Kind Happenings' motto “good times for a good reason” is a simple summation of their concept: the organization hosts an event that partners with a local non-profit while guests have an opportunity to give back to that non-profit by purchasing a ticket, as well as enjoying all they care to eat and drink while connecting with others at the event itself.
One word surfaced in conversation with Kasim Hardaway and Katie Frankenbach, co-founders of Kind Happenings, to describe their events: immersive.
“We want to create a product that’s really experiential, and each detail follows whatever theme we have for that event—from when you try that first sip of a cocktail to that first bite of the dish, to walking around and talking to other guests,” Hardaway says.
The duo started the organization in February 2018 with their first event, A Warm Winter. Their next event, The Purple Party, is planned for spring 2020. The Purple Party’s beneficiary is the Charlotte Street Foundation, an organization that provides opportunities, space and resources for Kansas City artists.
“You can walk into the event and pay a ticket price, and everything that you’re spending is going to a local non-profit, but you can also really enjoy your night out,” Frankenbach says. “Merging those ideas makes it a really holistic experience that’s really accessible. We wanted to see how far we could take that idea, so we’ve been creating different—really intentionally different— experiences with each event that we’ve done.”
While the themes and partners for their events will change, they are each food focused. The Purple Party menu features cocktails crafted with Tom’s Town bar manager JT Koenig-Riley, food by Chef Swetha and dessert by JC Gregg.
“Food and drink is not an afterthought,” Frankenbach says. “Everything is built around the menu. We see that as something our local community is really passionate about alongside non-profit giving.”
Frankenbach and Hardaway partner with local chefs and mixologists to provide guests with high-quality food and drink. They do not claim to be chefs themselves but are heavily involved with the creative direction for the event’s menu. Due to their detail-oriented approach to planning, they have decided to host one or two events a year.
“Katie and I work hand-in-hand with the chef, bartender and the dessert or pastry chef,” Hardaway says. “We’re tasting these things along the way as they’re adding an ingredient, removing an ingredient, giving them our thoughts, bouncing ideas off of them…because we do want to present the best product we can at the event.”
The Purple Party will be at the Percheon rooftop at the Crossroads Hotel, which Frankenbach mentions as one of their favorite spots in the city. The color-centric theme aligns with the simplicity of the venue space.
“Thematically, we wanted to create something that was visually impactful because the space itself is cleanly designed,” she says. “We knew we had room to run with super impactful visuals that were still cohesive and easy-to-digest.”
Ultimately, they intend for their events to reflect their motto.
“We want to create these really awesome experiences where you’re going to have a phenomenal time,” Hardaway says. “You’re going to eat great food, have good drinks, make awesome connections and be in a phenomenal space—and it will all be for a good reason.”
