After chaos at Lee’s Summit’s Downtown Days, festival is no more, organizers say
After fights and disruptions marred Lee’s Summit’s Downtown Days over the weekend, organizers announced on Tuesday that they wouldn’t bring the event back in the future.
“With heavy hearts, we have made the decision that the 2026 Downtown Days festival will be our last,” Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s board of directors said in a statement Tuesday evening, saying that the group was prioritizing the safety of attendees, vendors, volunteers and others involved in the event.
“Over the last few years, we implemented a number of security and safety changes with the hope that this community tradition could continue,” the statement said. “Even with those changes, it was not enough to prevent what happened Saturday evening at Downtown Days.”
For years, the festival has helped to kick off summer in Lee’s Summit, and the sprawling community event packed the downtown with attendees, vendor booths and a carnival area. Organizers estimated the festival could draw as many as 80,000 people to the area over three days.
On Saturday evening, Lee’s Summit police responded to reports of fights, assaults, property damage and large groups of youths “refusing to disperse.” They called in backup from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In one incident, a child unleashed bear spray in a crowd, and in another, officers recovered a gun after chasing another youth, police said. Videos showed youths running through the event and scuffling with police before officers shooed attendees away.
Disruptions were also reported at the event in 2024 and 2025.
Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s board noted that the event began in 1989 as Old Tyme Days and was launched by business owners in an effort to boost the flagging downtown area.
“They dreamed of a place where the community gathered to celebrate, with sidewalks full of families,” the statement said. “The event was both a reason to come downtown and a way to raise funds for those early efforts, and it helped make possible hundreds of other community traditions, from Christmas tree lightings to holiday children’s parades. Those visionary business owners’ dream became the catalyst for transforming Downtown Lee’s Summit into the downtown we all love and cherish today.”
Said the board: “Though the time has come to say goodbye to Downtown Days, our dedication to that early dream does not waver. We will continue to look for ways to bring our community together and to celebrate what makes us special.”
Reaction
At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Lee’s Summit Mayor Beto Lopez hailed first responders and said their preparation “undoubtedly” helped to prevent serious injuries.
“It’s extremely unfortunate that this occurred at the end of what was otherwise a very successful, great weekend and a specific event here in downtown,” he said.
“As a community, we all have a role to play in providing a safe environment where our youth can thrive,” he said. “I would encourage all of our residents to work alongside local organizations such as Pro Deo Youth Center and Lee’s Summit CARES, which focus on positive programs, support and opportunities for young people in our community.”
Mayor Pro Tem Hillary Shields said she had been volunteering in the beer tent area and had to “duck and cover” with others at one point when a large group of youths ran down the street, causing a panic.
“It was a great event until it wasn’t,” she said.
“I understand and support their decision as our community partner to try to focus on shifting to more smaller family-friendly events, rather than this one large festival that seems to, unfortunately, be really difficult to operate safely anymore, because of the choices of a small number of people that choose to try to disrupt it,” she said.
This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 6:09 PM.
