Kick off the New Year in Kansas City with 19 cool things to do across the metro. From family-friendly events to must-see museums, new attractions and more, there’s something for everyone in 2019. Check out the list below and remember to set aside January 29, National Plan for Vacation Day so you can carve out some time to discover KC Destinations!
Lansing DAZE/Brew, Blues & Bar-B-Q is on the first weekend of May in 2019. Enjoy fireworks, kids’ rides and inflatables, live music, A Ride for the Wounded’s Annual Motorcycle Show, and food/craft vendors. Watch for more details at Lansing, Kansas Happenings on Facebook!
Say hello to summer with Merriam’s Turkey Creek Festival on Saturday, May 18 at Antioch Park. This family fun festival features kids’ games, inflatables, a petting zoo, concession vendors, live music, paddle boat rides, an artisans’ expo fair and more. Learn more at www.merriam.org.tcf
Hit up the 2nd annual Merriam Drive Live on Saturday, October 5. Downtown Merriam will offer food trucks, live music and more in this fun-for-all street dance block party. Learn more at www.merriam.org
Join North Kansas City on March 16th in enjoying the 35th Annual Snake Saturday Parade and Festival! Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with one Kansas City’s favorite traditions.
Excelsior Springs’ annual Wine Festival is the perfect way to taste Missouri wines while enjoying the charms of the area! The 2019 Wine Festival will be on Saturday, June 15th.
Enjoy Team USA Men’s Soccer Gold Cup on Tuesday, June 26! Children's Mercy Park will host the final two group D games of the Gold Cup and the 2019 tournament has been expanded to 16 countries competing in four brackets. The top four seeded nations based on CONCACAF rankings each head up a group: Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States. https://www.visitkansascityks.com/event/team-usa-mens-soccer-gold-cup/5147/
Find your inner child with marbles, traditional toys, games and gifts from around the world at Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs. Artisan and owner, Bruce Breslow frequently demonstrates his marble-making talents. www.moonmarble.com
The KC Timber Challenge is a locally owned and operated permanent obstacle course located at Zip KC in Bonner Springs on over 100 wooded acres along the bluffs of the Kansas River. With six different events every year, there’s a unique experience for ALL levels of athletes from beginners and families to the elite! www.kctimberchallenge.com
Come out to Barnyard Babies! a fun, family festival and farm life experience – from barnyard babies to a tractor petting zoo, fresh produce to kiddie pedal pull contests, giant balloon animals, games and much more! https://www.aghalloffame.com/events/barnyard-babies-family-festival/
Family Fun Nights at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm -- Thursdays in June & July, 6 to 8 p.m. Includes FREE admission on Family Fun Night! Stagecoach rides are $3/person (ages 3 & up) Enjoy a different 1860s living history theme each week. Visit the Mahaffie House, see the blacksmith hammer iron, and more! Visit www.mahaffie.org each week for the activities!
Visit the Kansas City Automotive Museum located at 15095 West 116th Street in Olathe. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the museum showcases some of KC’s rich automotive history, 30 cars that rotate at least twice a year, and a drive-in area that rotates monthly. Admission is $9 for adults and children 5 & under are FREE. www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Take a little trip…or two, as you complete the KC Trips program. Enjoy sipping and savoring your way across the city with the KC Coffee Trip, or explore the region’s rich history and heritage on the KC History Trip. Complete five stops on each trip and you’ll win a prize! Learn more at www.kctrips.org
In 2019, Gardner will welcome its first new hotel in almost 20 years – the Hampton Inn & Conference Center (151 S. Cedar Niles, Gardner, KS 66030). With 80+ rooms and 8,000 square feet of meeting space, the new Hampton Inn will serve the booming business and logistics operations in Gardner & Edgerton, along with the burgeoning youth sports market. The recently opened Big Bull Creek Park is the newest AND largest park in the award-winning Johnson County Park & Recreation District. Located at 20425 Sunflower Rd. in Edgerton, this 2,060-acre park features a nature-based playground, trails, disc golf course and organized group camping. Future enhancements will include ecological restoration, loop trails, fishing / dock, off-leash dog area and more.
Noir Arts & Oddities specializes in the strange and freakish. Located at 1101 Mulberry in the West Bottoms, this spot stocks exclusive and one-of-a-kind items. In addition to selling unusual items, the shop also aims to support local artists in the Kansas City area, which includes illustrators, photographers, and creators. Check it out--open Tuesday-Sunday!
Valentine’s Day is coming and the perfect way to signify your love is to lock it down at Minor Park’s Old Red Bridge. Add your lock to the bridge, the donate your keys at specially marked boxes which will be used to create a sculpture of the iconic Monarch Butterfly that travels through Kansas City on its amazing multi-generational migration. Learn more at https://kcparks.org/places/old-red-bridge-love-locks/
Check out a live performance of the Wizard of Oz at Shawnee’s Theatre in the Park (77th & Renner Road). Running August 2-10, 2019, this beloved tale, in which a Kansas farm girl travels over the rainbow to discover the magical power of home, has been entertaining audiences for generations. Learn more at https://www.theatreinthepark.org/2019-season
Ice Cream, shakes & phosphates. OH MY! Clinton’s Soda Fountain on the Independence Square is a real historic gem! Harry Truman worked his first job at Crown Drug Store in this very building. Stop by and see what an authentic Soda Fountain can be and don’t forget to try our phosphates, ice cream, candy, pastries, coffee and so much more! http://www.clintonssodafountain.com/
The Kansas City Roller Warriors is KC’s premier all-female flat track roller derby league. What started 10 years ago as an alternative, underground game driven by a do-it-yourself ethos has grown to become a distinct sport that’s captured the hearts of men and women across the globe. Check out the 2019 schedule at http://www.kcrollerwarriors.com/