Talk About The Weather — Friday, September 25, 2026

RAIN ON THE GLASS. ART AFTER FIVE.

Kansas City starts Friday under a rain-heavy forecast, then pivots toward a 5 p.m. Plaza Art Fair opening and a 6:40 Royals first pitch. In between: overnight road work, a new Kansas Speedway hotel project, a major UMKC arts expansion, dependable lunch counters and a nearly full moon.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 · KANSAS CITY

01 · STEP OUTSIDE KC

Rain is the Friday story. Keep the clock in view.

The National Weather Service calls for showers and thunderstorms through much of the day, with a high near 71°F. Rain chances ease later in the afternoon, then return tonight. The useful question is not whether it rains, but when the pavement begins to dry.

Source: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?FcstType=text&lat=39.0904&lg=english&lon=-94.5837

02 · LAST NIGHT IN THE METRO

A hotel breaks ground, UMKC expands and the Health Department watches bats.

PENN Entertainment and NASCAR are set to break ground today on a 140-room hotel at Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, with a 2028 opening planned. UMKC has broken ground on a $41 million Conservatory expansion. Kansas City health officials also report seven rabies-positive bats this year, the city’s highest count in more than a decade.

Source: https://www.kctv5.com/2026/09/24/new-hotel-coming-hollywood-casino-kansas-speedway-after-years-delays/

03 · ROADS, RAMPS & WRECKS

Friday night adds pavement work to an already wet road map.

MoDOT plans a single westbound U.S. 50 lane closure just west of MO 150 in Lone Jack from 7 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday for pavement repair. I-29 paving work in Clay and Platte counties also remains active. All work is weather permitting.

Source: https://www.modot.org/node/97062

04 · FROM THE STANDS

Guardians at Royals, 6:40. The gates open at five.

Kansas City opens its final home series against Cleveland tonight at Kauffman Stadium. Parking gates open at 3 p.m.; stadium gates at 5. The first 20,000 fans receive a Salvador Perez City Connect bobblehead, and Futures Night awards are scheduled before first pitch.

Source: https://www.mlb.com/royals/tickets/season-tickets/holders/homestand-highlights

05 · KC LUNCH LINE

Four Friday lunch stops with the details checked.

Minsky’s weekday deal runs to 3 p.m.: $7.99 for a gourmet slice, salad and drink, or $8.99 for two slices and a drink; Friday’s featured slice is Barbecue Chicken. Harpo’s lists a $10.95 St. Joe pork tenderloin sandwich all day. Baba’s Pantry is open 11–7 on East 63rd. Pizza 51 on Oak opens at 11.

Source: https://minskys.com/kcs-best-lunch-deal-the-minskys-weekday-slice-special/

06 · KC WITHOUT A COVER

Art, a neighborhood table and two fall festivals make the free list.

The Plaza Art Fair opens free from 5–9 p.m. Liberty Fall Fest begins today in Historic Downtown Liberty. Neighbor Night at PH Coffee runs 6–9 p.m. with a pay-what-you-can community meal. Visit KC also lists Linda Hall Library’s Alchemy of Knowledge exhibition among today’s free events.

Source: https://www.visitkc.com/events/type/free-events/

07 · AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS

UMKC is adding 35,000 square feet for performance.

The $41 million first phase at the James C. Olson Performing Arts Center adds music rehearsal and performance space, two dance rehearsal halls, support space and an accessible black-box theatre. UMKC expects the first phase to take about 18 months.

Source: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/september/umkc-breaks-ground-on-41-million-conservatory-expansion.html

08 · ARTS & CULTURE

The Plaza opens at five, with music on three stages.

The 95th Plaza Art Fair runs 5–9 p.m. Friday. The live-music schedule starts at 5 with Rusty Laffoon and Ziggy and the Neptunes; Wonderfuzz takes the Main Stage at 7, with additional local and acoustic sets through the evening.

Source: https://www.plazaartfair.com/live-music/

09 · A GRAIN OF RICE

Friday rewards timing more than certainty.

Aries: check the radar before you leave. Taurus: eat somewhere with a real lunch counter. Gemini: keep the evening flexible. Cancer: take the umbrella. Leo: arrive after the first rush. Virgo: verify the address. Libra: choose the art. Scorpio: watch the traffic. Sagittarius: keep one dry backup. Capricorn: finish the practical thing first. Aquarius: go where people gather. Pisces: leave room for the weather to change.

Source: https://www.aviaaree.com/

10 · MOON NOTE

A nearly full moon rises into Friday’s cloud cover.

The moon is about 97% illuminated today and rises around 6:35 p.m. in Kansas City. The full moon arrives Saturday at 11:49 a.m. local time.

Source: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/kansas-city

11 · EDITORIAL DISCOVERY

Friday’s useful story is the handoff between indoor plans and outdoor crowds.

UMKC is building permanent performance space while the Plaza Art Fair and Kauffman Stadium prepare for large evening crowds under a wet forecast. The practical editorial thread is infrastructure: rooms, roads, gates, sidewalks and the hour when rain changes how people use them.

Source: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/september/umkc-breaks-ground-on-41-million-conservatory-expansion.html

12 · TOP FIVE

Five Friday clocks worth keeping.

11:00 a.m. lunch counters open. 3:00 p.m. Kauffman parking gates. 5:00 p.m. Plaza Art Fair and stadium gates. 6:00 p.m. Neighbor Night at PH Coffee. 6:40 p.m. Guardians at Royals.

Source: https://www.plazaartfair.com/

13 · SOURCE LIST

Friday’s edition is built from direct schedules and current local reporting.

National Weather Service; Missouri Department of Transportation; Kansas City Royals / MLB; Plaza Art Fair; UMKC; KCTV5; Kansas City Clerk; Visit KC; Minsky’s; Harpo’s; Baba’s Pantry; Pizza 51; Timeanddate.

Source: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?FcstType=text&lat=39.0904&lg=english&lon=-94.5837