The Plaza Art Fair is one of the oldest running art fairs in the United States. The beloved annual event is held in the beautiful Kansas City Country Club Plaza every September. The Plaza Art Fair features 240 artist exhibitors, about 40 live music acts on three stages, and over 20 featured restaurant booths. The event attracts 250,000 people to the historical KC area. It's a major tourist attraction and a boost for Plaza restaurants and businesses, which went through really hard times during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schedule and Location
Exhibitor booths and various attractions are set up on Nichols Road between Pennsylvania and Wyandotte, along Ward Parkway between Pennsylvania and Central Street, on Broadway between 47th Street, and on Central Street between Nichols and Ward Parkway. The Main Stage is located on the Wornall Bridge, the Local Music Stage is at Ward Parkway & Pennsylvania, and the Acoustic Stage is at Nichols & Central. Plaza Art Fair features children's interactive and fun activities, taking place on Broadway between 47th Street and Nichols Road. The Art Fair runs from 5 to 10 pm on Friday, from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday, and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.
Artists
The Plaza Art Fair attracts artists from all over the country. Artworks span different genres and techniques: drawing, pastels, 2D and 3D mixed media, woodworking, printmaking, photography, fiber, painting, glass-blowing, sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry.
The 2024 featured artist is Lydia Randolph from Alabama. She is a painter who depicts nature as well as details from her life, relics, and ruins. Lydia's shows complex scenes with triangles, squares, rectangles, and diamonds. The beauty captured by Lydia's eye is extraordinarily peaceful, but not without excitement.
Art Fair History
The Plaza Art Fair was first held in 1932 during the Depression. It took place on an empty lot at Nichols Road and Central. The event featured 90 artists, who showed off their paintings, placing them against trees and benches. In the 1940s, the fair was held at Chandler Courtyard (near modern-day Cheesecake Factory). Over time, the Plaza Art Fair has grown into a top-ranked nationwide event. It was included in the top ten fine arts festivals in the Art Fair SourceBook and has become known far beyond the Midwest.
