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- 📌816 Local→ Trails, Taps & Local Stars: Your Northland Adventure Guide
📌816 Local→ Trails, Taps & Local Stars: Your Northland Adventure Guide
This week we’re serving up family-friendly hikes, ice-cold craft brews, and a special appearance by Eric Stone Street at The Little Store.
Amanda Rohr
May 20, 2025
Welcome back to 816 Local! We’ve rounded up the best family-friendly Northland trails to explore, top craft breweries to cool you down, and even a surprise visit from Eric Stone Street at The Little Store—let’s dive into our community’s latest happenings!
Todays Newsletter:
Celebrities in the Northland
Hiking
Top 5 Breweries
Northland Gear Help
Things happening around the Northland
Partner with 816 Local
816 Local Newsletter is looking to spotlight more businesses in the Northland. If you want to get in front of 1300 Northlanders, email us at [email protected] for more details.
Celebrities in the Northland
On May 15, local character Eric Stone Street stopped by The Little Store (aka Price-Rite Market & Deli) to grab one of their famous hand-tossed New York–style pizzas and catch up with owners Santo and Jeannine Smiroldo. Tucked just north of the Line Creek Trailhead on Waukomis Drive, this hidden gem has been serving the Northland for over a decade—offering fresh-made sandwiches, deli dinners, Italian subs, and even straw and livestock feed all under one roof priceritemarketdeli.com. Known as much for its community-hub atmosphere and catering services as for its 4.7-star menu, The Little Store draws shoppers from downtown Kansas City to Johnson County. Whether you’re swinging by for a morning coffee, grabbing stromboli to-go, or planning your next catered event, The Little Store is the perfect one-stop stop in the Northland.
Photo: Price Rite Market & Deli
Best Northland Trails
Summer’s here, and our Northland trails are calling! Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area in Blue Springs (we know this isn’t in the Northland but its too beautiful to leave out) features kid-friendly loops like Wildlife Habitat and Bethany Falls, plus a nature center with interactive exhibits. Just north in Liberty, Hodge Park offers a flexible 2-mile paved path along Shoal Creek and gentle single-track loops through rolling woodlands—and you can even explore the on-site 1800s Living History Village. Closer to home, Parkville Nature Sanctuary’s half-mile boardwalk and butterfly garden make for a quick, enchanting stroll, while English Landing Park treats families to a three-mile riverside trail, playgrounds, and picnic shelters. Finally, tucked in Gladstone, Maple Woods Natural Area delights with its shaded 1.5-mile sugar-maple loop—perfect for spotting songbirds and breathing in fresh, leafy air.
Top 5 Northland Breweries to Visit This Summer
🍺Cinder Block Brewery – 110 E 18th Ave, North Kansas City; known for their 7.2% ABV Block IPA, a hop-forward West Coast–style IPA.
🍺The Big Rip Brewing Company – 216 E 9th Ave, North Kansas City; their Delta 88 West Coast IPA packs a punch with citrus and pine hop profiles.
🍺CALLSIGN Brewing – 1340 Burlington St, North Kansas City; standout is the Phantom Chocolate Porter, with rich, toasty chocolate notes and smooth malt body.
🍺3 Halves Brewing Co. – 110 E Kansas St, Liberty; be sure to try their Puzzle Pieces Hazy IPA, bursting with juicy tropical fruit flavors and a soft, hazy mouthfeel.
🍺Strange Days Brewing Co. – 316 Oak St, Kansas City; the Schlamms Post-Pandemic Lager (5.0% ABV) delivers a clean, crisp finish perfect for summer sips.
Northland Gear
We are on a mission to make some gear just for Northlanders. We have worked with some of our favorite locals and now it’s time we get your input. Let us know which of these designs are best! Vote below the picture
816 Happenings
🍝May 30 – June 1 – Festa Italiana (Zona Rosa) Three days of cannoli, live music and bocce bring Little Italy vibes to the Northland.
🎸June 3 – Liberty Summer Band (Rooney Justice Center Plaza, 7:30 p.m.) Eighty volunteer musicians kick off their Tuesday-night concert series with show-tune favorites and marches—lawn chairs encouraged.
🎶June 6 – Friday Summer Concerts in the Park (Zona Rosa, 6:30-8:30 p.m.) Perpetual Change opens an eight-week run of free Friday shows under the lights in Central Park.
🎨June 7 – Food·Art·Drink Festival (Linden Square, Gladstone, noon-8 p.m.) Stroll art stalls, sample food-truck bites and catch four live bands at Gladstone’s summer kickoff.
🚤June 13-14 – Smithville Lake Festival (Downtown Smithville, 5 p.m. Fri – 11:30 p.m. Sat) Carnival rides, vendors and nightly concerts turn Main Street into a lakeside block party.
🎸June 28 – Party in the Parkville (English Landing Park, 5-9 p.m.) Live country-rock, food trucks and family games light up the riverfront for this annual community bash.
Send your pals our referral link and we’ll both feel as proud as a Northlander who found an open parking spot at Zona Rosa on a Saturday! 👇
816 Local is always scouting for fresh Northland businesses—boutiques, eateries, services, you name it—to feature in our newsletter and put your story in front of thousands of curious neighbors. If you’re launching something exciting or leveling up an old favorite, we want to shine the spotlight on you with articles, social posts, and event shout-outs. Drop us a line or pass this along to a business you love, and let’s keep the Northland buzz growing together!
Amanda Rohr | Publisher, and Northland Enthusiast
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