Tomorrow is the first day of fall, but Mother Nature sure didn't get the memo! With temps soaring into the upper 80s, and humidity making it feel like the low 90s, nothing about Kansas City screams fall. Except for the fact that it's Fall Festival season and we as a family can't wait to participate! If you're looking for family fun, or adult outings that won't break the bank, I'm bringing my favorites to you!
Let's start with this weekend. If you don't have anything planned, and you're looking for a fun family outing, hit up the Overland Park Fall Festival in downtown OP. I love this festival. There is literally something for everyone. If you're up early, say around 7:00, hit the Farmer's Market for some amazing fresh fruits and vegetables. I love this little part of town. Not ready for a 7:00 event. No problem. We won't be either. The fall festival really kicks off with a parade at 10:00 and who doesn't love a parade. I'm a major fan of any drum line and I love tapping my foot along to the beat. McKinley has never seen a parade and I'm making sure this group is out the door and there in time to see it.
Music will follow you throughout the festival. Live bands play all day and they are awesome! Lunch with local food trucks, which we plan to do, and sit around picnic tables that are set up by the main stage. But, if you're like me and find yourself on a budge, no worries. Bring along a picnic lunch and set up camp along the grass that borders the event. Or, come after lunch and snack along the way. There are small events that take place all day long. McKinley loved the Stone Lion Puppet Theater. He laughed and participated in all the interactive play. Adults got a kick out of it as well. Find a seat along one of the many hay bales and watch your kiddo have a blast!
And if you're like me, and can't resist fried food, indulge in a funnel cake the size of your face!
But if you find yourself looking for something that's a little more adult friendly, the Plaza Art Fair is taking place this weekend as well. This is a chic, festive, hip fair that brings all the "It" people! Friday night is the night to come and party it up with all the locals. Again, you will find yourself among local food trucks, but not just any food trucks, but restaurants from the Plaza itself. The drinks are flowing and the art is impressive. But come in your favorite flats because this is not the time to sport those stilettos! On the flip side, the fair isn't just for adults. Bring the kiddos, and a stroller, as the fair during the day is a fun family outing as well. However, you may want to bring your lunch and snacks for this one as there aren't very many kid friendly places to dine. I would definitely say this can be a budget friendly outing! Unless you find a piece of art you can't live without. Then you might need to consult the bank account!
I have already started to decorate my front stoop with all my fall favorites, but what it's lacking are mums and real pumpkins. I hit up my local Michael's recently and tried to recreate a gorgeous porch I found on Pinterest. I think it turned out really cute. However, with all the faux things that are out there now, I'm dying to go pick my fresh pumpkins. And my favorite place to the take the family is Johnson Farms! Haven't been, well I'm here to gush all over this family friendly farm. We've been going yearly since McKinley was six months old! It's truly our favorite place for fall. There is an admission to get inside the farm, but once there, the kid activities are abundant. A huge school bus filled with sand creates an awesome sandbox. There is a hay maze, a huge playground, wooden structures to climb, an inflated bouncy pillow, and so much more. Walk around the barn to see all of the barnyard animals. In the past there have been piglets and baby chicks. And whatever you do, don't miss the pig race!! Check out their website for race times. And you have to make sure to measure your kiddo every year! It's tradition. (As you can see, we missed a year as sometimes they just don't want to do it!)
Johnson Farms isn't the most budget friendly place to visit, but if you decide not to pick pumpkins, there is a little bit of savings. But, it's truly the best pumpkin picking patch around! Just look at that face above.
Lastly, when looking for fall fun, we always go to Deanna Rose Farmstead. Pumpkin Hollow is the best. And the most budget friendly of all the activities. The admission to the farm is $2 a person. However, there is admission to Pumpkin Hollow and that's $8 for General Admission and $7 with a Friends of the Farmstead members. While visiting the hollow, your ticket allows kids to hop aboard the Pumpkin Hollow Express - a barrel train, pulled by a John Deere tractor, get lost in the corn maze, climb a hay pyramid, slide down the giant hay slide, and choose a pumpkin to take home. Seriously, this is so much fun and a place that McKinley visits more than once!
And during the weekend of October 20-21, you can visit the farm at night! Their Night of the Living Farm is super cool and not scary! We went for the first time last year and had a ball! Definitely something to add to the calendar.
You can literally pack your calendar for the next several weekends, or through the entire month of October, with all the fun things to do around the metro. Some places I didn't touch on are Worlds of Fun, the Kansas City Zoo, Louisburg Cider Mill, Weston's Red Barn Farm, and the KC Pumpkin Patch.
Again, if you're working on a budget during the fall festival season, don't fret. You can head to some of these places in the morning in order to make it home for a family lunch. Or come with a picnic lunch and make it a family blanket dining experience. The zoo, cider mill, and Red Barn farm are perfect for picnics! If you have a family membership to places like World of Fun, the zoo, or Deanna Rose, you know that your admission is already taken care of. You're just paying for the few extras you plan to do that day. Or just pick one of your favorite places and make an entire day of it. No matter what you're doing, making memories is the most important thing! Make sure to pack that camera so you can document it all!
Happy Fall!
XO,
Andrea
No Comments Yet, Leave Yours!