KC Sipps: Hot dog and donut festivals, plus three notable openings across the metro

KC Sipps logo by Theodore Rosen

Life in KC is pretty delicious. In fact, there is often so much going on that it can be hard to decide where to go and what to try.

That’s where I come in. 

I’ve curated this weekly list of events, openings, deals, and celebrations to keep you in-the-know. Cheers!

Opening

Waterbird Coffee: In downtown KC, near City Hall and the T-Mobile Center, Waterbird Coffee will open on August 24. It is under new ownership after shuttering in March of this year. The cafe will offer coffee roasted by Foxen Coffee from Monett, MO, pastries by Scratch KC, and art for purchase by local artists Adrianne Clayton and Angela D’Souza. 

Brooks Family Farm Store: In downtown Lee’s Summit, the Brooks family from Quincy, MO has opened a storefront. The store carries their own chicken and pork products, skincare, and more, plus produce, baked goods, and additional offerings from other local farms and makers. The products and setup give the impression of a farmers market, but unlike those weekly stops, this is open every day of the week and sheltered from weather.

Jade and Ember Munchery: Taking over the former Waldo Thai space, Jade & Ember Munchery is now open. The new restaurant features “vibrant pan-Asian comfort food,” according to its website, which covers Thai, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, and more dishes. It shares owners with Chinatown Food Market in River Market. To introduce diners to the new spot, they’re offering 30% off online orders through August 30 with code WELCOME30.

Closing

Parlor: In a social media announcement, Parlor announced that its final day of operation will be August 22. The Crossroads food hall opened in 2018 as the first of its kind in the area. Parlor acted as a food and bar destination, as well as an incubator for restaurants to scale before opening their own brick-and-mortar, hosting relevant names like KeeYoung Kim, Ting Santos, Mother Clucker, and many more. The community’s response has been strong, as the short-notice closure via Instagram post came as a surprise to the individual restaurant owners, employees, and those with future events booked at the venue.

August 21

Ethnic Enrichment Festival: This weekend, the Ethnic Enrichment Commission (EEC) of Kansas City is hosting its 47th Annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival. It takes place at Swope Park from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, offering live performances, vendors, and food and drink, all representing over 50 countries and cultural groups. Children 12 and under are free with an adult, and adult tickets are $5 each day. *The dates were originally published incorrectly in last week’s column, but have since been updated. 

August 22

Apparition Coffee: At Waldo’s relatively new Apparition Coffee, Cry Baby Cafe (formerly Spicy Moon Foods) will pop up starting at 8 a.m. Gluten- and dairy-free goodies are their specialty, and this week’s menu features varieties of fried yeast donuts, cake donuts, and banana bread. 

Friction Beer Co.: Fullproof Donuts are bringing it back to where it all started two years ago, with a pop-up at Friction Beer Co from 9 a.m. until sellout. The filled donut maker will have a variety of its monthly flavors available for $5 each, including creme brulee, Mexican hot chocolate, everything bagel with “schmear”, and more. The brewery will be open early for Premier League soccer games.

Heart of America Hotdog Festival: To benefit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, make your way down to the National World War I Memorial between 3 – 11 p.m. for live music, ballpark foods and food trucks, vendors, and more at the Heart of America Hotdog Festival. Tickets are $50 in advance or at the gate.

August 23

Mr. D’s Donuts: DonutCon is back! Mr. D’s in Shawnee is hosting a morning-long donut festival, complete with a donut eating contest. From 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Mr. D’s Donuts will feature kids’ activities, vendors, and a limited-edition donut. No tickets are required for this event.