Events in Shawnee, KS
There's always a great, upcoming event to plan for in Shawnee, KS! We've highlighted a list of larger city events located below. These include intimate concerts, major city-wide festivals, competitions, holiday celebrations, and much more. They've been sorted by date and as we get more details we will update each event's information with the venue, dates, times, etc...
Click each list item to find out more!
Sprinkler running at PARKED, taking place annually at Stump Park in June!
Gather up your family and friends and head to downtown Shawnee for the new monthly Moonlight Market! Grab fresh veggies from Farmers Market vendors, peruse local crafts, and groove to some live music at this free city block event at Nieman and Johnson...and while you're down here grab a beer from a local brewery or a bite to eat from a local restaurant.
Arts & crafts vendors that are interested in participating in the 2024 Moonlight Markets need to email Royal at Rkrueger@cityofshawnee.org by January 31, 2024
When: Third Thursdays May - November: May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15, September 19, October 17, November 21 (Christkindl at Moonlight Market)
*There will be a special Shamrock O'Market on Sunday, March 10th from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Downtown Shawnee
Organizer: City of Shawnee
Tickets: FREE
The Shawnee St. Patrick's Parade is Sunday, March 10th, 2024. The parade will begin at 1:00pm and will be on Johnson Drive from Monrovia to Nieman Road. Following the parade head to Shamrock O'Market at Shawnee City Hall for food and vendor booths. The (rubber) Duck Race benefiting Shawnee Sister Cities will take place at Herman Laird Park at 3:30pm.
1:00pm Parade along Johnson Drive from Monrovia to Nieman
12:00pm-3:00pm Shamrock O'Market at City Hall
3:30pm Duck Race at Herman Laird Park, put on by the Shawnee Sister Cities group.
When: Sunday, March 10th @ 1:00 P.M.
Where: Downtown Shawnee along Johnson Drive
Organizer: Irish American Club of Johnson County
Tickets: FREE to watch, food and drink available for purchase. If you want to race a Duck you will need to purchase one.
A Shawnee staple, Tour De Shawnee is a cycling ride that offers various lengths and routes for different levels of riders! Traditionally kicking off early on Sunday morning, riders are provided an on-street, bicycle-friendly route, escorted by Shawnee police. Cyclists of all ages and experience are encouraged to participate. It's the perfect first-timer race or one to hone your skills.
When: Sunday, May 5th, 2024
Where: Starts at Shawnee Civic Centre, route throughout Shawnee
Organizer: City of Shawnee Parks and Rec
Register: Find additional information or register here.
Old Shawnee Days is our city's marquee annual event that features a whole weekend of fun! Known throughout the entire region as one of the largest carnivals in the area, it features tons of games, rides, and much more.
The weekend traditionally kicks off with rides opening Thursday evening and then vendor booths opening on Friday evening. Saturday is jam-packed with things to do as the morning hosts a full parade featuring floats from local businesses and elected officials, which is then followed by the annual Tomato Roll, pie and baking contests, and a Rolle Bolle Championship. There are also many activities available around Shawnee Town 1929 for the whole family to enjoy on Saturday too and then finally in the evening the headlining band plays a concert where thousands are usually in attendance to enjoy...for free! Rides and concessions are also open on Sunday day.
Important note: Thursday and Sunday offer All You Can Ride wristbands.
When: June 6th - 9th, 2024
Where: Shawnee Town 1929 and Downtown Shawnee
Organizer: Old Shawnee Days Society
Tickets: FREE but costs for concessions and rides
The festivities kick off at 5:30pm with fireworks at 9:30pm!
PARKED is one of the best independence day celebrations in the entire region! This family-focused festival features different food trucks, sprinkler running for the kiddos, and a fireworks show to cap the evening. It's the perfect opportunity to enjoy summer and have a wonderful family gathering.
When: Friday, June 28th
Where: Stump Park
Organizer: City of Shawnee Parks and Recreation
Tickets: FREE
Each late summer, the City of Shawnee Parks and Rec hosts a concert in the intimate park nestled in downtown Shawnee: West Flanders Park. Stop by for some energetic and fun live music and grab a bite to eat at the specially selected food truck. Best of all...it's free!
When: Friday, August 2nd
Where: West Flanders Park
Organizer: City of Shawnee Parks and Recreation
Tickets: FREE
Gear heads and car aficionados are invited to the annual Wheels and Dreams Car, Truck, and Bike Show. With live music, vendors, food trucks, and of course hundreds of classic and souped-up vehicles it's the perfect weekend outing for the family. Have a cool ride you want to show off? You can even do that too by registering it with the Shawnee Town 1929 team.
When: Sunday, September 8th
Where: Shawnee Town 1929
Organizer: Shawnee Town 1929 & Friends of Shawnee Town
Tickets: FREE
Each Fall the Friends of Shawnee Town host their annual Craft and Fall Festival on the Shawnee Town grounds! Explore the entire event as there are dozens of vendors who can offer great items to spruce up the house, serve as a great gift, or even get your earliest of early Christmas shopping done. PLUS there are free activities as well to entertain the kiddos.
When: Saturday, September 21st
Where: Shawnee Town 1929
Organizer: Friends of Shawnee Town and Shawnee Town 1929
Tickets: $1 per person, vendors must register
Shawnee's sanctioned BBQ competition, traditionally features live music, select food trucks, and more at this festival-style event. Shawnee Town 1929's grounds are taken over by dozens and dozens of competition teams creating a party-like atmosphere!
When: Friday, September 27th (open to the public from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) and Saturday, September 28th (closed to the public for judging).
Where: Shawnee Town 1929
Organizer: City of Shawnee Parks and Recreation
Scarecrow Festival is a children's focused fall crafting event hosted in downtown Shawnee in the parking lot at City Hall! Children are able to decorate pumpkins and complete other fall-related crafts. Parents can also enjoy the Farmer's Market and seasonal displays. Make sure to also explore other areas of downtown Shawnee to see any of the businesses' own decorated and themed Scarecrows for the annual competition.
When: Saturday, October 5th
Where: Shawnee City Hall Parking Lot
Organizer: Shawnee Downtown Partnership
Tickets: FREE
Visiting the Holiday Treasures Craft Festival is the perfect way to get lots of your holiday shopping done in one bout! Held at the Shawnee Civic Centre, there are so many vendors offering goods it's hard not to be overwhelmed but keep in mind, admission is free so you have nothing to lose by stopping by.
When: Saturday, October 26th
Where: Shawnee Civic Centre
Organizer: City of Shawnee Parks and Rec
Tickets: FREE, Vendors must register
Explore three different Christmas cultures in one event at Shawnee's Christkindlmarkt. Hosted by the Shawnee Sister Cities Committee, the holiday-themed event features an appearance by Santa, carolers, holiday treats, and crafts for entertaining the children.
When: Thursday, November 21st, 2024
Where: Shawnee City Hall
Organizer: Shawnee Sister Cities Committee
Tickets: FREE
Shawnee Town 1929 is Shawnee's premier historical attraction located in the heart of its downtown. Their grounds full of true-to-era buildings can be explored as they offer a variety of historical insights and views into what Shawnee was like in the 1920s.
They also host numerous events throughout the year that range from education, live music, family focused, and much more. While we've listed a few of their major events below, we encourage you to explore their calendar of events.
Some highlights include:
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- Bloody Mary Rollout Party and Tomato Roll
- Jammin' on the Green
- History on the Tap
- Time Travelers
- Historical Hauntings
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To see Shawnee Town 1929's full list of upcoming events click the link below to view their calendar.
We are almost there!
We are still finishing up this section of our website! We are excited to debut throwbacks, profiles, and historical content on the Chamber's 75th Anniversary. Stay tuned as we'll be publishing more content soon and will certainly promote it in our emails, on social media, and more.
In the meantime, head back to our Shawnee Chamber of Commerce website to read about our programs and events and to follow us on social media.
Looking for any other type of event hosted in Shawnee? A happy hour? Live music? We encourage you to browse Facebook's event function as many local businesses tend to upload their events to Facebook. Click below to explore events on Facebook.