Jesse James Festival

View on map

Cultural & TraditionalKearney

DatesDates TBA · Usually SeptemberCheck locally before booking

DurationAutumnEstimate from available data

Crowd-Public scale varies

Best forLiving tradition, ritual symbolsThe festival is unusual among American local

LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD

CategoryCultural & TraditionalFestival type

The story

Jesse James Festival in Kearney

The Jesse James Festival is an annual community celebration held the third weekend of September at Jesse James Park in Kearney, Missouri, the outlaw's birthplace, boyhood home, and burial site. Now in its sixth decade, the festival features a rodeo, parade, barbecue competition, demolition derby, carnival, and dozens of other events centered on Kearney's unusual claim to fame.

Kearney, Missouri was known as Centreville until it was renamed, and its most famous native son gave the town an identity it has never entirely escaped, nor tried to.

Your trip starts here

What is special

The part that makes it specific.

The place changes

The festival is unusual among American local celebrations in building its identity around an outlaw, though organizers and longtime residents frame it less as tribute to a bank and train robber than as a way of gathering the community around a distinctive piece of local and national history

The mystery stays covered

Kearney, originally named Centreville, was Jesse James's birthplace, boyhood home, and final resting place at Mt

The city starts moving

Olivet Cemetery, a claim that was the subject of national media scrutiny for years until DNA testing of his remains resolved lingering doubts

The water draws everyone in

The festival channels that history into a weekend built less around James himself than around the kind of broad small-town programming, rodeo, barbecue, demolition derby, disc golf, mud volleyball, that brings together residents and visitors from well beyond Kearney's borders

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The rodeo and the parade through Kearney remain the festival's anchor traditions

Water and renewal

Living ritual

alongside a barbecue competition and the demolition derby

The sacred route

Living ritual

which together have run for decades and draw families back year after year regardless of whether they have any particular interest in the town's outlaw history

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually September

Getting around

Use the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.

What to wear

Casual, sturdy outdoor clothing suited to a warm-to-mild late-September weekend in Missouri; closed-toe shoes are recommended for the rodeo grounds, carnival midway, and mud volleyball pits.

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map40.77 N, 74.15 W Open in Google Maps

Kearney, MO

TransportUse the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.

Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Kearney via local transport.Search routes Find a place to stayStays near Kearney, close enough for the event-day route.Browse stays Find flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for September.Compare fares Festival gearCasual, sturdy outdoor clothing suited to a warm-to-mild late-September weekend in Missouri; closed-toe shoes are recommended for the rodeo grounds, carnival midway, and mud volleyball pits.Shop the kit Check visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rules Travel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Jesse James Festival?

Jesse James Festival is listed for September · Autumn. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Jesse James Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Kearney, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Autumn is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Kearney, MO

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLjessejamesfestival.com

Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →

SourceSource link available

Listed datesDates TBA · Usually September

Source statusOfficial source linked

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →

Jesse James Festival

Jesse James Festival in Kearney

The part that makes it specific.

The place changes

The mystery stays covered

The city starts moving

The water draws everyone in

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Water and renewal

The sacred route

Essential information

When to go

Getting around

What to wear

Safety

Where to stay

Tickets/cost

Language/currency

Family friendly

Kearney, MO

Your Trip Starts Here

Quick answers.

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

Continue the route.

Calgary Stampede

Mawazine - Rhythms of the World

Seville April Fair

Minnesota State Fair