Big 12 & NAIA College Basketball Championships – Various Dates in March

With three major sporting events in March, Kansas City will become paradise for college basketball fans. 

First up is the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship which will take place March 10–13 at the T-Mobile Center (1407 Grand Boulevard). Next up is the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship March 11–14 at Municipal Auditorium (301 W. 13th Street). Each competition features ten teams in nine matchups. In honor of these games, there will be ancillary activities including a virtual race, a virtual food drive (March 1-15), and a blood drive March 10-12 at Municipal Auditorium.  

In addition, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) will host its Men’s Basketball Championship March 18-23 at Municipal Auditorium. The event will showcase 16 teams in a 15-game, single-elimination format. 

Due to COVID-19, both venues will have limited capacity and spectators will be subject to current public health restrictions and safety guidelines. Tickets can be purchased online: Big 12 Men’s, Big 12 Women’s, and NAIA.


KC Ballet New Moves – KCBallet.org/KC-Ballet-At-Home/#NewMoves

The performing arts community has found creative ways to connect with audiences as the pandemic has halted most productions. One example is Kansas City Ballet, which has pivoted one of the company’s most popular in-person performances into a broadcast series. Every Thursday at 7 PM through April 1, KC Ballet presents a new twenty-minute episode featuring contemporary works set in locations across the greater Kansas City area. The seven videos will be available on-demand from their premiere date until April 9, 2021. 

ArtSpark – KCRep.org/ArtSpark

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre (KC Rep) has also found fresh ways to engage with people while their stage is dark. ArtSpark, a new web series, features KC Rep artistic associate Yetunde Felix-Ukwu in conversation with artists from diverse mediums. So far, there are two episodes available to watch on YouTube. The organization, which has been in operation for more than 50 years, is accepting donations to support the series. 

Hot Chicken Sandwich

Smash-N-Nash – Smash-N-Nash.Webflow.io

Ghost kitchens (delivery-only dining concepts that operate within established brick and mortar eateries) are a growing culinary trend as the restaurant industry looks to survive the pandemic. Smash-N-Nash is a new ghost kitchen in Kansas City from Third Street Social and Summit Grill.

The small menu includes the Smash Burger (Angus ground chuck, grilled onions, pickles, and Nash Sauce on a Martin’s potato roll), the Nashville Chicken Sandwich (crispy chicken breast, hot pepper oil, Nash Sauce, and pickles on Martin’s Potato Roll),which can be made non-spicy upon request, and hand-breaded chicken tenders in Nashville Hot or plain fried varieties. French fries and tater tots are available for sides and jumbo chocolate chip cookies make for a tasty dessert. 

Smash-N-Nash is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Customers order online via DoorDash for delivery throughout the KC metro area. 

Photo by Bonjwing Lee, RW2 Productions

The Town Company – 1228 Baltimore Ave., KCMO – HotelKC.com/Dine/The-Town-Company

At this recently opened restaurant inside Hotel Kansas City, husband and wife duo Johnny Leach, executive chef, and Helen Jo Leach, executive pastry chef, are serving up sophisticated and modern cuisine centered around food sourced from midwestern producers. 

The rotating menu showcases entrees like rabbit and chicken liver terrine, beef tartare, chile smoked country pork chops, and carrot dumplings. The unique dessert options include chocolate and sweet potato parfait with roasted wild rice ice cream, smoked walnut toffee brittle, and chocolate cake; and angel food cheesecake with pear sorbet, lemon crisp, and black sesame ganache. The carefully curated selections of cocktails, spirits, beer, and wine add to the gourmet dining experience. 

For those who want to eat at home, The Town Company offers Town Co. Chicken-To-Go, a $29 meal of a half chile-smoked chicken from Campo Lindo Farms in Lathrop, Missouri, refried pinto beans with cotija cheese, dirty rice, red and green hot sauces, four flour tortillas, and a corn blondie. 

Top photo by Bonjwing Lee // RW2 Productions