Best of July in Kansas City

July - the heart of summer. Kansas City knows how to celebrate with fabulous festivals, fireworks, great shows, berry picking, long days at the pool, and more. Our top picks for July in Kansas City are here.

Note: We are looking forward to each event on this list. They are numbered to correspond with their position on the map, not in order of preference. We love them all.

• Grand Carnivale at Worlds of Fun

  Experience Worlds of Fun like you never have before when myth and magic join together to create the all-new Grand Carnivale. Experience Grand Carnivale every day July 13 through August 4 beginning at 5:00 p.m. to celebrate the sights, sounds, smells and tastes from cultures around the world including India, China, Italy, France, and Germany. Indeed, the Grand Carnivale has something for everyone – from crafts and games to delectable food and drink, to live music and astounding entertainment. Take part in our Spectacle of Color interactive light parade, complete with dazzling floats, authentic music, and mesmerizing street performers. And finally, top off the night at the Carnivale Street Party, a magnificent party filled with international music and merrymaking until the park closes.

• Elephant and Piggie's "We Are In A Play" at The Coterie

  The Coterie's summer musical, Elephant and Piggie's "We are in a Play!" (showing June 11 - August 4, 2019), is a smash hit for the entire family! Throughout the show, the two friends make great memories, learn to forgive, learn to share the spotlight, and demonstrate the power of true loyalty. Audiences will love this upbeat, fun-filled show. Read our review.

• Disney V.I.P. Party + Moana Movie Night

  July 12: FREE Moana Movie Night at Summit Fair. You are invited to Summit Fair for a summer-evening celebration featuring some of our favorite Disney friends! With all the live action releases hitting the big screen this summer, Summit Fair wanted to celebrate the wonderful world of Disney! Enjoy summer movie fun, and some exciting Disney V.I.P. meet-n-greets! Starting at 8:00PM you can meet the following friends: Jasmine, Aladdin, Ariel and Moana (our featured movie)! **Bring your cameras! Additional pre-show entertainment includes face-painting, balloon art, bubbles, music, trivia, and kid friendly giveaways inspired by The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and more! PLUS – Free Topsy’s popcorn provided by Summit Fair – while supply lasts.

• July Events in Topeka

  July Events in Topeka:

  • July 4: Spirit of Kansas Blues Festival. Held at Reynolds Lodge, Lake Shawnee, in Topeka. Opening ceremonies begin at approximately 11:00 a.m., and music continues until dark.  The festival ends with a spectacular fireworks show lighting up the sky, sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings and Loan. 
  • July 16 - 19: Fiesta Mexicana. Celebrate Topeka’s Mexican culture during the 86th Annual Fiesta Mexicana. Five nights of Fiesta fun will feature traditional Mexican food, music, dancing, a Midway carnival, and a jalapeño eating contest!
  • July 27:  Rock & Food Trucks. You're invited to Downtown Topeka for the second night of the CoreFirst Bank & Trust Concert Series to hear Swift Kick, Way Too Famous, Mixtapes, and House of Lords rock the stage with the State Capitol in the background. 20+ food trucks begin serving food at 3:30 and music starts around 4.

• July at The Nelson-Atkins

  July at The Nelson-Atkins:

  • July 19: Junior Jaunts. Bring your baby in a stroller or front carrier for an adult-focused, yet infant friendly, mini museum tour. Enjoy discussion of a few favorite art galleries. No worries about loud little ones or reservations needed! Come back regularly, as the tour stops will change often. Offered every third Friday of the month. Meet near coat check in Bloch Lobby.
  • July 21: Kansas City’s Big Picnic & Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park Celebration.  Join the Nelson-Atkins and KC Parks Department for the biggest picnic in Kansas City, with live music, food trucks, giant puppets, art activities, lawn games and more. It’s fun for the entire family! 
  • Saturdays & Sundays: FREE Weekend Fun. Guests are invited every Saturday and Sunday for FREE activities for all ages! Fun Spot - Create a mixed media bracelet for you or someone special inspired by shapes and colors from nature. Gallery Activity - Hunt for details in a treasured mural as you enjoy the peacefulness of The Chinese Temple Room.

• Stonehenge at Union Station

  thru Sept. 28, 2019: Stonehenge at Union Station. Stonehenge, celebrated by scholars, writers and artists for countless generations comes to life in this large-scale exhibition, suitable for all ages and featuring multiple hands-on interactives to amplify key elements of the monument's mysteries. So much more than a massive marvel of ancient engineering, Stonehenge and it's immense stones have captured our imaginations and dared us to explore and explain prehistoric unknowns like never before. Join as we dig into these ancient mysteries and present the latest in modern discoveries. This must-see exhibition is here for a very limited time.

• July at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm

  July Events at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm:

  • Wednesdays & Thursdays at 10am: Days Out with Frank & Ella.  Learn about life in the 1860s through activities, crafts and stagecoach rides! 
  • Thursdays at 6pm: Family Fun Nights. Late night fun on Thursdays.  A different theme each week. Free admission
  • July 11 at 6pm: 1860s Independence Day Celebration Take a stagecoach ride, see what is cooking on the cookstove, watch a parade and fireworks. 

• Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog

  When you spend the day exploring the Crown Center district, one of the top picks for families with young children is the free exhibits on Level I. This year, enjoy Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog: thru Sept. 22.  Transport yourself to the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and all the residents of Birdwell Island in this exciting, interactive and FREE exhibit. Climb aboard the ferry, explore Clifford’s dog house, work together to fill Clifford’s big dog bowl and be greeted by a colossal 9-foot-high Clifford with a tail to slide down.  He won't follow you home, but the memories will!

• First Saturday at Shoal Creek Living History Museum

  First Saturdays at Shoal Creek Living History Museum (July 6 and August 3) are free fun for the entire family!  The Shoal Creek re-enactors bring the village to life with Gunfighters, Outlaws, Civil War Soldiers, and Mountain Men roaming the streets. Enjoy family fun activities and historical demonstrations of life in Missouri during the 19th century. Skits and gunfights throughout the day. Shop the Mercantile and visit the newspaper office located in the Crossroads Inn.

• July at the Kansas City Zoo

  July Events at the Kansas City Zoo:

  • July 4: Red, White & Zoo
  • July 6 & 7: Shark Awareness Weekend
  • July 13: Mizzou Day at the Zoo
  • July 13 & 14: SnowZoo
  • July 20: FOTZ Member Breakfast
  • July 27: KSU Day at the Zoo
  • July 27 & 28: Humboldt Penguin March

• Festival of Butterflies at Powell Gardens

  July's Featured Events at Powell Gardens:

  • July 27-Aug. 11: Festival of Butterflies. Enjoy this family favorite and immerse yourself in the world of butterflies native and exotic! Special programming, family-friendly activities, free expert advice each weekend (Friday-Sunday) of the festival. 
  • Special Exhibit thru July 27: Nature Connects®: Art with LEGO® Bricks. A unique exhibition featuring the LEGO® brick sculptures of artist, Sean Kenney. Explore our core gardens and encounter a dragonfly with an 8-foot wingspan, a six-foot-tall hummingbird, or a proud peacock with plumes nearly seven-feet wide!

• July Events at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead

  July Events at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead:

  • July 4: Celebrate Independence Day. This is a great way to get the entire family involved in some patriotic fun. Patriotic attire welcome. Bring your decorated bike and ride in the parade. Enjoy old fashioned games on the lawn, Patriotic Lessons (Helen's Country Schoolhouse), Chalk Walk (Apple Orchard), Pig Calling Contest (10 a.m.) on Gayle's Exploration Outpost, Bike Parade (11 a.m.), and more. 
  • July 11 at 6:30 pm: Funky Mama Concert. Sing, dance and listen to lively music at this free children's concert at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. Meet at the Prairie Pavilion.
  • July 18: FREE Finding Nemo Moo-vie at the Farmstead. Enjoy lawn games and fun pre-show. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and join us for Movie Night at the Farmstead. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. Moo-vie begins at dusk. (approx. 9:00 p.m.). Guests are invited to enjoy a FREE showing of Finding Nemo!
  • July 27:  Georgia's Chicken Run. On your mark...get set...go. Lace up those shoes because it's time for Georgia's Annual Chicken Fun Run/Walk at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead.

• July at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures

  Summer Fun at T/m:

  • July 3 & 6: Comic Book Creations 
  • July 10 & 13: Little Lights
  • July 17 & 20: Miniature Room Settings
  • July 24 & 27: Fashion Doll History
  • July 31 & August 3: Miniature Masterpieces
  • August 7 & 10: Surprise Program

  And, special exhibit, "A Space of Their Own: Dollhouses of the 20th Century" through January 6, 2020:

  Over the last 200 years, dollhouses have evolved alongside the children who played with them. In a world designed for adults, the dollhouse has provided kids with a space of their own to dream and imagine. This special exhibit will dig into T/m’s extensive collection and display some never-before-seen examples, from glittering mansions to humble bungalows. 

• July at National World War I Museum and Memorial

  July Events at National World War I Museum:

  • Hands-on History Saturdays at 11am: 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. FREE to the public | Near Paul Sunderland Bridge
  • July 8: Jazz Workshop at the American Jazz Museum. Enjoy a free workshop with an award-winning jazz quartet, Catharsis, to learn about leading WWI-era African American musician and composer James Reese Europe. 
  • July 8: Catharsis Jazz Performance. Revel in an evening of live jazz with one of the most acclaimed ensembles today, Catharsis, as they tour the Midwest. 
  • July 10: Lessons from the Paris Peace Conference.  Join Dr. Leonard V. Smith, author of Sovereignty at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, for a conversation on the 1919 Paris Peace Conference.
  • July 13: Redefining the Modern American Military. Join U.S. Army officer Nathan Finney and Air Force officer Tyrell Mayfield, co-editors of Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics, for a conversation on the evolving role of ethics in the military today. 
  • July 14: Day in the Life. The Living History Volunteer Corps will be on site to share stories of the Great War era and make history come to life! Guests will have the opportunity to ask our Living History Volunteer Corps questions and view non-accessioned WWI objects up close. 
  • July 18: Wonder Woman Screening. Grab your Lasso of Truth and join us as we present the superhero smash hit Wonder Woman on our big screen! FREE with RSVP.
  • July 19: Save a Life: Centennial Blood Drive Donation. For the first time in World War I, blood was stored for future transfusions. In recognition of this life-saving achievement, the Museum and Memorial is partnering with the Community Blood Center for a centennial donation event. Visit savealifenow.org. All those who sign up to donate receive a Royals t-shirt or two tickets to a Royals game or $5 off a purchase at MLB.com. 
  • July 21: The Great Car Show. Join the Kansas City Automotive Museum and the National WWI Museum and Memorial for a day of music, educational displays, food trucks, demonstrations, ride-alongs and… cars! Tickets start at just $5 for adults and $2 for youth. The event is rain or shine. Visit thegreatcarshow.com for more information.
  • July 30: We Return Fighting: Red Summer Remembered. Join Dr. Saje Mathieu, author of the upcoming The Glory of Their Deeds: A Global History of Black Soldiers and the Great War Era, and Cameron McWhirter, author of Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America, as they critically examine the racial, cultural and political legacies of the Red Summer. 

• Visit the Truman Library

  Visit the Truman Presidential Library in July before it closes for renovation.

  • July 4: FREE Fun on the 4th -  Celebrate America’s 243rd Independence Day. Come together and make memories with free admission to the Library and entertaining activities for all ages. The whole family will enjoy delicious, festive cookies before or after taking in the museum (while supplies last). Kids will be especially excited to spend time at Truman coloring tables stocked with patriotic coloring sheets and supplies. At 2 p.m. everyone can enjoy a screening of “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero,” the charming and true story of a canine mascot from World War I.Come celebrate the Fourth of July and enjoy the Truman Library before it closes for a massive renovation project on July 22. Admission to the museum and participation in all Fourth of July activities will be free and open to the public.
  • FREE Admission July 20-22:  July 22 is the last day to visit the Truman Library before it closes for a year-long renovation, so admission is FREE in honor of this final weekend July 20-22. Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Truman’s nomination to Vice President on July 21, celebrate the rise of our hometown president by visiting the museum one last time in its current iteration before it closes for a massive transformation.
  • Visit BEFORE July 22:  The Truman Library is launching a massive renovation of the museum and its exhibitions, the first major renovation in more than 20 years and the largest since the museum opened its doors in 1957. The museum’s last day open to the public is Monday, July 22, 2019, before the museum closes for approximately one year.