Kansas City Food Blog

​You need plans. Fat City has a recycle bin full of event listings. In this post, all of our problems are solved.

The festival circuit continues and there's still something for everybody. Beer lovers, meat lovers, and vegetarians -- get ready to overeat.

It's not October, but that doesn't mean your lederhosen can't make an appearance at Oktoberfest. Learn how to properly slide a beer down a bar or go to beer school at Worlds of Fun's annual German Festival the next two weekends. The two beer gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

As long as you're learning how to drink beer, you might as well improve your skills on the grill, too -- you'll need to know how to cook sausages for when your home version of Oktoberfest rolls around. At their annual open house, Full Boar 2009, the folks at the Harley-Davidson Factory gives free factory tours and Backyard Bash will be on hand to lead barbecue prep demonstrations.

Even with your new grilling abilities, you won't be a match for the cooks at the 48th Annual Greek Food Festival. Gyros abound at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation (120th and Wornall). The event runs Friday (6 to 10 p.m.), Saturday (noon to 10 p.m.), and Sunday (noon to 6 p.m.). Admission is free. 

Some days you just need ice cream for dinner, and Friday and Saturday that's a definite possibility at the ice cream socials sponsored by the Johnson County Old Settlers. Along with a parade and standard fair food, the ice cream's available starting at 5:30 p.m. on the north side of the County Administration Building just off Cherry Street in Olathe. 

Politics aside, how could you not support the "Pork Stimulus Package"? The 26th annual Blue Springs Barbecue Blaze is Friday and Saturday at the Hidden Valley Sports Complex (6500 NW Valley View Road, Blue Springs). There's a beer garden and public salsa judging competition at this Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event.  

You won't forget to eat your greens on Saturday at the 25th annual Lenexa Spinach Festival. In addition to live music and a host of activities for kids, the world's largest spinach salad preparation kicks off at 10:45 a.m. The event costs $1 and goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sar-Ko-Par-Trails Park in Lenexa. 

If you're not Popeye, you can try the Old-Fashioned Fish Fry to celebrate the Old Quindaro Museum's first year. Highlights include a catfish nugget sandwich ($5) and chicken gumbo ($5). The event at the museum (3432 N. 29th Street, Kansas City, Kansas) runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Your admission is whatever donation you can spare.

When you need to recover on Sunday, think about attending the Hangover Jazz Brunch at Phoenix Jazz Club. Nightlife KC sponsors the brunch, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., as a benefit for Newhouse Shelter. It's $15 a person and that includes your first mimosa, bloody mary or tequila sunrise.

[Image via Flickr: rochelle, et. al]