Celebrate autumn with apples, pumpkins, the American Royal and Fall Festivals for the entire Family. Discover our Top 10 Picks for Family Fun in September as Kansas City welcomes Ciderfest, The Greatest Show on Earth, Sprint Family Fun Days and more!
10 Top Picks for September in Kansas City!
Pops in the Park
- When, Where, What: September 5, Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park.The parking lot opens at 4:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., the orchestra takes the stage for a FREE concert. Park concessions will be available, but concert-goers are invited to bring picnic baskets and coolers along with their lawn chairs and blankets.Free. 913.831.3359 kcsymphony.org
- Why We LOVE It: Enjoy a night of wonderful music at a beautiful outdoor venue! The Theatre in the Park hosts JCPRD's annual Labor Day weekend concert featuring The Kansas City Symphony! This free event celebrates great American music - featuring familiar favorites and movie themes ranging from Pirates of the Caribbean to Star Wars! Bring your family and friends, plus blankets and lawn chairs to the park. There will also be an Instrument Petting Zoo beginning at 5:30 p.m. so children can experience a pre-concert activity where trained musicians help them try their hands at a variety of orchestral instruments.
Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey: Barnum 200 Circus
- When, Where, What: September 7-11 at the Sprint Center.$12-85/ticket (varies according to seating). BONUS: Save $5 on tickets with the code KCPARENT 816.931.3330 www.ringling.com
- Why We LOVE It: Attending the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is one of our favorite family traditions every September. This year, the circus comes roaring into town with BARNUM 200, a new jumbo-sized, un-miss-able event celebrating The Biggest Birthday Bash in Circus History! Experience an unbelievable excursion that brings together performers and characters from exotic countries all over the world. From the moment that you arrive, the momentum explodes as The Greatest Show On Earth comes to life in a way that can only be inspired by the greatest showman who ever lived.
Howl-O-Fest at Worlds of Fun
- When, Where, What: September 17- October 30 at Worlds of Fun. BONUS: Save with this exclusive Worlds of Fun Halloween coupon from KCParent! You can save $10 on All-Day Regular Admission on Saturdays OR $15 on All-Day Regular Admission on Sundays. www.worldsoffun.com
- Why We LOVE It: What could be more fun than celebrating autumn with scare-free daytime at Worlds of Fun with Snoopy and the gang? We are big fans of the new Planet Snoopy at Worlds of Fun, and it will be transformed into the all new Planet Spooky for this event. Plus, kids love the Magical House on Boo Hill, live shows, and a costume parade. Then come back at night for grown-up Halloween scares.
Sprint Family Fun Days
- When, Where, What: The monthly Sprint Family Fun Series is back on the 3rd Saturday of each month and KC Parent Magazine is proud to be a sponsor! The entire event is FREE and open to the public! It begins at 11 AM in the KC Live Block of the Power & Light District and ends at 3 PM - Rain or Shine!
- Why We LOVE It: The Sprint Family Fun Series is one of the BEST Family-Friendly events in the metro and it's FREE! The 2011 Line Up includes:
- September 17-Bubbles & Balloons-live music with the Doo Dads, Mad Science, Bubble contests and more
- October 15-Fall Festival-Hayrides, pumpkin decorating, costume contests, pumpkin patch, trick-or-treat (at Power and Light restaurants and shops)
American Royal Parade & Bar-B-Q
- When, Where, What: Parade: September 17, Downtown Kansas City. www.americanroyal.com Barbecue: Sept. 29-Oct. 2, American Royal Complex. www.americanroyal.com
- Why We LOVE It:Kick off Rodeo Season with the American Royal Parade. My girls especially enjoy the horses and live marching bands as Kansas City celebrates the rodeo! The Parade begins at Pershing St. and Grand Blvd. and ends at 14th and Main Streets at the Power & Light District. The Bar-B-Q is one of Kansas City’s biggest parties! Enjoy live entertainment, barbecue teams competing in the “World Series of Barbecue“, award-winning barbecue for the public to purchase at Taste of the Royal, Fireworks both Friday and Saturday and a festival atmosphere you won’t want to miss!
Harvest Fest at the Farmstead
- When, Where, What: September 17, 11am-3pm. Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. For sponsorship information, contact 913-634-7165. $2 admission fee/1 & under free. 913.897.2360 www.opkansas.org/Things-to-See-And-Do/Deanna-Rose-Special-Events
- Why We LOVE It: Apples and autumn... the two go hand and hand and the Farmstead knows how to celebrate the best of both at this event for the entire family. Enjoy fresh apple cider, kettle corn, apple sauce, old-fashioned fun, a bee keeper, square dancing, live music, a special appearance by Johnny Appleseed and Forest the Fox and apple themed crafts for $2.
Wild West Show: Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farmstead
- When, Where, What: Sept. 24-25, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. 913.971.5111 www.mahaffie.org
- Why We LOVE It: Step back in time for live show unlike any other. Children will enjoy panning for REAL gold, branding, roping, 19th century games and dressing up as a cowboy. Have your picture taken at an old time photography gallery. Mutton Busting returns for little tumbleweeds weighing 50 pounds and under. Watch out for stagecoach robbers and get up close with the entertainment while waiting in line for your FREE stagecoach ride sponsored by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau. You will enjoy a great weekend of Wild West Show entertainment!
80th Annual Plaza Art Fair
- When, Where, What: September 23-25, Country Club Plaza. www.countryclubplaza.com/Events/Plaza-Art-Fair
- Why We LOVE It: The Plaza Art Fair has been a celebrated Kansas City tradition for 80 years, as the streets of the Country Club Plaza are transformed into a beautiful outdoor art gallery. Children especially love the kids art workshops and interactive activities provided by local art galleries and children's museums. Artists from across the country will come together to display their fabulous artwork and attract countless art enthusiasts. A nationally-recognized event, the Plaza Art Fair features 240 Artists, 30 Plaza Restaurants, three Live Music Stages, Kids Art Workshop and the Kemper Street Museum.
Louisburg Cider Mill's Annual Ciderfest
- When, Where, What: September 24th & 25th and October 1st & 2nd, Louisburg Cider Mill. 913.837.5202 www.louisburgcidermill.com/index.html
- Why We LOVE It: Enjoy Handmade Crafts, Barbeque, Live Music, Old Fashioned Good Eats, Pumpkins and a lot of other Fun Activities! From the Pumpkin Patch to Kettle Corn, there is something for everyone in the family. Craft Fair, Fresh Cider Making, Cider Donuts, Live Music, Kids Activities, Hay Castle, Hayrides, and Farm Animal Viewing Area. This annual event offers delicious autumn fun for the whole family!
Apple Picking & Fall Festivals
- When, Where, What: September is great for a family outing to pick fresh apples at local orchards or visit an annual Fall Festival! Check out our Apple Picking Guide to find a U-Pick Farm in near you! Autumn is also the season for Fall Festivals where the flavors of apples and pumpkins abound. Read our guide to Fall Festivals in Kansas City to learn more.
- Why We LOVE It: Our city kids love the country experience of apple picking! Feast on the flavors of fall and make family memories with a day at a local fruit farm! Best of all, when you pick your own apples, you're enjoying a healthy treat for the entire family while supporting local businesses. Another favorite fall tradition is visiting the local festivals to enjoy caramel apples, cider donuts, rides, parades, live entertainment and more!
Smithsonian FREE Museum Admission Day
- When, Where, What: Visit the Smithsonian Magazine website to receive your free admission pass to Local Museums, good for Saturday, September 24 only. You must print the coupon and bring it to enjoy this offer. Smithsonian FREE Museum Day
- Why We LOVE It: Kansas City is home to many wonderful museums... what could be better than exploring them for FREE? Free admission with printed coupon only. Participating Museums in Missouri and Kansas include:
- Botanica, The Wichita Gardens
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Abilene, KS
- Exploration Place, Wichita KS
- Johnson County Museum, Shawnee, KS
- Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center, Hutchinson, KS
- Old Castle Museum, Baldwin City, KS
- Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, KS
- Quayle Bible Collection, Baldwin City, KS
- Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS
- Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS
- Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City, Shawnee, KS
- Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO
- Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Independence, MO
- St. Joseph Museums, Inc./Glore Psychiatric Museum, St. Joseph, MO
- Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Independence, MO
- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
- National Military Heritage Museum, St. Joseph, MO
- National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial, Kansas City, MO
- Puppetry Arts Institute, Independence, MO
- Remington Nature Center, St. Joseph, MO
- Toy and Miniature Museum, Kansas City, MO
Still looking for more great family fun ideas in Kansas City? Check out our Kansas City Calendar of Events and Going Places in Kansas City on KCParent.com.
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More MoKan Day Trips & Vacations!
Fall is our favorite season for Day Trips! Many of our favorite destinations are under 4 hours away and feature apple picking, pumpkin patches, historic sites, and hiking trails!
Bonus: The Little House Project: MoKan Day Trips for Little House on the Prairie Fans
- Missouri
- 20-30 Min. East: Independence: Log Cabins & Trails West
- 20-30 Min. East: Downtown Lee's Summit: The Great American Main Street
- 45 Min. Northeast: Sibley: Lewis & Clark Country
- 45-60 Min. Northwest: Parkville: Tea Parties & Shopping
- 45-60 Min. North: Liberty: Jesse James & the Historic Square
- 45-60 Min. North: Weston: Autumn Splendor
- 1 Hour North: St. Joseph: Wild West in our Backyard
- 1 Hour Northeast: Lexington: Civil War in Missouri
- 1-2 Hours North: Jamesport: Amish Country
- 2- 3 Hours South: Carthage: Classic Rt. 66 Road Trip
- 2 1/2 - 3 Hours Southeast: Springfield: Ozark Country
- 4-5 Hours South: Branson: Vacation Capital of the Midwest
- 4-5 Hours East: St. Louis: Gateway to the West
- Kansas
- 10-20 Min. West: Overland Park: Historic Downtown Overland Park
- 20-30 Min. West: Bonner Springs: Be a Kid for a Day
- 30-60 Min. South: Louisburg: Apple Cider, Star Gazing, and Pumpkins
- 30-45 Min. West: Lawrence: Eclectic College Town & Family Fun
- 30-45 Min. Northwest: Leavenworth: First City of Kansas.... Carousels, Trolleys, and History!
- 45-60 Min. Northwest: Atchison: History & Mystery
- 60-90 Min. West: Topeka: More than a Capital City
- 60-90 Min. South: Fort Scott: National Historic Site
- 3 1/2-4 Hours Southwest: Hutchinson: Soar to Outer Space