Kansas City loves a good 5K. Whether it’s a novelty run involving colorful powders and glow lights, or a long-established charitable event, you’ll find races every weekend throughout the warmer months.

Next weekend offers something from both categories, with the 12th Annual Head for the Cure 5K taking place next Sunday, Aug. 24, at Corporate Woods. Last year’s turnout was 5,000 people, bringing in $400,000 for Brain Tumor Trials Collaborative.

Registration is $30 a person through Thursday or $35 the day of the race. Visit headforthecure.org to sign up yourself or a team.

The night before is Neon Dash, an evening run at Kemper Arena in which runners will cross through four Glow Zones to get coated in neon colors. You’re likely to see crazy costumes as well as colors at this event, which costs $30 through Friday and $40 after that.

Gates open at 6 p.m. Saturday and the race starting at 8. Sign up or learn more at neondash.com.

Dance Day

Saturday is also KC Dance Day, a daylong event at the Todd Bolender Center that includes free dance classes, performances and an open rehearsal by the Kansas City Ballet. A $6 meal ticket can be purchased for children, and it includes a hamburger, hotdog, or chicken breast with chips and water.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bolender Center, which is just west of Union Station at 500 W. Pershing. Visit KCBallet.org for more information.

Bacon-Fest

Right next door on Saturday will be Bacon-Fest, the improbably (or perhaps obviously) popular event that is now in its sixth year.

Bacon Fest will be at Union Station for the first time, with a $50 admission ticket including unlimited sampling of bacon, beer and music. Admission also includes a commemorative cup and a T-shirt you can wear whenever you travel, just so people know you’re from the Midwest.

It’s not a cheap ticket, but proceeds go to the longstanding Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. Visit BaconFestKC.com for more details.

North

My restaurant recommendation this week is North Italia at 4579 W. 119th St. (119th and Rose) in Leawood. I haven’t been to North yet myself, but my friends have spoken highly of its Italian cuisine, including the margherita pizza, crisp calamari, zucca (fried zucchini) chips and bread with sun-dried tomato butter. In addition to pastas and salads, main courses include seared diver scallops with risotto and prosciutto-wrapped pork loin.

North is open for lunch every day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for dinner after that. Happy Hour includes a number of cheap snacks and combination plates Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and all day Sunday. Half-price bottles of wine are offered on Wednesdays and Sundays. To see a full menu, visit northitaliarestaurant.com.

Glace

If you wind up foregoing the tasty dessert options at North, head a couple doors down to Glace, the ice cream emporium founded by the area’s premier chocolatier, Christopher Elbow. Glace is known for refreshing ice cream made from local, hormone-free milk, made each week in small batches. Its imaginative flavors include French lavender, roasted strawberry, Madagascar vanilla and Farmer Bob’s sweet corn.

In addition to the Leawood location at 4535 W. 119th St., Glace can also be found on the Missouri side at 4960 Main St. (incidentally, right next to another great Italian-themed eatery, Spin Neapolitan Pizza). Visit glaceicecream.com for hours and to see what flavors are currently being served.

Concerts

Kansas City will be hosting some epic concerts this week, including Katy Perry (Tuesday at the Sprint Center, some $100 seats still remain as well as third-party options), and Jack White (Monday at the Midland Theater, sold out except on StubHub).

On Monday night at 8 p.m., progressive acoustic bluegrass trio Nickel Creek will perform at the Uptown Theater, with singer/songwriter Sarah Jarosz opening. Tickets are $45 and up at ticketmaster.com.

And finally, the Kansas City Guitar Society will be presenting another installment of its “Guitars in the Park” series next Sunday with a 7 p.m. concert by David Smart outdoors at Oppenstein Brothers Park at 12th and Walnut streets downtown. Visit kansascityguitarsociety.org to see more upcoming events.

— Lucas Wetzel is a writer and editor from Kansas City, Mo. Know of an upcoming event in Kansas City you’d like to see featured in Kansas City Connection? Email us about it at kcconnection@ljworld.com.