KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 23, 2026) — The Kansas City Symphony, Bank of America and Kansas City PBS invite the community to join the region’s favorite Memorial Day weekend tradition at Union Station Kansas City. The 22nd Kansas City Symphony Celebration at the Station, presented by Bank of America, will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 24 on the South Plaza of Union Station and the North Lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The event will also celebrate an additional special milestone: the United States’ 250th anniversary.

With an expected crowd of tens of thousands, Celebration at the Station is the largest free Memorial Day weekend event in the Midwest. The Kansas City Symphony presents this free concert as a gift to the community each year and as a tribute to the men and women who have served their country.

“Celebration at the Station is a powerful example of how art, history and community come together in Kansas City,” said Danny Beckley, President and CEO of the Kansas City Symphony. “As we mark both Memorial Day and the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Kansas City Symphony is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Bank of America to help provide a free, inclusive experience that honors service, inspires pride and brings tens of thousands of people together in the heart of our city.”

“Strong communities are built on connection, gratitude and shared experiences,” said Matt Linski, President of Bank of America Kansas City. “As our country approaches its 250th anniversary, the Kansas City Symphony’s Celebration at the Station stands as a powerful example of how partnerships can bring people together to honor service, reflect on our shared history and strengthen civic pride.”

The Symphony is privileged to again partner with Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial—who each will have their own Memorial Day weekend activities and special exhibitions within their venues—as well as the City of Kansas City, Missouri and its Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and many other community supporters. 

“Union Station has long been Kansas City’s front porch—a place where generations have experienced both heartfelt goodbyes and joyful homecomings,” George Guastello, Union Station president and CEO, said. “As a historic gateway for troops heading to and returning from war, the stories held within these walls are deeply woven into our shared history. We are honored to serve as stewards of that legacy and proud to host Celebration at the Station, a meaningful tribute to Memorial Day weekend and to the brave men and women who have served—and continue to serve—our nation.”

Event Schedule

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. and include more than 20 food trucks and live pre-concert entertainment on the main stage, plus various vendors and booths as well as services for veterans at Veterans Place until 8 p.m.

Starting at 8 p.m., Guest Conductor Stuart Chafetz will lead the Symphony in a concert featuring special guest Aubrey Logan and music by John Williams, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin and Florence Price. The concert will also include crowd favorites such as the Armed Forces Salute and the 1812 Overture with live cannons. The grand finale will feature a stunning fireworks display over Union Station accompanied by the KC Symphony.

Guests can enjoy pre-concert performances by United States Air Force Academy Band’s Stellar Brass Quintet and the rock ensemble, Raptor, from the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band. Those who can’t make the event can stream it live on Kansas City PBS, Channel 19.1.

Entry Details

Paid parking for the event is available in multiple surface lots and garages around the event site, including Union Station’s West Yards garage. Parking rates will be published in the coming weeks and can be found online at unionstation.org. Attendees may also park anywhere along Downtown KC’s streetcar route and ride the streetcar directly to Union Station. Seating is not provided, so folding chairs and blankets are encouraged. No alcohol, glass containers or pets are allowed.

The Symphony and its partners are making detailed safety plans for the event site, which involve local law enforcement and multiple federal agencies.

For the latest event information, be sure to visit kcsymphony.org/celebration. Media interested in attending can reach out to Claire Martin at cmartin@kcsymphony.org.

About The Kansas City Symphony

In only its 44th season, the Kansas City Symphony has already become one of America’s most vibrant major orchestras and has gained national and international recognition. At its orchestral home of Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Symphony serves the Kansas City metropolitan region of more than 2.2 million people.

The Symphony’s 80 full-time musicians present a diverse and dynamic range of orchestral and chamber music performances each season under the artistic leadership of music director Matthias Pintscher, an internationally acclaimed conductor and composer who regularly conducts many of the world’s leading orchestras and opera companies.

In addition to concerts in Helzberg Hall, Symphony musicians perform throughout the region on an innovative portable stage, the Mobile Music Box. The Symphony also serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, adding to the rich cultural experiences that these organizations offer to the community.

For more information, visit www.kcsymphony.org. 

About Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

About the National WWI Museum and Memorial

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war. The Museum and Memorial takes visitors of all ages on an epic journey through a transformative period and shares deeply personal stories of courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Designated by Congress as America’s official World War I Museum and Memorial and located in downtown Kansas City, Mo., the National WWI Museum and Memorial inspires thought, dialogue and learning to make the experiences of the Great War era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations. To learn more, visit theworldwar.org.

Media Contact:
Claire Martin 
Manager, PR & Partnerships 
Kansas City Symphony 
cmartin@kcsymphony.org 
913.687.6499