A young Edward Morrow once wrote, "If you want to see some sin, forget about Paris and go to Kansas City".
The Paris of the Plains Cocktail Festival, aka PopFestKC, is an annual multi-day celebration of cocktails, spirits, food, history, and culture in the Midwest. Taking place over the course of several days every year near the end of August, the festival showcases bartenders, microbreweries, distilleries, restaurants, bars, and more. The festivities themselves are spread out across the Kansas City area and include cocktail parties, fancy soirees, spirits tastings, and educational seminars, all culminating with the annual Paris of the Plains Bartending Competition.
The festival highlights the convergence of today's cocktail culture with the rich history of Kansas City, which at one point was considered the epicenter for all things booze and jazz.