KCKidsFun

Readers–here it is–a listing of major KC-metro area pools, open to the public, and their locations! Pools will generally open for the season next Saturday, May 29, 2010–the start of Memorial Weekend. (That’s no guarantee that the water is warm!!!) They are listed by city to make it as easy as possible to navigate. Many of the pools offer swimming lessons, as well. I’ve included the link to each city’s aquatics website…simply click on the city and you’ll see the corresponding aquatics page. These city-specific pages offer detailed information on lessons, pool hours and daily/season fees, if applicable. PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL IF I’VE FORGOTTEN YOUR FAVORITE POOL! I can easily add it to the list. Happy Swimming! And above all, be safe!!

Overland Park, KS and Leawood, KS

• Bluejacket, 101st and Bond, 913.327.5671
• Marty, 74th and Conser, 913.327.5672
• Roe, 104th and Roe, 913.327.5673
• Stonegate, 97th and Antioch, 913.327.5674
• TRAC, 119th and Lowell, 913.327.5675
• Young’s, 77th and Antioch, 913.327.5676
• Leawood Aquatic Center, 10601 Lee Blvd., 913.327.3977

Olathe, KS and Prairie Village, KS

• Black Bob Pool, 14570 W. 151st St., 913.764.9720
• Mill Creek Pool, 320 E. Poplar, 913.829.9811
• Frontier Pool, 15909 W. 127th St., 913.829.9730
• Oregon Trail Pool, 1800 W. Dennis, 913.829.9815
• City of Prairie Village Pool, 7711 Delmar, 913.642.6010

Lee’s Summit, MO

• Legacy Park Community Center, 901 NE Bluestem Drive, 816.969.1550
• Summit Waves, NE corner of Hwys 50 and 291 South, 816.969.1515

Kansas City, MO

• Brush Creek community center, 3801 Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd., 816.784.4000
• Budd Park, Budd Park Espl. & Denver Ave., 816.784.2600
• Grove Park, 3031 E. Truman, 816.231.9568
• Swope Park, Swope Park- 67th and Lewis, 816.513.8915
• Southeast Community Center, 4201 E. 63rd, 816.513.7500
• Arbor Villa, 66th Terrace and Main St.  - opens June 8, 2010
• Ashland, 23rd and Elmwood streets  - opens June 8
• Gillham, 41st and Gillham streets – opens June 8
• West Terrace, 16th and Jarboe streets  - opens June 8
• KCMO “Spraygrounds” - Douglas Park, 2632 Jarboe St. - Harmony Park, 10th Street and Agnes - Longview Park, 7101 Longview Road (Closed Mondays) - Loose Park, 52nd Terrace and Summit - Parade Park, The Paseo and Truman Road - Sunnyside Park, 8255 Summit (Closed Mondays)
• Golden Oaks Park sprayground, East of Antioch at approx. 47th Street in the Northland
• Garrison Community Center, 4th and Forest at Columbus Park

For hours and additional information on classes and parties, call 816.513.7500.

Shawnee, KS

• Splash Cove at Jim Allen Aquatic Center, 5800 King, 913.631.7177
• Thomas A. Saetaert Aquatic Center, 13805 Johnson Drive, 913.631.0054

Lenexa, KS

• Ad Astra Pool, 83rd and Maurer, 913.492.SWIM
• Flat Rock Creek Pool, 103rd and Hauser, 913.888.3202
• Indian Trails Aquatic Center, 87th and Greenway Lane, 913.888.4659

Independence, MO and Blue Springs, MO

• Adventure Oasis Water Park, 23rd Street just west of 291 Hwy., 816.325.7843
• Water playgrounds to cool off: 24 Hwy/N. Delaware and 24th & Hardy streets
• Blue Springs Centennial Pool Plex, 2401 W. Ashton Drive, 816.228.0188

Liberty, MO

• Liberty Community Center, 1600 S. Withers Rd.
• Spraygrounds at: Ruth Moore Park, 401 N. Morse and City Park, 970 S. Highway 291

Gladstone, MO

• Municipal Pool, Central Park, 69th & North Holmes, 816.436.2200

KCI Area/Platte County, MO

• Park Hill Aquatic Center, 8152 N. Congress Ave., 816.741.7963
• Springs Aquatic Center at Tiffany Hills Park, 9700 N. Congress, 816.880.0733
• Riverside Municipal Pool, 4498 NW High Drive, 816.741.3993

KC, KS

• Parkwood Pool, 950 Quindaro Blvd, 913.551.0402
• Spray Parks to cool off: Eisenhower Park, 2901 N. 72nd St., and Pierson Park, 1800 S. 55th St.

Also, if you’re looking for a break from the sun, don’t forget about the newly-opened ($750 million) Schlitterbahn Vacation Village in KCK, located near Village West,   and CoCoKey Resort, located in the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex!  The same holds true forGreat Wolf Lodge in KCK. When it’s just too hot outside, bring the waterpark IN!

*image courtesy of Pool & Spa Master

I love county fairs. I’m a suburban girl who always wanted to be a small town girl. The idea of hanging out on a sticky summer evening at the fair, seeing friends from school and their families, eating cotton candy and funnel cakes, spending all the money you could possibly squeeze out of your parents is pure Americana.

I’m not sure that my nostalgic memories of county fairs are completely accurate – but, at least in my recent experience, it’s pretty darn close. There’s not much left in the way of family fun that can be considered a throw-back to our childhoods and those of our parents. But county fairs were enjoyed by our parents and their parents before them.

And we here in the Kansas City area are heading into the thick of the county fair schedule.

On the south side of town, Paola, KS hosts the Miami County Fair, starting Wednesday, July 22 and running through Saturday, July 25. Highlights include a carnival, a rodeo and a demolition derby.

If north of the river is more your speed, check out the Platte County Fair in Platte City, MO. This one also runs July 22 through July 25 and features lots of live music, demolition derbies, 4-H exhibits, petting zoos, kids’ games, carnival rides and much, much more. With a traditional fair queen contest and little Missy/Master contests, this fair still has a real small/rural community feel. Love it.

The Wyandotte County Fair was canceled this year due to changes at The Woodlands and an inability to secure an alternate location. 4H events are still being held at another location but no entertainment or carnival this year!

But the fair goes on in Gardner, KS beginning on Monday, August 3, 2009. The Johnson County Fair runs from August 3rd through August 8th. Highlights include flat track racing, barrel racing, the rodeo, Family Fun Night, 4H exhibits, livestock auction, a carnival and a great parade! My kids adore this fair!

Lawrence, KS hosts the Douglas County Fair from August 5 through August 9. Petting zoo, pony rides, turtle races, pedal tractor pulls, livestock shows and a carnival are all sure to be hits with your kids.

If you really want to go big, head to Sedalia, MO for the Missouri State Fair, from August 13 through August 23. I can’t even begin to list the highlights of the state fair – but I’ll start with this: kids 12 & under get FREE admission every day!

And, to close out the county fair season, the Leavenworth County Fair hits Tonganoxie, KS from August 11 through August 15. A parade kicks off the week and is followed by fun times such as draft horse pulls, pedal tractor pulls, 4H exhibits and judging, carnival, turtle races, a mud run and a rodeo!

The Kansas City-area fairs and festivals don’t end once school begins either. Check out our full listing of 2009’s local fairs and festivals for lots more to do and see in August and September!

Summer in the Kansas City metro means fairs and festivals! And they’ve already started! The Brookside Art Annual was held last month and the next few weeks brings the first wave of true summer events. The best news? Each and every fair has a TON of awesome activities to share with your kids!

So, get ready for Tilt-A-Whirls, funnel cakes, ferris wheels, corn dogs, cotton candy, livestock and live music. Fair and festival season is starting…and there are so many that you have ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE to not catch at least one!

The 2009 Kansas City fair and festival schedule looks like this:

Prairie Village Art Fair, Prairie Village, KS – May 29 thru May 31

Serb Fest – St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, College & Greenwood (west of Pflumm), Lenexa KS – May 29 and May 30

Old Shawnee Days – Shawnee, KS – June 4 thru June 7

Lee’s Summit Downtown Days – June 5 thru June 7

Festa Italiana – Zona Rosa, Kansas City North – June 5 thru June 7

Mardi Gras Days – downtown Overland Park, KS – June 5 and June 6

Vaile Strawberry Festival, Vaile Mansion, Independence, MO – June 6

Irish Street Fair – Kansas City, MO – June 6

Sugar Creek Slavic Fest – Sugar Creek, MO – June 12 and June 13

Greek Festival – St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church, Overland Park – June 12 thru June 14

Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival, E.H. Young Park, Riverside, MO – June 12 thru June 14

Dragon Boat Festival – Country Club Plaza, KCMO – June 13

Fiesta Filipina – Filipino Cultural Center, 79th St. between Antioch & Frontage in Overland Park – June 13 thru June 14

Chalk & Walk Festival, Crown Center Square, Kansas City, MO – June 20

KC Riverfest – Berkley Riverfront Park, KCMO – July 2 thru July 4

Cass County Fair, Pleasant Hill, MO – July 14 thru July 19

Amelia Earhart Festival – Atchison, KS - July 17 thru July 18

Miami County Fair, Paola, KS – July 18 thru July 26

KC Fringe Festival – various KCMO locations – July 19  thru July 26

Platte County Fair, Platte City, MO – July 22 thru July 25

Douglas County Fair, Lawrence, KS – August 5 thru August 9

Wyandotte County Fair, Kansas City, KS – July 28 thru August 1 (CANCELED THIS YEAR DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF SPACE AT THE WOODLANDS)

Johnson County Fair, Gardner, KS – August 3 thru August 8 – don’t miss the rodeo, Family Fun Night or the parade!

Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO – August 13 thru August 23 – 12 & under FREE every day; lot of free kids’ entertainment

Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens, Kingsville, MO – August 7 thru August 9 and August 14 thru August 16 – no carnival but still super cool!

Leavenworth County Fair, Tonganoxie, KS – August 11 thru August 15

Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Kansas City, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Trails West!, St. Joseph, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Parkville Days Riverfest, Parkville, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Lewis & Clark Trail Days, Buckner, MO – August 21 and August 22

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – September 4 thru September 7 – TONS of fun for kids and adults alike. If you’ve never been, you should definitely try this one!

Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, MO – September 4 thru 6- awesome children’s area at this Crown Center event

Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – August 30 thru October 13

The 48th Annual Annunciation Greek Food Festival, Kansas City, MO – September 11 thru September 13

Old Settlers Days, Olathe, KS – September 4 thru September 6

Valley Fair Daze, Grain Valley, MO – September 10 and September 11

Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, KS – September 11 thru September 20 – Nat & Alex Wolff, the Naked Brothers Band closes the Fair on the 20th!

Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, Blue Springs, MO – September 18 thru September 20

Zona Rosa Art Festival, Kansas City north, MO – September 18 thru September 20

Jesse James Festival, Kearney, MO – September 11 thru September 20

Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO – September 25 thru September 27 – spend some time at the Kids’ Art Workshop!

(Photos via jonathan_moreau)