Mission is throwing a block party to mark 75 years as a city, with live music, food trucks and a costume contest taking over downtown Saturday evening.
The celebration runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Johnson Drive and Woodson and inside Mission Theater. The city describes the event as family-friendly, calling it a throwback to the days when live music filled Mission's streets. No admission cost has been announced.
Kansas City cover band The Suburbans will headline. The city's event listing describes the band as covering music from the 1950s through the present. Food trucks, beer from Mission breweries and giveaways round out the evening.
Before the music starts, the city is staging a "Mission Through the Decades" costume contest at 5:45 p.m. Attendees can show up as individuals or groups dressed in their favorite fashions from the 1950s through the present. Fiorella's Boutique is sponsoring the contest, and prizes will be awarded in multiple categories.
Families with younger children can check out a kids' activity zone sponsored by Wonder and Whoa, a downtown Mission studio that serves children ages 5 to 12. The studio is located off Johnson Drive, close to the event venue.
The city first announced the celebration on Aug. 20 and updated the listing on Sept. 11, according to the city's website. The announcement did not name a specific city official as the event organizer.
Mission was incorporated in 1951 after decades as a residential subdivision. The area was originally called Mission Hill Acres in 1926, when the Breyfogel family subdivided it into 245 lots, according to the city's history page. Seventy-five years after incorporation, the street dance aims to bring that early neighborhood spirit back to Johnson Drive.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Mission 75th Anniversary Street Dance, 5–9 p.m., Johnson Drive and Woodson
- Friday–Friday, Sept. 25–26: Overland Park Fall Festival, downtown Overland Park
