Parkville days celebration set downtown Aug. 23-25

Those looking to end this month with a bang will be heading to historic downtown Parkville for the 51st annual Parkville Days Festival.

The three- day festival kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23 and continues through Sunday, Aug. 25.

Parkville Days brings countless arts and crafts vendors, a parade, live music, beer garden and much more to downtown Parkville.

For the 22nd consecutive year, Evans Midland Empire Carnival is open all weekend in the City Parking Lot. Wristbands granting access to fun and thrilling rides and carnival-style games can be purchased for $25.

“Despite all the flooding and ongoing restoration of our parks along the Missouri River, we are still having Parkville Days,” said Kelly Putnam, the executive director of the Main Street Parkville Association. “This festival is an annual tradition for the community, so we are relocating to the west of English Landing Park – along South Main Street and the entrance to Platte Landing Park.”

Festival-goers can listen to live music at the Friends Shelter along the Missouri River starting at 6 p.m. on Friday night and all-day Saturday and Sunday, added Putnam.

There will be more than 70 vendors, including art and craft merchants with beautifully crafted items for sale, boutiques featuring specialty items, and widely popular food vendors. Several vendors have been attending Parkville Days for more than two decades.

The annual Parkville Days parade will start at 10 a.m. near 63rd Street and 9 Highway on Saturday, Aug. 24.

The parade, featuring the Park Hill and Park Hill South high school bands, will wind down Main Street, ending in downtown Parkville.

“We have several groups with more than 100 people marching in the parade,” Putnam said.

The event is also a great time to check out several new businesses in downtown Parkville. An Irish pub, called, The Craic, and a new retail store, Vintage to Vogue, will be open for business during the festival.

“Many businesses will be having end of summer sales and specials,” said Putnam.

Also, magician Todd Lamanske will be performing at Stone Canyon Pizza on Friday evening. He is known to inspire and entertain audiences of all ages with his card tricks and magic performed right at the dinner table.

The Parkville Days event is organized by the Parkville Missouri Main Street Association, a volunteer organization formed to help restore historic downtown Parkville following the 1993 flood.