Bingo

Dinosaurs at Powell Gardens

Subject(s):

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 18th Street Fashion Show, Fringe Festival

In Jurassic Park, tycoon John Hammond populates a theme park with real-life dino clones. Then, the bellowing, short-armed T. Rex and his crafty raptor cohorts get out of their cages and all hell breaks loose. Luckily, the folks at Powell Gardens (1609 Northwest U.S. Highway 50) know better than to mess with the real thing. Instead, they employ lifeless but convincing replicas, including a 33-foot-tall daspletosaur tyrannosaur and Missouri's own state 'saur, the 30-foot duck-billed hadrosaur. The exhibit, which runs from June 27 through October 7, also showcases fossils, prehistoric plants, and kid-friendly performances, including a show from puppetman Paul Mesner (July 7). See the dinosaur exhibit with paid admission to Powell Gardens. Find details at www.powellgardens.org.

Fringe Festival

Freaks come out for the third-annual KC Fringe Festival, a four-day fête of artsy subversiveness July 26-29. Fringers rove several galleries and clubs around the Crossroads to look at live theater, visual art, puppetry, fashion and burlesque. To find out who's slated to appear, check the fest's Web site, www.kcfringe.org.

Festival of Butterflies

The butterfly is an elusive little flutter bug. Kids can't help but want to capture and hold something so beautiful, but in the wild, that's pretty difficult. Powell Gardens makes getting closer to butterflies a lot easier at its annual Festival of Butterflies, unleashing hundreds of the creatures in a free-flight conservatory. Squirts can catch and release and then learn how to grow a garden of their own that will attract the gorgeous little suckers. The festival runs August 10-12 and 17-19. Admission costs $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $3 for children ages 5-12. See www.powellgardens.org for more information.

Longview Horse Park Association Benefit Horse Show

Pity the kid whose parents never bought her a pony. Live the dream through equestrians who show off more than 26 classes of horses at the Eighth-Annual Horse Show at Longview Horse Park (12600 Old Raytown Road). The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 25. Admission is $3; kids 12 and younger get in free. Call 816-537-6855.

Koalas at the Kansas City Zoo, Through Labor Day Weekend

Get your cute fix at the Kansas City Zoo when these furry little marsupial sweetie pies spend their summer at the zoo's Discovery Barn. Miimi and Nariah are on loan from the San Diego Zoo through Labor Day weekend. You probably won't catch them wearing overalls and backward ball caps, but they'll be adorable enough au naturel. See the zoo's Web site, www.kansascityzoo.org, or call 816-513-5700 for admission and information on other special events.

The Loco Motion

Kansas City Roller Warriors

The girls' fast-paced matches turn Hale Arena (1701 American Royal Court) into a house of pain. Advance tickets cost $13 for adults or $6.50 for kids; you can buy 'em at the door for $16 or $8.50. Saturday bouts are scheduled at 7 p.m. on June 16, July 14, August 11 and September 15. For more information or to purchase tickets, see www.kcrollerwarriors.com.

Kansas City Royals

Our boys in blue aren't exactly winners, but we support them. And who knows, maybe someday they'll turn around, just like the Cleveland Indians did in the Charlie Sheen vehicle and second-best baseball movie ever, Major League. Come out to Kauffman Stadium (Interstate 70 and Blue Ridge Cutoff) on special promotional nights such as "A Salute to the Negro Leagues Celebration," at which the first 20,000 fans get commemorative Buck O'Neil Monarchs cap (July 1), or the July 24 T-Shirt Tuesday, when the Royals try to best the hated Yankees and the first 20,000 patrons score a sweet powder-blue Royals shirt. Check out kansascityroyals.com.

Kansas City T-Bones

When you go to a T-Bones game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark (1800 Village West Parkway), you see ballplayers who play for the love of the game, not because they're after a fat paycheck. Like their big-league brothers the Royals, the 'Bones offer special promotions in appreciation of their fans, including Thunderstick Giveaway Day (June 21) and Elvis Night (August 17). See www.tbonesbase ball.com.

Kansas City Wizards

Real Madrid superstar David Beckham rocked the soccer world when he announced that he was moving across the pond to kick for the Galaxy, Los Angeles' Major League Soccer team, starting July 1. Posh Spice's hubby won't show his pretty mug at Arrowhead Stadium (1 Arrowhead Drive) until the Galaxy faces the Wiz on September 27, but don't let that be the first time you support our team. See kc.wizards.mlsnet.com.

Green Onions

Brookside Farmers' Market

Located at Border Star Montessori School (63rd Street and Wornall), this neighborhood market sells organic produce and hormone-free meats, as well as handcrafted soaps. Open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through October 13. See www.farmerscommunitymarket.com.