Celebrate autumn with apples, pumpkins, the American Royal and Fall Festivals for the entire Family. Discover our Top Picks for Family Fun in September as Kansas City welcomes apples, train rides, Sprint Family Fun Days and more!
SUNFLOWER TIP: Starting Labor Day Weekend, you can take photos in the Sunflower Fields at Grinter Farms (24154 Stillwell Rd. Lawrence, KS). It is expected that the sunflowers will be in bloom at this Kansas Landmark over Labor Day Weekend. See tremendous fields of gigantic sunflowers in full bloom - perfect for unforgettable memories and photos.
Apple Picking
- Details: Read our local Apple Picking Guide for locations.
- Why We LOVE It: It's apple picking season! Each of the u-pick Apple Farms on our list is a locally owned family operation designed to provide the best in healthy produce and a great family outing. So, grab the camera and the cooler and take the kids on a trip they won’t forget! KC Apple Picking Guide.
Labor Day Weekend
- Details: The three day weekend is a great excuse for more fun! Our Labor Day Weekend guide highlights special events and attractions make our top picks for the holiday weekend.
- Why We LOVE It: Enjoy a festival, take advantage of the last chance to swim at local pools, and enjoy the start of the fall fun season with great events all weekend long. KC Labor Day Weekend Guide.
RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS XTREME
- When, Where, What: RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS XTREME Sept. 15-18 at Sprint Center.
- Why We LOVE It: High-wire wizards, powerful strongmen, BMX trick riders, trampoline daredevils, inconceivable contortionists, a high-flying human cannonball, a bungee aerial skydiving display and an international assembly of more than 300 cast and crew provide 2 ½ hours of thrilling entertainment.
American Royal
- When, Where, What: Events all season long, including the Parade, Bar-B-Q, Rodeo and Horse Shows. www.americanroyal.com
- Why We LOVE It: A true Kansas City tradition, the American Royal Parade, Rodeo, and Bar-B-Q are favorite ways to kick off autumn. These are the must-see American Royal events in September:
- Invitational Youth Rodeo Sept. 20-23, Hale Arena, KC, MO. These top notch rodeo contestants are selected from all over the Midwest based on their rodeo expertise, leadership, academics, and community service. Since 2007, the American Royal has been able to give $73,000 at the Invitational Youth Rodeo in prize money! The Invitational Youth Rodeo allows a younger audience the opportunity to see their peers participate in true rodeo action. Come see the true grit and determination of today’s youth at the American Royal this fall!
- American Royal ProRodeo Sept. 23-24, Hale Arena, KC, MO. Come out for the best time you can have on dirt! See some of the world's top cowboys, cowgirls and trick riders, plus the crowd-favorite kids' mutton busting! FREE concerts by Travis Marvin and Noe Palma at the Pendleton Whisky Tailgate!
JCCC Performing Arts Series: FREE Concerts
- When, Where, What: JCCC Performing Arts Series Shows.
- Why We LOVE It: JCCC brings a wide variety of shows and programs to local audiences all season long. September marks the beginning of the new season. Both of these shows are part of Johnson County Community College's Light Up the Lawn summer concert series. The concerts take place at 8:30 p.m. on the front lawn of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets without alcohol are welcome. No tickets are required. Starting at 7 p.m., Kona Ice will have shaved ice, soft drinks and water for sale!
- ABBEY ROAD KANSAS CITY'S BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND September 2, 2016 8:30 p.m., Nerman Museum Lawn. Abbey Road has performed at festivals, parties and celebrations in the Kansas City area for 20 years. Fans will appreciate their attention to musical detail, and enjoy a show that takes them on a trip through time with the "lads from Liverpool."
- MARIA THE MEXICAN September 16, 2016 8:30 p.m., Nerman Museum Lawn. Influenced by traditional Mariachi music, Maria The Mexican is a hybrid of Mexican folklore and rock. For 10 years, Teresa and Maria Elena Cuevas performed with Mariachi Estrella founded by their grandmother Teresa Cuevas in 1970. As one of the first all-female mariachi bands in the country, Maria Teresa Alonzo Cuevas is a pioneer in the Hispanic musical community. Her band flourished in the 80s but was struck by tragedy when four of the seven members were killed in the Hyatt Skywalk collapse in 1981. Once Teresa recovered she began teaching her grandchildren Mariachi music. In 2000, Teresa and Maria began exploring other genres of music while simultaneously co-directing Mariachi Estrella. Today the fusion of Maria The Mexican is mixed with a touch of blues, soul, funk and rock 'n' roll. With a southwestern flare and melancholy motifs, Maria The Mexican rocks it out in Spanish and English with a host of emotion.
Train Rides
- When, Where, What: The Belton, Grandview, and Kansas City Railroad offers rides on Saturdays and Sundays in September at 2pm. Tickets are $10/ea. 816.331.0630
- Why We LOVE It: Trains bring out the child in everyone and the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad's Ice Cream Social rides are truly fun for all ages. Take an excursion south from Belton on a 5 mile, 45 minute round trip, and enjoy a dish of ice cream with your favorite topping. Visit the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad website for more information.
The Nine Who Dared: Courage in Little Rock
- When, Where, What: The Nine Who Dared: Courage in Little Rock at The Coterie Sept. 20-Oct. 21.
- Why We LOVE It: In this uniquely interactive drama, audiences become citizens of 1957 Little Rock, Arkansas, to participate in a town hall meeting about one of the defining moments of the Civil Rights Movement. It is three years since the Supreme Court ended segregation, and even though African American students are now legally allowed to enroll in traditionally white schools, they face daily harassment. After months of torment, one student fights back. Minnijean Brown’s act of defiance sets the stage for a thought-provoking theatre experience that interweaves history with contemporary social justice issues.
Jurassic Gardens
- When, Where, What: Jurassic Gardens thru Oct. 3 at Powell Gardens.
- Why We LOVE It: Travel back millions of years to explore the lost world of dinosaurs and prehistoric plant life! You will encounter incredibly realistic dinosaur replicas, designed by Missouri's Guy Darrough, a well known fossil collector, fossil preparation expert and illustrator. From his Lost World Studios in Arnold, Mo., Guy creates realistic models of prehistoric animals using fossilized bones and other materials. The lifelike dinosaurs, large and small, will be placed throughout the Gardens and include a 32-foot T Rex, 30-foot Hypsibema—Missouri's state dinosaur, and many more!
T-Bones Games
- When, Where, What: all season long the T-Bones play at Community America Ballpark. Tip: Kids Eat Free every Monday Night at the game!
- Why We LOVE It: The Kansas City T-Bones are a member of the Central Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and they play at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, KS. Free parking, great promotions, kids eat free on Mondays, and family-friendly fun make T-Bones games a highlight of summer!
Special Events at the Kansas City Zoo
- When, Where, What: The Kansas City Zoo is open year-round. (6800 Zoo Dr., KCMO. 816.513.5800 www.KansasCityZoo.org).
- Why We LOVE It: The Kansas City Zoo's newest attraction is Koala Flats. In addition, the zoo is one of our favorite year-round attractions, and with the Penguin Exhibit, Polar Bear Passage, Tropics and Discovery Barn all near the entrance and all with indoor exhibits, a cool weather outing to the zoo is more fun than ever! Also, check out the kangaroos in Australia and the elephants, zebra, and giraffes in Africa.
- Tip: Mark your calendar for these fun events at the Zoo: Sept 3 & 4 Superhero Weekend
- Sept 10 Chiefs Day at the Zoo
- Sept 10 & 11 Zootastik Learning Fest — Butterfly Bonanza
- Sept 24 Zoo Run for the Gorillas Register at kansascityzoorun.org
- Sept 24 & 25 Species Spotlight — Pachyderms
- Sept 24 & 25 Penguin March
- And more on the Zoo Calendar!
Our Favorite September Festivals
Autumn means Fall Festivals in Kansas City! From apples to pumpkins, crafts to carnivals, ethnic festivals, and much much more... celebrate everything autumn at a local fair. Read our KC Fall Festival Guide for more.
Booms & Blooms Sept. 3, Powell Gardens. This festival got rained out in July, so we're trying it again. Pack a picnic, grab your lawn chairs and join us for a concert by Kelley Hunt & Friends, fireworks and more! You can also check out the dinos in the Jurassic Garden exhibit (portions of the exhibit will close early due to the fireworks). Festival admission applies: $12/adults; $10/seniors 60+; $5/children 5-12; free/children 4 and younger. Rain date: Sunday, September 4 (let's hope we don't need it)
Kansas City Renaissance Festival Sept 3- thru Oct 16, Weekends. Travel back in time and partake in a Kansas City Tradition since 1977. Pay heed to the exploits of Jousting Knights on thundering steeds, roam the village shops for unique crafts, delight in comedy, music, magic and more on our 20 stages of non-stop entertainment, and feast on delicious food and drinks from the far reaches of the globe! There’s something for the whole family in our enchanted 16-acre village.
Superhero Weekend Sept 3-4, Kansas City Zoo. Meet your favorite superhero at the Zoo! On Saturday and Sunday, September 3 & 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can meet and take your picture with Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Hulk and female superhero Black Widow in our Tropics Tent. On Saturday: meet Ant-Man and Hulk and on Sunday meet: Spider-Man and Black Widow.
Science City KidFest Sept. 3, Science City at Union Station. A one of a kind family-friendly day full of science play geared toward early childhood learning! This event is open to the public and includes special pricing for children 12 and under. kidFEST activities will include: Funky Mama, Cathy Conley & Her Steel Drums, Science Demos, Sensory Activities, Bubbles, Balloon Artists & Face painting, Maker Activities, Special Planetarium Schedule, AND MORE!
Greek Food Fest Sept. 9-11, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 120th & Wornall Kansas City, MO. Come for the FOOD. Enjoy the FUN. Leave as FAMILY! • Authentic Greek Food & Pastries • Church Tours • Church Bookstore • LIVE Greek Music & Dancing • Gift Shop • Saturday Evening Church Service
Kansas City Chalk and Walk Festival Sept 10-11, Crown Center Square 2450 Grand Blvd. Kansas City , MO. Street Painting was created in Italy many centuries ago and brought to life by artists using pastel chalks as their medium and pavement/brick as their canvas. You Are Invited to experience the creation of these street paintings, interact with the artists, enjoy street performers, Children's Creative Corridor and Workshops.
Sprint Family Fun Days Sept. 10, KCP&L District. Theme: Ultimate Field Day. Get ready to move! Sprint Family Fun Days continue with Ultimate Field Day on Saturday, September 10 from 11am-3pm on 14th Street between Main & Walnut Streets in the Power & Light District. Kids can take on fitness & fun and enjoy Draper's drums while dancing to the beat, bounce houses, sports games and more.
Carnival for Casa Sept. 10, Paradise Park (1021 Northeast Colbern Road, in Lee’s Summit). Join Jackson County CASA and Paradise Park for the 11th Annual Carnival for CASA on Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Carnival admission is $25 per child or participating adult in advance and $30 at the door. Children under 2 are free. Non-participant adult tickets are $10. Child tickets and participating adult tickets include lunch, unlimited access to Paradise Park’s fixed attractions such as the foam factory, bumper cars, go-karts, miniature golf and maze, and rock wall and activities exclusive to the carnival. Some of the special activities include children’s entertainers The Jack Snaps, a hamster ball from Yes! Kids Fitness, face painters, hair designers, balloon artists, bounce houses, F’Real Ice Cream Shakes, Home Depot Workshops, a photo booth, K.C. Royals’ mascot Sluggerrr, Clifford the Big Red Dog, LEGO station, popcorn, cotton candy, goody bags, and much more. Non-participating adult tickets include entrance to the park and lunch.
Family Day at the Farm Sep 10 at Shatto Milk Company (9406 North Hwy 33 Osborn, MO). We invite you, your family, and friends to our annual customer appreciation event and to help us celebrate the 13th anniversary of Shatto Milk Company. The event is free of charge and everyone is invited. Something for everyone: Tour the farm. Pet the baby calves. View the Cheese Making Process. Take a hayride (weather permitting). Sample Shatto products. Visit our retail store. We are also working on some fun addition experiences for this year, not to mention a great display by our good friends at Shatto Home Delivery.
Library in the Park Sept. 17 from 10am-3pm, at Big Eleven Lake, Kansas City, KS. Library in the Park will feature a variety of fun activities for all ages. We will have two face painters and crafts for children. Our Mobile Library will be on site to checkout books and movies or to sign up for library cards and other services. Librarians will be available to provide book suggestions and information services along with assistance with signing up for the KCKPL eCommunity and online services, like Hoopla, Axis360 and Zinio.
Family Tree Nursery Fall Festival Sept. 17-18, Family Tree Nursery Shawnee. A huge festival for the whole family! Help us kickoff the fall season at our Shawnee location from 10am-4pm. We will have music, food and tons of activities for the kids! We’ll be ready for fall with a huge selection of pumpkins, gourds and mums. Don’t miss out on our Terrarium & Fairy Garden Workshops, too!
Shawnee Town Arts& Craft Fair Sept. 17, from 9am-4pm, Shawnee Town, 1929. Join us for the 41st Annual Friends of Shawnee Town Arts & Crafts Fair & Fall Festival! We will have live music from the Anchovy Fishermen from 10:30am-3pm. A live raffle with multiple drawing times (you do not need to be present to win). Shop over 120 vendor booths all featuring hand made goods. We'll also have multiple food booths available, to meet all of the needs of your tastebuds! We'll have several free kids' activities set up for your little ones to participate in. There will be something for EVERYONE! Just $1 donation will get you into the gates and into the FUN!
KC Family Fest Sept. 18, Noon-4pm Westside Family Church in Lenexa, KS. Everyone is invited to this free community-wide festival for families! Bring your whole crew for acres of rides, gigantic inflatables, games and activities for all ages. Enjoy music and DJs, teen zone, kiddie rides and lots of family-friendly fun! Lunch will be available from the best Food Trucks in KC. Don’t miss it!
Plaza Art Fair Sept. 23-25, Country Club Plaza. The Plaza Art Fair encompasses nine city blocks and welcomes a crowd of over 250,000. Featuring 240 artists, the Plaza Art Fair is atop-ranked, national art event with three live music stages and over 25 featured restaurant booths. It continues to be a weekend of people simply celebrating art and each other, as well as Kansas City’s unofficial welcome to the fall season.
Oktoberfest Lee's Summit Sept. 23 & 24, Downtown Lee's Summit. Enjoy German meals, two stages of entertainment, German dancers, carnival, Biergarten, free children’s activities, contests and arts & crafts booths! The only German word you’ll need to know is SPAB… which is FUN in German!
Hallmarket Sept. 24, Crown Center. Hallmark employees (current and retired) will display and offer their personal works of art for sale. A wide array of artwork will be available including textiles, sculptures, art quilts, jewelry, oil and watercolor paintings, photography and other mediums. These pieces are the personal work of the participants, created outside their jobs with Hallmark.
Kansas Chocolate Festival Sept. 24; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kansas Avenue, Downtown Topeka, KS. The inaugural Kansas Chocolate Festival will be a chocolate-lovers’ dream. In collaboration with Mars Chocolate North America, which operates a factory in Topeka, Sept. 24 will be a day to taste, play and explore. Plus vendors, food trucks, demonstrations, a baking contest and more.
Overland Park Fall Festival Sept. 24, Downtown Overland Park, KS. A true community celebration featuring a hometown parade through Downtown Overland Park, the county's best arts and crafts fair, classic car show, merchants sales, fantastic food and much, much more!
Ciderfest & Craft Fair Sept. 24 & 25 and Oct. 1 & 2, Louisburg Cider Mill. Enjoy Handmade Crafts, Barbeque, Live Music, Old Fashioned Good Eats, Pumpkins and a lot of other Fun Activities! From the Pumpkin Patch to Kettle Corn, there is something for everyone in the family. Craft Fair, Fresh Cider Making, Cider Donuts, Live Music, Kids Activities, Hay Castle, Hayrides, and Farm Animal Viewing Area. 913.837.5202
Wild West Days Sept. 24 - 25, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm. Enjoy this two day annual fall event featuring LIVE entertainment from the Whip Guy, the Wicked Liars, and more!