Kansas City kicks off the weekend with a lineup featuring seasonal haunted houses, literary festivals, an Oktoberfest celebration, and neighborhood block parties.
West Bottoms Haunted Houses Open for the Season
The Halloween season officially arrives in Kansas City as two of the West Bottoms’ three iconic haunted attractions—The Beast and The Edge of Hell—open their doors on October 2 and 3. Both haunts offer intense immersive experiences, with organizers noting that children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent. Tickets cost $40 per attraction, or $55 for a combined double ticket. Meanwhile, Macabre Cinema remains closed for ongoing renovations. For a more relaxed outdoor screening, Screenland Armour continues its Backyard Movies series on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a showing of the 1995 film Casper. Tickets are $5, and attendees are permitted to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and dogs, though outside food and drink are prohibited outside of water.
Literary Festivals Bring Authors and Industry Pros to Downtown
Book enthusiasts have two distinct literary events to choose from this weekend. The Lucky Rabbit Literature Festival, a new event hosted by the Rabbit hOle children’s literature museum, launches its debut programming. Friday afternoon events are free and feature children’s book creators signing books at the museum. Saturday sessions shift to the National WWI Museum and Memorial, offering targeted programming for educators, writers, artists, parents, and industry professionals with tickets priced at $45 per session or $80 for both. Concurrently, the Heartland Book Fest returns to the downtown Central Library. While Friday programming reached full capacity, Saturday features free author panels, workshops covering topics from horror writing to bookmark-making, and local vendor booths.
Crown Center Hosts Annual Oktoberfest and Waldo Block Party
Crown Center serves as the hub for KC’s largest Oktoberfest celebration on Friday and Saturday. The festival features traditional German beer, wine, food, polka music, dance performances, and competitive games such as Masskrugstemmen (steinholding) and Hammerschlagen. Admission is $17 in advance or $20 at the gate, with drink tokens priced at $8 each. In the Waldo neighborhood, McClain’s Bakery hosts its seventh annual Waldo Block Party on Saturday afternoon from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Located on Gregory Boulevard, the neighborhood gathering features carnival games, pumpkin painting, balloon artists, block-party chili, and complimentary dessert.
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