Beer and Brawn

SAT 6/14

It’s not hard to guess the sport when the event is called the Newcastle Brown Ale Invitational. We’re a long way from Scotland, but no distance can destroy the centuries-honored union of dark beer and curious strength competitions. At the Scottish Highland Games, spectators imbibe while brawny athletes from area states compete at tossing 20-foot, 150-pound cabers. And this is authentic stuff — the contest will be recorded with an “imaginary clock.” People drinking lots of Newcastle don’t really care about specifics. Other events include Putting the Stone (that’s shot put to you bloody Americans), the Hammer Throw, Throwing the Weight, and the Sheaf Toss. Basically, there will be a lot of hurling and grunting going on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. People can enjoy Scottish dancing, piping and food as well. Tickets cost $3 to $10, and children six and under get in free. For a schedule of events, which go down at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds (at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Interstate 435), see www.kcscottishgames.org.— Sarah Smarsh

Green Party

SAT 6/14

Botanists deal with a lot of negative stereotyping. Those who would carelessly stomp on a perfectly good specimen of Eleocharis Acicularis might call them tree huggers. Or prairie fairies. Or maybe just nerds. But if ever there was a safe refuge for plantophiles, it’s Powell Gardens. For its second annual Bioblitz, the expansive plant refuge has invited sixty naturalists to comb its prairie ridge for everything from fungi to birds to mammals. Experts share their findings with the public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission to the gardens, on Highway 50 in Kingsville, costs $2.50 to $6. For more information, call 816-697-2600. — Smarsh

Drive-In Campout

SAT 6/14

Car camping is not about pussying out and staying the night in the heated car instead of in the tent, like in that one SUV commercial where the yuppies do their version of roughing it. No, car camping just means you aren’t wandering through the great ou doors with nothing but a backpack but are, rather, driving a car directly to the campsite. In other words, you still need the tent, the sleeping bag, the bug spray and the biodegradable soap. If this is all news to you (don’t feel bad, it was news to us, too), it’s time to sign up for Intro to Car Camping, where Helen Hudgins of the Kansas City Outdoor Club gives pointers on shelter options, food-prep equipment, how to find good camping places and what to do when you get there. Participants meet indoors, from 9 a.m. to noon in room 215 of UMKC’s Royall Hall. For information, call 913-599-9106.— Gina Kaufmann