October Festivals in Kansas City
These are a few of our favorite fall festivals. You will find a complete guide to KC’s Fall Festivals here.
Pumpkin Express Train Rides Weekends in October. Call for reservations aboard the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad. BeltonRailroad.org. Trains depart at 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30. Kids under 3 FREE every day! Call for more information: 816.331.0630.
Gladfest Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Gladstone, MO, GladstoneChamber.com/gladfest. A carnival will be open all three days for kids of all ages. Marketplace tents will be located just west of the community center and offer valuable contacts with local businesses and civic organizations. Arts and crafts vendors will be located west of city hall and south of the carnival.
Kansas City Renaissance Festival Weekends Sept. 2-Oct. 15, KCRenFest.com. Pay heed to the exploits of jousting knights on thundering steeds, roam the village shops for unique crafts, delight in comedy, music, magic and more on 20 stages of non-stop entertainment, and feast on delicious food and drinks from the far reaches of the globe! There’s something for the whole family in the enchanted 16-acre village.
The Great Pumpkin Fest Weekends thru Oct. 29, Worlds of Fun, WorldsOfFun.com. 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 plus Peanuts-themed rides and attractions in Planet Snoopy! Read our Review of The Great Pumpkin Fest.
KC Games for Good Oct. 7, National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial (100 W. 26th St., Kansas City, MO), KCGamesForGood.org. KC Games for Good is a one-day event to showcase—and celebrate—that sense of community service and civic pride for which both Kansas City and the Plaza Rotary Club are so well known.
Hoots and Howls at the Zoo First three weekends in October, Kansas City Zoo, KansasCityZoo.org. From 10:00 to 3:00, you can cruise around on a pedal tractor, navigate a hay bale maze, sing along with the interactive DJ and take a ride on the Scare-o-cel. Enjoy a hayride around the zoo and create a wild craft in the lobby. Zoo animals are joining in the fun by smashing pumpkins at scheduled times throughout the day.
Waterfire Kansas City Oct. 7, Country Club Plaza, CountryClubPlaza.com. The fragrance of aromatic wood smoke and flickering firelight of each brazier create a unique ambiance unlike anything else in Kansas City. Live vocals, dance and acrobatics will be performed by Quixotic, StoneLion Puppet Theatre, Rhythmic Flames, Kansas City Drum Tribe, Trio Forte and renowned operatic tenor Ben Gulley.
Missouri Town 1855 Festival of Arts, Crafts and Music Oct. 7-8, Missouri Town 1855. Skilled interpreters bring the antebellum living history site to life with the music, dance, games, crafts, and delicious foods of 1855. A full service food court will offer traditional festival culinary delights. Enjoy a fun-filled hay wagon ride with the entire family. Watch sorghum being harvested, ground and boiled to form exquisite syrup.
Weston Applefest Oct. 7-8, Main Street Weston, WestonMo.com. Visitors to Applefest are encouraged to come early on Saturday morning to enjoy Weston’s hometown parade along Main Street at 10:00. The Saturday parade will feature antique tractors, classic cars, fire trucks and bands. More than 60 art and craft booths will be along the downtown Main Street to peruse, and you’re also invited to browse the many unique Weston shops during your visit.
Capital City Jazz & Food Truck Festival Oct. 7, Kansas Avenue, Downtown Topeka, VisitTopeka.com. Come hungry and enjoy dozens of food truck options and great live jazz at this afternoon and evening event. With the Kansas State Capitol as a backdrop, you can’t go wrong.
Summit Art Fest Oct. 6-8, Downtown Lee's Summit, SummitArtFest.org. Music will fill the air as you wander from on artist’s booth to another. An interactive Kid’s Zone will be open for any budding artists to try their hand on an art project of their own. Food and beverages available for purchase throughout the weekend by various street vendors as well as local restaurants.
Lansing Fall Fest Oct. 14, Lansing, KS, Lansing.KS.us. Enjoy family fun in a great autumn setting. Live music, fall fun zone, local artists, food, beverages and much more. Pumpkin crafting offered as well.
Shawnee Indian Mission - Fall Festival Oct. 13-15, Shawnee Indian Mission, FairwayKansas.org. Including live musical performances from Folk Alliance International artists, outdoor vendor and artisan market, children's games and crafts, living history and first person reenactors and food trucks!
Lenexa Chili Challenge Oct. 20-21, Old Town Lenexa, Lenexa.com. About 200 teams compete in our chili, salsa and hot wings contests in hopes of taking home the grand champion prize. Activities include musical entertainment both days, fireworks on Friday night, the Kids Kornbread Contest and Hot Pepper Eating Contest on Saturday.
Glow: A Jack O’ Lantern Festival Oct 20-21, Powell Gardens, PowellGardens.org. This spooktacular annual festival features a 1-mile path of 750 expertly carved jack-o’-lanterns. The weekend also offers fall hayrides, hands-on activities and food and beverage vendors. New this year, a carnivorous plant display, a Kids Corral and an After-Glow event for adults.