May 28, 2022
By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net
Following a two year layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic the very popular Downtown Days Festival returns this year to the downtown Lee’s Summit area on June 3, 4 and 5. Returning favorites include Arts & Crafts booths, a number of well-known food vendors, a carnival, music of all types all weekend long at the main stage and a Sports Booth.
The festival is the largest fundraiser for Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street and its return is welcome news for area business and the four-member Main Street staff. Main Street Executive Director Donnie Rodgers Jr. comments, “Downtown Days to me has always been the unofficial start of summer. I’m so excited that we get to bring this tradition back to the heart of Lee’s Summit and can’t wait to see so many of our friends back with us Downtown.”
This year’s Festival Sports Booth has a new sponsor and a new location for area sports fans to stop by and enjoy getting an autograph, winning a prize or playing a game. The Sports Booth, now sponsored by Keller-Williams Realty, Cory Harmer realtor, will be located on Southeast Main Street in front of the Whistle Stop Coffee & Mercantile shop. Throughout the three-day event the Sports Booth will be the place to talk sports, watch sports and even play sports.
The fun begins on Friday afternoon when the Kansas City Comets kicks off the weekend with an appearance from 4 to 6 p.m. The Comets will be followed at 6 p.m. with the team’s public address announcer, Nate Herron. Herron will only be at the booth for an hour from 6 to 7 p.m. where sports fans will be able to write on a note card their name and a number. Then Herron, who also does PA work for the KC Monarchs, KC Current and KC Chiefs, will announce the name and number just like it would sound at an area stadium or arena. Friday evening ends with Sporting KC at the booth from 7 to 9 p.m. promoting the MLS team and their upcoming game schedule.
Saturday starts off with a hockey theme as the voice of the Kansas City Mavericks, Bob Rennison, will be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon selling copies of his three books. From noon to 2 p.m. former Kansas City Chiefs WR Tim Barnett will appear along with Chiefs Superfan Almost Andy Reid. Besides selfies fans can hear Barnett talk about his famous playoff game winning catch in Chiefs history. Then it’s time to talk all sports with Dusty Likins from KCSP-610 sports radio from 2 to 4 p.m. The day ends with Lake Winnebago’s Bruce Clark from 7 to 9 p.m. showing various types of Chiefs memorabilia being sold at area shops like Local Foundry in Downtown Lee’s Summit.
Sunday the Sports Booth begins at 11 a.m. with a visit from the Kansas City Mavericks with interactive games for fans to play. Then at 1 p.m. former KC Royals pitcher Al Fitzmorris will be on site talking about our favorite baseball team. The last hour of the day from 2 to 3 p.m. will find the adults enjoying a Chiefs cornhole contest and area youth playing a Stack the Cups contest in attempts to leave with cool prizes.
