Autumn in KC from A-Z: 2011

August 28, 2011

midnight

Celebrate the best of autumn in Kansas City with fall traditions from A to Z!

This article was featured in our interview with Fox 4 News on 9/14/2011. You may watch the segment here, then read on for our tips and coupons for Fall Fun:

A: Apple Picking

Autumn and apples… the two go hand in hand and this fall you can create family memories as you pick apples at a local orchard. We have your complete guide to Apple Picking in the Kansas City area (20-90 min. distance). Apple picking season in the Midwest runs through mid-October, but it is very important that you always call ahead before venturing out to pick apples as fruit availability will vary throughout the season and according to the size and maturity of the orchard.

B: Bats

The nocturnal animal, native to Missouri, "The Cave State," and found throughout Kansas as well, has become a classic symbol of autumn. You can learn more about bats through these fun programs at our local nature centers and libraries:

Full Moon Hikes Sept. 10 & 13 from 9-10:30pm at the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary. Fees: MLTNS members $4 person, $8 family; general public $5 person, $10 family. Hike the trails by the light of the full moon. Quietly walk the trails seeking the nightlife Owls, Bats, Spiders and the Moon! Please call 816.781.8598 to register.
Bat Habitats Oct. 1 at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Call 816.759.7300 for information. Walk-in anytime from 1-2pm. (All ages) Of the 1,000 species of bats in the world, 14 call Missouri home. Hunting in darkness by using sound and sleeping upside down are only a few things that make this mammal unique. Join us as we learn about bat skeletons, create bat hats, explore a bat cave and more at what is sure to be a fun and educational day for all.
Going Batty Oct. 1 from 10am-2:30pm at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Call 816.759.7300 for reservations.(Ages 9 and up) Bats are sure nice to have around! They feed on moths, mosquitoes and other flying insects while putting on an air show each evening. Now you can entice them to your neighborhood with a handmade bat house. Come on down to build one on this Batty Saturday! Reservations are required by September 30, 2011.
Little Acorns: Nocturnal Animals Oct. 12, 2011 from 10:00-11:00 AM or 1:00-2:00 PM at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Registration required at 816.228.3766 (Ages 3-5) Learn about the animals we don’t normally see during the day and why they wait until the sun goes down to come out of hiding.
Bat Program Oct. 13, 2011 from 7-8pm at the Lee's Summit Library and Oct. 20, 2011 from 10-11am at the Lone Jack Library. Register in advance through the Mid-Continent Public Libraries. Family program for those ages 6 and up covering facts about bats.
Going Batty Oct. 22, 2011 from 11:00-Noon at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. No registration required at 816.228.3766 (All ages) Uncover the mysterious world of Missouri’s flying mammal.

C: Cider

Louisburg Cider Mill

Nothing says autumn quite like a nice glass of apple cider or a warm cider doughnut! You can watch as cider and doughnuts are made on a tour of the Louisburg Cider Mill (14730 Hwy 68, Louisburg, KS. 913.837.5202). Visitors watch the entire process as apples are washed, made into cider, and the delicious drink is bottled… then, some of the cider is used to make Louisburg’s famous apple cider doughnuts. Every autumn, the mill becomes a favorite attraction for visitors with their pumpkin patch, corn maze, and annual Louisburg CiderFest. This year, CiderFest will be held Sept. 24 & 25 and Oct. 1 & 2 where your family can enjoy Handmade Crafts, Barbeque, Live Music, Old Fashioned Good Eats, Pumpkins and a lot of other Fun Activities!

D: Day Trips

Kansas City Day Trips Fall is our favorite season for Day Trips! Many of our favorite destinations are under 2 hours away and feature apple picking, pumpkin patches, historic sites, and hiking trails!

Bonus: The Little House Project: MoKan Day Trips for Little House on the Prairie Fans

20-30 Min. East: Independence: Log Cabins & Trails West
20-30 Min. East: Downtown Lee's Summit: The Great American Main Street
45 Min. Northeast: Sibley: Lewis & Clark Country
45-60 Min. Northwest: Parkville: Tea Parties & Shopping
45-60 Min. North: Liberty: Jesse James & the Historic Square
45-60 Min. North: Weston: Autumn Splendor
1 Hour North: St. Joseph: Wild West in our Backyard
1 Hour Northeast: Lexington: Civil War in Missouri
1-2 Hours North: Jamesport: Amish Country
2- 3 Hours South: Carthage: Classic Rt. 66 Road Trip
2 1/2 - 3 Hours Southeast: Springfield: Ozark Country
4-5 Hours South: Branson: Vacation Capital of the Midwest
4-5 Hours East: St. Louis: Gateway to the West
10-20 Min. West: Overland Park: Historic Downtown Overland Park
20-30 Min. West: Bonner Springs: Be a Kid for a Day
30-60 Min. South: Louisburg: Apple Cider, Star Gazing, and Pumpkins
30-45 Min. West: Lawrence: Eclectic College Town & Family Fun
30-45 Min. Northwest: Leavenworth: First City of Kansas.... Carousels, Trolleys, and History!
45-60 Min. Northwest: Atchison: History & Mystery
60-90 Min. West: Topeka: More than a Capital City
60-90 Min. South: Fort Scott: National Historic Site
3 1/2-4 Hours Southwest: Hutchinson: Soar to Outer Space

E: Equestrians

One of Kansas City's most beloved autumn traditions is the American Royal! The entire family will enjoy the American Royal Parade (Sept. 17) as it marches, rides, and rolls through Downtown to kick off rodeo season with floats, marching bands, clowns, and performers. The favorite for most local children are the saddle clubs with a variety of horses from the miniature pony to prancing steeds. Continue celebrating western traditions throughout the fall with the American Royal Barbecue Sept. 29-Oct. 2, and Rodeo. www.americanroyal.com

F: Festivals

Autumn means Fall Festivals in Kansas City! Whether you enjoy feasting on fall fair foods from caramel apples to succulent bar-b-q, or you love to ride thrill rides from ferris wheels to roller coasters, or you're into arts and crafts from new boutique fashions or modern art to old-fashioned homemade wares, or perhaps you just like to try new things from ethnic festivals to the eclectic world's largest Spinach Salad... Kansas City offers the best variety of fall festivals for every interest. Read our guide to Fall Festivals in Kansas City.

G: Greatest Show on Earth

For many Kansas City families, the circus is a beloved fall tradition as Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus comes to town every September. This year, the circus comes roaring into town with BARNUM 200 (September 7-11 at the Sprint Center.$12-85/ticket (varies according to seating). BONUS: Save $5 on tickets with the code KCPARENT 816.931.3330 www.ringling.com), a new jumbo-sized, un-miss-able event celebrating The Biggest Birthday Bash in Circus History! Experience an unbelievable excursion that brings together performers and characters from exotic countries all over the world.

H: Hayrides

Paradise Park Hayrides Whether you're headed to a bonfire to roast marshmallows, riding through a farm or field, or surveying the changing colors of the autumn leaves, hayrides are a fun way to enjoy the changing season with your family.

Tractor Pulled Hayride September 9- October 29, 2011 (Every Friday & Saturday from 6 - 10 p.m. only) at Paradise Park. Enjoy a good old-fashioned tractor-pulled hayride sitting on bundles of straw, hearing stories, playing games and huddling close together with family and friends. S'mores & Hot Chocolate. Hayrides run weather permitting, no reservations needed.
Wagon Rides at Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch Opening day is September 17 at Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch and you can save $2 off Admission to Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch with our coupon! You can enjoy fall fun all season long! Bring your family, bring your school class, bring your club and the whole gang. Wagon rides into the Pumpkin Patch are just the beginning! You'll love a ride on Little Bud's Railroad, live Pig Races, Mining for Minerals, and lots of things to play and delicious country food and snacks. All right next door to the Liberty Corn Maze, for still more family fun! Don't miss Carolyn's Country Cousins this year! www.carolynscountrycousins.com
Wagon Rides at Johnson Farms Pumpkin Patch Pumpkin Season at Johnson Farms begins on September 23rd where you’ll be far from the city, but close to home. Save $2 off Admission to Johnson Farms Pumpkin Patch with our coupon! Take a wagon ride out to the 30-acre pumpkin patch and grab a wheelbarrow to haul in your pumpkins, run through the FREE corn maze, then visit our farm animal corral. Concessions and a large covered picnic area are available. JohnsonFarms.net
Fall Hayrides at Shawnee Mission Park. The Johnson County Park & Recreation District offers fall hayrides for organized groups. Advance registration is required. For more information or call 913.831.3359
Hoots and Howls at the Zoo The first four weekends in October at the Kansas City Zoo are filled with Zoo Spooky fun. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, ride pedal tractors, enjoy hayrides, participate in Kid Zoo Art, navigate through the rope maze, explore the Haunted Woods of the Valley and much more!
You can also enjoy a hayride or horse-drawn wagon ride at Faulkner's Ranch, Powell Pumpkin Patch, KC Pumpkin Patch, Pioneer Trails Adventures or Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead or one of the local Apple Orchards. Contact these venues for detailed information.
Hayrides are also offered at many Fall Festivals in Kansas City and Halloween Events in Kansas City.

I: Insects... they aren't all Creepy Crawly

Monarch Butterflies Spiders, bugs and other "creepy crawlies" are often associated with autumn, but there are other terrific insects to celebrate fall as well, specifically the monarch butterfly known for its autumn migration to Mexico.

Monarchs & Wildflowers Sept. 10 at 10:00 AM at Ernie Miller Nature Center. Learn about these and other native butterflies, and see the beautiful wildflowers that attract them. The cost of the two hour program, to be paid at the site, is $4 per person. Reservations required 913.764.7759.
Preschool: Butterfly Bonanza Sept. 16 from 10-11am at the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary. Fee: MLTNS members $5 child; general public $8 child. Monarch butterflies migrate hundreds of miles every fall from North America to Mexico, and then back again in the spring. Learn about the butterfly lifecycle and try your hand at catching one! We will tag any monarch butterflies we catch. Please call 816.781.8598 to register.
Migration Festival Sept. 17 at George Owens Nature Park. Families are invited to celebrate the annual migration of monarch butterflies to Mexico. Join park staff tagging butterflies, viewing important native plants and creating butterfly crafts in the nature center. For information, call 816.325.7843
Digital Monarchs Sept. 17 from 1-3pm at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Call 816.759.7300 for reservations.(Ages 10 and up) Is it easier to capture a butterfly in a net or on a digital camera? Find out at the Discovery Center’s gardens photographing monarchs refueling for their long trip south. Staff'll pick your best shot and send you home with an 8x10 print to hang on your wall. Bring your own digital camera or use one of the center's. Reservations are required by September 16, 2011.
Monarch Mania Sept. 17 at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Walk-in anytime from 10am-2:30pm. (All ages). Discover ways to make your backyard a better habitat for the monarch. Flutter through activities on metamorphosis and migration, and help tag a monarch as it prepares to head south for the winter. These activities and more will leave you in a state of Monarch Mania.
Strange & Creepy Crawly Oct. 29 from 1-2pm at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. No registration required at 816.228.3766 (All ages). Snakes and spiders are creepy, crawly things. Learn facts about the sometimes intimidating and often misunderstood wildlife.

J: Jack-O-Lanterns

Carved pumpkins are the centerpiece of many of Kansas City's family-friendly fall events! You can participate in carving and creating jack-o-lanterns or a pumpkin car, or you can enjoy a walk illuminated by a friendly Jack-O-Lantern!

PumpkinFest Oct. 7-9, Pony Express Museum St. Joseph, MO. Live entertainment, children's costume parade, festival rides, games, crafts and food. Watch the lighting of the "Great Pumpkin Mountain" on opening night as thousands come to see hundreds of carved, electrically lit jack-o-lanterns come to life with the flip of a switch! 816.279.5059. www.ponyexpress.org
Jack-O-Lantern Paint Party October 14, Paint, Glaze, and Fire. Halloween will be here before you can say BOO! Don't miss Paint, Glaze, & Fire's First Annual Jack-O-Lantern Paint Party! Each pumpkin is hand carved with any name you like. It takes time to grow these special pumpkins - so get the pick of the patch and make sure you order today! If you attend our First Annual Jack-O-Lantern Paint Party October 14 and pay NO Studio Fee to paint your pumpkin! Paint by October 19 to insure your pumpkin is ready for Halloween! Order by Sept 7 for 15% Discount. Personalize your pumpkin with a NAME, STARS & DOTS, HEARTS & DOTS, BATS & MOONS or any combination! Call 913.661.2529 to place your order or stop by the studio.
Jack O Lantern Walk Oct. 16 from 6:30-9pm at Powell Gardens (816.697.2600). Take a spooky self-guided tour by the light of hundreds of Jack O' Lanterns and luminaries. Admission charged.
Big Bad Pumpkin Derby Oct. 22, Shawnee Mission Park Marina Parking Lot. We are looking for fun loving and creative individuals to participate in the Big Bad Pumpkin Derby! Whether you are a competitor or spectator, the Derby is guaranteed to be one of your favorite fall experiences! A $25 participant entry fee lets you build and enter your own pumpkin race car and compete in a double elimination derby on our very fast course in the parking lot at Shawnee Mission Marina. Awards will be given in a variety of categories. This four-hour event starts at 10 a.m. and spectators are free! 913.831.3359. For complete event rules, construction tips, and design award categories go to http://jcprd.com/special_events/pumpkin_race.cfm
Pumpkin Carving Night Oct. 25, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. Bring your family to the 2011 Pumpkin Carving Night on October 25, then make plans to attend the Enchanted Forest on October 26 and 27 to see your handiwork in person. Bring at least one pumpkin to donate to the Enchanted Forest display, carve it and we’ll clean up the pumpkin mess. 913.541.8592 www.ci.lenexa.ks.us/parks/festivals_enchanted.html
Great Pumpkin Smash November 5 from 10am-3pm at the Kansas City Zoo. Ever wonder what happens to all those pumpkins after Halloween?! The animals roll, tromp, toss, and eat pumpkins thrown to them by the keepers. You'll see how a variety of animals, including elephants, hippos, rhinos, meerkats, and more, interact with these orange globes. Event is included with paid admission and as always FOTZ members get in free.
Discover more Jack-O-Lantern fun with our guide to Halloween in Kansas City.

K: Kettle Corn & other delicious flavors of Popcorn

Sweet, warm, freshly popped kettle corn! This is a staple of local Fall Festivals. Whether you enjoy freshly popped corn at a local festival, curled up on your own sofa with a movie, or at the nearby shopping center, Kansas City offers a variety of delicious flavors of popcorn for every appetite!

Topsy’s Popcorn: For more than 50 years, Topsy’s has been serving delicious popcorn to Kansas Citians! The Plaza Christmas Popcorn Tin is a holiday tradition in many homes as families try to decide which is best: cheese, butter, caramel, pecan crisp, popcorn peanut, kettle corn or cinnamon! Topsy’s boasts 13 KC area locations.
Velvet Crème Popcorn: Since 1937, the family-owned Velvet Crème Popcorn Company of Shawnee Mission has been serving popcorn that is “smooth like velvet and rich as creme.” Velvet Crème pops popcorn the old fashioned way, in small batches by hand operated, gas fired poppers. Flavors include traditional buttered, caramel, cheese and cinnamon or the more unique sour cream and onion!
Bonus: Road Trip: Tour a Popcorn Factory! Schlaegel’s Homegrown Popcorn: 31030 V Rd., Whiting, KS. Gary and Marian Schlaegel started raising popcorn on their farm nearly 30 years ago, now devoting 10 acres of crop ground to yellow and white popcorn each year, now selling 30 flavors of popcorn. Visitors learn how popcorn is grown, prepared and sold. Schlaegel’s is approximately 2 hours northwest of Kansas City. Call to schedule a tour (800.844.7494).

L: Leaf Watching at Local Parks

Autumn in Kansas City... the air is crisp, the leaves will be changing, and that means wonderful weather for a day of family fun at the park. Check out the best parks in Kansas City for fall fun for leaf watching, football tossing, and marshmallow roasting! Or enjoy a fall nature hike at one of our local nature centers:

Hike with a Naturalist Oct. 15 at 10:30 AM, Lakeside Nature Center. Free hikes, open to the public (not appropriate for children in strollers as there are rocks and logs to step over and hills and valleys to traverse). Children may hike or be carried. Naturalist give an introduction to the hike of the day and then lead the group on the trail. For more information, call 816.513.8960.
Fall Color Hike Oct. 16 from 3-4:30 PM at Maple Woods Nature Preserve in Gladstone, Missouri. Register at 816.228.3766 (Adults and Families). Stroll on the 1.4 mile trail and enjoy brilliant displays of yellows, oranges and reds of the old growth sugar maples, oaks and ash.
Babes in the Woods Oct. 18 from 10:00-11:00 AM at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Registration required at 816.228.3766 (Babes under 36 months) Explore wooded trails with your children and discover autumn colors.

M: Mysteries

I Love a Mystery

Solve a "Who Dunnit?" with a great book from our favorite mystery shop or a live comedy theater presentation at a local restaurant!

I Love a Mystery Bookstore 6614 Johnson Dr., Mission, KS. 913.432.2583 www.ILoveAMystery.com.“Not just a bookstore, it’s an experience!” reads the slogan of the I Love a Mystery Bookstore… and how true it is! Decorated as a Victorian bookshop filled with memorabilia from favorite detective games, Sherlockania and fun nooks including the office door of Sam Spade, this is one shop every avid reader should visit. The staff is able to recommend books for anyone, as you’ll soon discover mystery includes subgenres for every enthusiast. Parents love the section for children and teens featuring books from Richard Scarry’s Mystery Picture Books, classics like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and to new favorites from Anthony Horowitz and The Sisters Grimm and more. The store hosts book clubs, including many parents and teens may enjoy together. Read the full review of the I Love a Mystery Bookstore.

Murder Mystery Theater in Kansas City: If you love to play the game of Clue with your family, you'll enjoy a live Murder Mystery Theater performance or tour where you are the detective. Each of these autumn-themed performances make a great date night for parents or moms' night out:

Mystery Train of Kansas City: Mystery Dinner Theater featuring this fall's performance of, "Extra! Extra! Murder All About It!" showing September 9 – October 29. Appropriate for teens or adults. 816.813.9654 www.KCMysteryTrain.com A big shipment of valuable art is being sent in for the Colonel in 1896. Everyone is abuzz about it, when something ugly happens—a murder! Each mystery is set aboard an imaginary train with Kansas City as its historical backdrop. Guests are greeted by the conductor who provides the schedule and gives “Bribe Bucks” to use in an attempt to extract information from passengers who often carry luggage and belongings that may reveal clues. Read our full review of The Mystery Train.
History/Mystery Walking Tour of Atchison: Sept. 24 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.; Oct. 8 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.;
Oct. 15 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tickets $15/ea. This guided, informative, stroll through the streets of this beautiful old railroad town allows participants to experience a more in-depth look at the mysteries and the residents of Atchison's neighborhoods. History Mystery Tour of Atchison.
Holyfield Winery, "Murder at the Haunted Winery" Oct. 28 & 29 at 7:00. Murder Mystery dinner theater for adults 21 and over only. 913.724.WINE www.HolyfieldWinery.com

N: Nuts

Apples aren't the only autumn staple your family can harvest in the fall! Head to Lawrence where you can pick your own chestnuts at Chestnut Charlie's: (785.841.8505. http://chestnutcharlie.com/home.html). The pick your own harvest begins weekends October 1 & 2, 2011. You must make a reservation in advance! Chestnuts are gathered by hand from the ground under the trees. Schedule your pick-your-own visit by calling 785.841.8505. For more nutty fun, discover where you can find unique peanut butter menu items at KC restaurants.

O: Owls

Learn about owls, the nocturnal bird often associated with fall. Visit Lakeside Nature Center (4701 East Gregory Blvd in Swope Park) to see owls and other native wildlife. You may also view owls at the Ernie Miller Nature Center (909 North Highway 7 Olathe, KS. 913.764.7759). Or, learn about the Eagle Owl through a Wings of Love program at the Mid-Continent Public Libraries. Meet Swoop, one of the largest owls in the world with a 5' wingspan and red-orange eyes. FREE Program: Sept. 12 from 7-8pm at Lone Jack, Sept. 22 from 3-4pm at Colbern Road, Sept. 24 from 2:30-3:30pm at Excelsior Springs, Oct. 8 from 2-3pm at Blue Ridge, and Oct. 26 from 11am-noon at North Independence at the Mid-Continent Public Library website. Register in advance.

P: Pumpkins

Pumpkin Patches in the metro offer many wonderful family attractions. Corn mazes, trains, hayrides, ziplines, rides, concerts, ponies and pumpkins are just a few of the attractions are offered at Kansas City's pumpkin patches and we have your guide to the best of the best! Read the KC Pumpkin Patch Guide.

Q: Quiet fun at Home

Do you remember roasting pumpkin seeds with grandma? Making leaf rubbings in kindergarten? Jumping in piles of leaves with your brothers and sisters? Savoring the scent of mulled cider? And curling up with a bowl of popcorn and a classic book or film? Some of the best fall memories a family can enjoy are celebrated with traditions at home. Read 12 Ideas for Fall Fun at Home for fall recipes and simple ideas to celebrate the season with your children.

R: Ride the Rails

Enjoy an autumn-themed train ride with the entire family.

Rail Fan Weekend September 2nd, 3rd & 4th at the Midland Railway. Catch a train to Norwood. See how the mail used to be delivered in the Post Office car, ride on a motor car, Locomotive cab rides & more! 913.721.1211
Grandparent's Day Train Ride Sept. 11 at the Belton, Grandview & KC Railroad. Grandparents ride FREE with a paid child’s admission! Kids under three FREE every day! Call for more information: 816.331.0630
Pumpkin Express Train Ride Weekends of Oct. 15th, 22nd and 29th at the Belton, Grandview & KC Railroad. Trains depart at 12:30, 2:00, and 3:30. Kids under three FREE every day!
Maple Leaf Festival Train Rides October 15th & 16th at the Midland Railway. While visiting Baldwin City’s Famous Maple Leaf Festival, come ride a train. Beware, bandits may get us before we get back!!
Halloween Train Rides Oct. 21,22 & 28,29 at the Midland Railway. Enjoy a Train Excursion for Halloween on the Midland Railway!
Boo at the Zoo with Train Rides Oct. 29-30, 9:30am-6pm at the Kansas City Zoo. Be seen not scared at the annual trick or treating event. Enjoy the Boneville Graveyard, get your photo taken by the KCZoo Photo Club (for a small fee), Costume Parades, Scarecrow Train Express, Spooky animal shows and much more!

S: Scarecrows

He's more than Dorothy's best friend... he's also one of the ubiquitous symbols of fall and you can participate in scarecrow contests at these events:

Scarecrow Festival October 1, Shawnee City Hall. Merchants all around downtown will create and display scarecrows. Kids can participate in pumpkin painting and building their own scarecrow. www.cityofshawnee.org
Scarecrow Contest October 8, Dunn's Cider Mill. Build a scarecrow and enter to win monetary prizes at this annual event.

T: Turkeys

Take the family to Burr Oak Woods Nature Center (1401 NW Park Rd., Blue Springs) to watch wild turkeys in their native habitat. Burr Oak features five hiking trails winding through the woods, where quiet visitors observe deer, turkey and other wildlife. Inside the Nature Center, enjoy a bird watching gallery as well as hands-on exhibits for children, a native Missouri fish aquarium, and educational programs for all ages...best of all, this outing is FREE. 816.228.3766

U: Unbelievable Foods

Pumpkin Shake

Autumn is a time to celebrate the flavors of the season:

V: Villages

Shoal Creek One Room School Historic Villages depict our area's unique history and they tell the tale of harvest with fall festivals. Three favorites include:

Shoal Creek Living History Museum with over twenty buildings on eighty acres, each depicting real aspects of 19th century living. Read Shoal Creek to discover a must see in the Northland. On October 8, participate in Harvest Fest, an old fashioned County Fair. Bring your baked goods, sewing, handcrafts for judging or participate in the buffalo Chip Throwing contest! Demos on canning, gardening, quilting and other skills. $5 per person, 5 and under free. 816.792.2655.
Missouri Town 1855 is an antebellum village of homes, businesses, and buildings from the towns of western Missouri all situated on thirty acres of land. Staff and volunteers dress in period attire as they bring the town to life! Read Missouri Town to learn about this community of the 1800s. On Oct. 1 & 2, celebrate the Festival of Arts, Crafts and Music as skilled interpreters demonstrate how a small mid 19th century community would be spending an autumn’s day. Price: $9.00 per car/van; $20.00 per school/commercial bus $9.00 per car/van; $20.00 per school/commercial bus. 816.503.4860
Arrow Rock, the historic village, is a National Historic Landmark. You'll see a an old-time Country Store, the town's tiny post office, and the interesting period shops on Main Street, better known to locals as “The Boardwalk.” Oct. 8 & 9 marks the 43nd Annual Heritage Craft Festival featuring historical, lost-arts crafts demonstrated by artisans in period attire.

W: Worlds of Fun's Howl-o-Fest

Worlds of Fun Halloween Howl-O-Fest at Worlds of Fun September 17- October 30. Fall under the spell of scare-free daytime Howl-o-Fest. Kids will be charmed by the all-new Planet Spooky. Plus, they’ll love the Magical House on Boo Hill, live shows, and a costume parade. Then come back at night for grown-up Halloween scares. BONUS: Save with this exclusive Worlds of Fun Halloween coupon from KCParent! You can save $10 on All-Day Regular Admission on Saturdays OR $15 on All-Day Regular Admission on Sundays. www.worldsoffun.com

X: eXperience History

2011 marks the sesquicentennial, 150 years, of the Civil War and Kansas statehood. From mansions to battlefields, it’s a great time to visit our historical sites. Read Civil War 150th for ideas or visit the Battle of Lexington: 150th Sept. 16-18 in Lexington, MO. One of the largest commemorations of the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War in the West will take place in Lexington. The weekend will feature a Grand Parade at noon on Saturday, Sept 17 through downtown Lexington past the Lafayette County Courthouse, which still has embedded in one of its columns a cannonball fired during the battle. A full schedule of events in Lexington during the weekend will include scheduled bus tours of Civil War sites in the town; a Civil War Film Festival, a free Chautauqua entertainment tent; food, craft and souvenir vendors; living history scenarios; and the Block 42 Refreshment Garden, which will be open Friday through Sunday. Several antebellum homes in Lexington will also be open to visitors. A fullscale battle reenactment will be held at Big River Ranch, just outside Lexington, on Sunday, Sept. 18, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. www.visitlexingtonmo.com

Y and Z: Yellow Squash, Zucchini and other autumn produce

We often think of Farmers Markets as a summer tradition, but farm fresh produce is enjoyed throughout the fall as well! Yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins, apples, nuts, farm fresh cheeses, and other wares are available at over thirty farmers’ markets. They range from small markets selling exclusively organic produce to The City Market with over 140 local vendors. You can purchase fruits, vegetables, plants, herbs, homemade soaps, baked goods and even live animals. Discover Kansas City's Farmers Markets to find one in your neighborhood.