After postponing twice, Kenny Chesney is scheduled to perform at Arrowhead Stadium on July 2.
Invision/AP
Kenny Chesney postponed his 2020 Arrowhead Stadium show because of the pandemic. In 2021, he delayed it to 2022. Will the third date be the charm?
The same holds true for other big events, such as concerts by Elton John and Justin Bieber, rescheduled at the T-Mobile Center after lengthy postponements.
The new year brings a full calendar of entertainment after 2020 was largely lost to COVID-19 and 2021 was marked by fits and starts as the pandemic ebbed and flowed. Of course, with the omicron variant surging and millions still unvaccinated, who knows what 2022 will hold?
Some major local events, including the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Kansas City Symphony’s “Celebration at the Station” and Boulevardia, are scheduled to return after having been canceled the past two years. Boulevardia will move to the Crown Center area after years in the West Bottoms.
Comedy has been the most resilient of all performing arts throughout the pandemic, with shows carrying on almost uninterrupted since the fall of 2020. And after the past two years, a lot of people could use a laugh or two.
This year’s lineup is a veritable who’s who among female comics, including Fortune Feimster, Whitney Cummings, Iliza Shlesinger, Chelsea Handler, Kathleen Madigan, Margaret Cho and Leanne Morgan. An impressive list of male comics also will visit, with the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland serving up Sebastian Maniscalco, Nate Bargatze and Jim Jefferies — and that’s just in January.
It is worth noting that some major annual events have not yet set dates and many, if not most, concerts for later in the year have yet to be announced. Also, most local performing arts groups have not released their 2022-23 seasons, so our calendar is limited to events at the ends of their 2021-22 schedules.
That being said, here is a list of major local events to look forward to in 2022.
10 annual celebrations
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March 17, midtown. kcirishparade.com
Brookside Art Annual, April 29-May 1, Brookside district. brooksidekc.org
Boulevardia, June 17-18, Crown Center ($35-$55). boulevardia.com
Riverfest, July 4, Berkley Riverfront Park. kcriverfest.com
KC Fringe Festival, July 17-31, multiple venues. kcfringe.org
Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Aug. 19-21, Swope Park. eeckc.org
Kansas City Irish Fest, Sept. 2-4, Crown Center. kcirishfest.com
Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival, Sept. 2-5, Independence Square. santacaligon.com
Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Sept. 3-Oct. 16, Bonner Springs. kcrenfest.com
Plaza Art Fair, Sept. 23-25, Country Club Plaza. plazaartfair.com
Popular music
Kacey Musgraves with King Princess and Muna, Jan. 21, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Elton John, Feb. 1, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
The Beach Boys, Feb. 9, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Eric Church, Feb. 18, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Tyler, The Creator, Feb. 19, Cable Dahmer Arena. cabledahmerarena.com
Folk Alliance International Conference, Feb. 23-26, Westin Crown Center. folk.org/programs/conference
Louis Tomlinson, Feb. 26, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Korn with Chevelle and Code Orange, March 5, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Tool with The Acid Helps, March 15, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Journey with Billy Idol, March 16, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Cole Swindell with Travis Denning and Ashley Cooke, March 24, Cable Dahmer Arena. cabledahmerarena.com
Alt J and Portugal. The Man, April 7, Cable Dahmer Arena. cabledahmerarena.com
Santana, April 12, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Morgan Wallen with Larry Fleet, April 30, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Justin Bieber, May 4, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
New Kids on the Block with Salt N Pepa, En Vogue and Rick Astley, May 15, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Rage Against The Machine, May 18, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Judy Collins and Madeleine Peyroux, May 22, Yardley Hall. jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events
AJR, June 1, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Haim, June 4, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
REO Speedwagon and STYX with Loverboy, June 14, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Bon Iver, June 15, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Chicago and Brian Wilson, June 20, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Matchbox Twenty, June 21, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Barenaked Ladies with Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, June 29, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Kenny Chesney, July 2, Arrowhead Stadium. ticketmaster.com
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe with Poison and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, July 19, Kauffman Stadium. ticketmaster.com
Goo Goo Dolls, Aug. 1, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
David Gray, Aug. 7, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Alicia Keys, Aug. 24, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Jack White, Aug. 29, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
“Weird Al” Yankovic, Sept. 2, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Roger Waters, Sept. 3, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Twenty One Pilots, Sept. 9, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Shawn Mendes with Tate McRae, Sept. 26, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Keith Urban with Ingrid Andress, Sept. 29, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Comedy
Randy Rainbow, Jan. 15, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Sebastian Maniscalco, Jan. 15, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Nate Bargatze, Jan. 21, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Jim Jefferies, Jan. 28, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Fortune Feimster, Jan. 29, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Feb. 3, Cable Dahmer Arena. cabledahmerarena.com
D.L. Hughley, Feb. 18-20, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Rodney Carrington, Feb. 18-19, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com
Whitney Cummings, Feb. 19, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Terry Fator, Feb. 25, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com
No Remorse Comedy Tour featuring Mike Epps, Sommore, Gary Owen, Lavell Crawford, Earthquake, Feb. 26, Municipal Auditorium. kcconvention.com/events
Tone Bell, March 3-5, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com
Adam Carolla, March 11-12, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com
Tom Segura, March 12, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Hasan Minhaj, March 22, Music Hall. kcconvention.com/events
Yakov Smirnoff, March 25, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com
Jim Gaffigan, April 1, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Iliza Shlesinger, April 8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Chelsea Handler, April 23-24, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Kathleen Madigan, April 23, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Gilbert Gottfried, April 28-30, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com
Bert Kreischer, May 7-8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Brian Regan, May 20, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Margaret Cho, June 16-18, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com
Leanne Morgan, Aug. 27, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Broadway Series
“Mean Girls,” March 15-20, Music Hall
“Jesus Christ Superstar,” March 29-April 3, Kauffman Center
“An Officer & A Gentleman,” April 12-17, Kauffman Center
“Fiddler on the Roof,” May 3-8, Music Hall
“Ain’t Too Proud,” June 21-26, Music Hall
Starlight Broadway season
kcstarlight.com/events/broadway
“Oklahoma!” May 13-15
“Waitress,” May 17-22
“Hairspray,” June 7-12
Riverdance, June 17-19
Blue Man Group, June 24-26
“Anastasia,” Aug. 9-14
“Sister Act,” Aug. 16-21
“The Prom,” Sept. 13-18
Kansas City Symphony
Kauffman Center
“Shostakovich’s Fifth, Plus Gershwin’s Piano Concerto,” Jan. 14-16
“Film + Live Orchestra: ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ In Concert,” Jan. 20-23
“Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration, Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto,” Jan. 28-30
“Prokofiev’s Fifth, with Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations,” Feb. 4-6
“Film + Live Orchestra: ‘Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi’ in Concert,” Feb. 10-13
“Elgar’s First, plus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24,” March 4-6
“Buckets N Boards,” March 13
“La Mer and Brahms’ Violin Concerto,” March 25-27
“Pétrouchka, plus Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto,” April 1-3
“Sinatra and Friends,” April 7-9
“ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA,” April 12-14
“Miraculous Mandarin with Rachmaninoff’s Fourth Piano Concerto,” April 22-24
“The Composer is Dead and other Musical Mysteries,” May 7
“Windborne’s The Music of Queen,” May 20-22
“Celebration at the Station,” May 29, Union Station
“Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, World Premiere of Rogerson’s Violin Concerto,” June 3-5
“Windborne’s The Music of the Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards 1969,” June 9-10
“Sleeping Beauty with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto,” June 17-19
“Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s Ninth,” June 24-26
More performing arts
“Our Black Death: Plagues, Turnips, & Other Romantic Gestures,” Jan. 19-Feb. 6, Unicorn Theatre. unicorntheatre.org
“Oliver!” Jan. 20-30, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. metkc.org
“Soul Sisters — Aretha, Billie, Ella,” Jan. 21-Feb. 13, Quality Hill Playhouse. qualityhillplayhouse.com
“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B,” Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Feb. 1-20, Copaken Stage. kcrep.org
Kansas City Ballet, “Dracula,” Feb. 18-27, Kauffman Center. kcballet.org
Lyric Opera of Kansas City, “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” March 11-13, Kauffman Center. kcopera.org
“Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Feb. 2-April 10, New Theatre & Restaurant. newtheatre.com
“Beautiful – The Carole King Musical,” Feb. 14, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu
“The Royale,” Kansas City Repertory Theatre, March 8-27, Copaken Stage. kcrep.org
“Madagascar The Musical Live,” March 24, Music Hall. kcconvention.com/events
“Stevie: Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” March 24-April 10, MTH Theater at Crown Center. musicaltheaterheritage.com
Joyce DiDonato’s “Eden,” April 12, Folly. hjseries.org
Lyric Opera of Kansas City, “Tosca,” April 30-May 8, Kauffman Center. kcopera.org
Kansas City Ballet, “The Wizard of Oz,” May 13-22, Kauffman Center. kcballet.org
Other events
“Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: Time Bubble Tour,” 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. kauffmancenter.org
#Imomsohard, Jan. 29, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
“Dancing With the Stars,” Feb. 8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
“The Bachelor Live On Stage,” March 20, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Disney On Ice, “Mickey’s Search Party,” March 24-27, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com
Trixie and Katya, March 25, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland.. arvestbanktheatre.com
Alton Brown, March 27, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Rupi Kaur, May 18, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
CrankGameplays Presents: I Have To Do This Show, May 19, Folly. follytheater.org
“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Aug. 14, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
“The Price Is Right” Live, Oct. 27, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Disney Princess: The Concert, Dec. 4, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com
Thre TBA
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Southmoreland Park. kcshakes.org
Big Slick Celebrity Weekend. bigslickkc.org
American Royal World Series of Barbecue, Kansas Speedway. americanroyal.com/bbq
https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article256962272.html
