Get outside and enjoy an annual opportunity for free activities at two JCPRD parks during the twelfth-annual A Day in the Park event on June 5.
Meant as a day-long celebration of our community’s trails, parks, and recreational spaces, this event includes free admission to park beaches and free one-hour boat rentals of all rentable watercraft at Shawnee Mission and Kill Creek parks. JCPRD fishing permits are also waived for this day at Shawnee Mission, Kill Creek, and other JCPRD parks where fishing is allowed. This event ties into both the JCPRD’s annual free fishing weekend when both Kansas and district fishing and boating permits are waived, as well as National Trails Day. It should be noted that JCPRD trout permits are still required on this day for those fishing for trout.
For the latest information on A Day in the Park events, go to
JCPRD.com.
The free boat rentals include pedal boats, canoes, paddle boards, and kayaks at both parks. While not required, reservations can be made for the Shawnee Mission Park Marina up to a week in advance and can be made in person or
online. Advance reservations are not available for watercraft at the Kill Creek Park Marina. Patrons are advised to arrive 30 minutes prior to their boat rental start time to allow time to complete reservation.
Marina hours on June 5 are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Park and Noon to 5:30 p.m. at Kill Creek Park, where the marina operates out of the beach. The last rental at each marina is one hour before close. Note that because of the volume of visitors on this day, free rentals are limited to one hour per boat. Beach hours for June 5 are noon to 6 p.m. at both parks. Food and drink concessions are available for purchase at the Shawnee Mission Park Beach House.
Two other programs will be coinciding with, but not actually part of, A Day in the Park activities in Shawnee Mission Park on June 5. During a free program called Come Sail With Us (9570) on June 5, the Johnson County Sailing Society will be giving free sailboat rides and demonstrations from noon to 1 p.m. on Shawnee Mission Park Lake.
The annual
Great American Campout will also be going on and will give participants an opportunity to sleep under the stars in the second largest park in Johnson County. This year’s campout will be a little different than those of past years, with a new camping area on the Play Field near Shawnee Mission Park’s north Walnut Grove area. This program is for all ages and will run from 2 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. The cost is $10 for individual; $30 for a family of 4; and children 3 and under are free.
Admission to the Saturday night Theatre in the Park production of
“Mamma Mia” is not included for campout participants this year, but can be purchased at
theatreinthepark.org/mamma-mia.
Shawnee Mission Park is located at 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee and Lenexa.
Kill Creek Park is located at 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe.