Blue Springs Fall Fun Fest changes layout, parade route due to Main Street construction

BLUE SPRINGS, MO — KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Grain Valley. Share your story idea with Claire.

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The 57th annual Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival is 10 days away, but ongoing construction on Main Street is forcing organizers to adjust the festival's layout and parade route this year.

The block of Main Street between 11th and 12th streets will still be closed due to active construction when the festival opens September 18th. Instead, the layout will wrap down Southwest 11th Street into the parking lot in front of the police department and back up Southwest 12th Street reconnecting to Main Street. The intersection at 12th and Main recently reopened to traffic. You can see the full layout here.

The parade route is also changing. Instead of coming down Main Street, the parade will go still start at Vesper, go north up 15th Street and east to R.D. Mize Road, still ending at St. John LaLande Catholic Church.

Vendors will also close at 9 p.m. this year instead of 10 p.m. Organizers said the earlier closing time is to address safety concerns.

Despite the construction, Mikayla Lavelle, director of events for the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, said businesses along the affected block remain open and encouraged festival-goers not to be deterred.

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"Even though all of these barricades are up, if you are coming for the festival, all of those businesses on that block are still open and operating. So you can still get to all of your favorite businesses down here. They'd be more than happy to have you. So just because there are cones does not mean it's closed, does not mean it's canceled, none of those things. So don't be afraid," Lavelle said.

The block of Main Street from 15th to 12th Street is expected to reopen before the festival begins.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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