the Coronavirus Epidemic. We will provide more information as it becomes available and will continue to update our amazing followers. Thank you all for your patience in these difficult times. You can find more information and updates at http://follytheater.org/coronavirus/

  ***

  USA to Z,at The Folly on Mar. 31 at 9:45am and 11:30am:  Join Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam as they take audiences on a journey through America. Students will learn how the political process works, the differences between the various branches of government, and what it means to live and vote in a democratic country. At various points during the show, the audience will take part in a live-action game show component featuring patriotic prizes while our hosts entertain them with their hilarious antics. From the Constitution to the Declaration of Independence to the Electoral College, this show will leave no political stone unturned. This special show is designed to encourage citizenship by teaching audiences how they can contribute to their own communities.

• Access Art - CANCELED

  In an effort to decrease risk among customers and staff during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Mid-Continent Public Library has taken the following actions, which are effective immediately and will remain in effect until at least April 15: 

  • Cancelled ALL programs (including storytimes)
  • Extended due dates on all currently checked-out items (to April 15)
  • Reduced the Library-By-Mail service
  • Cancelled outreach efforts by MCPL staff members
  • Cancelled all room reservations 

  At this time, all the of the Library’s branches remain open, and the Library is continuing to promote health and safety within its facilities by increasing its practices of cleaning and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces. 

  Please note that the Library is unable to comprehensively sanitize every single item that is checked out from its branches (books, movies, etc.), and as such, customers are advised to wash their hands after handling materials and avoid touching their faces. That said, the World Health Organization has reported that there is conflicting evidence of how long the virus may persist on surfaces, especially under varying conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.). The Library will continue to monitor the news and recommendations of health officials and will take additional steps as needed. MCPL strongly encourages all customers who are able to access information via its digital library. Access eBooks, eMagazines, and eAudiobooks; stream movies and music; and use online resources from the comfort of home with your MCPL Access Pass (Library card). For assistance using any of these services, call your local MCPL branch. 

  Stay updated on the Library’s response to COVID-19 at mymcpl.org.

• March at the National Museum of Toys & Miniatures - CLOSED

  The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures will be temporarily closed to the public from Saturday, March 14 through Friday, April 3, 2020 in support of the nationwide effort to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. We encourage visitors to closely monitor our website, Facebook page and other social media platforms for updates.

  ****

  MEET THE EXPERTS: 18 TINY DEATHS Mar. 7 & 8 2 PM - 3 PM: MEMBERS FREE (RSVP REQUIRED TO BERNARDINIH@TOYANDMINIATUREMUSEUM.ORG)GENERAL PUBLIC $8. Award-winning writer Bruce Goldfarb will discuss his new book, 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics. In the 1940s, Frances Glessner Lee created the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, a series of 1:12 scale miniature crime scenes, to advance the study of forensic science. At a time when women were discouraged from entering scientific professions, Lee found a way to make a significant contribution to the field. Book signing to follow lecture.

  CANCELED due to COVID-19 precautions.: 

  • SPRING BREAK SPECTACULAR (THEATER) Mar. 16 - 20:  CANCELED due to COVID-19 precautions.
  • SPRING BREAK SPECTACULAR (STEM) Mar. 23 -27: CANCELED due to COVID-19 precautions.

• Genghis Khan at Union Station - CLOSED

  In coordination with the latest guidance – including Jackson County's limit to gatherings of 250 people or more – and with the greatest sense of community and care for our guests, associates and partners, Science City, Planetarium, Model Rail Gallery and the Genghis Khan Exhibition at Union Station will be closed today, March 14th, thru March 31st.  This DOES NOT include our other tenant attractions, restaurants, retail or offices at this time.  Union Station's building and other tenants – Post Office, Amtrak, etc – remain open.  Please check with those entities and organizations directly for their latest plans and announcements. Union Station will continue our robust and enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols throughout our spaces, as we know there are multiple reasons for guests and tenants to still visit our historic campus. As always, we will communicate regular updates via our websites, email and social channels as well as via local media.  We look forward to welcoming back our significant and enthusiastic audiences – at the appropriate time – to our award-winning attractions. For additional information and to read our full update, please visit >> http://bit.ly/USKCupdate

  ***

  Discover how legends are made in this world-class exhibition that explores the culture, conquests and heritage of the world’s greatest conqueror . . . the man Time Magazine and The Washington Post named "The Most Important Person of the Last Millennium."

  Journey back 800 years, to experience the treasures and stories of Genghis Khan's 13th-century Mongol Empire. Presented in Kansas City for the first time, this world tour exhibition invites your entire family into an adventure across the vast grasslands of Central Asia, among the relics of Genghis Khan's reign.

  Experience life in 13th-century Mongolia. Entering the tents, battlegrounds, and marketplaces of a vanished world. Explore Genghis Khan's life and those of his sons and grandsons during the formation, peak, and decline of the Mongol Empire.

  View rare treasures from 13th-century Mongolia; more than 200 spectacular objects dramatically displayed to illustrate this legendary story. Gold jewelry and ornaments. Silk robes, musical instruments, pottery, sophisticated weaponry, and numerous other fascinating relics and elaborate artifacts.

  Even encounter daily, authentic Mongolian live music, artisitic and dance performers. A rare cultural opportunity specific to this remarkable exhibition.

  Plan and purchase tickets now to this exotic and uniquely interactive exhibition that tells the story of Genghis Khan - his life, his land, his people, his culture, and his enduring legacy.