15 Things to Do in Kansas City This Weekend: Sept. 25-27
The first weekend of fall has a little bit of everything: art on the Plaza, cider in Louisburg, live music, and plenty of reasons to take the kids out. If you’re looking for things to do in Kansas City this weekend, use “15 things to do in Kansas City This Weekend, The Complete Guide” to plan for September 25-27, 2026.
You’ll find dates, locations, and event links so you can make a plan fast. Check the organizer’s latest schedule before you leave, since hours, tickets, and even venue details can change.
September 25-27 events at a glance
Here’s the list first. Tap an event name for its latest details.
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 95th Annual Plaza Art Fair | Sept. 25-27 | Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, MO |
| 2. 18th & Vine Arts Festival | Sept. 25-27 | Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, Kansas City, MO |
| 3. Overland Park Fall Festival | Sept. 25-26 | Downtown Overland Park, KS |
| 4. Louisburg Ciderfest | Sept. 26-27 | Louisburg Cider Mill, Louisburg, KS |
| 5. Kansas City Renaissance Festival | Sept. 26-27 | Bonner Springs, KS |
| 6. Spring Hill Fall Festival | Sept. 26-27; confirm | Spring Hill, KS |
| 7. Liberty Fall Fest | Sept. 25-27; confirm | Historic Downtown Liberty, MO |
| 8. Family Tree Nursery’s Fall Festival | Sept. 26-27; confirm | Shawnee, KS |
| 9. Lenexa Farmers Market | Sept. 26; confirm hours | Lenexa, KS |
| 10. Royals vs. Cleveland Guardians | Sept. 25 and 27; check Sept. 26 | Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO |
| 11. Pitbull with special guest Lil Jon | Sept. 25; confirm | Riverside, MO; confirm venue |
| 12. Johnny Blue Skies and the Dark Clouds | Sept. 26; confirm | T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO; confirm |
| 13. La bohème | Sept. 25 and 27; confirm | Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO |
| 14. Hollywood Casino 400 | Sept. 27 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS |
| 15. Windborne’s The Music of Tom Petty | Sept. 26; confirm | Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO; confirm |
| Bonus: Octoberfest at Power & Light | Sept 26 at 3pm | Free admission, Power & Light District, Downtown KC, MO |
There’s plenty to choose from, but the metro is spread out. A Plaza afternoon and an 18th & Vine evening make more sense together than trying to squeeze Louisburg into the same trip.
Things to do in Kansas City this weekend: fall festivals and art
If you’ve been waiting for that first proper fall outing, these five are good places to start. Pick one to linger at rather than rushing through three.
Browse art and food at the 95th Annual Plaza Art Fair
September 25-27, Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, MO. Artists, live music, and food turn a walk around the Plaza into an easy afternoon or evening out. For another nearby art stop, consider the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and check its hours. The fair lists Friday hours of 5-9 p.m. and Sunday hours of 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Its published Saturday closing times differ, so check before making a late-night plan.
Catch music, art, and culture at the 18th & Vine Arts Festival
September 25-27, Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, Kansas City, MO. The festival brings visual art, music, fashion, film, food, and community programming to the historic jazz district, with art galleries adding to the mix. The posted hours are Friday 5-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Check the daily lineup if you’re going for a particular performance; Sunday entertainment may start later than the grounds open. Consider the nearby Blue Room Jazz Club for an evening extension, but check its schedule first.
Make a day of the Overland Park Fall Festival
September 25-26, Downtown Overland Park, KS. This is a handy pick if you want to stay in Johnson County. The listed festival hours are Friday 4-8 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., so Friday works for a shorter visit and Saturday leaves room to wander. Check the current program before promising the kids a particular activity.
Head to Louisburg for Ciderfest and a taste of fall
September 26-27, Louisburg Cider Mill, Louisburg, KS. A trip to the cider mill feels like a proper change of pace when you want to get out of town for a bit. Come ready for cider and seasonal treats, and check what’s available that day. The mill also lists another Ciderfest weekend on October 3-4.
Step into another world at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival
September 26-27, Bonner Springs, KS. Make this a full-day plan if you want jousting, performers, food, and plenty of people-watching. The festival’s regular fall schedule covers Saturday and Sunday, not Friday, September 25. Check its weekend hours and tickets, then take a look at our Kansas City Renaissance Festival guide before you go.
More Kansas City weekend plans for families and festival fans
Still weighing your options? These outings take you to different corners of the metro, with a Saturday market trip if you want something lower-key.
Celebrate the season at Spring Hill Fall Festival
September 26-27, Spring Hill, KS, pending the current schedule. Spring Hill is worth a look if your idea of a good weekend includes a small-town festival and time outdoors. Check the festival’s 2026 schedule for exact hours, activities, and where to head first. That little check matters when you’re driving down with the whole family.
Find small-town fun at Liberty Fall Fest
September 25-27, Historic Downtown Liberty, MO, pending confirmation. If you haven’t spent much time around Liberty’s downtown, a fall fest is a good excuse to go. Before you pick a day, check the event’s current map and schedule. Festival footprints can spread beyond the spot you first put into your phone.
Bring the kids to Family Tree Nursery’s Fall Festival
September 26-27, Shawnee, KS, pending confirmation. A nursery outing can be a nice way to ease into fall without committing to a whole day across town. Check Family Tree Nursery’s listing for the Shawnee location, weekend hours, and activities before you load up the car. It’s easier than explaining a changed schedule to excited kids.
Shop local at the Lenexa Farmers Market
Saturday, September 26, Lenexa, KS. Among the area’s farmers markets, this is the slow-morning option: browse what’s in season, bring something home, and leave the rest of the day open. Use the city’s dated market listing to confirm the location and hours before heading over. Bring a bag if you tend to find more than you planned.
Cheer on the Royals against the Cleveland Guardians
September 25 and 27, Kauffman Stadium, 1 Royal Way, Kansas City, MO. A ballgame gives you an entirely different kind of fall outing. Check the Royals’ full schedule and start times before buying tickets, especially if Saturday, September 26, is the day you have free. Don’t count on a Saturday game without confirming it first.
Catch a concert, opera, or race around Kansas City
For live music with a set start time, or Sunday at the speedway, these five deserve a closer look at the ticket page.
Dance along with Pitbull and special guest Lil Jon
September 25, Riverside, MO; venue details need confirmation. Pitbull and Lil Jon sound like a Friday night that won’t ask anyone to sit still. The event details supplied for this show name Morton Amphitheater, but check the live listing for the venue, time, and ticket rules before you plan your route.
See Johnny Blue Skies and the Dark Clouds live
September 26, T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO, pending confirmation. This one puts a concert night right in the downtown mix. If you’re meeting friends, settle on a place and time before everyone heads out; downtown shows have a way of turning a simple meetup into a parking conversation. Confirm the date and venue on the current event page first.
Spend an evening with La bohème at the Kauffman Center
September 25 and 27, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO, pending confirmation. If an opera night sounds better than another crowded festival, keep this one on your radar. Check the Kansas City Opera listing for performance times and available tickets. Friday and Sunday call for different plans, especially if you’re pairing the show with dinner.
Feel the speed at the Hollywood Casino 400
Sunday, September 27, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS. The Hollywood Casino 400 is the pick for anyone who’d rather hear engines than a concert encore. It’s a full race-day outing, so look at the speedway’s latest schedule and ticket information before leaving. Give yourself extra time for traffic near the track.
Hear Windborne perform the music of Tom Petty
September 26, Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO, pending confirmation. Familiar Tom Petty songs with a symphony make this an appealing Saturday-night option. Check the Kansas City Symphony ticket listing for the official show title, performance time, and seat availability. If you’re choosing between this and another concert, the start times may decide it for you.
Pick your day before you pick your route
A packed weekend looks a lot easier once you decide what kind of day you want. For a weekend trip, out-of-town visitors can use downtown options like Hotel Kansas City or Loews Kansas City Hotel as a base. You don’t need an ambitious itinerary to enjoy it.
Saturday has the most room to wander
Saturday, September 26, gives you the widest mix of daytime possibilities: the Plaza, 18th & Vine, Overland Park, Louisburg, the Renaissance Festival, and the Lenexa market. The market and Overland Park festival call for earlier starts. If you’re hoping to combine stops, choose places near each other and leave time for the drive.
An easy Johnson County day might pair Lenexa with Overland Park, if the confirmed hours work for both. Or make Louisburg your main trip and let the cider mill be enough. There’s no prize for visiting every side of the metro before dinner.
Sunday is better with one main event
Sunday, September 27, still offers art, festivals, and the Hollywood Casino 400. The Plaza Art Fair’s listed 5 p.m. close makes it a daytime plan rather than an after-dinner one. The race needs more breathing room for arrival and departure, so I’d treat it as the day’s main event.
If you’re after a slower Sunday, choose one festival and spend some time there. You can browse without checking the clock every 20 minutes, which is half the fun.
Make your Kansas City weekend plan before you head out
Check the event page again on the day you go. Look for updated hours, admission and ticket rules, weather notices, and venue information. That’s especially important for the listings above with dates or locations still to confirm. For the Plaza Art Fair, double-check Saturday hours rather than relying on a closing time you saw elsewhere.
Think about parking before you leave, too. The Plaza, 18th & Vine, downtown venues, Kauffman Stadium, and Kansas Speedway are separate trips with different traffic patterns. If you’re seeing a show, check when doors open. If you’re headed to a festival, look for the organizer’s parking guidance instead of guessing where the entrance will be.
Outdoor plans need one more glance at the forecast. Comfortable shoes help with art fairs and festivals, but a rain plan helps more. Union Station can be an indoor backup, so check its current hours before going. Pick events by area when you can, and leave a little space between them. A good KC weekend shouldn’t feel like a race across the state line.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What dates are the Kansas City events this weekend?
The guide covers Friday, September 25, through Sunday, September 27, 2026. Some events run for only one or two days, so check the listing before you go.
Which events are good for families?
The Overland Park Fall Festival, Louisburg Ciderfest, Kansas City Renaissance Festival, and Family Tree Nursery’s Fall Festival are family-friendly options. Confirm schedules, hours, and activities with each organizer before heading out.
What can I do in Kansas City on Saturday, September 26?
Saturday options include the Plaza Art Fair, 18th & Vine Arts Festival, Lenexa Farmers Market, and several fall festivals. You can also check listings for concerts and other events, but confirm dates and start times first.
Should I check event details before leaving?
Yes. Hours, tickets, venue details, and schedules can change, and several listings still need confirmation. Check the organizer’s latest information on the day you go.
Get out and enjoy the weekend
Art, cider, music, baseball, and fall festivals are all on the calendar. Pick the outing that sounds good to you, not the one that makes for the longest itinerary.
Before you leave, confirm the details with the event organizer. Then go enjoy that first fall weekend in KC.
