This weekend is the calm before the Super Bowl storm, when Johnson County football fans can take a respite from watching stressful playoff games and, you know, actually enjoy themselves.
And there is plenty of opportunity to do that: from viewing local artists’ work to doing some early Valentine’s Day gift-buying to catching an all-time classic piece of music.
Here are some ways you can enjoy your football-free weekend in and around Johnson County:
View local Black artists’ work in Merriam
For Black History Month this February the city of Merriam is displaying the work of local Black artists at the Tim Murphy Art Gallery at the Merriam Community Center.
After a kickoff reception Thursday night, the work will be on display during regular community center hours through Feb. 24.
The Merriam Community Center is open until 8 p.m. this Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Shop for your Valentine at Lenexa jewelry show
Get your sweetheart something special this Saturday at the Cupid’s Gems Artisan Jewelry Show at Thompson Barn, 11184 Lackman Rd., in Lenexa.
This free event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature the handcrafted work of more than 30 local makers.
It’s a perfect outing for girlfriend groups or mother-daughter bonding.
Parking at Thompson Barn is also free.
Hear Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Maestro Michael Stern conducts the Kansas City Symphony in performances Friday through Sunday featuring Beethoven’s classic tour de force, the pulsating first few notes of which everyone probably would recognize instantly.
This weekend’s performances will also include “Both,” a commissioned work of jazz-folk fusion from Kansas City-raised musician Shelley Washington, as well as “Four Sea Interludes,” a haunting piece from composer Benjamin Britten.
Shows are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $35.
Have your “Makin’ Cake” and eat it, too
This innovative stage show written and performed by Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton is billed as a “short story about America’s sweet tooth and pathway to salvation.”
In it, Hamilton aims to explore themes of race, culture, class and history in a new and refreshing way.
The performance at the Midwest Trust Center’s Polsky Theater on the Johnson County Community College campus will be Saturday night at 8 p.m.
Save room because the performance will be followed by a dialogue and desert reception. Tickets start at $25.
Celebrate the Chinese New Year
Ring in the Lunar New Year early (the actual new year is Feb. 10) with a free cultural showcase this Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. in the lobby of the Midwest Trust Center on the Johnson County Community College campus.
The event will include children’s activities, cultural exhibitions, games and food.
A live stage show following the showcase in Yardley Hall is already sold out.
