Red Wednesday & more: How you can celebrate the Chiefs home opener all week around KC

Joseph Hernandez
·3 min read

The Kansas City Chiefs are painting the town red ahead of their season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7. Before the defending Super Bowl champions take the field, they’re hosting a few events across town to get fans in the spirit.

Since the Chiefs’ first game of the season is next Thursday, the usual Red Friday celebrations before the season opener are bumped up to start the Friday before and last until Wednesday — deemed Red Wednesday.

Break out your Chiefs gear and check out what the team has in store in the coming days.

First Friday with the Chiefs

In addition to the First Friday festivities in the Crossroads every first Friday of the month, the Chiefs Champions Tour makes its final stop on Friday.

The Rumble drum corp for the Kansas City Chiefs road the KC Streetcar during a Red Friday rally on Feb. 10, 2023, in Kansas City. The drummers were on the streetcar for a rolling Red Friday rally to fire up Chiefs fans for Super Bowl LVII.
The Rumble drum corp for the Kansas City Chiefs road the KC Streetcar during a Red Friday rally on Feb. 10, 2023, in Kansas City. The drummers were on the streetcar for a rolling Red Friday rally to fire up Chiefs fans for Super Bowl LVII.

A Chiefs-themed celebration will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on West 19th Street from Wyandotte Street to Baltimore Avenue. The Kingdom Cruiser bus will be on site, as well as the Super Bowl LVII trophy. You can take photos with the trophy at Mildred’s Food + Drink at 1901 Wyandotte St.

Local artist Phil Shafer is also designing and painting a “How ‘Bout Those Chiefs” mural near 18th and Locust streets.

Red Friday (and Wednesday) flags

The Chiefs are partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City for a 10th consecutive year to sell flags to benefit the charity, which provides lodging and other accommodations for families near the hospital where their child is getting treatment. The flag costs $5 in person or $10 online, and all net proceeds will go toward the charity.

Fans fly the flags anywhere from outside their homes to inside their offices, and of course at the games.

This year’s flag features a design to honor the team’s Super Bowl LVII victory. You can buy one at 135 Kansas City- and St. Joseph-area McDonald’s restaurants, Hy-Vee locations and other public locations throughout the metro area, according to the Chiefs.

The Chiefs said they’ve raised over $4.5 million for the charity since they started selling Red Friday flags in 2014.

Red Wednesday Run

The team is also partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City for the Red Wednesday Run, a virtual 5K starting Wednesday. Participants have until Oct. 1 to finish the 5K, which is 3.1 miles.

Registration is still open for $45, with $5 per registry going to the Ronald McDonald House. Everyone participating will receive a Red Wednesday Run shirt, a Red Wednesday flag, a free 30-day all-access pass to Chiefs Fit, the gym with locations in the Country Club Plaza and Overland Park, and a wellness pack including a toothbrush, pocket tissues and first-aid safety tips from GEHA.

World’s Largest Tailgate

Before the Chiefs kickoff against the Lions at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 7, the team is inviting fans from all over the world to join them in the World’s Largest Tailgate. Kansas City-born YouTube personalities the Merrell Twins will host the pre-game tailgate. Kansas City native and “Saturday Night Live” star Heidi Gardner, Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, and Chiefs legends will also make appearances.

The tailgate will stream live on chiefslive.com from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Fans going to the game can attend the party in person at Ford Tailgate District in Lot M outside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.