Summer’s heating up and so is festival season! July brings fireworks, fairs, concerts, outdoor movies and more, perfect for making memories with family and friends. Here are some of the best ways to celebrate all month long.
Star-Spangled Night at Worlds of Fun
July 4, Worlds of Fun. Kansas City’s premier patriotic fireworks show. Experience an unforgettable fireworks display synchronized to the stirring tunes of patriotic music. Perfect for all ages, this fireworks event celebrates the spirit of our nation with a magnificent show of dazzling lights and sound. WorldsOfFun.com
Stars and Stripes Picnic
July 4, National WWI Museum and Memorial. Celebrate July Fourth on the lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial for Kansas City's official Independence Day event. Enjoy live music, shop and eat from local vendors and experience the largest fireworks display in the city. TheWorldWar.org
WeekEnder
Friday nights in July (starting July 11) and August 1, Crown Center Square. Come out early for live music, buy dinner and drinks from local food trucks and settle in with your lawn chairs or a blanket for an outdoor movie in the heart of downtown. With free admission, this is a perfect Friday evening activity out in Kansas City! CrownCenter.com
KC Nights
Saturdays and Sundays, July 12-27, Worlds of Fun. KC Nights at Worlds of Fun is the ideal hot spot for family-friendly fun, a night out with your best buds or a unique date night. Add the thrill of twilight roller coaster rides and splish-splash fun at Oceans of Fun water park, and you’ve got the ultimate KC summertime event! WorldsOfFun.com
Amelia Earhart Festival
July 17-19, Atchison, Kansas. Just a short drive north of central Kansas City, the city of Atchison celebrates Amelia Earhart's 128th birthday with three days full of festivities to honor Earhart’s legacy with music, food and crafts fair, star-filled outdoor concert, children’s activities and a “Concert in the Sky” fireworks show. VisitAtchison.com
Festival of Butterflies
July 17-Aug. 3, Powell Gardens. Festival of Butterflies invites nature enthusiasts of all ages to celebrate the Midwest’s most whimsical pollinator at Powell Gardens. Spend a day outdoors exploring tropical and native butterflies alongside stunning botanical displays. PowellGardens.org
Miami County Fair
July 19-27, Miami County Fairgrounds. Youth rodeo, carnival, races, parade, demolition derby, bike derby, dog show, horse show, pancake breakfast, concerts and more. MiamiCountyKansasFair.com
Kansas City’s Lawn Party
July 20, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. KC comes together for a fun-filled evening for all ages! In celebration of the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park and National Parks and Recreation Month, the museum teams up with Kansas City Parks and Rec to create a giant lawn party full of activities, music, food and more. Nelson-Atkins.org
Johnson County Fair
July 26-Aug. 2, Johnson County Fairgrounds. Celebrate all the best of Johnson County while preserving the agricultural heritage of the community since 1939. With numerous exhibits, vendors and livestock to visit, the Johnson County Fair is a free fair except for the carnival and nightly arena events. Don’t miss out on the fun! JoCoKansasFair.com
The Great Car Show
July 27, National World War I Museum and Memorial. Enjoy a day of fun, food trucks and vendors and some history mixed with horsepower! After visiting the display of classic cars and turbo-charged supercars, head over to the National WWI Museum. All proceeds benefit the Kansas City Automotive Museum. TheGreatCarShow.com