Can you legally drink in a Kansas City area park? Here’s what the law says

Winter is the rearview mirror, and spring is underway in Kansas City.

And that means hundreds of thousands of people are starting to head toward the many parks in the area with picnic baskets, blankets and hammocks in hand.

You might be thinking about stashing a few alcoholic beverages or a wine bottle inside that basket. But are you legally allowed to drink alcohol in public in Kansas City area parks?

Here’s what the law says about consuming alcohol, liquor and wine in public parks in Kansas and Missouri.

Can I drink alcohol in Missouri public parks?

It depends on what your city or county statutes say about drinking alcohol in parks.

Missouri has no statewide law that prevents residents from drinking alcohol in public places. But some public spaces, such as Loose Park in Kansas City, prohibit alcoholic beverages on public property. KC Parks also restricts alcohol on its properties.

Kansas City’s city code states, “ No person shall consume or drink any intoxicating liquor of any kind or any kind of beer in or upon any street, sidewalk or park; except as otherwise allowed by ordinance and except that, in the case of parks, such consumption or drinking of intoxicating liquor or beer may be permitted by the board of parks and recreation commissioners by written contract or permit, subject to the requirements of chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances.”

You can, however, open carry alcohol on the Power & Light District’s entertainment grounds, as long as the alcohol is in a plastic container.

North Kansas City’s city code is similar, with the exception of drinking alcohol within a beer and wine garden or in a location the North Kansas City Parks and Recreation Center specifically authorizes. It’s the same for Liberty’s and Independence’s city codes, respectively.

Lakes, like Longview Lake, 11101 Raytown Road, do not allow alcohol on its premises.

You may want to check with your local jurisdiction for more information.

Can I drink alcohol in public in Kansas parks?

Kansas’ open containers laws are more strict than Missouri’s.

You can’t drink beer or other alcoholic beverages in public on Kansas streets unless there’s an event with a permit that allows visitors to carry and drink alcohol on event grounds. The law, passed in 2017, also established that Kansas cities and counties can establish common consumption areas that allow alcohol in public.

You can drink in public in downtown Mission’s common consumption area, which is located in this region:

• The north side of Johnson Drive

• Martway Street to the south

• Lamar Avenue to the west

• Roeland Drive to the east

The same is true in downtown Shawnee, which established a common consumption area spanning from 58th and 59th streets from King Street on the west to Bluejacket Street on the east and Johnson Drive, which runs east and west through the middle of the district.

If you are renting a shelter in Lenexa for a party, you are required to get a $25 permit to have beer and wine. You can’t bring your own alcohol to the Lenexa Public Market, but you can buy it at the market and carry it on the market’s grounds.

You have to get a permit to have alcohol in one of Wyandotte County’s parks, as well.

Ultimately, if you want to drink at a local park, you should check your city’s code for more information.