The gallery at Kansas City Union Station offers entertaining and educational workshops for families every Saturday. Each workshop is held twice daily and lasts just under two hours. The workshops are structured for one parent and one child to attend, but more family members can attend for an extra fee. Workshops are primarily scientific in nature and were created to be both enjoyable and educational for children, teens and adults.
Lansing, Kansas, 23 miles from Kansas City, hosts the Lansing Daze Festival in conjunction with the City's Brew, Blues and Bar-B-Que Cook-off. This is the ideal event for barbecue lovers and families who like to listen to live blues music. The cook-off covers several types of food including chicken, ribs and brisket and includes a kids' area with face painting, bouncy house and games. The festival is held annually on the first Friday of May.
Old Shawnee Town is an authentic reproduction of an old frontier town. The first weekend of June is an annual celebration of Shawnee town and way of life held by its residents in the early 1900s. Much of the entertainment is offered free to the public and includes crafts for kids, a carnival, a parade, food vendors and games. Live music features local and national recording artists.
This family event is held annually in the city of Mission, approximately eight miles from Kansas City, in early May. With a community parade, live music, food vendors and a carnival there are activities for the entire family. Other features of the Spirit Mission Days include a kids' bike rodeo, a safety fair, clowns and a rodeo. The 2011 event will host a Battle of the Bands competition as well as a family breakfast.
This event recalls Battle of Black Jack, which occurred the 1856 during the Civil War. Black Jack Park is the home of the celebration, which tells the story of John Brown and the battle, and also holds a nature park and wildlife habitat. The commemoration's highlights include a play, a musical performance, a Civil War reenactment, kids storytelling and speakers discussing the war and the role the park played. This event occurs the last weekend of June every year.
This annual event is held in July and includes live music and kids' shows, bounce houses, workshops, obstacle courses, live animal exhibits and petting zoos, story time and magicians. Children also get the opportunity to compete in contests for money and scholarships. The event also has many different vendors that families can purchase items from, ranging from food to crafts. Families can even adopt dogs or cats from the local humane society.
