The first woman to chair the Kansas City Art Institute’s ceramics program retired this month. Cary Esser overhauled the department’s curriculum, modernized studio facilities and supported a generation of student artists.

Heartland Mini Con will welcome all fans of comics, video games, and cosplay, to a space where Black nerds can connect and support one another. The organizer says it’s aimed at counteracting the racial discrimination some experience at bigger, more popular conventions.

World Cup visitors and locals can still get free tickets for the Fan Festival, which will host performances and a giant watch party to see the tournament matches.

There are plenty of outdoor pools opening around the Kansas City this weekend. Here's a guide to swimming pools, splash pads and aquatic centers across the metro.

Dragon Wagon, Kansas City’s first Vietnamese food truck, launched in 2024. But when they started selling Labubus too, owner Ling Vong said the viral Chinese toys started to eclipse the food truck — pushing her to pivot again.

Olathe this week became just the second Johnson County city to opt in to a new Kansas law allowing extended alcohol sales 23 hours a day during the tournament. Even so, many local bars won't be participating.

For the 2026 World Cup, Algeria’s home base will be Lawrence, Kansas, a college town about an hour outside of Kansas City. Get to know the Algerian men's national team and find out how explore the culture around this region.

The roller rink at Blues Park is planned to open in August as part of the “Revive the Vine” plan to beef up amenities in the Historic 18th and Vine District.

In space, Tom Akers repaired the Hubble telescope. In Missouri, he taught math.

Residents and visitors can get in the World Cup spirit with these six soccer-themed exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across the area.

Members of St. Louis' robust Bosnian community gathered in Bevo Mill to show their enthusiasm for the national soccer team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which qualified for the World Cup for just the second time in the nation's history.

Up and down the Independence Avenue corridor, the 131 mostly immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses are checking their websites and online reviews, spiffing up their social media profiles, and hiring staff — all in the hopes of getting new visitors for the World Cup.