A lantern festival, a baseball rivalry between first responders and free help filing for property tax rebates top Overland Park's October events calendar, according to the city's latest guide.
The Kansas City Chinese Association will host the Moon and Water Lantern Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. The evening event features lanterns reflecting on the water, lion and dragon dances, live performances, food for purchase and games. The city describes it as a family-friendly cultural celebration.
On Sunday, Oct. 4, the Overland Park Police Department and the Overland Park Fire Department square off in a baseball game at the Blue Valley Recreation Sports Complex. The afternoon matchup is open to the public.
Also on Saturday, Oct. 3, the fire and police departments are hosting a separate event at the Overland Park Fire Training Center for people with developmental disabilities and their families, with demonstrations and hands-on activities.
Property tax rebate deadline approaching
Residents who need help applying for the city's Property Tax Rebate Program can attend help sessions starting Monday, Oct. 5. The city is offering both in-person and virtual options, including evening sessions. Residents can email [email protected] to sign up for virtual assistance or visit opkansas.gov/Rebate for details.
The application deadline is Thursday, Oct. 15.
The program offers rebates of up to 75% of the city's share of property taxes. The city's portion of the average home's tax bill is $832, according to the city's program page.
This is the second application window for 2026. In the first round, 341 of 352 applicants were deemed eligible, and the average rebate was $421, up from $380 in 2025, as first reported by the Johnson County Post. Community Capital Fund, a local community development corporation, administers the program.
About $44,000 remained in the rebate account when the second window was announced in August. More than half of first-round rebates went to homeowners age 65 or older, according to Cambria Floyd, a services manager at Community Capital Fund.
"Sometimes we forget that there are folks who are really, really struggling," Overland Park City Councilmember Amy Scrivner said in August, when a council committee approved reopening the application. "… There's a lot who are one toe on that ravine of falling over the edge."
To qualify, applicants must live in the Overland Park home they're requesting a rebate for, be current on property taxes and meet federal low-income limits. For a family of four, that works out to $90,700 or less. Veterans, seniors over 65, people with disabilities and long-term homeowners receive priority.
More October highlights
- Tuesday, Oct. 6: Free admission day at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, plus a "Bat Rockets" make-and-take project for the first 100 participants.
- Monday, Oct. 5, through Monday, Nov. 16: The Lily Taylor Art Exhibition at Tomahawk Ridge Community Center features work by Lily Zhang Li Taylor, a choreographer, artist and traditional Chinese dance instructor originally from Beijing. The opening reception is Thursday, Oct. 8.
- Saturdays through October: The Overland Park Farmers Market runs 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clock Tower Landing.
