Celebrate autumn with apples, sunflowers, Fall Festivals, professional shows, and captivating exhibits for the entire family. Discover our Top Picks for Family Fun in September!
Snap Photos in Sunflower Fields
Kansas is the Sunflower State and September is the month to celebrate the yellow beauties. There are several local fields where you can see acres and acres of sunflowers in bloom and take photos! Our Top Picks include:
- Johnson Farms Plants and Pumpkins 17701 S State Route D, Belton, MO. 816.331.1067 Current Status as of 9/1: Our Sunflowers will be ready for photos after Labor Day! Get ready to grab your kids or a friend and take a wagon ride out to take some pictures in our Sunflower field! Make plans to visit the Pumpkin Patch the 3rd week of September!
- Berry Hill U-Pick Farm 5840 SE Croco RD, Berryton, KS.785.633.7374. Current Status as of 9/6: FIELD 3 is blooming now! Come out this weekend! Field 3 will have more blooms each day!
- Heritage Park 16050 S Pflumm Rd, Olathe, KS Status as of 9/13: The sunflower field in Heritage Park is beautiful. Just inside the south entrance to the park off of Pflumm Road. Remember you can't pick them.
- Hunsinger Farms 923 East 1450 Road, Lawrence, KS. 6-acre sunflower field. Current Status as of 8/17: Hunsinger Farms is ready for visitors! The Sunflowers have bloomed a little earlier with all the rain storms we've had. If you're looking for a back-to-school picture or a day out with the family, now is the perfect time to go!
- Grinter Farms 24154 Stillwell Rd, Lawrence, KS. 40-acre sunflower field. Posted on their Facebook page 9/13/18: This morning: We have sunflowers in all stages now, some have dropped petals, some still look great, and some have yet to bloom.
Happy Wednesday! Read the rules of engagement for details. - Russell Sunflower Patch 18220 Highway B, Richmond MO. Current Status as of 8/13: The sunflower patch is now closed!! The flowers have wilted and are past blooming. THANK YOU all for coming out this year and be sure to like our page to keep posted next year!!
Apple Picking
It's apple picking season! With our famously unpredictable weather, the definite start date varies from year to year, but you’re sure to enjoy a trip to one of these local orchards. Read our guide to Kansas City U-Pick Farms for info.
Last Days of Summer
KC Rep presents Last Days of Summer Sept. 7-30. Based on the contemporary American classic novel by Steve Kluger, LAST DAYS OF SUMMER is the story of Joey Margolis, an imaginative and tenacious boy being raised by his mother and aunt in early 1940s Brooklyn. He and his best friend Craig Nakamura write letters to their hero, Charlie Banks, the all-star third basemen for the New York Giants, in hopes of his helping them impress and suppress the neighborhood bullies. An unlikely friendship is formed between the two boys and Charlie, and as the turbulent events of the dawn of the Second World War unfold, bonds are formed that will last forever. With music by Grammy winner Jason Howland (Broadway’s LITTLE WOMEN), directed by two-time Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun (last year’s BETWEEN THE LINES), this new musical is a poignant and hilarious tale of baseball, hero worship, and the gift of true friendship.
Marvel Universe LIVE! Age of Heroes
Marvel Universe LIVE! Age of Heroes showing Sept. 14-16 at the Sprint Center. Marvel fans, assemble for this live, action-packed battle to defend the universe from evil! The Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man join forces with Black Panther and Doctor Strange, master of the mystic arts, in a race against time to recover the Wand of Watoomb before it falls into Loki’s hands in this all-new, spectacular arena stunt show.
Family Movie Night at Johnson Farms
Enjoy family movie night at Johnson Farms (17701 Holmes, Belton, MO) on Sept. 15 & 16. Take a pre-season sneak at the farm. Activities include a movie under the stars (showing BABE, PIG IN THE CITY – Rated G). Admission to play yard & animal corral & meet SUNFLOWER AND ZINNIA, the mama pigs-to-be Dinner items, snacks and popcorn will be available at our concession stand. Visit begins at 3 pm, movie and dinner at 5-7 pm .ADMISSION: $7/person age 3 and over. RECEIVE A FULL CREDIT FOR YOUR NIGHT’S ADMISSION TOWARDS YOUR PURCHASE OF A 2018 FAMILY FALL SEASON PASS BY 9/17!
Becoming Martin
Becoming Martin at The Coterie Sept. 18 - Oct. 21. This world premiere centers on the mentorship Martin Luther King, Jr., receives when he enters Morehouse College at age 15. Through debate over civil disobedience concepts, Morehouse College President, Dr. Benjamin Mays, sets young MLK on a path towards fighting for civil rights.
The Pigeon Comes to Topeka! A Mo Willems Exhibit
The Pigeon Comes to Topeka! A Mo Willems Exhibit Sept. 24 - Jan. 4 at the Kansas Children's Discovery Center. Co-organized by Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the exhibition is inspired by the art and characters of the beloved children’s book author and illustrator, Mo Willems. Many familiar characters will be featured including best friend duo Elephant and Piggie, faithful companion Knuffle Bunny and The Pigeon, the wily city bird best known for his antics in Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Activities will give visitors the opportunity to make art that is inspired by Mo Willems and to learn about the rich social and emotional lives of the author’s characters. The exhibit will also feature prints of illustrations, including sketches and other preliminary materials, by Mo Willems. In this play-and-learn exhibit, visitors can: Have a hilarious conversation in the voices of Elephant Gerald and Piggie at a double-sided phone booth. Make Elephant and Piggie dance with old-time animation. Put on a wearable bus and take a drive around the exhibit. Spin the laundromat washing machine and uncover Knuffle Bunny and other surprises! Dress up Naked Mole Rat and send him down the runway for a one-of-a-kind fashion show. Stack lightweight blocks to create their own terrible monster or funny friend. Launch foam hot dogs at The Pigeon and play the plinko game to give the Duckling a cookie. Try out art techniques that Mo uses for his own books.
Carlsen Center presents...
Enjoy a full season of professional shows at Carlsen Center. Concerts, live theater, dance performances, educational programs, magic... you'll enjoy a variety of spectacular shows all year long.
September's shows at Carlsen Center:
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New Dance Partners Sept. 21 & 22: Four companies, four choreographers, four world premieres. We’re thrilled to stage this innovative festival of dance for the fifth year! A collaboration where the Carlsen Center commissions choreographers to create original works for local dance companies, which then premiere on the Yardley Hall stage. In 2018, the collaborative partners are: Kansas City Ballet working with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, international choreographer based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Owen/Cox Dance Group working with Darrell Grand Moultrie, choreographer and master teacher, based in New York City, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company working with Christian Denice, choreographer, based in Chicago, and Störling Dance Theatre working with Lauri Stallings, Atlanta-based choreographer, artist and organizer. The artistic advisor for New Dance Partners is Michael Uthoff. Burke Brown is the lighting designer.
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MOMIX 'Opus Cactus' Sept. 29: If Salvador Dali and Leonardo da Vinci were inspired by National Geographic, you’d get Opus Cactus, Moses Pendleton’s amazing evening-length work about the desert world. With a sense of danger, sensuality and humor, the desert world of soaring cactuses, slithering lizards, snakes and frolicking insects all come to life.
Library Card Sign Up Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and in honor of this designation, Mid-Continent Public Library is celebrating in a number of ways. First, anyone who signs up for an MCPL card at an MCPL branch during the month of September will receive a Five-Day Discovery Pass good at any Kansas City-area YMCA location. One person will be selected from all of those that sign up from each branch to win a free one-month YMCA family membership.
In addition, the Library is encouraging people to take a selfie with their Library card (MCPL or otherwise) and post on social media with #LibraryCardSignUp. Also, if they use the hashtag #AccessMCPL in their post, they could see themselves on a local billboard along with other MCPL cardholders during the month of September! To learn more about Library Card Sign-Up Month at MCPL, people can visit mymcpl.org/incredible.
Just Between Friends Sale
Fall Just Between Friends Sale Sept. 27-30 at Overland Park Convention Center. Stock up on Kids Clothing & Shoes, Newborn to Teen • Toys, Books & Games • Baby Gear & Essentials •and so much MORE! Shop the top consignment sale where you can save big when shopping for your family. Admission $2 first day, all other days free! Tip: Show our ad for FREE Admission!
Dinosaurs Revealed
Dinosaurs Revealed: Journey Across America, a world premiere exhibition opening at Union Station June 30! Come face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. See them move, hear them roar. Examine two massive full body skeletons and dozens of real fossils. Get hands-on digging for new evidence. Walk through the most prolific North American dinosaur dig sites. Visit the Paleontologist Hangout and meet real dinosaur hunters. Interact with a 3D augmented reality volcano, dinosaur tracks, puzzles and more. It's an adventure that promises to educate, fascinate and excite imaginations of every age.
Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun is open with NEW attractions! This fall, you'll love The Great Pumpkin Fest Weekends Sep 15, 2018 - Oct 28, 2018 at Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue, Kansas City, MO. Visit Worlds of Fun for the ultimate fall festival - The Great Pumpkin Fest! This family-friendly event is all treats and no tricks and features special Halloween-themed activities for kids plus PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions in Planet Snoopy. Also, at the park enjoy the new Nordic Chaser where guests of all ages will board mini ships that rotate speedily around a circuit. The ride captures the imagination as guests experience the sensation of rising and falling along ocean waves. The ride will be placed in the park’s Scandinavia themed area. Guests will also enjoy the newly renovated Timber Wolf. Since its debut in 1989, Timber Wolf has cast an imposing shadow on the surrounding woods as Worlds of Fun's first wooden roller coaster. Timber Wolf opened as the top wooden coaster in the world and then received accolades as a top wooden coaster for over 8 consecutive years.Now, fan favorite and the park's original wooden coaster gets a new finale! Worlds of Fun replaced the helix with a high-speed over banked 70 degree turn. This thrilling final corner turns riders nearly sideways!
Kansas City Zoo: Stingray Bay
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This year the zoo celebrates the opening of the brand new Stingray Bay, and Bam Bam, a new polar bear to join Berlin at the Kansas City Zoo. At stingray bay, visitors may touch cownose and southern stingrays and white-spotted bamboo sharks in this shallow touch pool. This indoor/outdoor facility is ideal for year-round guests, but most importantly, the state-of-the-art exhibit features a water filtration system providing a healthy habitat for the animals. Entrance to Stingray Bay is included with regular zoo admission. For an additional fee, you may participate in one of a limited number of feeding opportunities. The Kansas City Zoo is open year-round (except Jan. 1). (6800 Zoo Dr., KCMO. 816.513.5800). Pack a picnic and bring it to the zoo!
September's Special Events at the Kansas City Zoo:
- September 1: Chiefs Day at the Zoo
- September 9: Grandparents Day
- September 8 & 9: Zootastik Learning Fest— Butterflies & Moths
- September 15 & 16: First Responders Appreciation Weekend
- September 22: Zoo Run *Registration Required
- September 22 & 23: Species Spotlight— Pachyderms
- September 29 & 30: Teacher Appreciation Days
Ride the Rails
Ride the rails with the family aboard a real train with Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad. Enjoy excursions running south from Belton on a 5-mile, 45-minute round trip. Season: Regular Train Rides $10/ea Sat & Sun 2pm (May-Oct) Kids Under Three FREE!
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Explore the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (5235 Oak Street, KC, MO. 816.235.8000) collection through gallery talks and guided tours, then visit the hands-on workshop to make your own toy or miniature. This museum offers a educational, interactive, and whimsical exhibits where the story of play comes to life!
September's Special Programs at the Museum:
- Aug. 25 - Oct. 28 DREAMS OF FLIGHT: As part of the Open Spaces Kansas City Art Experience, T/m will exhibit works from artist Randy Regier’s Dreams of Flight series. Dreams of Flight spans three venues, with each location tailored to a key element of the work. The T/m installation explores childhood and play in the Cold War era through the lens of a toy and model kit. The work gradually reveals itself through two additional installations at River Market Antiques and KCAI Crossroads Gallery. Museum admission is not required to see Dreams of Flight.
- Sept. 9 from 2-3pm MEET THE EXPERTS: FRENCH FASHION DOLLS: Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. In honor of New York Fashion Week, Adam MacPharlain, Curatorial Assistant and Collections Manager of Fashion Arts and Textiles at the Cincinnati Art Museum, will explore the work of two dynamic women, Mesdames Lafitte and Désirat, who created doll-sized versions of French couture in early twentieth century Paris.
- Sept. 14 from 6-9pm MINIATURE PAINT AND SIP NIGHT FOR GROWN-UPS: There’s a little artist in all of us! Nurture your creativity with a gallery tour of phenomenal fine-scale miniature paintings—then sit down with a glass of wine and a tiny paintbrush to create your own masterpiece.
- Sept. 23 from 1:30-3:30pm OUR NEW ARRIVAL!: How does T/m welcome a historic baby doll into the collection? With a baby shower, of course! The recently acquired doll is the work of Leo Moss, a 19th century African-American doll maker. Bring a new package of disposable diapers for Happy Bottoms, a Kansas City diaper bank, to help us celebrate our new little one. Baby Moss will go on exhibit next year, so don’t miss this one opportunity in 2018 to see this special doll. Refreshments and a keepsake are included. Diaper donation serves as admission to baby shower and T/m exhibits.
- Sept. 30 at 1 and 2pm PLAYING FOR KEEPS EXHIBIT TOUR AND BOOK SIGNING: Join local author and historian Scott McBride for a tour of Playing for Keeps: The VFW Marble Tournaments, 1947-1962. Following the tour, McBride will be in the Museum Store signing copies of his recent book, The Kings of The Rings, which forms the basis of the exhibit. Tours will begin at 1pm and 2 pm
FREE DAY at the Johnson County Museum
Sept. 22 is FREE DAY at The Johnson County Museum (8788 Metcalf Ave Overland Park, KS). On Sept. 22, come to the Museum for free in conjunction with the Smithsonian's Museum Day. No registration required.The museum is one of our favorite local attractions with fabulous local history exhibits and the beloved KidScape. At KidScape, kids learn through play about the past. An 1870s farmstead introduces kids to life on the farm-- tending animals, collecting eggs, gardening and house chores inside the farmhouse. Time travel to the 1900 the city where kids sell fruits and vegetables at the City Market, perform for an audience at the theatre, and teach at the school. Suburban life springs up in the 1950s! Care for sick patients at the hospital, cook up burgers and fries at the diner, and build a house for a new suburban family. Even explore a park with a secret cave! Kidscape offers hours of fun for kids to explore and play.
Family Events at the National World War I Museum and Memorial
The National WWI Museum and Memorial (2 Memorial Drive, Kansas City, MO). Within the museum walls below, however, lies one of the best historic sites in the Midwest, the National World War I Museum. With tremendous state-of-the-art exhibits telling the story of World War I and, more importantly, the soldiers and civilians of the era—their sacrifices, their journeys—this is one of Kansas City’s most important attractions. History is brought to life in this family‑friendly program in which kids of all ages are invited to handle Great War artifacts, every Saturday at 11 a.m.
Explore their newest exhibition For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI. For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI provides an in-depth look of what life was like for Jewish Americans on the homefront and for the nearly 250,000 people who served in the American Expeditionary Forces through remarkable stories and artifacts. Featured items include Irving Berlin’s draft registration card and the handwritten draft of Leon Simon’s 1917 Balfour Declaration, a public statement from the British government that helped lay the foundation for the establishment of a Jewish state. The exhibition is open through the centennial of Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 2018.
September Festivals
Enjoy fabulous festivals and fairs all month long! Read our complete KC Fall Festival Guide for more!
Our Favorite September Festivals:
Coffee & Donut Festival Sep 1, 2018 at Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS. The sweetest festival where all the fried, sugary dough perfections meet the smoothly roasted brews. Tons of fun, coffee/donut vendors, and lots of entertainment guaranteed for a day to remember. Activities like; Jelly Donut Wrestling, Donuts of Glory, Donut Queen Talent Contest, Donut Eating Contest, Donut Games & more!
Santa-Cali-Gon Festival Aug 31, 2018 - Sep 3, 2018 at Historic Independence Square, Independence, MO. The 46th Annual SantaCaliGon Days Festival in Independence, Missouri, commemorates the origin of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails during the country’s great westward expansion by early pioneers. Today, it celebrates family and fun! Over 300,000 attendees spend Labor Day weekend at the region’s oldest and largest festival.
Kansas City Irish Fest Aug 31, 2018 - Sep 2, 2018 at Crown Center, KC, MO. Commemorate Kansas City’s proud Celtic heritage with three days of music, dancing and exhibits. The festival will feature more than two dozen locally and nationally known bands, playing traditional music and Celtic rock in Crown Center Square and MTH Theater.
Tonganoxie Sunflower Stroll Sep 1, 2018 - Sep 3, 2018 at Downtown Tonganoxie, KS. Over the weekend, participate in a Sunflower Run, Sunflower Yoga, and Sunflower Stroll. Enjoy craft vendors, live music, food vendors, old time games, a street dance, and activities all weekend long.
Johnson County Old Settlers Festival Sep 6, 2018 - Sep 8, 2018 at Downtown Olathe, Kansas Ave. & Santa Fe, Olathe, KS.Nationally recognized musical entertainment, a huge carnival, classic auto show, arts and crafts vendors, over 20 excellent food booths operated by local non-profit organizations, and much, much more. The largest parade in Kansas begins 10am Saturday!
Greek Festival Sep 7, 2018 - Sep 9, 2018 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 120th and Wornall, Kansas City, MO. Live entertainment, music and delicious food.
Topeka Huff 'n Puff Balloon Festival Sep 7, 2018 - Sep 9, 2018 at Mount Hope Cemetery, Funeral Chapel & Reception Center, Entrances from SW Fairlawn and SW Huntoon, Topeka, KS. Vendors, activities, hot air balloons and fun.
Lost Arts Fair Sep 7, 2018 - Sep 9, 2018 at Harris Kearney House Museum, 4000 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO. Festival of Lost Arts featuring arts, crafts, and skills from the 1800s. Watch basket weavers, spinners, blacksmith, dollmakers, woodworkers, quilters, weavers and more create their specialties. FREE carriage rides too!
Lenexa Spinach Festival Sep 8, 2018 at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa, KS. This festival offers live music, an outdoor food court, numerous kids activities and competitions, antique and craft shopping and, of course, a spinach recipe contest. Events for kids include a baby crawling contest, inflatables, arts and crafts stations, a rock skipping contest, face paint and a visit from Popeye and Olive Oyl.
Kansas Book Festival Sep 8, 2018 at State Capitol Building, Topeka, KS. The presenting authors will be inside the Capitol building, and vendors/entertainment/children’s activities/book signings will be set up outside the Capitol, on the North side by the new Visitor’s Center.
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Kansas City Chalk & Walk Festival Sep 8, 2018 - Sep 9, 2018 at Crown Center, Kansas City, MO. Professional, amateur and students artists will come together for the 11th annual festival to create lively and powerful chalk "paintings" on sponsored brick canvas throughout KC.
Deaf Cultural Festival Sep 8, 2018 at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO. Explore ASL through live entertainment, hands-on art activities, storytelling, poetry and more! All are welcome. ASL interpretation, voice interpretation, and CART (live captioning) provided.
Haskell Indian Art Market Sep 8, 2018 - Sep 9, 2018 at 23rd & Massachussetts St, Lawrence, KS. Free Admission, free parking, No Pets allowed. Jewelry, paintings, sculptures, pottery, food and entertainment.
Winefest: Independence Uncorked Sep 8, 2018 at Bingham-Waggoner Estate, 313 West Pacific Avenue, Independence, MO. Featuring 25 Missouri wineries sampling several of their wines, a guest spirits distiller and 2400 attendees. The day will also feature art, music, beer, food booths and wine classes. Proceeds this year support an new outdoor learning amphitheater at Drumm Farm for Kids.
The Great Pumpkin Fest Weekends Sep 15, 2018 - Oct 28, 2018 at Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue, Kansas City, MO. Visit Worlds of Fun for the ultimate fall festival - The Great Pumpkin Fest! This family-friendly event is all treats and no tricks and features special Halloween-themed activities for kids plus PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions in Planet Snoopy.
Friends of Shawnee Town Arts & Crafts Fair & Fall Festival Sep 15, 2018 at Shawnee Town 1929, 11600 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS. Shop over 130 vendors, showcasing their hand made, homemade and re-purposed items. Food vendors, kids activities, live music, and fun. Admission is just $1 per person, collected at the gates.
Tacos y Tequila Sep 15, 2018 at Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 SE 8th Ave, Topeka, KS. Explore five of the seven culinary regions of Mexico without leaving Topeka and live Mariachi bands.
Fiesta on the Square Sep 15, 2018 at Linden Square, 602 NE 70th St., Gladstone, MO. The evening will feature dancing and music by KC Latin and Jazz Allstars.
Emergency Preparedness Fair Sep 15, 2018 at Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, 500 W US Hwy 24, Independence, MO. President Truman signed the Federal Civil Defense Act 78 years ago. Come see how emergency response has evolved since then with ham radio operators, emergency response teams, mobile command centers, and more.
Great Topeka Duck Race Sep 15, 2018 at Lake Shawnee, Topeka, KS. No less than 10,000 “adopted” rubber ducks will be dropped into Lake Shawnee in the cove South of the swim beach, for a race to the finish line. Lucky winners will receive great prizes!
Library in the Park Sep 15, 2018 at Big Eleven Lake Park, Kansas City, MO. Free (including the tacos). This year, Library in the Park is all about community. Come celebrate our diverse community, pick up a free book, and talk with organizations that are working to improve the lives and spaces in our community. There is also a special guest this year. Local author, Derrick Barnes, will be signing free copies of his critically acclaimed picture book CROWN: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. Illustrated by Gordon C. James, the children’s book is a poem Barnes wrote after being inspired by a teen’s trip to the barber. Other activities will include a photo booth, face painting, community sticker mural, giant bubbles, book recommendations, live music, and more. Attendees will also get to visit the Mobile Library to sign up for a card and check out items. Library in the Park will also include a return of the taco competition with local KCK taquerias. Attendees will get a chance to sample tacos from all four locations and vote on which taco is the best.
Hallmarket: A Hallmark Art Festival Sep 15, 2018 at Crown Center Square, 2450 Grand Blvd, Suite 301, Kansas City, MO. Open to the public, this FREE, family-friendly event features live music, interactive activities, food and beverage options in Crown Center Square.
JCPRD Park Palooza Sep 16, 2018 at The Theatre in the Park, 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee, KS. Come for live music, interactive children’s performers, activities for all ages, food trucks, as well as family-priced concessions.
American Indian Cultural Celebration Sep 16, 2018 at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO. Enjoy live performances by American Indian dancers and musicians, watch artist demonstrations, and explore the museum’s rich collection of Native American artwork.
Plaza Art Fair Sep 21, 2018 - Sep 23, 2018 at Country Club Plaza, 47th & Wyandotte, Kansas City, MO.Enjoyed by artists for its knowledgeable crowds, attentive staff and beautiful location on the historic Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, the Plaza Art Fair attracts 300,000 art patrons each year. Ranked in the top ten fine arts festivals in the Art Fair SourceBook, it has grown over seven decades to be a premier festival of fine art and fine craft.
KC Zoo Run for Giraffes Sep 22 at Kansas City Zoo. 15th Anniversary of the Kansas City Zoo Run! Particiapte in a 4 mile timed event or a 1 mile Family Fun Run. Participants receive: Custom designed featured species t-shirt, Custom finisher's medal, Free race-day entry into the zoo, and a great finish-line spread.
Jazz & Food Trucks Festival: Topeka Sep 22, 2018 at Downtown Topeka, 9th and Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS. Choose tasty eats from food trucks before claiming a spot in front of some of your favorite, or soon-to-be-favorite, bands.
Wild West Days Sep 22, 2018 - Sep 23, 2018 at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm, 1200 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS. Enjoy performances from the Wicked Liars Chris Camp the Whip Guy, and Professor Farquar. Visit cowboy camps, Buffalo Soldiers and Buffalo Bill! Other activities include: the Chuckwagon Cook-Off on Saturday only, and Rose Marie’s Fiesta Mexicana Dancers, Sunday only. Admission is $5/person ages five and up, some activities require an extra fee.
Warbirds in Flight Sep 28, 2018 - Sep 29, 2018 at New Century Air Center, 1 New Century Pkwy, Gardner, KS. There will be air shows each day, static displays, food, entertainment and the opportunity to purchase rides in a war bird.
Liberty Fall Fest Sep 28, 2018 - Sep 30, 2018 at Liberty, MO. As the kids whirl about on the rides to flashing lights and lively music, parents can sample light-as-air cotton candy or cooling snow cones. The festival proves to be a shopper’s delight with everything from handmade crafts to home grown fruits & vegetables.
Lee's Summit Oktoberfest 2018 Sep 28, 2018 - Sep 29, 2018 at Downtown Lee's Summit, 220 SE Main Street, Lees Summit, MO. Enjoy German meals, two stages of entertainment, German dancers, carnival, Biergarten, free children’s activities, contests, arts & crafts booths and more! This family-friendly festival has been a community favorite for more than 25 years.
Great Topeka Bike Fest Sep 29 & 30, 2018 in Downtown Topeka. Celebrate all things bicycle, from fun races for kids ages 5-10, live demos from professional BMX stunt riders, a rideable pump track, safety training for kids, and more! It’s a big weekend in Topeka, because all day on Saturday, September 29 is the Kansas Chocolate Festival. That same night, we’ll host the Glow Ride, and then Sunday morning is the start of the Great Topeka Bike Fest.
Fall Harvest Days at Paradise Park Weekends Sep 29, 2018 - Oct 28, 2018 at Paradise Park, 1021 NE Colbern Rd., Lee's Summit, MO. $7 Hayride that includes S'mores and Hot Chocolate. Enjoy a relaxing hayride throughout the black of the park with your family and friends. Hear funny stories, play a few games or sing silly songs along the ride. It’s a great way to enjoy a beautiful fall day at Paradise Park. There is even a fun treat at the end of your hayride! Finish your adventure by sipping on hot chocolate while toasting marshmallows. Fall Harvest days are an amazing round-up of family fun for everyone. Make it a full family day of adventure and fun with a Max Pak for everyone to enjoy unlimited play all day long. Bonus Activity: On Saturday afternoons, you can even pet a few of our farm animals in the petting zoo or enjoy a pony ride around our backyard trail. (Petting Zoo and pony rides are available from noon to 5PM on Saturdays.)
Fall Fest: Greenwood Sep 29, 2018 at Greenwood, MO. Fall Fest usually happens on the last Saturday of September and offers inflatables, games and music for all ages; as well as petting zoos, Halloween Costume contests and vendor shopping. Finish the night out with Greenwood's much anticipated Haunted Hayride spread over 40 acres.
Ciderfest Sep 29, 2018 - Sep 30, 2018 at Louisburg Cider Mill, 14730 K68 Hwy., Louisburg, KS. Ciderfest activities begin with the Louisburg Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Other activities include: Live music beginning at 11 a.m., cider and donut-making, pony rides, and inflatable slide ongoing throughout the day until 6 p.m. Ciderfest also features craft booths, gift & collectible vendors, and multiple BBQ and food vendors. There is no admission or parking fees to attend Ciderfest. Also at Ciderfest, visit our huge pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkin, experience our 10 acre corn maze, visit with farm animals, play on the hill slide, enjoy the picnic areas and take advantage of the great photo opportunities we've set up. The Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch area has $10 admission, children 3 and under are free.
Overland Park Fall Festival Sep 29, 2018 at Santa Fe Commons Park, 8045 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS. The Overland Park Fall Festival features a hometown parade through Downtown Overland Park, the county’s best arts and crafts fair, the state’s best farmers’ market, three stages of concerts, fantastic food and much more!
Kansas Chocolate Festival Sep 29, 2018 at Downtown Topeka, KS. Start the day with the Chocolate 5K/10K: Combat Air Museum’s Winged-Foot run. See the MARS Nascar and try your hand at a driving simulator. Samples in the indoor tasting area, 713 S. Kansas Ave., will be $1 each. Chocolatiers from five states will be represented. 20 food trucks & 20 vendors. A children’s play area - $10 wristbands good for all day play on bounce houses.
Family Tree Nursery Fall Festival Sep 29, 2018 - Sep 30, 2018 at Family Tree Nursery, 7036 Nieman Rd., Shawnee, KS. A beautiful, modern garden center in the heart of Shawnee! Since opening it’s doors as Family Tree Nursery in 1981, the Nieman location has grown a loyal customer base with great plants and top-notch customer service. The Shawnee Fall Festival is the big open house event of the year with live music, food and tons of family activities. Come by and check out what promises to be one of the most modern garden centers in Kansas City!
This is just the beginning... read our complete KC Fall Festival Guide for more fabulous festivals!
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Still looking for more great family fun ideas in Kansas City? Check out our Kansas City Calendar of Events and Going Places in Kansas City on KCParent.com.