Beach Ball sparks fun in the sun

Looking for a fun, musical way to spend the summer? Maybe take part in the annual Buzz Beach Ball music festival on July 15-16 at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Park.

Buzz Beach Ball is a music festival sponsored by the radio station 96.5. The festival will feature many famous alternative artists. This year bands such as Cage the Elephant, Fitz the Tantrums, Glass Animals, and more will make an appearance.

“I would recommend this because everyone is so nice, all the music is really good and the atmosphere is amazing,” Kathryn Bauerly, senior, said.

This year, the festival will start at 2 p.m. on the first day and the tickets have yet to go on sale.

Bauerly admitted to having a great time while fulfilling a lifetime dream.

“I am now able to cross crowd surfing off my bucket list,” Bauerly said.

If looking for a fun time and good alternative music, grab a group friends and go to Buzz Beach Ball this July.

Battlefield gives insight to war

Kansas has a long and bloody history tracing back to the Civil War.

Residents in the area can experience this history first hand by traveling to Lexington, Mo., and visiting the battlefield located near the city.

The Battle of Lexington, fought in 1861, resulted in a win for Missouri secessionists against the Union forces.

Ben Beam, senior, has visited the battlefield in the past and recommends it to anyone looking to expand their Civil War knowledge.

“There is a lot of significance to the site, especially the bullets in the Anderson House,” Beam said.

The Anderson House was a makeshift Union hospital attacked by Confederate forces during the battle.

The battlefield is open for tours year-round with tickets costing $10.

They offer self-guided or guided tours. Tours of the Anderson House require an appointment.

“I go there to experience history first hand, and my forefathers fought in the war,” Beam said.

Perry State Park provides fun

Located between Topeka and Lawrence, Perry State Park offers a variety of activities for visitors during the summer.

The park includes 25 miles of horse trails and 20 miles of biking and hiking trails along the lake. Camping grounds are located in the park.

Andrew Stowers, sophomore, visited Perry Lake as a child with his grandparents.

“My grandpa owned a boat, and there are plenty of scenic sights to view from the water. It’s not as commercialized as the Ozarks, so it’s perfect to get some boating in the summer,” he said.

Swimming is offered at Perry Lake as well with a beach.

“I enjoyed swimming there; it was really nice,” Stowers said.

Perry Lake also plays host to fishermen ever year. The lake is home to catfish with 160 miles of shoreline.

Fishermen can fish on 11,000 acres of the Perry Reservoir.

Visitors can also hunt near the lake as well.

Local theatre produces shows

Get immersed in local theatre and the outdoors this summer.

In the past, some students have been involved with Kansas City’s Theatre in the Park.

According to Gavin Hoedl, freshman, “Theatre in the Park is an outdoor theatre” that features shows put on by local theatre enthusiasts.

“I go all throughout the summer to different shows and have been in two, ‘A Chorus Line’ and ‘Honk.’ I definitely recommend Theatre in the Park. It’s a great summer activity and summer fun,” Megan Secrest, junior, said.

This summer the shows “Grease,” “Camp Rock,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and more will be playing at Theatre in the Park.

Tickets are not on sale yet, but will able to be purchased on their website.

So, if laying around bored at home, see a show at Theatre in the Park with friends and/or family. Tickets last year were $8 for adult and $6 for youth.

Friends can escape at Breakout

Enjoy thinking logically or solving mysteries? Take part in an escape room at Breakout KC this summer.

Breakout KC contains different rooms to escape given different clues in the rooms.

“I went last summer with my church group, and I would definitely recommend for others to go. I would just say to make sure to go with a relatively large group because it’s more fun,” Kelsey Brown, junior, said.

In Breakout KC, a group is given 60 minutes to escape a particular room by searching for helpful hints and riddles hidden inside the room.

Breakout KC is a bonding activity that tests one’s ability to think logically under a time constraint.

“What I really liked about it was the teamwork and the excitement once we got out,” Brown said.

This experience costs $28 per person and is open daily from noon-10 p.m.

This summer a fun activity can be to grab a group of friends or family and head downtown to Breakout KC and put your logistic skills to use.

WWI museum evokes emotions

Summer in Kansas City is an excellent time to experience the National World War I museum.

Nick Bastian, social science teacher, visits the museum every year.

“Only 5 percent of its artifacts are displayed, so a person should go frequently to see everything,” he said.

Tickets for the museum are $16 for adults and $14 for students over 18 with an ID.

One of the attractions the museum offers is the Liberty Memorial Tower, which requires an additional  $5 fee.

“It’s a great experience to see the KC metro,” Bastian said.

The museum gives people the chance to reflect.

“I find it to be a very sobering experience. History should be the story of what benefits mankind and the museum reminds us not to romanticize war,” Bastian said.