Best of October

It's time for Fall Festivals, terrific exhibits, great shows, and fall fun. Our top picks for October in Kansas City are here.

Also, mark your calendar for upcoming Open Houses at Pembroke Hill School:

• Pembroke Hill Open House 10/10/19
• Pembroke Hill Open House 10/29/19

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.

• Great Pumpkin Fest at Worlds of Fun

  Sept. 14 - Oct. 27:  Head to Worlds of Fun for the ultimate fall festival - The Great Pumpkin Fest! This family-friendly event is all treats and no tricks and features special Halloween-themed activities for kids, plus PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions in Planet Snoopy! Also, don't miss out on all the fun throughout the park-like Dinosaurs Alive! and the family favorite Nordic Chaser. Note:  Planet Snoopy is not open on Friday nights and closes at 7 PM on Saturday nights.

• Walk to School Day

  Walk to School Day, Oct. 2:  We are all pedestrians at some point in our day. Walking is active transportation that can help kids establish a lifelong habit of physical activity. And teaching kids safe walking habits now will serve them well into the future. Beyond individual safety, communities with more people walking and bicycling tend to have lower crash rates for all types of travel. One reason may be that motorists drive more cautiously when they expect to encounter walkers and bicyclists. More walkers and bicyclists can also improve personal security by providing more “eyes on the street.” National Walk to School Day is Wednesday, Oct. 2.

• October Shows at Carlsen Center at JCCC

  October Shows:

  • Preston Singletary and Khu.éex’ 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 10, 2019 | Polsky Theatre
  • Russian Renaissance 8 p.m. Friday, October 11, 2019 | Polsky Theatre
  • A Night with Janis Joplin 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, October 12, 2019 | Yardley Hall
  • Illusionist Rick Thomas: ‘Nothing Happens Until You Dream!’ 8 p.m. Saturday, October 19, 2019 | Yardley Hall
  • Love Songs 8 p.m. Sat. and 2 p.m. Sun., October 19, 2019 - October 20, 2019 | Polsky Theatre
  • Maddi's Fridge 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, October 24, 2019 | Yardley Hall
  • Taj ExpressThe Bollywood Musical Revue 8 p.m. Friday, October 25, 2019 | Yardley Hall
  • Pablo Ziegler Jazz Tango Trio 8 p.m. Saturday, October 26, 2019 | Polsky Theatre
  • Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele 7 p.m. Sunday, October 27, 2019 | Yardley Hall

• Superheroes and the Curse of the Al at Burr Oak Woods

  Superheroes and the Curse of the Al on Oct. 5 at Burr Oak Woods:  If you listen carefully, you may hear the incredible story of the war between the Superheroes and the Alien Invaders! Meet the Incredible Hulk, Batman, Aqua Girl, Spiderman, Captain Marvel and even Superman along the trail as they battle against the Alien Invaders of Burr Oak Woods! Activities, crafts, prizes and refreshments included! Experts will also be available to discuss some of these troublesome exotic species. There will be something for everyone! Registration is not necessary, but you may pick up tickets for your selected time at the nature center prior to OR on the day of the performance. Trail performances begin approximately every 15 minutes from 4 PM to 7 PM. Each will last 45 minutes. The 8 PM performance will be held in the auditorium. Tickets are limited.

• Harvest Fest at Shoal Creek Living History Museum

  Harvest Fest Oct. 5 from 10am-4pm:  Are you yearning for a simpler time?  Join us for an old-fashioned County Fair.  Entertainment for all ages: Puppet Show, Historical Games, 19th Century Re-enactors bring the village to life with skits and demonstrations, Music, Face Painting, Kettle Corn, Pony Rides, Pumpkins for sale, and much more! Stop by the Questers’ concession stand to fill your belly and wet your whistle!

  Kid Safe Halloween Oct. 26 from 10am-2pm:  “Trick or treat” door to door throughout Shoal Creek village.  Wear your favorite costume and bring your treat bag.  Parents don’t forget your camera!

• Ciderfest at Louisburg Cider Mill

  Ciderfest Oct. 5 & 6: Ciderfest activities begin with the Louisburg Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Other activities include: Live music beginning at 11 a.m., cider and donut making, pony rides, and inflatable slides ongoing throughout the day until 6 p.m. Ciderfest also features craft booths, gifts & collectible vendors, and multiple BBQ and food vendors. There is no admission or parking fees to attend Ciderfest.

  Also at Ciderfest, visit our huge pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkin, experience our 10 acre corn maze, visit with farm animals, play on the hill side, enjoy the picnic areas and take advantage of the great photo opportunities we’ve set up. The Family Farm has a $10 admission, children 3 and under are free.

• Expanding Oz at Johnson County Museum

  Expanding Oz Special Exhibit thru Nov. 2:  The Wizard of Oz" has become one of the world’s most loved stories. Come explore what you don't know in the latest exhibition "Expanding Oz" at the Johnson County Museum.  See one-of-a-kind Oz memorabilia from original books to stage productions and pop culture.  And to it think it all started with one book, written by L. Frank Baum in 1900! Open regular museum hours and museum admission rates apply.  As always, museum members are free! 

• KC Games for Good at National WWI Museum and Memorial

  KC Games for Good Oct. 5 from 1-4 P.M.: Enjoy a free family festival featuring a kids’ scavenger hunt, appearances by Sluggerrr and KC Wolf, a basketball bounce house, face painting, interactive exhibits from a number of civic and community service organizations, food trucks and more. Organized by the Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club. 

• Fall Fun at Paradise Park

  Fall Harvest Days:  Weekends Sept 28 through Oct 27 Outdoor fall activities for kids and families in Kansas City. Our fall Family-Friendly Attractions at Paradise Park include three options to choose from Family Friendly Daytime Hayrides & S'mores, a Petting Zoo, and Pony Rides. It's the best kind of old-fashioned harvest days fall fun for adults, kids, groups, and families! Everything about Paradise Park has a personal touch. We are family-owned and operated, and care about every detail of your experience. Our friendly staff will do everything they can to make sure you enjoy your hayride and s'mores. Our 15 acres of fun includes lots of beautiful landscaping you'll enjoy on your hayride, and you'll enjoy the large crackling campfire, which we build for you in a work of art crafted by a local metal artist! And our environment is wholesome and family-friendly for our daytime hayrides! We have youngsters and their families in mind as we create these outdoor fall activities and things to do in the fall with friends.

  Fright Nights on weekends late Sept-Oct:  Kansas City Haunted House and Haunted Attractions at Paradise Park. Four options to choose from, Infection Laser Tag, Haunted Laser Tage Hayride, The Living Dead Haunted House and Escape the Living Dead Haunted Escape Rooms. Scares all the way through Halloween for Adults and Families!

• Autumn at Powell Gardens

  Trail Tales Exhibit thru Oct. 31:  Embark on a journey through the Gardens with Trail Tales, a literacy-in-nature project. Follow the children’s story Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move through the Perennial and David T. Beals III Woodland and Stream Garden, and enjoy interactive children’s activities that bring the story to life. Visit September 7 and show your Mid-Continent Public Library card (only one per family is needed) to receive free garden admission. This special day will include storytime led by Mid-Continent Public Library staff and a seed-bomb making activity (featuring native plant seeds) with Powell Gardens staff.

  Fall Fling thru Oct. 20:  Follow Alice down the rabbit hole and into the magical world of Wonderland where things are not always as they seem! Enjoy an artistic display of nearly 800 pumpkins and other fall botanical favorites, arranged to tell the story of Alice and her topsy turvy trip into Wonderland. Enjoy additional Garden activations, included with festival admission, on specific days.

• Rise Up: The Struggle of the Freedom Riders at The Coterie

  Rise Up: The Struggle of the Freedom Riders thru Oct. 20: Told from a modern-day perspective, four performers in 2019 tell the stories of the Freedom Riders – principled citizens riding buses across Alabama and Mississippi in 1961. The tide was turning – though many states in the South disagreed.  It would soon be illegal to segregate black Americans on public buses, in waiting rooms, or in restaurants. And yet, in the early 1960s, some cities and towns in America kept actively discriminating.  It was time to draw attention to illegal discrimination, and face terrifying violence with peaceful resistance. This is a story of everyday people becoming a civil rights movement, taking on the establishment and changing the world.  What does it mean for people to come together and rise up?   And what do we think about segregation in relation to the present? Read our review.

• Spooky Seas & More Halloween Fun at Sea Life

  Spooky Seas: October 11-31: Dive into Spooky Seas this October! Discover hidden pumpkins & more underwater throughout SEA LIFE Aquarium during this limited time only Halloween event. Make your way through the ocean to reveal a treat at the end of your journey! Tickets & event details available at: https://www.visitsealife.com/kansas-city/discover/news-events/

  Sharks After Dark: October 11 & 18: Experience SEA LIFE in a whole new life at Sharks After Dark! SEA LIFE will turn off the lights and reveal the aquarium like never before at this after-hours, adults-only event! For two nights only at SEA LIFE Aquarium, get tickets before they disappear! Tickets & event details available at: https://www.visitsealife.com/kansas-city/discover/news-events/

• Brick-or-Treat at Legoland Discover Center

  Brick-or-Treat: October 11-31: This October, bring your little monsters to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City and get into the Halloween spirit with our Brick-or-Treat event! Costumes welcome, & the first 250 guests on Saturdays & Sundays will get to "Brick-or-Treat" for a Halloween LEGO build to take home! 

• October at the Kansas City Zoo

  The Kansas City Zoo recently welcomed a four-year-old two-toed male sloth (native to South America), from the Biodome in Montreal, to its new home in the Discovery Barn!

  October Special Events at the Kansas City Zoo:

  • October 5 & 6 Hoots & Howls Featuring: Princesses
  • October 12 & 13 Hoots & Howls Featuring: Characters  from the Land of OZ
  • October 19 Brew at the Zoo (21+ event, ticket required)
  • October 19 & 20 Hoots & Howls Featuring: Characters from a galaxy far, far away
  • October 26 & 27 Boo at the Zoo 

• Halloween Fun at Summit Fair

  Summit Fair  Movie Night Double Feature Oct. 11 from 6:30PM-8:30PM:  It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown + Toy Story of Terror.  Halloween movies are our fave and Summit Fair invites you to join us for a bewitchingly fun, family movie night, double feature! Activities and giveaways will kick off at 6:30 for a half hour of tricks and treats, and movie #1 will begin at 7:00PM.The combined run-time for both movies is approximately an hour, so it won't be a late night for the littles!

  Summit Fair Safe Trick-or-Treat Oct. 31 from  4:00PM-6:00PM:  Calling all Boos and Ghouls! Monster mash your way to Summit Fair this Halloween (Thursday, October 31st) for center-wide Trick-or-Treating! Walk the shops and look for the pumpkin sign on the door of each participating merchant, and collect your treats! *Additional in-store activities and giveaways will be offered throughout the event! This event is FREE to attend. Plus, stop by the courtyard outside of Macy's for additional fun, including balloon twisting and a special VIP meet'n'greet.*This event is RAIN OR SHINE. 

• Just Between Friends Sale

  Just Between Friends Sale, Oct. 17-20: FREE Admission with our coupon! Come shop over 70,000 name-brand items, at 50-90% off retail. Save money and time, because all the best deals are found under one roof. Our Fall event will feature clothing for boys and girl, shoes, baby equipment and gear, maternity items, feeding and bathing gear, outdoor and indoor toys, electronics, books, games, strollers and so much more!

• City of Lenexa

  Lenexa Chili Challenge

  Lenexa Chili Challenge Oct. 11:  About 200 teams compete in our chili, salsa and hot wings contests in hopes of taking home the Grand Champion prize. Teams host private parties on Friday night and give out samples to everyone on Saturday. Activities include musical entertainment and JDRF Fundraising both days, fireworks on Friday night, and the Kids Kornbread Contest on Saturday.

• Genghis Khan at Union Station

  Genghis Khan Opening Oct. 24: Discover how legends are made in this world-class exhibition that explores the culture, conquests and heritage of the world’s greatest conqueror . . . the man Time Magazine and The Washington Post named "The Most Important Person of the Last Millennium."

  Journey back 800 years, to experience the treasures and stories of Genghis Khan's 13th-century Mongol Empire. Presented in Kansas City for the first time, this world tour exhibition invites your entire family into an adventure across the vast grasslands of Central Asia, among the relics of Genghis Khan's reign.

  Experience life in 13th-century Mongolia. Entering the tents, battlegrounds, and marketplaces of a vanished world. Explore Genghis Khan's life and those of his sons and grandsons during the formation, peak, and decline of the Mongol Empire.

  View rare treasures from 13th-century Mongolia; more than 200 spectacular objects dramatically displayed to illustrate this legendary story. Gold jewelry and ornaments. Silk robes, musical instruments, pottery, sophisticated weaponry, and numerous other fascinating relics and elaborate artifacts.

  Even encounter daily, authentic Mongolian live music, artisitic and dance performers. A rare cultural opportunity specific to this remarkable exhibition.

  Plan and purchase tickets now to this exotic and uniquely interactive exhibition that tells the story of Genghis Khan - his life, his land, his people, his culture, and his enduring legacy.

• Gould Evans

  Grand Opening: Olathe Indian Creek Library

  Grand Opening Olathe Indian Creek Library Oct. 19:  Celebrate the grand opening of the new Olathe Indian Creek Library (16100 W. 135th St)! In addition to specialized children, teen and adult service areas, the new 47,000 sq. ft. library will feature some unique spaces. The Collaborative Commons will house Park Street Pastry Café and a variety of seating and tables for meet-ups, studying and reading. Small meeting rooms will offer more options to collaborate and a reading room will accommodate those seeking a quiet space. A large event space will seat 250 auditorium-style for a concert or 160 at tables for a business workshop or wedding reception. The space can be converted into two rooms when needed and will have a catering kitchen for special events. The Makerspace will support equipment for creating and experimenting, such as 3D Printers, vinyl cutters, a laminator and hand tools. Instructional classes will offer customers a chance to learn new skills. For audio and visual productions, the AV Recording Studio will contain digital recording and editing software, green screen, cameras and other production equipment to produce school projects, music recordings, commercials and more. Gamers will find a room outfitted for all types of gaming with screens and projectors. Windows will fill the library with light and views of nature as the interior spaces give way to the outdoors. An outdoor courtyard and children’s reading garden will transition to a green space and connect to a new two-acre city park and playground.

• Cornucopia at KC Power & Light District

  Cornucopia Oct. 12: The first annual Cornucopia is taking the Kansas City Power & Light District by storm this fall season!  Pumpkin spice and everything nice will be at the first annual Cornucopia! Enjoy a fall filled District boasting with family-friendly activities, live entertainment, food/drink tastings and more. Cornucopia will cover three streets throughout the District and surround the KC Live! Block from 10AM to 8PM on Saturday, October 12th.

  Festivities Include:

  • Oktoberfest Live!
  • Pony Rides
  • Wine Tastings
  • Kettle Corn
  • Pumpkins for purchase
  • Art Displays
  • Bounce Houses
  • Pumpkin Spice food & drink
  • Spiked Cider
  • Petting Zoo
  • Pancake Breakfast 
  • Craft Cocktails
  • Caramel Apples
  • KC Famous BBQ
  • Cotton Candy 
  • Food Trucks
  • Funnel Cakes
  • Pumpkin Carving
  • S'mores 
  • AND MORE
  • *More to be announced*