15 Weekends of Summer Fun!
Whether you want to soak in the sun and listen to live music or watch a movie under the stars, there’s something just right for you. Here’s our guide to some of KC’s best summer activities.
TO DO: Memorial Day Weekend, May 24–27
Experience Memorial Day weekend at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, America’s primary “Great War” remembrance site. The grounds of Penn Valley Park, with its Liberty Memorial Tower and sprawling views of downtown and westward, will house vintage wartime equipment used from World War I through Operation Desert Storm. Visitors can find ancestral connections to WWI at free research stations, among other exhibits. Formal Memorial Day ceremonies take place on Monday, May 27, from 10 am to 2 pm, including a bell tolling and keynote address by Lt. General (Ret.) Wendy M. Masiello. theworldwar.org.
Celebration at the Station
Across Pershing Road and down the hill from the museum at Union Station, the free Bank of America Celebration at the Station promises to be “the largest free Memorial Day weekend concert in the Midwest,” with a Kansas City Symphony performance on Sunday, May 26. The celebration, with 50,000 attendees expected, lasts from 5 to 10:30 pm. kcsymphony.org.
Oceans of Fun Opens
Oceans of Fun opens for the season on May 25, three weeks after parent theme park Worlds of Fun. The 60 acres of water slides, aqua-themed rides and hangout spots are open from 11 am until 7 pm. worldsoffun.com.
Bonus: Check out Coconut Cove. It’s the largest pool at Oceans of Fun with half a million gallons of water and is home to several slides, plus an obstacle course where swimmers can hop between lily pads and floating logs. Poolside luxury cabanas can also be rented.
TO DO: May 31– JUNE 2
Festa Italiana
Festa Italiana comes back to the Zona Rosa shopping center located in the Northland, at Interstate 29 and Barry Road, from May 31 through June 2. Put on by the KC chapter of Italian American service organization UNICO, the event shamelessly targets residents’ stomachs, with the tagline: “Come for the Food … Stay for the Experience.”
Aside from Italian food vendors, the street fair includes an Italian auto show, wine tastings, a live music stage and more. zonarosa.co.
Bonus: Friday night starts off with a meatball eating contest.
Mini Golf at the Museum
It’s back! A summer highlight, Art Course offers an artist-designed mini-golf adventure within the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Every Friday through Sunday, you can play nine unique holes, each offering a creative spin on a masterpiece from the museum’s collection. nelson-atkins.org.
TO DO: JUNE 7–9
Jazzoo
Mix it up with food, drinks, music and wild animals at Jazzoo on June 7. Jazzoo is an annual “creative black tie” (no jeans) fundraiser for the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium, and the $250 ticket price includes unlimited food and drinks from dozens of participating local restaurants. Walk around the zoo and check out a plethora of food and drink vendors while listening to a variety of musical performances. Proceeds go toward the care of the zoo’s 10,000 animals. Attendees must be 21 with ID. jazzookc.com.
HereKC PrideFest 2024
The city’s biggest LGBTQ+ festival is back at Frank A. Theis Park, across Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. KC PrideFest features three days of food, live music, pageants and more. On Saturday, June 8, the festival will move to Broadway Boulevard in Westport, where the KC Pride Parade is scheduled at 11 am. kcpridealliance.org.
Sugar Creek Slavic Festival
Celebrate Slavic heritage with polka, Polish sausage, other Eastern European foods and more at the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival, just 10 miles northeast of downtown KCMO at William Henry Harrison Park. Last year, there was even a traditional Croatian wedding! The festival is from 5 to 11 pm on Friday, while Saturday’s hours are between noon to 11 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, while children 12 and under are free. slavicfest.com.
Bonus: There’s an annual cabbage rolling contest that you have to see.
TO DO: JUNE 14–16
Boulevardia and Breakaway
Start the weekend off with two KC music festivals. The annual Boulevardia Festival is hosted at Crown Center by Boulevard Brewing Company and as usual, this three-day festival will have ongoing live music—with Milky Chance headlining on June 14. Along with a weekend of entertainment, the festival will have a makers market, food and craft beer vendors. boulevardia.com.
Breakaway Music Festival returns to Bonner Springs’ Azura Amphitheater with headliners Tiësto and Two Friends starting Friday night off. breakawayfestival.com.
Bonus: Boulevardia’s roller skating party
Big Shoal Vintage Auto Show
Save your Saturday morning for the Big Shoal Vintage Auto Show at the Atkins-Johnson Farm. The show, which is completely free and open to the public, hosts an array of pre-1980s automobiles, local food trucks and a vintage attire contest with a super secret prize. friendsoftheatkins-johnsonfarm.org.
The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival
Neighbors of Southmoreland Park, next to the Nelson and KC Art Institute, will tell you they know it’s summer when they see the outdoor theater scaffolding go up in the park. This year, the festival will present Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The summer Shakespeare performances actually start June 11, but run weekends through the end of June. kcshakes.org.
TO DO: JUNE 21–23
As you can imagine, the people of Excelsior Springs know a thing or two about water, and their annual weekend festival, Waterfest, pays homage to the city’s mineral water heritage. The historic downtown transforms into an old-time fair with bounce houses, pony rides, music and all sorts of food and craft vendors. visitexcelsior.com. Bonus: Saturday morning starts off with a pancake breakfast, followed by a community parade.
Croquet, Anyone?
Looking for something a little different? Heading to Parkville’s very own croquet club might be exactly the thing to do. Kactus Creek Croquet Club opened in 2007 and is an official United States Croquet Association member. When not hosting official events, the club is open for social play and pickup matches, and newbies are welcomed with open arms. It’s casual—croquet whites are not a must. Open weekend play is generally from 2 to 4 pm. kactuscreek.com.
TO DO: JUNE 28–30
Theater in the Park
The city of Gladstone will once again be hosting summer theater performances at Oak Grove Park’s outdoor amphitheater. The first of two musicals is Fiddler on the Roof which runs throughout the weekend. Bring a lawn chair and get ready to set up shop on the gentle sloping hill. The following weekend, Something Rotten will be performed. gladstonetip.com. Bonus: It’s free.
Kansas City Current
Although Kansas City’s professional women’s soccer season has been underway for some time, this June 28 home soccer game against the Houston Dash is a great game to attend. It’s Women’s Cancer Awareness Night, presented by the University of Kansas Health System. kansascitycurrent.com
TO DO: JULY 4–7
Fireworks and More
Here’s everything you need to know about the long July 4 weekend in KC. With a plethora of fireworks and festivals taking place, this holiday is sure to be a mini staycation.
On the Fourth, there’s the Stars and Stripes Picnic at the National WWI Museum and Memorial where dozens of local craft and food vendors will set up shop. There will be live entertainment followed by a fireworks display. theworldwar.org.
If you’re wanting less of a city vibe to celebrate July 4, there’s plenty of fireworks shows in the ’burbs, too. There’s shows in Overland Park and Parkville, just to name a few.
At Overland Park’s Star Spangled Spectacular at Corporate Woods Founders’ Park, folks are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. There will be food trucks with tasty bites beginning at 5 pm. opkansas.org.
In Parkville, July 4 starts off with a pancake breakfast and a parade. After the sun sets, the fireworks begin at English Landing Park and can be seen from various locales throughout the historic town. parkvillemo.org.
KC RiverFest held at Berkley Riverfront is one of the most popular Independence Day celebrations in the metro. There will be family-friendly entertainment, food vendors and, of course, a dazzling display of pyrotechnics come nightfall. berkleyriverfront.com.
TO DO: JULY 12–14
KC Fringe
The 20th annual KC Fringe Festival kicks off this weekend. The 16-day festival showcases local, national and international artists in all sorts of categories, from film to live performance pieces to the visual arts. The various shows and activities are scattered throughout the downtown area. kcfringe.org.
Cinema Under the Stars
If you’re looking for more sedentary entertainment this weekend, you can check out one of the many venues throughout the metro that are hosting outdoor movies the entire summer season. Options include Crown Center’s WeekEnder series that showcases a movie every Friday night, or the Kansas City Public Library’s Off the Wall film series, hosted by downtown’s Central Library. Then there’s the Northland’s Screenland Armour Backyard Movies series, which hosts outdoor movies on Saturday nights throughout the summer, or Lenexa’s Movies in the Park. Bonus: Crown Center shops stay open until midnight during WeekEnder movie events.
TO DO: JULY 19–21
Butterfly Bonanza
The Festival of Butterflies at Powell Gardens kicks off this weekend and nature enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to celebrate butterflies—those fluttery creatures loved by all. Spend a day outdoors exploring tropical and native butterflies alongside stunning botanic displays. powellgardens.org.
Lawn Party
Celebrate National Park and Recreation Month at KC’s biggest lawn party on Sunday, July 21. The outdoor event stretches from the Nelson-Atkins Museum to Brush Creek. This fun-filled evening of live music, food trucks, art activities and lawn games is not to be missed. Either pack a picnic or grab dinner from an on-site food truck. kcparks.org. Bonus: Check out the Quick Paint Contest, where contestants are encouraged to “capture the spirit of the party.”
TO DO: JULY 26–28
Starlight Theatre
Come see your favorite ogre and his sidekick at the Starlight Theatre this weekend. Shrek the Musical is one of many stellar programs showcased at Starlight throughout the summer. The large theater in Swope Park opened in 1950 as a way to celebrate the city’s centennial. Starlight, an almost 8,000-seat theater, is one of the largest and oldest continually operating nonprofit performing arts organizations in KC. kcstarlight.com.
Royals vs. Cubs
This might Be the perfect weekend to catch a baseball game. The Royals play the Chicago Cubs at The K this weekend, so don your royal blue and enjoy one of America’s most beloved summer traditions—a baseball game. mlb.com.
Bonus: Friday night’s ball game is Patrick Mahomes bobblehead giveaway night.
TO DO: AUGUST 2–4
Fountain City
This might be a good weekend to learn more about KC’s fountains. There are more than 200 fountains in the greater Kansas City area and community leaders have been making a concerted effort since the 1950s to promote and create fountains throughout KC. In 1992, a fountain motif became part of the city seal. To find the perfect tour, check out kcfountaintours.com. Bonus: The streetcar tour stops at Union Station, where a yummy lunch can also be had.
Hot Dog Sampler
Who knew that the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum hosted the Heart of America Hot Dog Festival? Kansas City magazine sure didn’t. Hot dog aficionados from far and wide are welcome to the museum to sample delicious ballpark franks, including the signature Kansas City Monarch Dog, while listening to live music. nlbm.com.
TO DO: AUGUST 9–11
Drive-In
Experience an old school drive-in movie at B&B’s Twin Drive-In theater in Independence. Pull up your car and open your trunk. Moviegoers often set up a full tailgating experience, complete with lawn chairs and coolers. bbtheatres.com. Bonus: The cost of a movie is per car, not person.
Shawnee Mission Lake
It’s hot—and the perfect weekend to head to the water. Shawnee Mission Park has two marinas and a beach—the perfect place to take a dip or leisurely sail on the lake. jcprd.com.
TO DO: AUG 16–18
Ethnic Enrichment Festival Kansas City
KC’s annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. The three-day celebration encompasses the large field on Swope Park’s west side with booths representing 60 nations and ethnic groups. Most booths offer food, with some selling handmade goods. The large picnic shelter at the park houses a dance floor where groups perform throughout the weekend. eeckc.org.
Bonus: Sample food you won’t be able to find anywhere else in the metro.
Sunflower Festival and 5k
Get out your jogging shoes and support two great causes while also getting fit. The annual Atkins-Johnson Sunflower 5k run and walk at Gladstone’s Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum benefits the North Kansas City Schools Education Foundation and farm programs. Runners will weave their way through Big Shoal Farm and the sunflower field, and can tour the farm house after finishing. atkinsjohnsonfarm.com.
TO DO: AUG 23–25
Parkville Days
It all began with a painting of Parkville’s quaint Main Street by local artist Gale Stockwell, who had been commissioned by the federal government to capture everyday life in America. Stockwell lost track of the painting after he submitted it to the government and then, some 40 years later, learned it was hanging in the White House.
Parkville officials were able to get the painting on loan from the White House, and they decided to celebrate with a fair, which they called Parkville Days. Now some 50 years later, the three-day festival with a carnival, vendors, food and music has become a Northland staple. parkvillemo.gov.
Bonus: Take a ride in a helicopter.
TO DO: LABOR Day Weekend, AUG 31–SEPTEMBER 2
SantaCaliGon Days Festival
The first SantaCaliGon Days Festival was held in 1940 as a way to celebrate the unique heritage of the city of Independence as the starting point of the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. In 1947, a second celebration was held after World War II before taking a hiatus until 1973, and the festival has been going strong ever since. With lively entertainment, vendors and carnival, the event draws more than 300,000 annually and is one of the area’s most popular Labor Day celebrations. santacaligon.com.
Irish Fest
In the 1800s, Irish immigrants used their knowledge of quarrying and bricklaying to quite literally pave the way for downtown Kansas City. Today their descendants, who are said to make up 10 percent of the metro, gather on the same downtown grounds and show their Celtic pride every August. The weekend includes several Irish folk bands, traditional and modern céilí dance, Irish pub food, whiskey tasting, comedy, a Sunday mass and an Irish breakfast. kcirishfest.com. Bonus: Scavenger hunt for the kiddos
