Enjoy NFL Draft in Kansas City & Kelce Jam at Bonner Springs

Bart Hamilton and his daughter, Tatum Hamilton, traveled to Lawrence Wednesday last week, where they spent the first two nights of their trip. On Thursday morning they ventured to Kansas City for the 2023 NFL Draft, held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Union Station and the National World War I Museum and Memorial.

They enjoyed all the activities, which started at noon on the grounds, and then the draft began at 7:00 p.m. that night. The draft viewing area was at full capacity Thursday evening—at 60,000 people—with an estimated 312,000 attending the three-day event. They enjoyed partaking in the numerous activities the NFL Draft Experience provided for fans. This annual event was especially unique this time around with the host city having won the Super Bowl the same year.

On Friday afternoon in Overland Park, they enjoyed getting to meet and get pictures with World Champion Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. On Friday night, they stayed in Bonner Springs and attended the first-ever Kelce Jam, hosted by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at the Azura Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs. Tatum enjoyed attending the event with friends Shae Griffin of Lawrence and Madalyn Billinger of Topeka. The music festival was held from 6 p.m. to midnight, featuring rappers Rick Ross, Machine Gun Kelly, Kansas City's Tech N9ne, and the Canadian DJ duo Loud Luxury. To their surprise, Plainville's Hayden Gillum, a member of the Kansas State Wildcat Football Team, was one of two competing in a wing-eating food challenge during the evening, winning the event by eating 19 wings in 90 seconds. The second-place finisher ate 10. And yes, Kelce was active during the evening's event and even sang the Beastie Boys' 'Fight For Your Right,' to the crowd's delight. Besides the performers, there was an impressive drone show including 350 drones, which lit up the night sky, flashing phrases like 'This is Our House,' '2023 Champs,' 'Kelce Jam,' and '#1 Pick.' Then, they morphed into a pink and red heart, the Kansas City skyline, and a spinning football sailing through a goalpost. It was a sight you had to see to appreciate.

Bart's wife, Donna, could not go as she was returning home from Ohio for work, and daughter Haven had work/school obligations to fulfill.