100+ Free Activities & Events in Kansas City This Summer

I was inspired by the fabulous Ashley of MommyWeek.com's Massive List of Free Things to Do in Atlanta This Summer to compile this list for Kansas City, MO locals and surrounding areas.

Although your pockets may not have to be full to have fun this summer, make sure your gas tanks are, because there's A LOT going on! :-)

Get ready...

Set...

Mark your calendars!



**Click each link (event title) for more details! Some events require pre-registration.


Museums
Missouri

• Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - Tuesday - Sunday
• First Friday Family Fun Tour - Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - June 5, July 3, Aug 7
• Tots on Tuesday - Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - June 16, July 21, Aug 18
• Scavenger Saturdays - Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - July 18, Aug 15, Sept 19
• Home Depot Kid's Workshop - first Saturday of every month
• Lowe's Build and Grow Workshops - schedules may vary by location
• Williams-Sonoma Jr. Chef Classes - every Saturday
• 1st Saturdays at Shoal Creek Living History Museum
• Money Museum at the Federal Reserve - Monday-Friday
• Kansas City Northern Railroad - Saturdays & Sundays
• Liberty Jail Historic Site - Daily
• Warkoczewski Public Observatory - On clear Friday evenings - ends Oct. 31
• Children's Peace Pavilion - Monday-Saturday. Donations accepted.

Kansas

• Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art - Tuesday-Sunday
• Moon Marble Museum - Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm
• Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead - Monday-Thursday free
• Johnson County Museum - Monday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm
• Open Hangar Days - Commemorative Air Force Hangar - Second Saturday of the months - ends September 12

Workshops
Missouri

• Hallmark's Kaleidoscope
• Free Crafts - Bass Pro Shops - Tues, Thu, Sat, Sun noon-2pm - ends July 13
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Weekend Family Activities - Every Saturday & Sunday - ends Aug. 22
• Crown Center Exhibit: Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites - ends Sept. 7

Kansas

• KidScape - Monday-Saturday
• Free Crafts - Bass Pro Shops - Tues, Thu, Sat, Sun noon-2pm
• Free Crafts for Kids - Merriam Lakeshore Learning - Every Saturday
• Sensory Time at the Johnson County Museum - Every first & third Thursday
• Home Depot Kid's Workshop - first Saturday of every month
• Lowe's Build and Grow Workshops - schedules may vary by location
• Williams-Sonoma Jr. Chef Classes - every Saturday

Reading Activities & Events
Missouri

• Story Time for Preschoolers - Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - every second Sunday
• Nature Nuts Story time - Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center  - June 6
• Story time in the Park - Wednesdays
• Mid-Continent Public Library Story time. Date and times vary by location.
• Mid-Continent Summer Reading Program - May 18 - July 31
• Mid-Continent Public Library Events Calendar
• Kansas City Public Library Summer Reading Program - May 26 - August 1
• Kansas Public Library Summer Events. Dates, times, and themes vary by location.
• Reader's World Summer Reading Program - May 31 - August 31
• Pottery Barn Weekly Story time - Tuesdays
• Nature Story Time - Independence - Thursdays - ends August 27

Kansas

• Pottery Barn Weekly Story time - Tuesdays
• Olathe Public Library Summer Reading Program
• Olathe Public Library Story Time
• Pirate Themed Book Launch Party - Lackman Library - June 25
• Johnson County Library Events calendar
• JoCo Library Story times calendar
• JoCo Library Summer Reading Program - May 1 - August 8

Splash Parks
Missouri

• Loose Park - closed on Wednesdays
• Sunnyside Park
• Longview Tract
• City Park - Liberty
• John Anderson Park - Grandview
• McCoy Park - Independence
• Rotary Park -Independence
• Ruth Moore Park - Liberty

Free Movies
Schedules & movies vary. Click each link for details.
Missouri

• Hyde Park Children's Film Fest - June 5, 12, 19, 26
• Crown Center WeekEnder - Fridays - July 17 - August 7
• Movies in the Park - Raytown - June 6, July 31, August 14, September 11
• Movie Night in the Park - NKC - May 29, June 26, July 24
• Briarcliff Trails of Our Community - Saturdays - ends August 1
• Movies on the Riverfront - August 20, September 24, October 8
• Movies in the Park - Blue Springs - June 5
• Blue Spring 8 Theater - June 1 - August 6
• Movies in the Park - Gladstone - June 19, July 17
• Summer Movies in the Park - Grain Valley - June 5, August 7, & September 25
• Movies in the Park - Grandview - June 26, July 24, August 21
• Free Summer Movies in the Park - Harrisonville - June 19, July 17, August 21
• Free Moonlight Movie on the Independence Square - Thursdays - June 11 - August 6
• Popcorn in the Park - Liberty - June 5
• Movie Night at the Park - Oak Grove (page 16) - June 5, & August 7
• Story time in the Park - July 1 - Cooley Park
• Dive-in Movie Night - Oak Grove - July 16 (swim & free movie)

Kansas

• Free Summer Movies at the Legends - Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, ends - Aug. 6
• Summer Movie Series - Gardner - June 6, July 23, August 8, September 12
• Olathe Downtown Library - Mondays - ends July 20
• Santa Fe Commons Movie in the Park - June 13, July 11, August 8

Nature
Missouri

• Hike Swope Park with a Naturalist Season Schedule
• Bugs Extravaganza - June 6 http://www.lakesidenaturecenter.org
• Storybook Trail - Grain Valley - June 5 - 14 
• Missouri's Snakes and Reptiles - Burroughs Audubon Nature Center - June 10
• Midwestern Raptors - Burroughs Audubon Nature Center - June 13
• Free Catch & Release Pond - Bass Pro Shops - June 7&8, 14&15
• Free Themed Workshops -  Bass Pro Shops - Tues, Thu, Sat, Sun noon-4pm - ends July 13
• Kids, Water, Bugs, Fish - Lakeside Nature Center - July 18th
• Heather's Art Garden, Summer Edition - July 19
• What's Out at Night - Lakeside Nature Center - August 15
• Missouri Dept. of Conservation Events - Burr Oak Woods Nature Center & Anitra B. Gorman Discovery Center
• William M. Klein Park/Cave Spring Nature Center. Donations accepted.
• Kauffman Memorial Garden
• Loose Park Rose Garden
• Shooting Arcade & Casting Challenge - Bass Pro Shops - Daily, noon-5pm
• Free BB Shooting Range - Bass Pro Shops

Kansas

• Paws in the Park at Shawnee Mission Park Beach - June 5
• A Day in the Park at Shawnee Mssn. & Kill Creek Parks - June 6
• Free Fishing, Boating, and Archery at various JCPRD parks- June 6 & 7
• Arboretum & Botanical Gardens - Tuesdays
• Free Catch & Release Pond - Bass Pro Shops - June 7&8, 14&15
• Shooting Arcade & Casting Challenge - Bass Pro Shops - Daily, noon - 5pm
• Free BB Shooting Range - Bass Pro Shop
• Free Themed Workshops and a free pin - Tues, Thu, Sat, Sun noon-4pm - ends July 13

Weekly Play-date Activities

• Popsicles in the Park - Independence - Tuesdays - ends July 21. Location varies weekly.
• Toddler Town Tour - Independence - Wednesdays - ends September 2. Location varies weekly.
• Free Homeade Ice Cream - Bass Pro Shops - Saturdays 5pm-6pm

Events & Festivals
Missouri

• Cows-n-Canvas - Chick-Fil-A Indepence - June 6 - Grades K-3 @ 8am. 4th+ @ 9am
• 39th Annual Fishing Derby - Raytown - June 6
• Liberty Arts Squared Art Festival - June 5 & 6
• Lee's Summit Downtown Days - June 5, 6, 7
• Global Family Reunion - Midwest Genealogy Center - June 6
• National Trails Day Walk - June 6
• Hike It Baby Hike Events - June 6
• KC Pet Project Star Wars Day - Zona Rosa - June 6
• Weston Kid's Day - June 7
• Story time in the Park - June 10 - Hidden Valley Park
• The 11th Annual Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival - June 13
• City Market Busker Festival - June 13
• Sprint Family Fun Days - KCP&L District - June 13
• PorchFest KC - West Plaza Neighborhood - June 13
• King Lear Production - Heart of America Shakespeare Festival - June 16-July 5
• Thimble Thursday Free Concert - Thursdays June 4 - June 18
• Kid's Day at Kenagy - Raytown - June 18 10am-1pm
• KidZone presents Family Fridays at the Frog Fountain - Zona Rosa - Friday evenings June 19-August 6
• 10th Annual Urban Kids Fishing Derby - June 20 http://kcparks.org/event/urban-kids-fishing-derby/
• Family Fun Day at the Farm - Shatto Milk Company - June 20
• 8th Annual Kansas City VisionWalk - Frank A. Theis Park - June 20
• Fiesta Kansas City - Crown Center - June 19, 20, 21 - free admission before 4pm
• Outpace Poverty 5K - National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial - June 20. Donations accepted
• Taps at the Tower - June 21 - June 27
• Independence Dragonfly Daze - June 25
• Volkerfest - June 27
• Safety Fair - Raytown - June 27
• Second Annual Future Stages Festival - Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts - June 28
• Popsicles in the Park - Grain Valley - June 16 & July 28
• Kansas City's Big Picnic 2015 - July 19
• D.A.R.E. Car Show - Zona Rosa - July 22
• StoneLion Puppets presents Fun in the Sun - Kemper Museum Atrium - August 1
• Music & Arts Festival - Raytown - August 29

Kansas

• Hike It Baby Hike Events - June 6
• Funky Mama Music - June 9. See site for full summer schedule
• Get Outdoors Lenexa - June 13
• Family Fun Day at National Frontier Trails Museums - June 13 - free outdoor activities
• Paola Heartland Car Show - June 13

COMMENT BELOW IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER EVENTS!