About this Event
Consider this your official invitation to the annual queer arts reunion!
For the 7th year, the Queer Narratives Festival (QNF) is landing stories that mainstream stages overlook.
Queerness doesn’t belong exclusively to June. We are spending all of July and August occupying spaces across the city, and on Saturday, August 8th, we are coming together inside the warm, neon, storied walls of The Ship in the West Bottoms to close out the summer together.
If you are looking for your people (and YOU LOVE ART!): It is never too late to find your chosen community. Come inside, escape the August heat, grab a drink, and breathe out. You are safe here. Welcome to the Queer Narratives Festival.
The Stage & The Showcase
Doors open at 3:00 PM. Come early to find a spot and settle in before the main stage schedule begins rolling at 4:00 PM.
One afternoon, thirteen acts, chosen by QNF Alumni panelists to showcase the real, respectable talent that lives on your block.
The full artist roster drops on July 1st, prepare for a massive, heavy-hitting afternoon of:
- Live Indie Bands & Solo Songwriters
- Unfiltered Drag & Performance Art
- Stand-Up Comedy
- Poetry & Spoken Word
- Local Rap & Hip-Hop sets
- Experimental & Contemporary Dance
The Art Alley
Outside the performance space, step into The Art Alley, full of interactive queer makers, tarot readers, live sketching, face paint, and add your own mark to our collaborative community art pieces!
The Two-Month Arc (2026 Collection)
The Main Festival Day is the climax of a much larger journey. We are building a sustainable creative ecosystem that spans two full months. Check out the other listings in our Eventbrite Collection to fill your summer calendar around your work shifts:
- July 10: House of DOV: QNF Opening Party | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM @ No Divide KC
- July 11: Circle of Apathy Premiere | 7:30 PM @ Charlotte Street Foundation
- July 17: QNF Gallery Opening Reception | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM @ Smalter Gallery
- August 1: Queers Care: Health & Wellness Day | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM @ No Divide KC
- August 8: THE MAIN FESTIVAL DAY | Doors at 3:00 PM @ The Ship
- August 14: Resident Artist Showcase Double Feature | Greenwood Social Hall
- August 21: Gallery Closing Reception | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM @ Smalter Gallery
Logistics
- The Environment: The Ship is an indoor venue with a moody, intimate vibe.
- Age Note: The festival features honest, unfiltered adult storytelling. It’s not strictly 21+, but the content is geared toward adults, college students, and older teens, audiences under 18 require adult supervision.
- Accessibility: The Ship is ADA accessible. If you have any specific sensory or physical needs, reach out to our team so we can make sure you are comfortable and taken care of.
Registration is Pay-What-You-Can, but grabbing a ticket helps us track numbers at the door. Claim your spot below.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, Kansas City, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 10672.57
