2011 Kansas City Area Fairs & Festivals

Summer is almost upon us – which can only mean one thing! KC’s fair and festival season is starting.

Pick a weekend, any weekend, all summer long and you’ll find a fair or festival somewhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Lots of carnivals and kids’ activities!

Get out your calendar and write these down – the 2011 Kansas City fairs and festivals schedule:

Jiggle Jam – Kansas City, MO – May 28 and May 29

Prairie Village Art Show – Prairie Village, KS – June 3 thru June 5

Old Shawnee Days – Shawnee, KS – June 2 thru June 5

Lee’s Summit Downtown Days – Lee’s Summit, MO – June 3 thru June 5

Festa Italiana – Zona Rosa, Kansas City North – June 3 thru June 5

Vaile Strawberry Festival, Vaile Mansion, Independence, MO – June 4

Sugar Creek Slavic Festival – Sugar Creek, MO – June 10 and June 11

Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival, E.H. Young Park, Riverside, MO – June 10 thru June 12

Greek Festival – St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church, Overland Park – June 17 thru June 19

Dragon Boat Festival, Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza, KCMO – June 25

Fiesta Filipina – Filipino Cultural Center, 79th St. between Antioch & Frontage in Overland Park – June 11 and June 12

Festival on the Trails, Gardner, KS – June 11

Belton (MO) Community Days, Markey Park – June 15 thru June 18 (parade on June 18)

Browne’s Irish Street Faire – Kansas City, MO – June 18

Chalk & Walk Festival, Crown Center Square, Kansas City, MO – June 18 & June 19

28th Annual Waterfest, Excelsior Springs, MO – June 24 thru June 26

KC Riverfest – Berkley Riverfront Park, KCMO – July 1 thru July 3

Serb Fest – St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, College & Greenwood (west of Pflumm), Lenexa KS – June 3 and June 4

Johnson County (MO) Fair – Warrensburg, MO – July 5 thru July 11

Cass County Fair, Pleasant Hill, MO – July 12 thru July 17

Amelia Earhart Festival – Atchison, KS – July 15 and July 16

Clocktower Art & Music Festival – downtown Overland Park, KS – June 17 and June 18

Miami County Fair, Paola, KS – July 23 thru July 30

KC Fringe Festival – various KCMO locations – July 21 thru July 31

Platte County Fair, Platte City, MO – July 20 thru July 23

5th Annual Midwest Kids Fest, Overland Park, KS – July 30 and 31, Overland Park Trade Center

Wyandotte County Fair, Kansas City, KS – July 26 thru July 30

Douglas County Fair, Lawrence, KS – August 3 thru August 6

Johnson County Fair, Gardner, KS – August 9 thru August 13 – don’t miss the rodeo, Family Fun Night or the parade!

Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO – August 11 thru August 21 – 5 & under FREE every day (kids 6 to 12, just $2); lot of free kids’ entertainment

Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens, Kingsville, MO – August 5 thru August 7 and August 12 thru August 14 – no carnival but still super cool!

Leavenworth County Fair, Tonganoxie, KS – August 9 thru August 13

Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Kansas City, MO – August 19 thru August 21

Trails West!, St. Joseph, MO – August 19 thru August 21

Parkville Days Riverfest, Parkville, MO – August 19 thru August 21

Lewis & Clark Trail Days, Buckner, MO – August 26 and August 27

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – September 1 thru September 5 – TONS of fun for kids and adults alike. If you’ve never been, you should definitely try this one!

Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, MO – September 2 thru 4 – awesome children’s area at this Crown Center event

Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – September 3 thru October 16

The 48th Annual Annunciation Greek Food Festival, Kansas City, MO – September 9 thru September 11

Old Settlers Days, Olathe, KS – September 8 thru September 10

Valley Fair Days, Grain Valley, MO – September 9 thru September 11

Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, KS – September 9 thru September 18 – Big Time Rush closes the Fair on the 18th!

Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, Blue Springs, MO – September 16 thru September 18

Zona Rosa Art Festival, Kansas City north, MO – September 16 thru September 18

Jesse James Festival, Kearney, MO – September 9 thru September 18

Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO – September 23 thru September 25 – spend some time at the Kids’ Art Workshop!

(Photos via jonathan_moreau)