Kansas City's Fall Traditions

Autumn is pumpkin season in Kansas City, and that means a visit to the local pumpkin patch and corn maze for a hayride and hunting in the field to discover the perfect pumpkin. From jumping pillows to zip lines, pumpkin chomping dinosaurs to petting zoos, each patch features unique attractions. Visit www.KCParent.com for a virtual Pumpkin Patch Guide to discover the coolest attractions at each patch.

Kansas City is no longer the cow town it once was, but it holds its cowboy heritage dear with many local traditions. Most notable is the American Royal, which hosts rodeos, agricultural competitions and education through programs and the American Royal Museum. The American Royal hosts a professional rodeo every September and the world’s largest barbecue contest every October, an appropriate event for Kansas City, the barbecue capital of the nation.

Embark on a journey back in time at the annual KC Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs (weekends Sept. 5-Oct. 18). With jousting tournaments, a royal court, period costumes, village shops, food and 20 stages of entertainment, the 16-acre village is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Enjoy the crunch of crisp autumn leaves beneath your feet at local nature centers, many of them offering terrific fall events. Make it an annual tradition to attend Magic Woods at Lakeside Nature Center or visit Burr Oak Woods or Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, each offering costumed character evening events for kids. Powell Gardens hosts GLOW, an annual jack-o’-lantern walk with more than 750 carved pumpkins. Hike through the Parkville Nature Sanctuary or George Owens Nature Center.

The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead (open April-October) depicts a turn-of-the-century farm at an incredible 12-acre park with more than 200 farm animals, gardens, a dairy barn, pony rides and much more. Every autumn, they host fall-themed events for the entire family.