Welcome to the Lowdown! I am so glad you’re here!
Happy Sunday, Lee’s Summit! ☀️
If you felt the energy in the metro on Thursday, you already know what I’m about to say. The giant Oranje Fanwalk rolled through Kansas City and an estimated 36,000 people showed up to celebrate. I was stuck working and honestly a little jealous of everyone who got to be there. Arrowhead is 20 minutes from most of us, and this summer it really does feel like the World Cup is in our backyard – even if our backyard is technically a suburb.
The international teams are bringing their culture, and we’re getting to show off ours. That’s the kind of exchange America was built on, and it feels right that it’s happening so close to home. If you made it out to KC for the parade, reply and tell me what you saw. I want to hear your stories.
It’s a short week, but it’s a good one. We’ve got fireworks at Legacy Park, a patriotic Futbol Friday, a Vintage Fair happening literally today, and enough local pride to fill a parade route of our own. Let’s get into it. 👇
🎆 Don’t Miss This: Legacy Blast is Thursday
The city’s Fourth of July fireworks show is THIS Thursday, July 2 at Legacy Park.
Here’s what you need to know:
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Gates open at 5 PM, fireworks at 9:30 PM
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Show is choreographed to music, simulcast on 94.9 KCMO
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Food trucks, DJs, and free kids activities on site
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Admission is FREE
A few tips from someone who has done this a few times:
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Bring cash for the food trucks. Cards don’t always work.
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Bring a blanket or low-back chairs. Claim your spot early.
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Gates have been closing around 8:30 PM once parking fills up, so go early.
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Rain date is Sunday, July 5 if needed.
Colbern will be a parking lot. Scruggs will be a parking lot. Everything will be a parking lot. Go anyway. I live two miles from Legacy Park, and a few years ago I had the bright idea to just run there to meet my friends. I severely underestimated July heat and humidity in Missouri, arrived looking like I’d swum there, and my friends have never let me forget it. I highly suggest an air conditioned vehicle. Once was absolutely enough. I’ll be the one in the Joe Dirt t-shirt, geeking out about the big BOOMS like it’s my job. 🎇
⚽ Futbol Friday Week 4: Stars, Stripes & Soccer Nights
Futbol Fridays rolls into its patriotic week on Friday, July 3 — 6–10 PM on Green Street. Free to attend.
This one’s themed for the 4th of July weekend and America’s 250th anniversary, so expect the full setup: live music, big-screen World Cup watch party, food trucks, and kids games… all with a red, white, and blue twist. Wear the gear.
🛍️ TODAY: Vintage Fair @ Green Street
If you’re reading this Sunday morning and looking for something to do, the Vintage Fair is happening right now at 209 SE Green Street, 11 AM–4 PM.
Clothes, trading cards, comics, toys, video games, live music, food trucks, free kids activities. Free to attend. Go.
🏆 LS Pride Roundup
A few things worth bragging about this week:
Alex Lange – from Lee’s Summit West Activities Department
⚾ Alex Lange picked up his 6th save for the Kansas City Royals in a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay. Lange is a Lee’s Summit West grad (class of 2014) and he’s pitching for the hometown team. Not bad, Titan.
🎤 LSW Coach Matt Good was inducted into the NSDA Hall of Fame in Richmond, VA this week. It’s the highest honor a Speech & Debate coach can earn. The Titan family has a lot to be proud of.
🎓 LSN’s Tre Paulding was named an Academic All-American by the National High School Coaches Association – out of a record number of applicants this year, covering 22 sports. Bronco proud. Read more here.
🏭 New Business Coming to LS Commerce Center
Redline Plastics, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer specializing in rotational molding, vacuum forming, and compression molding, just signed a lease for 66,000 square feet at Building C in Lee’s Summit Commerce Center. Not the most glamorous business news you’ll read this week, but 66,000 square feet of jobs is nothing to sneeze at.
📚 Free Books All Summer: LSR7 Bookmobile
The LSR7 Bookmobile is making neighborhood stops all summer – and every kid who visits gets free books to keep.
Your library card is basically an unlimited activity pass. And this one comes to you.
🎸 Live & Local
Tuesday, June 30
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LS Jazz Orchestra — The 1909 Club | 6–9 PM | Full big band jazz in an intimate lounge setting. Reservations recommended.
Thursday, July 2
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Matthew Shoaf — Iron Horse Bar & Grill | 7:30 PM | Solo acoustic loop artist
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Open Mic / Jam — The Fillmore Café | 6 PM
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Open Mic / Jam — Jack Ray Post 5789, VFW | 7 PM
Saturday, July 4
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Coyote Bill Band — Iron Horse Bar & Grill | 8 PM | Blues, funky country, rock ‘n’ roll
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The Harvey Brothers Band — Llywelyn’s Pub | 8 PM | Classic rock and country for the 4th
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Gary Jones — The Goat Brewing Co | 7 PM | Roots, folk, and Americana
📅 The Weekly Lineup
Sunday, June 28
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Vintage Fair @ Green Street | 11 AM–4 PM | Green Street | Free
Monday, June 29
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Dive-In Movie Night at Summit Waves | 8:30 PM | Watching Frozen – someone is absolutely going to be singing Let It Go in the pool at 9 PM and honestly I respect it | Kids must be with an adult 18+
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Moonlight Yoga @ Legacy Park Amphitheater | 9 PM | $12 advance / $15 gate
Tuesday, June 30
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Pappo’s Pizza Rock Island Cruise | 6 PM | Casual group bike ride, all ages/abilities, hang at Pappo’s after
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Summer Hits Music Bingo @ B&B Theatres | 7:30 PM | Free to play, all ages, prizes
Thursday, July 2
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Legacy Blast 🎆 | Gates 5 PM, Fireworks 9:30 PM | Legacy Park | FREE (see above)
Friday, July 3
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Futbol Friday: Stars, Stripes & Soccer Nights | 6–10 PM | Green Street | Free
Saturday, July 4
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4th of July Walk, Run, Roll! | 7:30 AM | Lakewood Loop (Lakewood residents)
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Lakewood 4th of July Festivities | 7:30 AM–3 PM | Pancake breakfast, pool party, DJ (Lakewood residents)
🐾 Pet of the Week: Meet Sophie
Last week I asked you to reply with a photo of your pet and a fun fact. I was not prepared for this one.
Meet Sophie, a German Shorthair Pointer who had a pretty big week. Sophie became a first-time mom last week to a litter of 8 puppies – 5 girls and 3 boys. As someone who just introduced her own chaotic dog to this newsletter, I feel like Sophie and Roze would get along immediately. Roze has the energy of eight dogs crammed into one medium-sized troublemaker.
Sophie, you are doing amazing. Eight puppies is a LOT of puppies. We see you. 🐾
Want your pet featured in a future issue? Reply to this email with a photo and a fun fact. The roster is filling up fast.
🤔 Lee’s Summit Trivia
I only moved to Lee’s Summit 14 years ago, so I’m still earning my stripes as a local. But one thing I love is learning the history of the place my daughter is now growing up in.
This weekend we celebrate America turning 250 years old. And Lee’s Summit? We’ve been here since 1868 – which means we’ve been around for 158 of those 250 years. That’s more than half. The town was officially incorporated just three years after the Civil War ended, when the railroad came through and put us on the map.
Not bad for a little train stop. Happy birthday, America. We’ve been holding it down since before most states were states.
One Last Thing
Two hundred and fifty years. That number hits differently when you live in a town that’s been here for 158 of them.
This week we’ve got fireworks at Legacy Park, a patriotic Futbol Friday, an LS West kid saving games for the hometown Royals, and coaches getting Hall of Fame hardware. Add in 22,000 people lining the streets in Kansas City for the FIFA parade on Thursday, and it’s hard not to feel proud of this place. Lee’s Summit has always been the kind of city where people show up and build something. That doesn’t happen by accident.
Enjoy the holiday, LS. Go see the fireworks. Eat something off a grill. Wear something ridiculous – I’m going with my Joe Dirt t-shirt, as I do. And tell me what you’re doing to celebrate.
Thanks for being part of the Lowdown crew!
– Jen
Editor, Lee’s Summit Lowdown
P.S. The LS History Museum is open downtown if you want to spend some time this week with the 250-year story and where Lee’s Summit fits into it. Housed in the old WPA Post Office on SW 3rd Street. Worth a stop if you haven’t been. Check them out here.
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