First Friday gets spooky for October. What to see, do in the Crossroads & West Bottoms
First Friday is leaning in to spooky season. The West Bottoms and Crossroads are both getting October started with eye-popping displays and themed goodies.
With the heat in the rearview mirror, the fall chills are setting the mood. Here’s what you can see during this First Friday weekend.
WEST BOTTOMS
The Historic West Bottoms is home to some of the country’s most famous haunted attractions that will be on full display in October.
The Boo in the Bottoms takes over for First Friday, honoring all things spooky, scary and thrilling.
The Beast, The Edge of Hell and The Macabre will be open throughout the weekend. If you’ve never been to a haunted house, check out this handy guide to prepare yourself.
Actors from each haunted house will roam the West Bottoms streets in the daytime, although they won’t be scaring anyone. They’ll be saving their energy for the nighttime.
“A favorite time of the year has some Halloween fun,” West Bottoms district spokesperson Amber Arnett-Bequeaith said in a statement. “Stores will aglow with their goth-glam and haunt décor, and there will be treats in keeping with the spirit of the Halloween season.”
Participating West Bottoms shops should be open on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about the West Bottoms shops here.
Full Moon Escape will also be open for groups to solve puzzles and work through the escape room from 12 to 11:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 12 until 8:45 p.m. on Sunday.
WHEN TO GO
The First Friday festivities will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
WHERE TO PARK
Free street parking in the West Bottoms is typically extremely limited during First Friday weekends. City parking lots cost $10 for the day and may require a short walk. Here’s a map of the neighborhood parking lots.
CROSSROADS
It’s business as usual for the Crossroads this October. Art displays, food trucks and more fill the streets on Friday.
This is the last time the Art Alley will be open this year. Check out the local artists who set up between Baltimore Avenue and Wyandotte Street from 18th Street to Southwest Boulevard.
The Food Truck Plaza will also say its goodbye for the year on Friday. Stop at 1907 Grand Blvd. one last time for your favorite local eats.
Elsewhere in the Crossroads, you can see these exhibits:
Michele Renee Sherlock is this month’s featured artist. The Kansas City-based contemporary abstract painter’s work can be viewed from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Cheryl Eve Acosta’s Crossroads studio.
Overland Park artists Rebecca Van Meter and Leigh Ford join together to present “Suburban Prairie Breakdown,” a collection of paintings at Beggars Table Church and gallery from 6 to 9 p.m.
Artwork from Dora Agbas and Rena Wood will be displayed at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center from 5 to 8 p.m.
The art goes on, and you can find more exhibits here.
WHEN TO SHOW UP
Events in the Crossroads start as early as 10 a.m. on Friday, and many events are happening on Saturday and Sunday as well. Here’s where you can see all the events, including what time they start.
WHERE TO PARK
Parking will likely be tight on a First Friday. People who show up early will have the best chance at on-street parking, according to the Crossroads website.
You can use public transit like the Kansas City Streetcar to avoid any parking nightmares. The 16th Street and the 19th Street stops will put you right in the heart of the Crossroads.
