City of Lee's Summit Government

06/10/2026

The City acknowledges Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street’s decision to discontinue Downtown Days. While the festival is organized and hosted by Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, the City appreciates the volunteers, businesses, public safety personnel, and community partners who supported the event over the years. We remain committed to working with our community partners to support safe, welcoming events in Lee’s Summit.

From the Board of Directors of Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street

With heavy hearts, we have made the decision that the 2026 Downtown Days festival will be our last. The safety of our community, small businesses, partners, volunteers, and attendees comes first.

Over the last few years, we implemented a number of security and safety changes with the hope that this community tradition could continue. Even with those changes, it was not enough to prevent what happened Saturday evening at Downtown Days.

Downtown Days began in 1989 as Old Tyme Days. This nearly 40-year tradition was created by a group of business owners who came together to transform a declining downtown. They dreamed of a place where the community gathered to celebrate, with sidewalks full of families. The event was both a reason to come downtown and a way to raise funds for those early efforts, and it helped make possible hundreds of other community traditions, from Christmas tree lightings to holiday children's parades. Those visionary business owners' dream became the catalyst for transforming Downtown Lee's Summit into the downtown we all love and cherish today.

Though the time has come to say goodbye to Downtown Days, our dedication to that early dream does not waver. We will continue to look for ways to bring our community together and to celebrate what makes us special.

We are grateful for everyone who has supported us and this event in countless ways over the years. You are part of our story, and none of this would have been possible without you. We cherish each and every one of you.

As we say goodbye to this tradition, we look forward to bringing our community together to build new events and write the next chapter of our downtown.

Sincerely, The Board of Directors of Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street

06/09/2026

Headed to Union Station for KC Fan Fest this month?

You might spot 'The Colors of KC' by artist Michael B Savage at the Lee's Summit Amtrak station! This piece features Kansas City's rich jazz traditions, its fountains, and beautiful architecture.

Find this piece at the Amtrak Station at 220 SW Main St.
https://ow.ly/tbO050Z9G4E

06/08/2026

Here’s your flash briefing for the week of June 8. Providing the latest news and information in and around the City. Check it out!

06/07/2026

The City of Lee’s Summit is aware of reports, videos, and community concerns related to crowd activity during Downtown Days on Saturday evening.

The City is grateful to event organizers, private security personnel, downtown businesses, vendors, assisting law enforcement agencies, and the public for supporting the Lee’s Summit Police and Fire Departments during a difficult and rapidly-changing situation.

Any criminal activity observed or reported during the event remains under review by the Police Department. There will be continued discussions with event organizers and City officials about additional improvements and safety measures for future events.

Downtown Days is a long-standing community tradition that brings thousands of residents and visitors to downtown Lee’s Summit each year. The City appreciates the many stakeholder groups who helped support the event throughout the weekend.

Downtown Lee’s Summit has closed the vendor portion of Downtown Days for Sunday, due to the weather forecast. The carnival will operate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and all rides will close if there is any lightning. Please monitor DTLS social media platforms for any closure updates.

Lee’s Summit Police Respond to Incidents at Downtown Days Festival

Lee’s Summit, MO — The Lee’s Summit Police Department is providing preliminary information regarding a series of disturbances that occurred Saturday evening during Downtown Days.

Officers responded to repeated disturbances in and around the Downtown Days special-event area, including reports of fights, assaults, property damage, large groups of juveniles refusing to disperse, and a weapons-related call. As the volume and severity of calls increased, LSPD requested mutual aid from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Contrary to information circulating on social media, LSPD did not deploy any pepper spray, bear spray, chemical munitions, or tasers during the response. Officers issued crowd-dispersal warnings due to continued noncompliance. At this time, there are no reports of serious injuries to the public or law enforcement.

The first significant incident occurred at approximately 7:40 p.m. near the carnival area, where multiple individuals were exposed to bear spray, deployed by a juvenile within the crowd. Throughout the evening, Fire responded to requests for assistance related to exposure to bear spray. Officers recovered three cans of bear spray. In a separate incident, officers recovered a reported firearm after a foot pursuit involving a juvenile. Several juveniles were detained and later released to a guardian.

Ahead of this year’s event, several proactive safety and security measures were coordinated between LSPD and event organizers. These included increased PD staffing, layout adjustments to improve crowd flow, camera trailers, and additional lighting. There was also increased private security, reduced event hours, and adjustment to the carnival size to focus on rides appropriate for children under 12 years of age.

There will be continued discussions with event organizers and City officials about additional improvements and safety measures for future events. Anyone with information, video, or reports related to criminal activity during Downtown Days is encouraged to contact the Lee’s Summit Police Department. This remains an ongoing investigation.

06/07/2026

Unfortunately, the rain in today's forecast looks unavoidable, and we've had to make the difficult call to close the vendor portion of the Downtown Days festival for Sunday, June 7.

The carnival will be open weather permitting from 11 AM to 5 PM. Wristbands will not be available, and in the event of lightning in the area, all rides will be shut down.

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported all the artists, makers, musicians, and small businesses these last two days. Your support of all things local means the world to us. Keep it up, and we'll see you soon.

Stay dry and keep supporting local!

06/05/2026

Mayor Beto Lopez joined regional leaders Friday to celebrate the grand opening of the MCC-Longview Automotive Institute. Lee’s Summit Councilmembers Donnie Funk, Nyauna Cravens, Shari Frazier, and Melanie Adkins also attended the ribbon-cutting in support

This new facility represents a major investment in workforce development, hands-on learning, and career-ready training, helping prepare students for in-demand automotive careers while supporting local employers. Lee’s Summit congratulates MCC-Longview on this exciting milestone and its continued commitment to students and the community.
Mayor Beto Lopez of Lee’s Summit
MCC-Longview Campus

https://cityofls.net/news-media/news/artmid/3795/articleid/9227/mayor-joins-community-partners-at-mcc-longview-automotive-institute-ribbon-cutting

06/05/2026

Check out the latest Development Minute! Our community continues to grow! From a coffee shop and restaurant to a grocery store, exciting developments are taking shape.
https://youtu.be/KbFlLFETqKY

06/05/2026

Downtown Days is this weekend in Downtown Lee's Summit!

It’s finally Downtown Days weekend, and we can’t wait to kick-start summer with you in the heart of Lee’s Summit! ☀️

While the Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market will be closed tomorrow, June 6th, we’ll be back in action next Wednesday, June 10th.

See you at the festival!

06/04/2026

City Council met for a regular session on Tuesday, June 2, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. Stay updated on actions taken at the meeting by checking out the Council Debrief newsletter! >>https://conta.cc/3S3V1C5

06/02/2026

We're excited to welcome the World Soccer Celebration to our region! As visitors and fans gather to enjoy the festivities, we've created a variety of helpful resources for residents and guests alike. From transportation information and short-term rental guidance to frequently asked questions and a full lineup of local events, our resource pages are designed to help you make the most of the celebration while staying informed every step of the way.

City’s Informational Page: https://cityofls.net/world-soccer-celebration-2026
Lee’s Summit Event Lineup: https://explorels.com/sports/world-soccer-celebration-2026