Best of July

Experience the Best of Kansas City this summer with living history, thought-provoking exhibits, and family fun.

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.

• "Step Right Up!" at Science City

  Science City is now home to a BRAND NEW carnival-themed exhibit, "Step Right Up!"

  "Step Right Up!" is the sixth exhibit produced at Science City through the Burns & McDonnell Battle of the Brains competition. The design was inspired by the 2019 Battle of the Brains grand prize-winning students from Tonganoxie Middle School whose idea was brought to life as an amazing new $1 million exhibit! Plan your visit to Science City now! Hours are Wednesday thru Sunday 9:30am-12:30pm and 2:00pm-5:00pm. With limited capacity, please purchase tickets online in advance in order to ensure admission. Masks are required for ages five plus.

• Auschwitz Exhibition at Union Station

  Auschwitz Exhibition is a groundbreaking exhibition bringing together more than 700 original objects and 400 photographs from over 20 institutions and museums from around the world. 

  Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. is the most comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the history of Auschwitz and its role in the Holocaust ever presented in North America, and an unparalleled opportunity to confront the singular face of human evil—one that arose not long ago and not far away.

  The exhibition explores the dual identity of the camp as a physical location—the largest documented mass murder site in human history—and as a symbol of the borderless manifestation of hatred and human barbarity.

  Featuring more than 700 original objects and 400 photographs, the exhibition allows visitors to experience artifacts from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, including hundreds of personal items—such as suitcases, eyeglasses, and shoes—that belonged to survivors and victims of Auschwitz. Other artifacts include concrete posts that were part of the fence of the Auschwitz camp; fragments of an original barrack for prisoners from the Auschwitz III-Monowitz camp; a desk and other possessions of the first and the longest serving Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss; a gas mask used by the SS; Picasso’s Lithograph of Prisoner; and an original German-made Model 2 freight train car used for the deportation of Jews to the ghettos and extermination camps in occupied Poland.

• The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures

  Bridging the Gender Divide Exhibit at T/m

  Bridging the Gender Divide explores how STEM toys, once marketed primarily to boys, have evolved to encourage all children through play to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The exhibit also features engaging interactive elements, including an HO-scale working model train, arcade consoles, and a matching-game coloring book that highlights accomplishments by women in STEM over the past 200 years.

• Cedar Cove: Public Tours

  Public Tours of Cedar Cove on Saturdays & Sundays: Come meet feline friends! Experience Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory with an experienced guide. See these epic animals and learn about their characteristics and behaviors! Cedar Cove is a non-profit conservation and education center committed to the care and preservation of wildlife species and their habitats while educating the public on the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and the impending dangers of ecological collapse.

• Dragons Love Tacos

  Dragons Love Tacos at The Coterie thru Aug. 8. Based on the #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon!

  A boy and his dog are watching a TV show about dragons when a mind-blowing secret is revealed: Dragons love tacos! Chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, teeny tiny tacos, all kinds of tacos. So, the boy and his dog throw a taco party to end all taco parties for a flock of dragons. But what are the fiery consequences for eating tacos with spicy jalapeño pepper salsa?

  This hilarious, dance-filled journey into the field of Dragonology is equal parts ridiculous and delicious, and has all the ingredients for a fantastic time!

• Ernie Miller Nature Center Amphitheater Programs

  July 9, 16, 23, & 30 - Bring the family to the new amphitheater this summer for affordable entertainment and educational experiences. Preregistration required.

• Family Fun Nights at Mahaffie

  A different theme is featured each week. Thanks to support from the Mahaffie Foundation, this event is FREE to attend! Stagecoach rides are $3/person.

  We're open from 6 to 8 p.m. Check back on this website for an updated list of activities.

  • 1860s living history such as:
  • visiting the Mahaffie house,
  • Agricultural Heritage Livestock Barn
  • cookstove demonstrations
  • stagecoach rides*.
  • Activities* requiring an extra fee:
  • Stagecoach rides, all ages, $3/person ages 3 & up
  • Making an 'S' Hook in the blacksmith shop, ages 8 & up, $4/hook

  You are welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic. Please leave your pets at home.

  *Activities and schedule are subject to change.

  *Purchase activity tickets in the Heritage Center using cash, check or credit card. Activity tickets are non-refundable but can be used for other Thursday night activities. Each activity ticket is $1. 

• Family Tree Nursery Overland Park

  Family Tree Nursery is your home for Summer Gardening: FTN is loaded with trees and shrubs that are beginning to burst with color! Save on annuals, perennials, shrubs, fresh veggies, herbs, and more!

• Gnomes, Clay and Painting!

  Toddler Thursdays: On Thursdays from 10-2, Toddlers (5 and under) get to paint one of our selected items for just $10.

  Sculpt Gnomes: Ceramic Cafe is already planning our Gnome Hunt 2022!. They will need thousands of gnomes next Spring. Girls Scouts, community service groups, church groups, sports teams, corporate groups, book clubs, neighborhood groups, YOUR GROUPS are invited to come make gnomes. Groups of 8 or more are invited to make gnomes (for FREE). Ceramic Cafe will keep the gnomes and use them in next year's Gnome Hunt! 

  About Ceramica Cafe: Pottery painting and glass fusing. Walk-ins welcome. Great for birthdays and group events too. Products include bisque, stoneware, clay and glass fusion.

• Grand Carnivale at Worlds of Fun

  Tip: Enter to win FREE Tickets to Worlds of Fun with our Giveaway!

  Back for another season of AMAZING in 2021 is Grand Carnivale (July 24- Aug. 8), Kansas City’s must-see international event! Come to Worlds of Fun during summer 2021 to experience how the world kicks up its heels at our day-to-night, larger-than-life cultural celebration. You’ll be transported to AMAZING locales far and wide with authentic entertainment, delicious tastes and sips, lively games, unique crafts and traditions from nations spanning the globe. Take in the extravagant sights and sounds of our nighttime Spectacle of Color Parade, a glittering sensory spectacular of lavish floats, interactive street performers and pulsing rhythms. As the parade concludes, thunderous music builds to a crescendo and the King of Carnivale kicks off a street party filled with entertainers, an interactive dance party, scrumptious eats and so much more. Grand Carnivale is a cultural event with AMAZING fun for everyone next summer!

  Spectacle of Color Parade

  Immerse yourself in the electrifying vibe of our Spectacle of Color Parade, a joyous procession of cultural traditions from around the globe during 2021’s Grand Carnivale. Extravagantly decorated floats, mesmerizing street performers and pulsing rhythms will enchant and delight -- especially as the day slips into night and the sky radiates with a dazzling array of lights that takes on a life of its own.

  Carnivale Street Party

  As the Spectacle of Color Parade winds down, let’s gear up for a party! You’ve never been to a bash quite like our Carnivale Street Party with international music, magic and merrymaking. Glimmering, shimmering lights, high-energy live entertainment, dancing in the streets and delicious food and drinks from around the globe make Carnivale Street Party the ultimate way to end a stellar night in 2021.

  Carnivale Festive Food Options

  What pairs best with a world-class party? World-class food!  At Grand Carnivale, not only will you see and hear how the world kicks up its heels, but you’ll taste extraordinary cuisine from global cultures. Foodies will rejoice at the wide variety of scrumptious flavors and enchanting aromas. Make sure to grab a 2021 Grand Carnivale Tasting Card so you can taste the world in one night!

• Johnson County Museum staff, 2020

  Johnson County Museum

  Featuring award-winning long-term and changing exhibitions as well as public and school education programs, the Museum is a great place to spend the day learning about our county’s history and having fun in our hands-on exhibit spaces.

• Jumperoo at Urban Air

  Jumperoo Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Urban Air: This event is perfect for ages 7 & under to have some safe-fun in the park! You can join us every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9 am - 12 pm for some fun! $9.99 per child. Parents get in free. Memberships are not valid with this event. Only valid during the school year. Not valid during school breaks or holidays.

  About Urban Air: If you’re looking for the best year-round indoor amusements in Shawnee, Bonner Springs and Lenexa area, Urban Air Adventure Park is the perfect place! Along with regular weekly events, fitness classes, corporate events and special occasion rentals our facility caters to birthday parties for kids of all ages. If your group is up for a little sweat and a lot of bounce, Urban Air is the place for you. We’re not just a room full of trampolines or another neighborhood park. We’re bringing families and friends together for a hyped up, healthy dose of jumping, climbing, swinging, crawling, building, flying and dunking. Check out our attractions including our Kidzone and Urban Air Warrior Course to learn more about the generous helping of frenetic fun Urban Air brings to you. Open Jump is held daily and perfect for any age, fitness level or athletic ability. Walk-ins are welcome anytime, just show up and we will get you in!

• Linden Square Kids Fest

  July 24 | 9:00AM-1:00PM | Linden Square: Join us for a day full of fun! Games, LIVE Music, and face painting, a HUGE waterslide and so much ! This event is sure to be fun for the whole family in downtown Gladstone.

• Passport to Fun: Crown Center

  TIP: Enter to win FREE tickets to Legoland or Sea Life with our Giveaway!

  For those ready to enjoy a vacation or staycation, the Crown Center Passport to Summer Fun offers a great way to discover and experience all there is to do at Crown Center, especially for families with children. The Passport to Summer Fun booklet contains different “missions” to complete, such as grabbing a selfie with a sea turtle at SEA LIFE Aquarium, taking in a performance of "Dragons Love Tacos" at The Coterie Theatre, or eating at Crown Center’s restaurants. Each mission will have a stamp to add to the Passport when the activity requirements are met. By completing six missions, guests can earn a $25 Crown Center Gift Card, or by completing 10 missions, they can earn a $50 Crown Center Gift Card*. For promotion details and to register for a passport, visit CrownCenter.com/passport or stop by Crown Center Customer Service, Crown Center Shops, Level 2, during shop hours. Valid May 29 – Sept. 6, 2021. 816-274-8444.

• Snow Zoo

  Cool off at Snow Zoo July 10-11 at Kansas City Zoo. More than two tons of ice will be delivered to the zoo for polar bears Berlin and Nuniq to enjoy.

• Stars & Stripes Picnic

  Come celebrate Independence Day on July 3rd on Kansas City's lawn! The Museum and Memorial, in partnership with Cumulus Radio, invites the public to gather on the south side of the Museum for the Stars and Stripes Picnic. Bring your friends and family to listen to music, grab a bite to eat from a local food truck (or bring your own spread) and enjoy our iconic grounds. The main event will begin roughly around 7 p.m.; the public can gather as early as 3 p.m. for picnicking and shopping. A fireworks display will begin after dusk and last around 20 minutes.

• Tick Tock Escape Rooms

  Enjoy family time at Tick Tock Escape Games: Quality and creativity is what separates Tick Tock® from the crowd. They use sound, technology, and other special effects to bring your game to life in an immersive experience you won’t soon forget. The puzzles are well thought out and blend seamlessly into the games. Rooms are themed to transport you into another world. When you want the best experience for your groups' special event, Tick Tock is here, ready to serve. Tick Tock Escape Games is conveniently located one block east of College and Metcalf just west of the Overland Park Convention Center. 

• Shawnee Town 1929

  Time Travelers

  Time Travelers is Shawnee Town's living history program for children and families.Every Tuesday and Thursday - June 15 through August 5, 2021 - 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Wednesday July 21 - 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

  Welcome to Shawnee Town 1929 and get a peek into the world of 1920’s Shawnee, Kansas! Time Travelers takes you back to a time when everyone had at least one chicken in the pot and five in the coop, washed clothes with lye soap and a washboard, and made dinner with vegetables fresh from their garden. The grocery store had plenty of flour and toilet paper, the barber shop was never closed for a pandemic, your car could easily get serviced and filled with gas, and school was definitely in session.

• Under the Sea Exhibit at Crown Center

  Plunge into a fun, creative environment in this free exhibit that will delight kids who love to explore the deep blue sea. Discover buried treasure in a sunken pirate ship, ride a dolphin and seahorses, paddle your way to the mermaid's house, explore in the submarine, and many more aquatic adventures. It's fathoms of fun, and it's totally free! Crown Center Shops, Showplace, Level 1. Open Monday – Saturday, 10am to 6pm; Sunday, Noon to 5pm. FREE. 816-274-8444.

• Weekender at Crown Center

  WeekEnder is back with movies, bands and food trucks for 2021!

  Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks on Crown Center Square. Finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars.  Plenty of space to enjoy a movie, music, food and drinks. The festivities begin at 6 PM with the local band and food trucks.  Movies begin at approximately 9PM. 

  Admission is FREE.  Bring your blankets and lawn chairs.  Please note that pets are NOT permitted at this event.  Alcoholic beverages may not be brought in, but will be available for purchase. No glass containers.

  2021 WeekEnder Line-up:

  July 9: The Greatest Showman, sing-along version; The Suburbans

  July 16: Rudy, County Road 5

  July 23: Spider-Man: Far from Home; The Zeros

  July 30: The Princess Bride; The Accidental Moguls