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What changes in KC when the drinking slows

At least six Kansas City area breweries have closed since early last year, and owners say the bigger loss is the gathering space.

News

Kansas City has lost several breweries, bars and pubs in recent years, leaving fewer places for socialization. Why it matters: Americans are drinking less for good reasons, but bars and taprooms do more than just pour booze — they provide places to gather without a plan.

What Kansas City gets in the Royals stadium deal

City council approved agreements on community benefits, construction and financing.

The Royals&#x27; downtown stadium is another step closer after City Council on Thursday approved a package of agreements on community benefits, construction and financing. Why it matters: Public documents shed light on what the Royals are promising the city, including funds to address homelessness and benefit public art.

Rural Kansas is turning majority-minority early

The U.S. won't become majority-minority until 2046, but four rural Kansas counties and Wyandotte County are already there.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Census data" data-vars-click-url="https://ipsr.unit2.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/population/2pop29.pdf" data-vars-content-id="d68a86e0-3cfc-4b0a-a45b-220b4010d145" data-vars-headline="Rural Kansas is turning majority-minority early" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ipsr.unit2.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/population/2pop29.pdf" target="_blank">Census data</a> shows a majority-minority U.S. population is decades away, but four Kansas counties and the metro&#x27;s Wyandotte County have already crossed that line. The big picture: The shift is reshaping the state, from meatpacking towns in southwest Kansas to the metro&#x27;s urban core, part of the nationwide rural trend identified in an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios analysis." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/14/majority-minority-rural-america-black-latino" data-vars-content-id="d68a86e0-3cfc-4b0a-a45b-220b4010d145" data-vars-headline="Rural Kansas is turning majority-minority early" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/14/majority-minority-rural-america-black-latino" target="_self">Axios analysis.</a>

KC's last 8pm sunset is days away

Most of the country has already lost its late sunsets, but the KC metro has until Aug. 23 to 25 depending on your county.

Most Americans have already seen their final 8pm sunset of the year, but Kansas City still has about a week of late light left.The big picture: We lose a little more light every day as the Earth&#x27;s Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the Sun until Dec. 21, the shortest day of the year.<ul><li>The farther west within a time zone you live, the later your sunsets typically run, and KC sits in the western stretch of the Central time zone.</li></ul>

KC's Ivan "the Squatch" dominates in beard battle

Ivan the "Squatch" Pancic dominated the Big Beautiful Badass Beard Battle.

Culture

A Kansas City man stole the show at a Nebraska beard competition that was judged by some of competitive facial hair&#x27;s biggest wigs.The big picture: Ivan &quot;the Squatch&quot; Pancic dominated the Big Beautiful Badass Beard Battle last weekend with 13 inches of flowing facial locks, taking home four first-place finishes, including the Best Beard Award and Best in Show.

Western Auto was relit after going dark. It's not the first time.

The 74-year-old sign is a city icon and a point of local pride.

Public officials and residents of the Western Auto building gathered on the roof Tuesday night to flip the switch on a fully repaired sign after more than a year.Why it matters: The 74-year-old sign is a city icon and a point of local pride, inspiring everything from paintings to T-shirt designs and bracelet charms.

More than a century of KC drag on one wall

A new Westport mural brings 18 drag performers back into public view — and honors the archivists who kept their stories from disappearing.

More than a century of Kansas City drag history now lives on one Westport wall, where a new mural brings 18 performers back into public view.Why it matters: The mural only exists because a handful of local archivists spent years saving the flyers, photos and costumes that kept those names alive.

Summer trends in KC: Cigarettes and hot dogs

A rise in the vintage cool-kid aesthetic is driving an increase in smoking.

Food and Drink

A rise in the vintage cool-kid aesthetic is driving an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="increase in smoking" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/29/smoking-cigarettes-trend-generation-z" data-vars-content-id="d63549fd-0bbe-40f4-8924-5a3d5c1eaa2a" data-vars-headline="Summer trends in KC: Cigarettes and hot dogs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/29/smoking-cigarettes-trend-generation-z" target="_self">increase in smoking</a> — and eating hot dogs.Why it matters: Businesses and marketing campaigns are catering to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Gen Zers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/26/gen-z-divide-data-politics" data-vars-content-id="d63549fd-0bbe-40f4-8924-5a3d5c1eaa2a" data-vars-headline="Summer trends in KC: Cigarettes and hot dogs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/26/gen-z-divide-data-politics" target="_self">Gen Zers</a>, who often share feelings of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="disillusionment" data-vars-click-url="https://people.com/gen-z-teens-smoking-cigarettes-exclusive-11984858" data-vars-content-id="d63549fd-0bbe-40f4-8924-5a3d5c1eaa2a" data-vars-headline="Summer trends in KC: Cigarettes and hot dogs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://people.com/gen-z-teens-smoking-cigarettes-exclusive-11984858" target="_blank">disillusionment</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nostalgia" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/08/01/90s-trends-chicago-gen-z-nostalgia-fashion-events" data-vars-content-id="d63549fd-0bbe-40f4-8924-5a3d5c1eaa2a" data-vars-headline="Summer trends in KC: Cigarettes and hot dogs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/08/01/90s-trends-chicago-gen-z-nostalgia-fashion-events" target="_self">nostalgia</a>.

Confidence may be KC's biggest World Cup win

KC is coming out on top of several key World Cup statistics.

Kansas City is coming out on top of several key World Cup statistics, but KC2026 chief executive Pam Kramer says the broader boon for the city is &quot;confidence.&quot;The big picture: The remnants of the World Cup are fading around town following what organizers say was an overall success.

Kansas Citians' odyssey to see "The Odyssey"

Just 26 theaters in the U.S. are projecting the movie in IMAX 70mm.

Things to Do

Kansas Citians are roughly 500 miles away from the closest movie theater that projects &quot;The Odyssey&quot; in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="IMAX 70mm" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/17/odyssey-imax-christopher-nolan" data-vars-content-id="b3b93565-0956-45f6-bb3b-66b83bdb2913" data-vars-headline="Kansas Citians&#x27; odyssey to see &quot;The Odyssey&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/17/odyssey-imax-christopher-nolan" target="_self">IMAX 70mm</a>.Why it matters: Movie fans hoping to experience the film exactly as director <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Christopher Nolan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/07/15/christopher-nolan-movies-ranked" data-vars-content-id="b3b93565-0956-45f6-bb3b-66b83bdb2913" data-vars-headline="Kansas Citians&#x27; odyssey to see &quot;The Odyssey&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/07/15/christopher-nolan-movies-ranked" target="_self">Christopher Nolan</a> intended might have to embark on an odyssey of their own.

Massive historic train draws crowds to Union Station

Spectators from across the country came to KC to check out Big Boy.

Spectators from across the country watched the only operational Big Boy locomotive roll, clang and toot through Kansas City yesterday.The big picture: The behemoth train engine is one of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="25 Big Boys" data-vars-click-url="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/big-boy-4014" data-vars-content-id="73d24027-e751-44d7-8182-e30e2999440f" data-vars-headline="Massive historic train draws crowds to Union Station" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/big-boy-4014" target="_blank">25 Big Boys</a> built by Union Pacific to haul heavy equipment for World War II.

KC bookstores buck the national reading slump

Fewer Americans are reading, but bookstores keep multiplying.

Fewer Americans are reading, but bookstores keep multiplying, and Kansas City&#x27;s shelves are proof.Why it matters: The comeback isn&#x27;t happening in some abstract retail economy. It&#x27;s happening at 31st Street, in the West Bottoms and in Leawood strip malls, one new shop at a time.

Your guide to KC Fringe Fest

Any artist who signs up gets a stage, which makes the annual festival KC's wildest grab bag of live performances.

The 22nd <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="KC Fringe Festival" data-vars-click-url="https://kcfringe.org/" data-vars-content-id="a110a9ba-13a1-4aca-a45b-1e4e8df48e1d" data-vars-headline="Your guide to KC Fringe Fest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://kcfringe.org/" target="_blank">KC Fringe Festival</a> kicks off Thursday with 11 days of theater, comedy, dance and burlesque, where no show gets curated, vetted or censored.Why it matters: Any artist who signs up gets a stage, which makes the annual festival KC&#x27;s wildest grab bag of live performances.<ul><li>This year&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lineup" data-vars-click-url="https://kcfringe.org/shows/" data-vars-content-id="a110a9ba-13a1-4aca-a45b-1e4e8df48e1d" data-vars-headline="Your guide to KC Fringe Fest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://kcfringe.org/shows/" target="_blank">lineup</a> spans puppetry, Indian classical dance, circus, improv and titles like &quot;American Raccoon&quot; and &quot;Cancer?! I Hardly Know Her!&quot;</li></ul>

Culture

KC's Ivan "the Squatch" dominates in beard battle

Western Auto was relit after going dark. It's not the first time.

What changes in KC when the drinking slows

A love letter to KC from "Ted Lasso"

More than a century of KC drag on one wall