Kansas City's Country Club Plaza transforms into a nine-block open-air gallery this weekend as the Plaza Art Fair marks its 95th year, with up to 250,000 visitors expected to pass through the free, three-day event. More than 230 artist booths will line the streets alongside three stages of live music, restaurant vendors and children's activities, running Friday through Sunday.
The milestone anniversary continues a tradition that draws tens of thousands of people every year, according to KCTV. Show hours run 5-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, with admission free throughout, as reported by kansascity.com. Sourcing differs on the exact size of the artist lineup — the same report counts more than 230 booths displaying paintings, drawings, sculptures and photography, while KCTV describes the fair as including more than 240 exhibiting artists.
Tents, Booths and a Hometown Show
For artists, the fair is as much a homecoming as a marketplace. Steven Dragan, an artist exhibiting at this year's event, called it his hometown show and said it carries one of the best reputations among exhibiting artists nationwide, per KCTV. He described the scene of tents, artist booths and crowds as a big party with a lot of art, adding that the fair is unlike any other show in the country and draws fellow artists from across the country.
Restaurant booths will line Broadway Boulevard, giving fairgoers a chance to grab a bite between browsing stops, according to the same KCTV report. New this year is an Art Walk card that matches Plaza tenants with fair artists, showcasing their work inside Plaza stores. Participating shoppers who take part in the Art Walk can pick up a complimentary Plaza Art Fair coloring book and crayons while supplies last, and Art Walk tenants are offering an additional offer, activation or gift with purchase.
Road Closures and Parking Around the Plaza
Getting to the fair will mean navigating a handful of closed streets. Nichols Road will be closed between Pennsylvania and Wyandotte, Ward Parkway between Pennsylvania and Central Street, Broadway between 47th Street and Ward Parkway, and Central Street between Nichols and Ward Parkway — all according to kansascity.com. Streets in the fair area close Friday at 5 p.m., per KCTV, and event organizers recommend parking in area garages rather than looking for street spots.
Country Club Plaza parking garages will be open and free to the public for the duration of the fair, kansascity.com reports. Caroline Hogan, PR and social media manager for Country Club Plaza, said the fair will continue regardless of rain in the forecast — the event, per kansascity.com, goes on rain or shine. Organizers also note the fair is accessible to people with mobility concerns, and dogs are welcome.
A Fair With Deep Roots
The 95th fair features an Art Walk, which is back this year, and a Family Activity Block. Live music and restaurant booths are also part of this year's event.
Fairgoers looking for another local arts option this weekend can also check out the 18th & Vine Arts Festival, running the same Sept. 25-27 dates in the Historic 18th & Vine District and spotlighting Black art and culture, per kansascity.com. Unlike the free Plaza Art Fair, admission there costs $10, or $20 for a weekend pass.
