Want to have fun, but don’t want to leave the house because it’s so cold? Well, that’s no way to have fun.
Surrender this weekend to the wintry weather and its attendant attributes. The heartiest among us will endeavor to linger at special outdoor events (BRRR), while others may merely dart from home to car to indoor entertainment destination (brrr).
One way or the other, kiss off cabin fever and embrace the freezin’ season!
1. AFC Championship: Kansas City Chiefs vs New England Patriots
Finally, an AFC Championship game in Kansas City. Pinch me. Heck, tackle me. Propelled by the record-setting abilities of amazing quarterback Patrick Mahomes – who is almost assured to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award – our Chiefs take on the Patriots in what could turn out to be one the coldest games ever played at Arrowhead Stadium. With a win, the Chiefs will go to the Super Bowl for the first time in 49 years. Pinch me. OK, just tackle me again. Go Chiefs!
Sunday, 5:40 p.m.; Arrowhead Stadium, 1 Arrowhead Dr., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $206-$944 (prices subject to change).
Internationally heralded circus troupe Cirque Du Soleil is strapping on the blades for it’s first-ever winter ice show in Kansas City. The show’s acrobatic female protagonist, Crystal, makes her wildest dreams come true simply by skating them. The resulting visual extravaganza is a vigorous combo of aerial and ice-skating artistry, including a fantastical take on hockey action in which no punches are thrown. Now there’s a neat stunt!
Thursday and Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 4 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 and 5 p.m.; Sprint Center, 1407 Grand Blvd.; tickets: $48-$138.
If it’s too frosty outside, let the nationally touring stage revival of “The Sound of Music” warm your heart and your extremities might follow. The show has classic songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, including “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “My Favorite Things,” “The Lonely Goatherd” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” – and those are just from the first act. Each tune seamlessly intertwines with the story of a young nun who must look after a family caught in the crosshairs of the Nazi invasion of Austria. So when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when you’re feeling sad, the solution is to go see “The Sound of Music.” It could even put some feeling back in those frozen hands and feet.
Thursday and Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 6:30 p.m.; Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $49.50-$99.50.
4. Tech N9ne
Standing is good for blood flow, so it’s fortunate that remaining tickets for rapper Tech N9ne’s weekend show are for standing room only. Nab one and you won’t give a thought to sitting down, since you’ll be too busy hip-hopping non-stop to Kansas City’s own master rhymer whose flow has made fans around the world.
Saturday, 8 p.m.; Voodoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino, 1 Riverboat Drive, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $35 (standing room only).
5. Improvisation: Be a Kid Again By Doing Make-Believe
Remember when you were a kid and it was too cold to play outside – or at least that’s what the nearest authority figure claimed – and you had to make up fun stuff to do inside? If you use your imagination, those days are back at this improvisational comedy experience that allows participants to throw themselves into improv games immersed in the world of fantasy. Everyone is welcome, including actual kids. Look to the children!
Saturday, 1-3 p.m.; Johnson County Library – Antioch Branch, 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Merriam, Kan.; admission: free.
If you're a recreational-vehicle enthusiast, chances are you already know about this year's Mid-America RV Show, the perfect place to stay warm this weekend while eyeballing the latest RV models. If you're not, maybe you've always wondered what it would be like to live in style on wheels for a while. The show includes seminars on RV trip planning and budgeting, as well as long-term RV travel for those who may never want to leave the open road. But if you're endlessly exploring North America, how do you get your mail? Here's where to find out, assuming you don't want to drop out entirely to personally discover America. Holy Kerouac.
Friday, 11-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Bartle Hall, 301 W. 13th St., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $12, ages 12 and younger free.
Brian McTavish is a regular arts and culture contributor for KCUR 89.3. You can reach him at brianmctavish@gmail.com.
Update: An earlier version of this post included the Friends of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens' watch event for the lunar eclipse. This event was canceled and has been removed from this list.
