By Kristina Light
The nation’s 250th birthday falls on July 4 this year, and communities across south Kansas City are marking the milestone with special programming, from speaker series and heritage concerts to parades, fun runs, and fireworks.
The Story Behind the Birthday
Before the festivities hit full swing, Leawood is inviting residents to experience the story of America. The Road to Independence Speaker Series at Leawood City Hall’s Oak Room features free morning talks, each beginning at 10 am, that trace the arc from revolution to republic.
On June 27, practicing attorney and military history researcher Stephen L. Kling Jr. presents “The American Revolutionary War in the West,” focusing on the 1780 British attack on Spanish St. Louis and American-held Cahokia. Kling will explain how a conflict that began in the Thirteen Colonies quickly became a global war, spilling into the Mississippi River valley and drawing in French-heritage settlers, Spanish territorial authorities, Native American nations, and both free and enslaved Black people.
The series closes July 25 with Denise McNickle Bullock, the current State Regent of the Kansas Society of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of Leawood’s Sagamore Chapter, presenting “The Role of Women in the American Revolution.” Bullock will discuss how women supported independence by organizing boycotts, writing satirical plays and poetry, keeping family farms and businesses running, and providing supplies and financial backing for the war effort, along with the often-forgotten contributions of Native and enslaved women and accounts of women who took up arms themselves. Details for all sessions can be found at leawood.org.
The Celebrations Begin
June 25
Raymore kicks things off with its All-American 250 lineup, kicking off June 25 with the free Bricks & Block Party at T.B. Hanna Station begins at 6 pm. Raymore’s veterans are honored with a legacy brick unveiling at the flagpole, followed by live music, food trucks, a farmers market, and craft vendors. An All-American 250 Scavenger Hunt runs June 25 through July 7, with clues released the week of June 22 leading participants to discover popular spots and hidden gems around town.
June 26
Belton celebrates big with its Red, White & Blues Concert and Dinner featuring Elwood and the Blues Masters on Friday, June 26, at Memorial Station, 998 Commercial St. The evening starts off at 6 pm with dinner by Ate One Six (limited seating), followed by live music, a Blues Brothers look alike contest, and fireworks. Admission is free, but registration is requested at beltonmochamber.org.
Raymore’s Rock the Ridge takes over Hawk Ridge Park from 4to 9 pm, featuring a kids’ bubble zone, live music from The Yachties, and chamber and craft vendors.
June 28
Pinnacle Winds presents America: 250 Birthdays and Counting at Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene, 118th & State Line Road, at 2 pm. The patriotic concert features works by John Williams, Gordon Jacob, Tchaikovsky, John Philip Sousa, and Morton Gould, along with a special performance of Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael performed by local clarinetist, author, and educator Dr. Benny Lee. A highlight of the concert includes the Armed Forces Salute, recognizing veterans and active-duty members of each branch of the U.S. military along with their families. Tickets available at zeffy.com.
July 2
Grandview Amphitheater in Meadowmere Park hosts the USA 250 Birthday Party and World Cup Watch Party from 6-10 pm. The 5,000-seat open-air venue offers free entrance. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to catch the live broadcast of the global soccer game, with drinks, food, games, and a fireworks finale. Details at grandviewamp.com.
Raymore 2.50 Fun Run begins at 7 pm at Johnny’s Tavern. This free, untimed run takes participants through Hawk Ridge Park and ends back at Johnny’s Tavern. The first 100 people to sign up on-site on race day receive a commemorative T-shirt and medal.
July 3
Raymore’s holds its free annual Spirit of America Celebration at 7 pm with live music from Walker Mathison’s Ranahan Duo, inflatables, food trucks, and concessions. Catch the soccer match on the big screen on Baseball Field No. 4 followed by fireworks after dusk.
July 4
KC Running Company will hold its annual Stars and Stripes 5K , at 7:30 am at the Aspiria Campus near 119th and Nall. Proceeds will go toward Full Circle, a free recovery program for teens and young adults. Visit kcrunningcompany.com/starsandstripes5k for more information.
Raymore continues its celebration with As American as Apple Pie Parade through the Original Town at 10:30 am. The parade celebrates classic Americana with vintage muscle cars, convertibles and tractors, baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie. The route starts at Raymore Elementary, heads east on W. Elm Street, north on S. Washington Street, west on W. Maple Street, and south on S. Madison Street back to Raymore Elementary. Free to attend. Details at raymore.com/residents/an-all-american-250.
Leawood hosts an America 250 Independence Day Parade at 10 am on the 4th along Tomahawk Creek Parkway, followed by Celebration in the Park at Leawood City Park beginning at 6 pm. The free event features activities for all ages including mechanical bull rides, rock climbing, inflatables, face painting, caricatures, live music, and food trucks, with fireworks at approximately 9:45 pm. Note that public parking will not be available in Leawood City Park on July 4. Guests should park at the American Academy of Family Physicians or Leawood City Hall and take the free shuttle to the park, or arrive by ride-share. The Leawood Aquatic Center will also be open from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm that day. For more information visit leawood.org/4thofjuly.
This year, the City of Peculiar introduces the Very Peculiar Independence Day Celebration at Lions Park, with a rain date of Sunday, July 5. This all-day event celebrates the United States’ 250th birthday beginning at 1pm with live music, food trucks, vendors, and activities for all ages, ending with a fireworks display around 10 pm.
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