Best of September

September - the official beginning of fall! It's time for Fall Festivals, terrific exhibits, great shows, and fall fun. Our top picks for September 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.

• Festivals at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

  September Festivals at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art:

  • Deaf Cultural Festival Sept. 7: A free festival celebrating American Sign Language (ASL) during Kansas City’s Deaf Cultural Month. Explore ASL through live entertainment, hands-on art activities, storytelling, poetry and more! All are welcome. ASL interpretation, voice interpretation, and CART (live captioning) provided.
  • Native American Cultural Celebration Sept. 15: Celebrate and honor the art, dance, and music of Native Americans from across the country. Experience a variety of longstanding traditions revealed in today’s artistic expressions. Performances and Activities FREE and Open to the Public

• September 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!

  September Special Events at the Kansas City Zoo:

  • September 7: Chiefs Day at the Zoo
  • September 8: Grandparents Day (Grandparents receive free admission)
  • September 14 & 15: First Responders Appreciation Weekend
  • September 21: Run for the Tree Kangaroos (registration required)
  • September 21 & 22: Animal Athletes
  • September 28 & 29: Teacher Appreciation Weekend & Humboldt Penguin March

• 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.

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

  Rise Up: The Struggle of the Freedom Riders Sept. 17 - 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?

• September at National World War I Museum and Memorial

  Sept. Events:

  • 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
  • Day in the Life Sept. 8:  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. FREE to the public | J.C. Nichols Auditorium Lobby
  • Night at the Tower Sept. 14: Attend the fifth annual Night at the Tower event, a benefit for the National WWI Museum and Memorial. A departure from the traditional gala, guests are invited to mingle, bid on auction items and celebrate a night like no other – all to raise funds for the preservation of this national treasure in our backyard. Tickets $140 for members, $175 for non-members.
  • Hobbit Board Game Marathon Sept. 22: Celebrate International Hobbit Day with the Tolkien Society of Kansas City as they host a board game marathon, featuring Middle-earth and World War I-themed games such as The Grizzled, Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition and more! Drop-in any time from Noon to 5 p.m. and feel encouraged to BYOG (bring your own game) to test your skills on the birthday of the J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved characters, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Presented in partnership with the Tolkien Society of Kansas City. FREE to the public | J.C. Nichols Auditorium Lobby
  • Bricks and Mavericks Sept. 22: LEGO Master Builder Joe Nunnink takes flight at the Museum and Memorial with a series of interactive demonstrations on building WWI-era airplanes. Learn from the best and then create your own plane! Family-friendly demonstrations begin at 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Presented in partnership with Legoland® Discovery Center Kansas City. FREE to the public | J.C. Nichols Auditorium Lobby

• 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.

• Celebrate the Moon Landing's 50th Anniversary

  Experience the largest combined collection of Soviet-era and U.S. artifacts that tell a comprehensive story of man's race to space better than anywhere else in the world. Featuring many Apollo 11 artifacts. Explore the secrets of the universe in the planetarium. Ignite your curiosity with explosive live science demonstrations in Dr. Goddard's Lab. Learn more.

• Life Fest

  Life Fest Sept. 21 from Noon-6pm: Wouldn’t you like to know what’s going on with your kid’s behavior? Come hear Dr. Jill Rosbrugh address Anxiety, Stress, and Your Child,” and Rebecca Bolich of Brain Balance talk about The Developing Brain and How to Shape it.” Or hear a band, do yoga or watch take your kids to have photos with Sluggerrr, the face painting station or to create mandalas. Signature Psychiatric hospital is providing free counseling to all throughout the event to increase mental wellness and reduce suicides. Visit LifeFestKC.com for details.

• First Saturday at Shoal Creek Living History Museum

  First Saturdays at Shoal Creek Living History Museum (Sept. 7) 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.

• Family Events in Downtown Lee's Summit

  Downtown Lee's Summit is hosting several family-friendly events this summer!

  • Field of Dreams FREE Movie Night Sept. 12 at 8 pm: This year for our Downtown Movie Nights, we’re celebrating Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s 30th Anniversary by showing movies from 1989! Join us this season for some great throwbacks!
  • Oktoberfest Sept. 27 & 28:  Transport yourself to the heart of Munich with all the excitement of this wundervoll fall festival in downtown Lee’s Summit. Grab your lederhosen and dirndl and join 70,000 festival goers for this festival. Enjoy Kids Street, arts and crafts, German meals, beer and brat tents, the Biergarten, carnival, the Sportzelt, live entertainment, contests, a Rootbiergarten, homebrew tasting, German dancers and much more. There’s no cost to attend the festival.

• Autumn at Powell Gardens

  Trail Tales Exhibit Sept. 1- 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 Sept. 21 - 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.

• Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog

  Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog: thru Sept. 22: 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. 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!

• Expanding Oz

  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! 

• Jazz & Food Truck Festival Topeka

  Jazz & Food Truck Festival Sept. 21:  CoreFirst Bank & Trust presents the Jazz & Food Truck Festival! Gather in the area of 9th and Kansas from 3:30 p.m. Stay tuned for the music acts!

• September at National Museum of Toys and Miniatures

  September at T/m:

  • INTRODUCTION TO MICRO KNITTING WITH ALTHEA CROME Sept. 7 from 10 AM - 2:30 PM: In this workshop, you will learn how to knit with fine threads and small needles while also making a miniature knitted sampler project that you can display in a 1:12 scale basket. Students will be provided with everything required including threads, needles, patterns and a beautiful handmade basket by Brandaen Jones. Recommended optional supplies are magnifying glasses, a bright light and small, sharp scissors. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited. Public: $55, Members: $50. RSVP and prepayment are required. 816.235.8011 or bernardinih@toyandminiaturemuseum.org
  • MEET THE EXPERTS | 80 STITCHES TO THE INCH: THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD OF ALTHEA CROME Sept. 8 from 2 - 3 PM: Indiana-based Althea Crome is a self-taught fiber artist who has pioneered conceptual knitting in small scale. She makes her own knitting needles from surgical wire and uses fine silk sewing thread to achieve the tiny stitches that compose her work. As part of our Meet the Experts series, Crome will discuss how she developed her process, the challenges she faces in her work, and her career highlights, including the use of her miniature garments in the 2009 stop motion film Coraline. Included with admission. Free for members.
  • MINIATURE PAINT & SIP NIGHT FOR GROWN UPS Sept. 13 from 6-9 PM: There’s a little artist in all of us! Nurture your creativity with a gallery tour of phenomenal fine-scale miniature paintings—then sit down with a glass of wine and a tiny paintbrush in our self-guided workshop to create your own masterpiece.  Tours at 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm.  For adults ages 21+. Included with admission. Free for members.
  • HOMESCHOOL DAY Sept. 20 from 10 AM - 4 PM: A special day at the museum for our homeschool friends! Explore U.S. history by discovering how children’s toys were impacted by wartime. Collect limited-edition collector’s cards throughout the museum and join us in the Tureman Education Center to create your own paratrooper. Included with admission. Adult sponsors attending with homeschool groups on 9/20 will receive discounted admission. Free for members.

• September Shows at Carlsen Center at JCCC

  September Shows:

  • Ballet Nepantla - 'Valentina' September 7, 2019 | Yardley Hall
  • New Dance Partners The Ultimate Collaboration – two shows! 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, September 27, 2019 - September 28, 2019 | Yardley Hall

• JCPRD

  Evening in the Park

  Evening in the Park Sept. 28 from 6-10 pm:  Enjoy a free, laid-back party in the park as we say “thank you” for your support of JCPRD parks, programs, and special events. Bring your blankets, chairs, a ball or Frisbee, and enjoy time with your family and friends. Sing, dance, or relax as you listen to the M-80’s, a popular 1980’s tribute band. Then settle in to watch the iconic 80’s movie, Back to the Future, as the sun sets across the park. Food, wine & beer will be on location, so bring your wallet and ID.

• Fall Festival at Family Tree Nursery

  Fall Festival Sept. 28 & 29: It’s that time of year again! Bring the family and join us for a weekend of fun, entertainment, and great deals at our Annual Nieman Fall Festival. Shop among local vendors, enjoy delicious eats and drinks from local food trucks, and create in our garden workshops. Watch your kids have the time of their lives with our many fun and FREE activities. Most importantly, find great in-store specials amongst our fully stocked plant selection. See you soon!

• Presented by the Waldo Area Business Association

  Waldo Fall Festival

  Waldo Fall Festival: Saturday, September 21, 2019 from 10am to 5pm. This family-friendly event is a FREE neighborhood festival that includes kids rides, games, face painting, food trucks, local music, and a host of vendors to meet and mingle with throughout the day. The festival is located in the CVS parking lot at 75th Street and Wornall Road.

• Red Bridge Branch Dedication Ceremony

  Red Bridge Branch Dedication Ceremony, Presented by KC Parent: Sept. 25 from 4:30-6:30 pm. Join Library leadership, branch staff, and local officials in a “book brigade” to transfer the last few books from the old Red Bridge Branch to the new! 

  Following a brief ceremony, enjoy a visit by MCPL mascot Marty the Martian; family activities, including a mobile scavenger hunt, an “I Love My Library” selfie station, a face painter, and balloon artist; and light refreshments. All attendees will receive a $10 fine forgiveness token.

  Red Bridge Branch Scavenger Hunt: September 25–October 4

  Adults and children will enjoy getting to know their new branch by participating in this mobile scavenger hunt using the free GooseChase app. Participants have the chance to win a $50 gift card to Crow’s Coffee at Red Bridge Shopping Center.