Many states cancel their fairs. But not in Kansas, Missouri and most KC-area counties
Update: Reversing an earlier decision, the Kansas State Fair Board voted July 13 to cancel the state fair. Read the story here.
This has been a lost spring and early summer for fairs and festivals thanks to COVID-19. That could change — despite the recent upsurge in cases in Kansas and Missouri.
With the loosening of restrictions in both states, some organizers are moving forward with plans for events later this summer and fall. In fact, area county fairs kick off this week with the Wyandotte County Fair, though it’s without entertainment or vendors.
Also still on tap are the Missouri and Kansas state fairs, neither of which has followed the leads of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and Indiana, where state fairs have been canceled. Texas joined the pile of cancellations on Tuesday.
Gov. Mike Parson said he is determined that the Missouri State Fair will take place Aug. 13-23 in Sedalia, although there will be no big-name concerts, and some livestock shows have been canceled. Still scheduled are the carnival midway, rodeo, demolition derby, truck and tractor pulls and car racing.
“The state fair has only been canceled one time in over 100 years, and it was during World War II,” Parson said at a June 11 press briefing. “As an ag governor, I guess I want to say somebody that comes from the farm, I don’t want it to be the second time on my watch that it’s canceled.”
The Kansas State Fair Board confirmed after a meeting June 30 that the fair will be held as scheduled Sept. 11-20 in Hutchinson, with some accommodations for the coronavirus. Face coverings will be required in buildings and other specified areas, there will be one-way directional lanes in buildings and the number of gates selling tickets will be limited.
Attractions will include the usual midway, livestock shows and big-name concerts such as Tracy Lawrence, Nelly and Darci Lynne Farmer.
Most county fairs in the region will be held, but several will be limited primarily to 4-H competitions and other children’s events. However, a recent revised schedule for the Johnson County Fair (July 26-Aug. 1) still included a carnival, demolition derby and concert by Travis Marvin.
Of course, nothing is set in stone.
Organizers of the SantaCaliGon Days, which annually draws up to 300,000 to the Independence Square, were committed to holding the Sept. 4-7 event. Until they weren’t. It was canceled June 29.
The other big Labor Day weekend show, the Kansas City Irish Fest at Crown Center, was canceled weeks ago, although organizers say they will put on a “series of smaller, Irish-themed, locally-focused community experiences.”
As of July 8, the Kansas City Renaissance Festival (Sept. 5-Oct. 18), the American Royal World Series of Barbecue (Sept. 17-20) and the Plaza Art Fair (Sept. 25-27) were still on.
Obviously, given the rise in COVID-19 cases, it is a fluid situation for the area’s fairs and festivals. Here is a rundown of fairs and festivals still scheduled to be held:
State fairs
▪ Missouri State Fair, Aug. 13-23, Sedalia. mostatefair.com
▪ Kansas State Fair, Sept. 11-20, Hutchinson. kansasstatefair.com
County fairs
▪ Wyandotte County Fair (no entertainment or vendors), July 7-11, 13700 Polfer Road, Kansas City, Kansas. wycofair.com
▪ Miami County Fair, July 18-26, Paola. miamicountykansasfair.com
▪ Platte County Fair, July 24-26, Tracy. plattecountyfair.com
▪ Johnson County Fair, July 26-Aug. 1, Gardner. jocokansasfair.com
▪ Leavenworth County Fair (no entertainment or commercial events), July 28-Aug. 1, Tonganoxie. leavenworthcountyfair.com
Other events
▪ Festival of Butterflies, July 24-Aug. 9, Powell Gardens. powellgardens.org
▪ Summer Swing, Aug. 1, Union Station. thestrawberryswing.org
▪ Missouri Wine & Jazz Festival, Aug. 8-9, Liberty Memorial. missouriwinejazzfest.com
▪ BBQ & Fly-in on the River, Aug. 14-15, Excelsior Springs. visitexcelsior.com
▪ Parkville Days, Aug. 21-23, English Landing Park. parkvillemo.org
▪ Block Party, Aug. 22, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. kemperart.org
▪ Kaw River Roots Festival, Aug. 28-29, Abe & Jake’s Landing. kawriverroots.com
▪ Kansas City Air Show, Sept. 5-6, New Century AirCenter. kcairshow.org
▪ Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Sept. 5-Oct. 18, Bonner Springs. kcrenfest.com
▪ Dancefestopia, Sept. 10-13, La Cygne, Kansas. dancefestopia.com
▪ Kansas City Cigar Festival, Sept 12, Diebel’s. kccigarfestival.com
▪ Spinach Festival, Sept. 12, Lenexa. lenexa.com
▪ KC Beer Fest, Sept. 12, Power & Light District. kcbeerfest.com
▪ Liberty Fall Festival, Sept. 25-27, Liberty. libertyfallfest.com
▪ Oktoberfest, Sept. 25-27, Downtown Lee’s Summit. lsoktoberfest.com
▪ Plaza Art Fair, Sept. 25-27, Country Club Plaza. plazaartfair.com
▪ Kansas City Grilled Cheese Festival, Sept. 26, Ilus Davis Park. facebook.com
▪ Overland Park Fall Festival, Sept. 26, Downtown Overland Park. downtownop.org
▪ Firewater Festival, Oct. 1-3, La Cygne. firewatermusicfestival.com
▪ Festa Italiana, Oct. 9-11 (rescheduled from July), Zona Rosa. zonarosa.com
▪ Summit Art Festival, Oct. 9-11, Downtown Lee’s Summit. summitartfest.org
▪ PorchFestKC, Oct. 10, Midtown. porchfestkc.com
▪ Kansas City Grilled Cheese & Mac Festival, Oct. 17, Berkley Riverfront Park. eventbrite.com
▪ Parkville Microbrew Fest, Oct. 17 (rescheduled from April), English Landing Park. parkvillemicrobrewfest.com
▪ Wine Festival, Oct. 17 (rescheduled from June), East Valley Park, Excelsior Springs. visitexcelsior.com
American Royal
▪ The Royal Showcase – Youth & Open Horse Show, Aug. 8-9
▪ Cutting Horse Show, Aug. 21-23
▪ American Royal World Series of Barbecue, Sept. 17-20, Kansas Speedway
▪ Youth Rodeo, Sept. 22-25
▪ PRCA Rodeo, Sept. 25-26
▪ Hunter/Jumper Show, Oct. 6-10
▪ Livestock Show, Oct. 14-25
▪ UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show, Nov, 9-14
▪ Arabian and Open Breed Horse Show, Dec. 5-6
Virtual events
▪ The Clay County 4-H Fair will have judging and other events July 9-12 and plans to showcase youth exhibits throughout Clay County in window fronts. facebook.com/claycountyfairmo.
▪ The Teddy Bear Picnic KC featuring a story time, music by Janie Next Door and the StoneLion Puppet Theatre, is set for 11 a.m. July 10 at facebook.com/kcmoparks. More information, kcparks.org.
▪ The KC Fringe Festival, which was scheduled for July 12-26, will present 35 digital entries, including three international artists. kcfringe.org.
▪ The Kansas City Jewish Film Festival, produced by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, will run online Aug. 2-19. thejkc.org.
▪ A virtual India Fest, with the 2020 theme of “Faiths, Fairs and Festivals of India,” will take place 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 23. iakc.org.
Canceled
▪ Summerfest, July 11-Aug. 1, UMKC
▪ Cass County Fair, July 14-19, Pleasant Hill
▪ Amelia Earhart Festival, July 17-18, Atchison
▪ Missouri Life Market Fair, July 18-19, Powell Gardens
▪ Kansas City’s Big Picnic, July 19, Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park and Theis Park
▪ Heartland Chamber Music Festival, July 24-Aug. 1, Johnson County Community College
▪ Heart of America Hot Dog Festival, Aug. 1, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
▪ Planet Comicon Kansas City, Aug. 14-16, Bartle Hall
▪ Kansas City Improv Festival, Aug. 16-19 and 23-25, Kick Comedy Theater
▪ Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Aug. 21-23, Swope Park
▪ Waterfest, Aug. 28-29, Excelsior Springs
▪ De Soto Days Festival, Sept. 3-5, De Soto
▪ Irish Fest, Sept. 4-6, Crown Center
▪ Lawrence Busker Festival, Sept. 4-7, Downtown Lawrence
▪ SantaCaliGon Days, Sept. 4-7, Independence Square
▪ Jesse James Festival, Sept. 11-12 and 17-20, Kearney
▪ Johnson County Old Settlers, Sept. 11-12, Downtown Olathe
▪ Sugar Creek Slavic Festival, Sept. 18-19, Mike Onka Memorial Building
▪ Festival of the Lost Township, Sept. 19, Downtown Raytown
This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Many states cancel their fairs. But not in Kansas, Missouri and most KC-area counties."