Best Fall Festivals in Kansas City: Your Definitive 2025 Guide

When the first cool breeze rolls across Kansas City, it doesn’t just bring relief from summer—it brings excitement. Fall here is more than a season; it’s a time of connection, memory-making, and small-town magic paired with big-city energy.

Within roughly 30 miles of downtown, festivals abound: from big-ticket events to quiet community celebrations. Whether you're planning family adventures, crafting romantic date experiences, or scouting photo ops with autumnal backdrops, this guide covers it all.

Major Metro Festivals

Kansas City Renaissance Festival — Bonner Springs

When: Weekends, August 30, 2025 through October 12, 2025
Travel back in time among knights, jesters, artisans, and costumed adventurers. With over 150 vendors, archery, jousting, and mead-tasting, this immersive festival delivers a full-day experience filled with theatrical energy and medieval flair.

KC Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival — Olathe

When: Late September–end of October (weekends)
A classic fall outing with a petting zoo, corn maze, pedal karts, giant slides, zip lines, and more than 60 activities. Highlights include themed weekends like Cider Fest and Grandparents’ Weekend where seniors enter free with a child.

Overland Park Fall Festival — Downtown Overland Park

When: September 26 - 28, 2025
This free, family-focused event features artisan booths, a farmers market, live music, and kids’ zones. Compact and easy to walk, it offers a laid-back way to enjoy autumn in a festive streetscape.

Small-Town Gems That Capture Local Charm

Liberty Fall Fest — Liberty, MO

When: September 26 - 28, 2025
Centered around Liberty’s historic square, this festival offers carnival rides, live bands, a parade, food trucks, and over 200 artisans. It’s a vibrant celebration of community pride.

Gladfest — Gladstone, MO

When: October 3 - 5, 2025
A classic community event with carnival midway, parade, craft booths, live entertainment, contests, and fireworks.

Plattsburg Fall Festival — Plattsburg, MO

When: Mid‑October
Small and sweet: a town square festival with a parade, vintage car show, craft and food booths, and live music—a peaceful fall outing. Dates will be announced soon - watch the Facebook page for updates.

Smithville Octoberfest — Smithville, MO

When: October 5 - 6, 2025
A small-town version of Oktoberfest featuring live music, kids’ games, crafts, vendors, food trucks, and beautiful autumn views around historic downtown Smithville.

Shawnee Indian Mission Fall Festival — Fairway, KS

When: Saturday, October 11, 2025
On a historic site, this festival features heritage displays, first American dancers, crafts, wagon rides, and food trucks—richly cultural and beautifully scenic.

Spring Hill Fall Festival — Spring Hill, KS

When: September 27 - 28, 2025
Opening with a hometown parade, it includes live music, local food, craft vendors, and community booths, offering heartwarming small-town pride.

Weston Applefest — Weston, MO

When: October 4 - 5, 2025
Weston’s beloved celebration offers live music, craft vendors, people in costume, and all things apple—from pie to cider to dumplings—along historic streets.

BONUS: Missouri Town Living History Museum Fall Festival — Lee’s Summit, MO

When: October 4 - 5, 2025
Centered in historic Missouri Town in Lee’s Summit. Living history interpreters in period attire, along with artisans, musicians and crafters, will highlight different aspects of life in the fall of the mid-1800s. Check out our lost arts area where vendors show skills from a bygone era. Hitch a ride on a wagon, play 19th century games, shop for unique gifts, and try out delicious foods.

Cultural & Specialty Events

American Royal — Venues across KC

When: September–November
A deep dive into KC’s heritage, combining rodeo, livestock shows, equestrian events, and the barbecue competition the city is famous for.

Lenexa Chili Challenge — Lenexa, KS

When: October 10 - 11, 2025
Chili cook-off meets street festival: free samples, cornbread contests, live music, and lots of spicy, savory comfort food.

KC Irish Fest — Crown Center

When: August 29 - 31, 2025
Celtic music, Irish dancers, storytelling, food, and drink—a festive start to the season.

Heritage Celebrations Across KC Metro

Look out for smaller events celebrating German, Hispanic, Italian, Slovenian, and other cultures—each offering traditional food, music, and community pride.

GloWild Lantern Festival — Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

A must-see for lights and imagination: each year the zoo lights up a mile-long lantern walk with massive, colorful sculptures crafted from steel and silk. This fall's theme, Time Traveler, transports visitors from nineteenth-century Paris and the American Centennial to futuristic sci-fi realms—all accompanied by fall-themed lanterns, games, a hayride, pumpkin decorating, and carousel rides youtube.com+12kansascityzoo.org+12kctv5.com+12.

When: September 5 – December
Evenings: Wednesday–Sunday, 6–10 PM nightly
Tickets: Starting around $18 with early-bird pricing, $22–24 typical ($2 per ticket discount for Friends of the Zoo); combo zoo + festival passes and unlimited-season options available .

What to Expect:

Wander through illuminated lanterns and walk-through sculptures
Pumpkin decorating, hay and lantern hayrides, mini corn mazes, pedal tractors, yard games
Live dance shows called “Time Flies,” performances multiple evenings
Carousel rides and special zip-line “Flying Flamingo” ($8/ride)
Full cashless concessions featuring seasonal treats, funnel cake, hot drinks, grilled food kctv5.com+12kansascityzoo.org+12kansascityzoo.org+12 kctv5.com+2kctv5.com+2kmbc.com+2 youtube.com+1kmbc.com+1

This festival charms kids and adults alike. Insider tip: Wednesday evenings include admission to the Sobela Ocean Aquarium.

Tips for Making the Most of Fall Festival Season

Plan Ahead

Tickets for bigger events (KC Pumpkin Patch, GloWild, Renaissance Festival) sell fast. Buy early to save money and avoid lines. Use websites or apps.

Dress for the Weather

Layer clothing—KC weather can swing from warm afternoons to chilly evenings. Comfortable, weatherproof footwear is a must for grassy or muddy fields.

Choose Based on Audience

Best for families: KC Pumpkin Patch, GloWild, Shawnee Mission, Weston Applefest, Spring Hill
Great for couples/dates: GloWild, Lantern Festival, small-town strolls in Parkville or Liberty
Food-lovers: Lenexa Chili Challenge, Weston Applefest, American Royal BBQ
Culture seekers: KIFF, Renaissance Festival, cultural heritage fests

Parking & Access

Smaller towns usually offer easy, free parking
Larger events may require shuttle services (OP Festival, Liberty, KC Pumpkin Patch)
Use ride-share or carpool to simplify transport on busy weekends

Fall in Kansas City is more than just a season — it’s a collection of moments, big and small, that remind us why we love living here. Whether you’re wandering through a lantern-lit path at the zoo, savoring a slice of apple pie in Weston, cheering at a parade in Liberty, or just watching your kids climb hay bales at a pumpkin patch, these festivals invite you to slow down and soak it all in. Wherever you choose to spend your weekends this fall, I hope you find yourself surrounded by good people, good food, and all the cozy magic this season has to offer. When you’re ready to capture your memories in photos, give me a call or book today!