June 1, 2019
Start your summer with the FREE Downtown Days Festival, presented by Lee’s Summit Medical Center, Friday through Sunday, June 7, 8 & 9. Festivities include free live entertainment featuring Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear, carnival rides, sports zone, festival food, handcrafted goods, two craft beer tents and so much more.
FESTIVAL HOURS
June 7: 12pm-10pm
June 8: 10am-10pm
June 9: 11am-4pm
The Downtown Days Committee and a crew of over 200 volunteers give of their time to plan the annual Downtown Days festival, which is the major fundraiser for Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
The festival presenting sponsor will feature the Lee’s Summit Medical Center Sports Zone in the lot at the north end of Douglas on Kids’ Street. Children of all ages can play inflatable sports themed games and visit with local legends at the sports & autograph booth, sponsored by Security Bank of Kansas City. Kids’ Street will have games, face painting, food, and other family-friendly activities. On the south end of Douglas Street, families can climb inside a 60’ long military helicopter located across from the VFW.
The carnival returns to the west side of the tracks. Sunday, June 9th is wristband day, where individuals can purchase a wristband and ride unlimited carnival rides. If you are attending the carnival on Friday or Saturday, tickets are sold at the carnival entrance and can be redeemed to ride individual rides.
FREE LIVE MUSIC
The Depot Stage, sponsored by Longview Funeral Home & Cemetery, will keep music and entertainment lovers busy all weekend. Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear will headline the Depot Stage with a full band performance on Saturday, June 8th. In just a few short years, the dynamic mother-son duo of Ruth and Madisen went from playing in their Independence, Mo. kitchen to opening for Sufjan Stevens, B. B. King, and playing festivals like Bonnaroo. Their 2018 EP, The Radio Winners, highlights their rootsy blend of folk, soul, gospel and vintage rock. Other featured acts on the Depot Stage include local blues/jam band Gas Food Lodging, 90’s cover band The Mixtapes, State Line Drive, the Lee’s Summit Jazz Orchestra, and a local folk group Blue False Indigo. All performances are free to attend. Visit downtowndays.org for the full entertainment schedule.
BEER TENTS
Downtown Days will feature two beer tents on the festival grounds: one located next to the Depot Stage, and one at the corner of 3rd and Douglas streets. Embrace the Grape will serve cold cocktails and wine near the Depot Stage. Boulevard Brewing Co. will premier their new line of Fling canned craft cocktails, available in four flavors: Cucumber Gin & Tonic, Blood Orange, Margarita, and Mai Tai. Fan-favorite beer options will be available including Boulevard Wheat, Boulevard Tropical Pale Ale, Boulevard Ginger Lemon Radler, Angry Orchard, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Blue Moon, Miller Lite, and Coors Lite.
PARKING
Guests to the Downtown Days Festival can park in the free City Hall parking garage at the corner of 2nd and Green streets, and any open public parking lots in and around Downtown Lee’s Summit. Some on-street parking is also available around the perimeter of the festival.
In addition to all the great booths, vendors, and live entertainment, the Downtown Lee’s Summit shops and restaurants will also be open throughout the weekend. Locally owned shops and welcoming community events are one of the many reasons the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized Downtown Lee’s Summit as a Great American Main Street.
DOWNTOWN DAYS SPONSORS
The festival would not be possible without the support of local business partners who sponsor the event. This year’s festival is presented by Lee’s Summit Medical Center and sponsored by 90.9 The Bridge, Abundant Life Church, The Pitch, 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, Longview Funeral Home & Cemetery, Security Bank of Kansas City, Central States Beverage Company, Freestyle Graphics, KCP&L, Lee’s Summit Integration Campus, Midwest Property Resources, Red Racks Thrift Stores, and Tingle Flooring.
For additional information: Downtown Days Festival: www.downtowndays.org and Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street: www.downtownls.org
