Best of KC 2023: Taylor Swift kinda-sorta lives here now

Taylor Swift. // Photo by Chris Ortiz

This month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can browse the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some of our current favorite things about Kansas City in 2023. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November. 

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stop the weekend of July 7-8 sent Kansas City into a frenzy. She announced a new song and music video and brought Taylor Lautner and Joey King up on stage to celebrate with her. Jennifer Garner and Presley Cash were also spotted at the show with their fair share of friendship bracelets.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. // Illustration by W David Keith

North Kansas City Mayor Bryant DeLong even renamed two streets off Armour Road: “Honorary Swift Street (Taylor’s Version)” and “Honorary Cornelia Street.” Not only were these shows a major Swiftie event, but they had a huge economic impact on the city itself. Mayor Quinton Lucas announced that both shows resulted in a $47.8 million dollar boost to the economy. 

On July 7, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was released, just in time for her July 8 performance of her secret song “Last Kiss.” The Koi Fish Guitar that had been displayed in the Country Music Hall of Fame was removed for this song, being played for the first time since the 2012 Speak Now World Tour. 

These shows also lead to our very own Chiefs player Travis Kelce attempting to shoot his shot with a friendship bracelet with his phone number. While he didn’t get a chance to pass it on to her at the show, the attempt was noticed, and dating rumors began to fly, coming to a head with Taylor being seen sitting with Donna Kelce at multiple Chiefs games. They reportedly paid for the dinners of everyone at Prime Social and were eventually seen confirming the relationship by holding hands in public in New York following a mid-October SNL appearance. 

You could say Kansas City is in its “Red Era.”