FREE Kansas City Symphony Happy Hour Concerts

Gather your friends for a FREE Symphony Happy Hour at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

These concerts run from September through April. While tickets are free, you need to reserve in advance. Tickets become available a month before the run.

Cash bars will open at 5 p.m. in the Kauffman lobby. A one-hour casual concert in Helzberg Hall will begin at 6 p.m.

Here is the schedule:

2026-2027 Happy Hour Concert Schedule

• Happy Hour: Moonlight
  Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
  Program: Features William Grant Still’s Danzas de Panama, Luigi Boccherini’s Night Music of the Streets of Madrid, and arrangements of Claude Debussy’s Suite bergamasque and Danse.
• Happy Hour: Beethoven, Brahms, and the Romantic Spirit
  Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
  Program: Highlights Beethoven’s Sextet for two horns and string quartet alongside Brahms’ Trio in E-flat Major for Horn, Violin and Piano.
• Happy Hour: The End of Romanticism
  Date: Thursday, February 25, 2027
  Program: Includes Johannes Brahms’ Quintet in B Minor for Clarinet and Strings, Gustav Mahler’s Piano Quartet Movement in A Minor, and Darius Milhaud’s Suite for Clarinet, Violin and Piano.
• Happy Hour: Steampunk
  Date: Thursday, April 29, 2027
  Program: A contemporary finale featuring Gernot Wolfgang’s Waves (bassoon and harp) and Gilad Cohen’s Trio for a Spry Clarinet, Weeping Cello, and Ruminating Harp.

All Happy Hour concerts are at Helzberg Hall inside the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1601 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108. 

Parking and Transportation for Kansas City Symphony Concerts

The Arts District Garage

The most convenient parking option is the Arts District Garage, which is attached to the Kauffman Center. You can access the garage entrances from either 17th Street or Cherry Street.

• Pre-paid Parking: It is highly recommended to purchase your parking voucher in advance through the Kansas City Symphony box office website for $10.
• Drive-up Parking: If you choose to pay at the gate upon arrival, the rate is $13 (subject to change based on availability).
• Valet Service: Valet parking is typically available at the drop-off circle on the south side of the building for $22.

Alternative Parking & Public Transit

If you prefer to park farther away or utilize local transit options, consider these alternatives:

• The KC Streetcar: This is a completely free transit option. You can park anywhere along the streetcar route downtown and ride to the Kauffman Center Stop at 16th and Main Street. From there, it is a short, uphill walk west to the venue.
• Surface Lots and Street Parking: There are multiple independent surface parking lots within walking distance throughout the Crossroads Arts District. Metered street parking is also available but fills up quickly on concert nights; please check all posted signs for time limits and fees.

Accessibility Drop-Off

Guests with limited mobility can be dropped off directly in front of the venue. The main drop-off zone is located at the south entrance drop-off circle, accessible via Broadway Boulevard. Staff and volunteers are stationed there to assist guests entering the building.

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