Click here for our complete Summer Festival Guide! These are our top picks for fairs and festivals in Kansas City this month.
Old Shawnee Days June 1-4, Old Shawnee, OldShawneeDays.org. Kick off your summer with everyone’s favorite Shawnee event, Old Shawnee Days! There’s something for everyone: music, carnival rides, contests, games, the parade, crafts, shopping, festival food and so much more.
Jazzoo June 2, Kansas City Zoo, JazzooKC.org. This event is the Kansas City Zoo’s largest fundraiser. Jazzoo helps raise support for the children’s educational programs and feeds the zoo’s more than 1,700 animals.
Lee's Summit Downtown Days June 2-4, Downtown Lee's Summit, LeesSummitDowntownDays.com. For more than 20 years, Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street has been hosting a family-friendly festival in the heart of the city. Live entertainment, food vendors, a carnival, craft vendors and much more are part of this year’s festivities.
Capital City Family & Food Truck Festival June 3, 11:00-7:00, Gage Park, SW Blaisdell Drive, Topeka, KS, VisitTopeka.com. Bring your appetite and enjoy the culinary delights of more than 40 food trucks and vendors. Bounce houses and more offer family fun on site, as well as live music and entertainment.
Vaile Mansion Strawberry Festival June 3, Vaile Mansion, VaileMansion.org. A hundred craft and antique dealers will be set up around the mansion. The Vaile Society will be selling strawberry treats!
Rose Show and Rose Day June 4, Loose Park, KCParks.org. Visit the garden center to view the hundreds of roses on display from our annual rose show! Bring your blankets, chairs and picnics and enjoy the day. Free ice cream, lemonade and bottled water, ribbon cutting ceremony and mayor’s proclamation.
Sunflower Music Festival June 9-17, White Concert Hall, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, SunflowerMusicFestival.org. Sunflower Music Festival of Topeka presents an annual series of orchestra concerts, chamber music evenings, educational projects and other artistic events of the highest caliber.
Festival on the Trails June 9-10, Downtown Gardner, FestivalOnTheTrails.com. The festival begins Friday night and includes free entertainment and a variety of beverage and food booths. Saturday continues the fun with a full day’s activities for children, crafts and commercial booths, a car show, food and much more!
Juneteenth Celebration June 10, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO, Nelson-Atkins.org. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The history of freedom and equal rights after emancipation is a long and complex one; indeed, that history is still being written today. Juneteenth recognizes this ongoing struggle while celebrating the enduring contributions of African Americans.
Dragon Boat Festival June 10, Brush Creek along the Country Club Plaza, KCParks.org. The day will include Chinese cultural games, performances, delicious food and dragon boats—plus fun activities for children of all ages. Dancers, drummers and musicians from all over town will entertain you on the stage.
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle June 23-24, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park (87th & Lackman Road), Lenexa.com. The two-day event, which includes children's activities and live music, attracts cooks from all over the nation who compete for the coveted title of Grand Champion of the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle.
Future Stages Festival June 25, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, KauffmanCenter.org. Future Stages Festival is a FREE annual community event that turns a spotlight on youth performances and family-friendly programming. Each year the festival puts more than 600 talented young performers on stage before live audiences.
Maker Faire: Kansas City June 24-25, Union Station, KansasCity.MakerFaire.com. This family-friendly event demonstrates what and how people are inventing, making and creating. Come see what others are making and be inspired to tap into your own creativity!