Kansas City's Spring Festival Guide
2019 Edition
From trendy boutique shopping to old fashioned county fairs, ethnic festivals with delicious delicacies and local barbecue festivals... there is something for everyone! This is your complete guide to KC's Spring Festivals
TIPS: Click the event name to visit the Festival Website for additional information! Also, some festival plans may change in inclement weather, remember to check websites and Facebook pages for updates.
Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission. Please email kristina@kcparent.com if you have an addition to this list.
Ongoing
First Fridays in the Crossroads from 7-9pm Crossroads Art District, Kansas City, MO. Art galleries, retailers and other participating art venues located in the Crossroads Art District showcase art from 7-9pm. With ample parking and an abundance of indoor and outdoor entertainment, there’s no better way to spend a night than enjoying drinks or dining at an area restaurant, followed by a stroll through the galleries and shops of KC’s heart of cultural activity. Children are welcome! However, galleries and streets tend to become crowded and most galleries cannot accommodate strollers.
Third Friday Art Walk in Englewood from 5-9pm Englewood District, Independence, MO. Englewood Station Arts District is a place of charming shops, beauty-filled art galleries, rich dining options, significant local history, and unique people.
4th Friday in Liberty from 10am-9pm in Historic Downtown Liberty, Liberty, MO. For your convenience businesses on the square will be open until 9pm every 4th Friday.
Fourth Fridays in Olathe (pictured above) from 5-8pm at Johnson County Square, 100 W. Park Street, Olathe, KS. On every Fourth Friday from May to September, more than 1,500 residents and visitors fill downtown Olathe. With food trucks, music, local shops, restaurants, and great activities for everyone, Downtown Olathe is the place for you to celebrate the end of your week on Fourth Fridays!
April 13-14
April 13 from 10am-3pm at Shoal Creek Living History Museum, 7000 NE Barry Road, Kansas City, MO. Free Family Event featuring Old Time Egg Hunt (Bring Own Basket), 19th Century Games, Fun Crafts for the Kids, Pictures with the Bunny and Shoal Creek re-enactors will bring the village to life.
Tulip Time in Topeka, April 5-28: Lake Shawnee blooms with 60,000 tulips, as well as daffodils, hyacinths and spring flowering trees. Multicolored varieties of tulips accent ornate structures, fountains and planting beds along paths through the garden and along the lake shore. Tulips at Twilight, April 12-28: This event features more than 35 lighted displays, including larger-than-life illuminated flowers and more than 40,000 multicolored tulips at Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site and Botanical Garden. The event includes live music and tours on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Turkic Food Festival April 13 from 11am-3pm at Dialogue Institute, 4215 Shawnee Dr., Kansas City, KS. You will have a chance to taste Gyro, Baklava, Turkish Pizza, stuffed flatbread and cakes. Water Marbling & personalized folded books and pottery for sale. Pre-orders for the books accepted!
Passport to India Festival (pictured above) April 14 from 10am-5pm at The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO. Passport to India Festival: a FREE colorful celebration of South and Southeast Asian art and culture with several festive dance performances, a fashion show, art activities, learning in the galleries and Indian-inspired cuisine.
Russian-American Festival April 14 from 3-7pm in Shawnee, KS. Free community event with local vendors offering hand made items, bake sale, exhibition and activities for kids. We will serve complimentary tea and coffee!
April 18-21
KCCG Earth Day Happy Hour April 18th from 5-8pm at Bier Station, 120 E. Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, MO. Kick off the 2019 Earth Day with a happy hour fundraiser for Kansas City Community Gardens! 100% of pours from a keg of Sierra Nevada will benefit KCCG! KCCG will have seeds, herb plants, and merchandise for sale along with a raffle for some great prizes!
Party for the Planet at the Zoo April 20 from 10 am - 3pm at the Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Dr., Kansas City, MO. Learn about conservation through a Dr. Seuss favorite, The Lorax. Get your photo taken with the Lorax and then catch a screening of the movie in the Auditorium at 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Also enjoy cotton candy truffula trees for a donation to conservation. Want to help the environment and save? Bring in your old cell phones, iPods, iPads, tablets, mp3 players and all accessories to be recycled, and receive $3 off regular Zoo admission and a reusable Zoo bag. Learn how to attract pollinators to your garden by making a native plant seed ball. The Little Blue River Watershed Coalition will also be presenting Blue at the Zoo including interactive, fun, and educational activities related to water quality. The zoo's famous compost, ZooManoo will also be on sale. Take home a bucket and see what it can do for your garden!
The Great Howl April 20 from 3-4pm at Cedar Cove Sanctuary, 3783 Highway K68, Louisburg, KS. In celebration of Earth Day 2019, Cedar Cove is dedicating Saturday, April 20th to the wolves by declaring it “The Cedar Cove Wolf Sanctuary " The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a regulation to take Gray Wolves off the Endangered Species List! Visit displays on wolves and sign the comment cards to be delivered to the US Fish and Wildlife Service asking them to NOT DELIST THE GRAY WOLF! Join us at 3 pm for :THE GREAT HOWL! Form a circle around the park and see howl loud we can be! ARH-WOOOOOOOO. Join us at 3:15 at the wolf enclosure for a talk on the history of wolves in the U.S. and where we are today from our resident “wolfologist” Tallan Melton. Feeding at 4 pm.
Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival (pictured above) April 20 from 10am-5pm at MCC-Longview, 500 SW Longview Road, Lee's Summit, MO. The kites of Great American Kites & Events will take flight over the lawn of the picturesque MCC-Longview campus in the heart of kite month, with awe-inspiring mega kites, power kites, stunt kites, and more including the world’s largest windsock – three stories high and 200 feet long! Especially for the kids, Flights of Fancy will feature an inflatable maze, face painting and a candy drop.
Earth Day / Arbor Day Celebration: Gardner April 20 from 11am-1pm at Winwood Park 520 N. White Drive, Gardner, KS. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of community events. This Earth Day event is not only about renewing your commitment to saving our living planet, but observing the beauty and vitality of nature. Families, organizations, church groups, and individuals of all ages are invited to be a part of this important event. After a group cleanup of the Gardner Greenway Corridor, join the Parks and Recreation Department for a free hotdog lunch in the park. RSVP today by calling (913) 856-0936.
Asian Cultural Festival Apr. 20 from 10am-6pm at Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd, Overland Park ,KS . The 6th Annual Asian Cultural Festival celebrates the cultural diversity of our communities with lots of food, performances, martial arts, fun competitions, and more!
Tulip Time in Topeka, April 5-28: Lake Shawnee blooms with 60,000 tulips, as well as daffodils, hyacinths and spring flowering trees. Multicolored varieties of tulips accent ornate structures, fountains and planting beds along paths through the garden and along the lake shore . Tulips at Twilight, April 12-28: This event features more than 35 lighted displays, including larger-than-life illuminated flowers and more than 40,000 multicolored tulips at Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site and Botanical Garden. The event includes live music and tours on Friday and Saturday evenings.
April 26-29
Arbor Day Celebration: Overland Park April 26 at Tomahawk Ridge, 11902 Lowell Ave., Overland Park, KS.The Legacy of Greenery Committee invites children in kindergarten through fourth grade who live in Overland Park to participate in the Arbor Day poster contest. Student artwork should highlight this year's theme, "Good Things Live in Trees!" and include this contest title in the artwork. Please make sure the tagline is spelled correctly. Posters are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 29.
Let's Read: A Celebration of Family Literacy April 27 from 3:30-5:30pm at Pierson Auditorium on the University of Missouri, Kansas City campus. Taye Diggs is an actor whose awards include an NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. His performance credits include motion pictures (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Chicago), stage (Rent, Wicked), and television (The Good Wife, Private Practice). Shane W. Evans is the illustrator of numerous award-winning books for children, including Underground, winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; We March, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012, and Osceola, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Together, Diggs and Evans wrote and illustrated three books: I Love You More Than..., Chocolate Me!, and Mixed Me! Diggs and Evans’ books exemplify the importance of representation, diversity, and inclusion in children’s literature through themes that embody the modern family and celebrate that which makes us unique. Literacy KC’s spring event will feature a panel discussion, meet and greet and a celebrity story time with the author and illustrator in April. The organization will also be honoring Dr. Mark Bedell, Superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, as a Community Partner for his work in leading the successful efforts toward full accreditation for the school district. Literacy KC’s Family Reading Program, Let’s Read served over 1,500 adults and supplied over 4,400 books to families in Kansas City last year. Family reading programs are important to solving the problem of illiteracy, because children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. This event will help raise funds for Literacy KC’s family reading program as well as other program and operating costs for the organization.
Annual Train Festival (pictured above) April 27 from 10am-4pm at Atchison Railroad Museum, 200 South 10th St, Atchison, KS. Family fun day with little train rides provided by the Northeast Kansas Railroaders Inc., tours of the Atchison Railroad Museum, a scavenger hunt, giveaways from Operation Life Saver, and more!
Uptown Garden Faire April 27 from 8am - 2pm at Independence Uptown Market 211 W. Truman Rd., Independence, MO. Events includes an Arbor Day celebration including Earth day, Tree City USA and Tree Line USA. Special guest Smokey the Bear! Hypertufa demonstrations as well as concrete leaf making, fairy gardens and much more.
Taste of Shawnee April 27 from 3-6pm at Shawnee Town 1929, 11501 W 57th St, Shawnee, KS. Featuring local restaurants, their fantastic food, fun and entertainment. The Taste of Shawnee is hosted by the Rotary Club of Shawnee and was created with one goal in mind, coming together as a community to share great food for a great cause.
Tulip Festival in Wamego, KS, April 27-28: Wamego, home to the Wizard of Oz Museum, celebrates spring annually with a festival featuring thousands of tulips from Holland and a large arts and craft fair in the city park where you’ll even see a Dutch-style windmill.
Tulip Time in Topeka, April 5-28: Lake Shawnee blooms with 60,000 tulips, as well as daffodils, hyacinths and spring flowering trees. Multicolored varieties of tulips accent ornate structures, fountains and planting beds along paths through the garden and along the lake shore . Tulips at Twilight, April 12-28: This event features more than 35 lighted displays, including larger-than-life illuminated flowers and more than 40,000 multicolored tulips at Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site and Botanical Garden. The event includes live music and tours on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Cherry Blossom Festival April 28 from 10am - 4pm at Uptown Market, 200 S Liberty St, Independence, MO. A wonderful way to get acquainted with the Japanese Sister City is to attend the annual Spring Cherry Blossom festival. In 1983 the Japanese Sister City Commission initiated a one day festival featuring Japanese arts, crafts and food. The event is held annually at the Roger T. Sermon Community Center. It takes place in the spring of each year. The Cherry Blossom Festival in Independence is about the shared relationship between Independence and Higashimurayama. The activities and displays assist the public in awareness of Japan as well as a way to get to know the students who are participating in the exchange program or the Alumni who have participated in the program in the past. It also encourages students in learning about the exchange program. All proceeds of the festival go to the exchange student program. It is also a great time for old friends to get together and new people to meet the Japanese Sister City Committee (JSCC). Experience Japanese culture with: Ikebana, Aikido Martial Arts Demonstration, Glendale Japanese Club performance, Japan Club of KC, Yoki (a new Japanese themed store in KC will have lots of fun items to purchase), Japanese Language School, Japanese Bazaar tables, Game Cafe and Design Living Dr. Honda, Fun Japanese landscaping ideas, and Oriental Cafe.
May 2-5
Gatsby Days May 2-5 in Excelsior Springs, MO. Each spring, Excelsior Springs travels back in time to its golden age, the Roaring ’20s. Gatsby Days is a celebration that explores the culture and history of the early 20th century with live music, original poetry, art, vintage cars and fashions. The annual festival is named for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel “The Great Gatsby,” a famous story of the Gilded Age of the 1920s.
4th Annual Pleasant Hill Railroad Days May 3-5 in Downtown Pleasant Hill Missouri, 125 Wyoming Street, Pleasant Hill, MO. This event is a street festival done as a fundraiser for The Historical Society and Museum of Pleasant Hill in which is FREE to Attend. This event is rain or shine its held mostly outdoors but trains are inside everything is handicap accessible. We will have train displays, live music thru out all 3 days, 50+ vendors,reenactments, food trucks and of course are local businesses to shop from.
Brookside Art Annual May 3-5 at Brookside District, 63rd & Wornall, Kansas City, MO. One of the KC metro's largest annual attractions right here in Brookside. Located in an eclectic neighborhood in the center of Kansas City, Brookside is just minutes from downtown, the Plaza and the southern suburbs. This is the first art show of the year and draws over 70,000 people from across the region. The focus of the show is on ART! This community loves art shows and it consistently ranks in the top 25 shows according to Art Source.
Guadalupe Centers Cinco de Mayo Fiesta May 4-5 at Guadalupe Centers, 1015 Avenida Cesar E Chavez, Kansas City, MO. The Guadalupe Centers continues to bring to the community its Cinco de Mayo Celebration!! This fundraiser not only benefits our programs, but it continues a neighborhood tradition that originally started in 1922, making it the original Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Kansas City! Growing in popularity with new attractions for the 2 day event, families can enjoy local and out of state entertainment, mariachis, folkloric dancers, food trucks, kid’s rides, petting zoo, vendors, contests, raffles and much more!
Harry's Hay Days (pictured above) May 3 & 4 in Grandview, MO. Harry's Hay Days is a celebration of President Truman's birthday and legacy. Since it lands on May 3rd and May 4th this year, the theme "May The 4th Be With You" is only fitting! HHD is truly a community event. Grandview churches, the City of Grandview, Grandview, MO Chamber of Commerce, Grandview C-4 School District, Grandview Main Street, Grandview Assistance Program, Mid-Continent Public Library, and Grandview Historical Society-Missouri all work together to make this family-friendly fun happen! Kick the weekend off with a FREE show at the Grandview Amphitheater featuring Love & Madness on Friday, May 3rd at 7pm. Grandview's Main Street serves as the backdrop to the parade, food trucks, fun & games on Saturday!
Lansing DAZE/Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q May 3-4 at Kenneth W. Bernard Park, 15650 Gilman Rd., Lansing, KS. Fireworks, BBQ, Kids' Rides & Inflatables, Live Music, Beer, Food Trucks, Cycle Show, Petting Zoo w/ Lil' Milton, Craft and other Vendors.
Children's Day & Sheep Shearing May 4 from 9am-4: 30pm at Missouri Town 1855, 8010 E. Park Road, Lee's Summit, MO. Attend the annual shearing of Missouri Town 1855’s resident flock of sheep. Skilled artisans demonstrate all aspects of wool productions from shearing, washing, carding, dyeing, spinning and weaving. Kids will dive into a pie eating contest and join in the fun of games played by their ancestors in the mid-1800s.
Polski Day May 4 at St. Joseph Church - All Saints Parish, 811 Vermont Ave, Kansas City, MO. Polish Music, food and entertainment. The Polski Day Parade which begins at 11:00 a.m., at 12th &Central, and heads east onto 8th Street, going up the wrong way on a one way street to Vermont, and ends at the church. Enjoy Polish food, music, and entertainment beginning at Noon. A special Polka mass will be held at 4:00 p.m
Kansas Food Truck Festival May 4 from 4-10pm in Lawrence, KS. This 1-day festival will feature 25+ regional food trucks with cuisine from across the world. The $10 ticket gives you access to the festival with live entertainment and proceeds benefit Just Food, the Douglas County Food Bank.
The 18th Annual Village Crawfish Festival May 4 from -11pm at St Pius X Church , 5500 Woodson Rd, Mission, KS. The 18th Annual Village Crawfish Festival, in association with the Overland Park South Rotary Club will benefit Growing Futures Early Education Center. Signs will be prominently displayed indicating area for convenient parking.
Wings over Weston May 4 from 9am-3pm at Weston Bend State Park 16600 Hwy. 45 North, Weston, MO. Wings Over Weston is the largest one-day birding festival in the Midwest with a unique niche – children. Wings Over Weston’s mission is to introduce birds, migration and the importance of conservation of habitat to children, the birders of tomorrow. The festival has more than 30 stations, including build a house or feeder, Bird Olympics, The Great Migration game, live birds from Operation Wildlife and Raptor Rehab, bird banding with Missouri River Bird Observatory, hummingbirds, face painting and more!
British Gala Festival May 4 from 10am-4pm at Ararat Event Center, 5100 Ararat Drive, Kansas City, MO. Shop for an array of British items, and learn about British businesses, services, social groups, and entertainers from around the USA. Come enjoy a variety of original British foods including: cream teas, Cornish Pasty lunches, sausage rolls, finger sandwiches, cookies, and afternoon tea.
Shawnee Open House May 4 from 10am-1pm in Downtown Shawnee, KS. The City will be hosting touch-a-truck activities, will be offering free food and fun, and have information available about City services and departments in the City Hall parking lot. In combination with City activities, the downtown open house (sponsored by the Shawnee Downtown Partnership) will boast business open houses, free kids’ activities, and a photo scavenger hunt for prizes. Businesses will have their own activities, specials and giveaways.
Arts in the Park Lawrence May 5 from 10am-5pm at South Park, 12th & Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS. Art in the Park, the annual juried outdoor exhibition of fine art and fine craft, is Lawrence’s premiere arts event and is sponsored by the Lawrence Art Guild. Featuring the highest quality work by many area artists and craftspeople, as well as continuous musical entertainment, food vendors, and family fun, Art in the Park typically attracts thousands of people. It is the Lawrence Art Guild’s primary fund-raising event.
Wanderfest! May 5 from Noon-6pm at Tower East Neighborhood, 604 E. Come explore Tower East District! Enjoy a fun day of art, crafts, music, food & drinks! Visitors will pick up a guide map, and as they explore each participating location, they'll collect stamps in their passport from each location. When finished, they can enter the raffle to win goodies from each participating organization. 31st., Kansas City, MO. Join over 15 participating businesses and organizations for music, art, crafts, food, drinks, fun! Enjoy demonstrations and tours from businesses, workshops, and artist studios not normally open to the public, along with food and drink specials from local restaurants. Shop from a wide assortment of handmade goods from craft vendors popping-up at three different locations. Other activities will include bicycle repair, you-pick herbs and veggies, caricature drawing and fun kids’ activities.
May 11-12
Country & Food Trucks Festival May 11 from 3:30-9pm in Downtown Topeka, 9th and Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS. CoreFirst Bank & Trust presents the Country & Food Truck Festival! Gather in the area of 9th and Kansas from 3:30 p.m. and hear the following acts: 4:15 p.m.: Rachel Louise Taylor. 5 p.m.: Bryton Stoll. 6:30 p.m.: Lauren Jenkins. 8 p.m. Brandon Lay.
Spring Strawberry Swing May 11 from 10am-6pm at Alexander Majors House 8201 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO. Enjoy the Midwest's favorite indie craft fair as we celebrate all things handmade at The Spring Swing! The Strawberry Swing is a highly curated, juried event where you will find 100+ handmade vendors, food trucks, live music, kid's crafts, and more!
Walk and Read May 11 from 10am-Noon at Erfurt Park 24135 W 71st St., Shawnee, KS. Join The Johnson County Library and Shawnee Parks & Recreation for a special story walk around the lake at Erfurt Park. Two stories, Beekle, by Dan Satat and The Forever Tree by Tereasa Surrat and Donna Lukas, will be on story boards around the lake for kids of all ages to enjoy. Join a few of your favorite characters from popular stories as you take the inaugural walk! The story boards will be available throughout the weekend until Sunday evening.
Lenexa Art Fair (pictured above) May 11 from 10am-7pm at Lenexa Civic Campus, 17101 W. 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, KS. The Lenexa Art Fair is the perfect outing for art enthusiasts, jazz lovers and wine or beer connoisseurs. This one-day, outdoor, juried art fair features more than 50 fine artists from the region, live jazz music throughout the day, sidewalk chalk art, children's art activities, food trucks, and a wine and craft beer tasting featuring local wineries and breweries in the evening.
May 18-19
Chalk Walk at The Concourse Fountain (pictured above) May 18-19 at The Concourse Fountain in Kessler Park, Benton Blvd. and St. John Ave., Kansas City, MO. Chalk Walk is a free, family friendly event that will transform the grey concrete sidewalks of The Concourse in Kessler Park into temporary, colorful works of art that kids, parents, amateurs and practicing artists create.
Turkey Creek Festival & Artisan’s Expo May 18 from 10am-4pm at Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, KS. Activities include a petting zoo, parakeet adventure, delicious food and unique craft vendors, music, giant inflatables and more.
Annual Troost Festival May 18 from 11am-8:30pm at 3100 Block of Troost between 31st and Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO. Festival began in 2005 to erase the dividing line and create a meeting place. Everyone is invited to celebrate their neighbors, especially the people who live, work, and worship daily in the neighborhoods surrounding Kansas City’s Troost, Prospect, and Main Corridors.
May 24-27
Lawrence Busker Festival May 24 - 26 in Lawrence, KS. Three days of family fun with some of the most talented freaks, geeks, artists and musicians around. If you want to raise your kids right you got to get them to the Busker Workshops for kids on Saturday Morning - they will learn the life-long skills of juggling, magic and balloon animals. With these skills they can begin a good busking career!
Salute to Veterans Corporation Airshow (pictured above) May 25-26 at Columbia Regional Airport, Columbia, MO. Salute to Veterans Corporation invites the public to their two-day airshow at Columbia Regional Airport over Memorial Day weekend. FREE admission and parking!
Kansas City Symphony’s Bank of America Celebration at the Station May 26 from 3-10pm at Union Station Kansas City, 30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO. Music Director Michael Stern leads the orchestra in a moving patriotic concert to celebrate Memorial Day — followed by the city’s largest fireworks display. Make it an all-day family affair with pre-concert musical acts, activities and food trucks. Blankets and lawn chairs welcome.