Welcoming Week will start today, Sept. 10, with Taco Royale along Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Welcoming Week event, which continues through Sept. 19, spotlights and celebrates the contributions and achievements of immigrants to the Greater Kansas City community, according to a spokesman.
The event today is supported by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, REACH Healthcare Foundation, Central Avenue Betterment Association and Open Belly Podcast.
The Welcoming Week also receives support from Welcoming KC, a group of nonprofits, businesses and civic agencies working to make Greater Kansas City an official designated Welcoming City through Welcoming America.
The kickoff event is today’s Taco Royale taco crawl, celebrating and supporting immigrant-owned restaurants along KCK’s Central Avenue.
“Welcoming Week is our opportunity to shine a spotlight on the social, civic and economic benefits of being welcoming to all. As a founding partner and coalition member for Welcoming KC, the REACH Foundation is proud to work alongside nonprofit, business and civic groups to ensure immigrants and other newcomers are embraced by our community.” Carla Gibson, vice president of programs, REACH Healthcare Foundation.
“Immigrants play a vital role in the KC economy, said Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “They are entrepreneurs, small business owners, and spend $3.5 billion per year across Greater Kansas City. We are thrilled to play a part in making our community more welcoming to immigrants and refugees, and to support these immigrant-owned, small businesses as part of Taco Royale.”
Taco Royale is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, beginning at Bethany Park, 1120 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Registrants will receive a map and a bracelet identifying them as part of Taco Royale, that gets them a specialty taco at each of the participating restaurants:
• El Menudazo KC
• Taqueria El Torito
• Taqueria 7 Leguas
• Taqueria Los Altos de Jalisco
• Tacos el Tio
• GG’s Barbacoa Café
• El Rio Bravo Supermarket
• Paleteria Nevelandia
• The Sugar Skull Grill
• Panaderia y Tortilleria Lluvia
• Las Gorditas
• Pasteleria Osuna
• El Jefe Taqueria
The admission charge is $30, and includes one taco at 15 different restaurants.
For details and a full list of Welcoming Week events visit https://www.kcchamber.com/what-we-do/welcoming-kc. Registration closes at 2 p.m.