Olathe Arts Festival brings 70 artists downtown Oct. 9-10

More than 70 artists and vendors will fill downtown Olathe on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, for the free 4th Annual Olathe Arts Festival.

Friday hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The festival's expanded marketplace returns for a second year, according to the Olathe Reporter. Visitors can browse and buy handcrafted items and fine art directly from the artists who made them.

What to expect

The City of Olathe's festival page lists live entertainment on a main stage in the newly redeveloped Johnson County Square both days. Friday's lineup features Justin Fowler Acoustic from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and Kansas City Strings Quartet from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday's schedule runs from the Olathe Community Orchestra at 11 a.m. through Lester Estelle and Friends closing the stage at 5:30 p.m.

Other Saturday performers include The Nite Owls, Trilogy Cultural Arts, Olathe Dance Center and the Olathe Civic Jazz Band.

Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for the seating area.

Kidtopia

Families with children will find Kidtopia, a free activity area presented by the City of Olathe and Trilogy Cultural Arts Centre. Activities include tie-dye workshops, foam sword play, mini easel painting, spray art, mini-pumpkin decorating, jewelry making, face painting and a treasure hunt. All activities are free while supplies last. The city notes that pumpkins and tie-dye items tend to go quickly, and families are welcome to bring their own supplies.

Food and drink

Food trucks rotate across both days. Friday vendors include Goombas Italian Street Food, The Pretzelly Truck, Thompson Bros Cubanos, Smoke N Seoul, Bee Ray's, Mad Greek, Omnivorium and Kansas City Popcorn Co. Saturday's lineup swaps in Spud Buds Food Truck and drops Mad Greek and Omnivorium, while keeping The Pretzelly Truck and the rest. KC Cocktail Company and Tall Trellis serve drinks both days. Attendees must be 21 or older with ID to purchase alcohol. No outside alcohol is permitted.

Nearby downtown restaurants Park Street Pastry, Marco Polo Selections, Third Street Social and Pizza 51 will also be open select hours during the festival weekend.

Getting there

Free public parking is available in the parking garage between W. Park St. and W. Loula St. The full artist list and show schedule are posted at olatheks.gov.

Past Best of Show winners include Dennis Haugen in 2023 and Sue Mersman in 2024, according to the city's festival page.