Travel Midwest Magazine Travel Midwest Digital ReplicaSUM17 | Page 162

“Lenexa is a vibrant suburban community which has kept its small-town charm” Lenexa, kansas Lenexa is a vibrant suburban community which has kept its small-town charm. Located in the kansas City metro area, Lenexa is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of kansas. taking a tour of the Union Horse Distilling Com- pany, an award-winning grain-to-bottle craft distill- ery (unionhorse.com) , and taking a trip to the past at the historic Legler Barn Museum. as the City of Festivals, we know how to have fun. The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle takes place in June with 185 teams competing for the title of kansas state Championship. The two-day event attracts cooks from all over the country and includes live music and activities for kids. september’s spinach Festival is filled with food, history, music, arts, crafts and antiques. The Lenexa Chili Challenge draws thousands to Old Town Lenexa in October to taste some of the best chili in the Midwest. exceptional new events include the Lenexa art Fair and our popular Food Truck Frenzies. (Lenexa.com/festi- vals ) Our booming new downtown, Lenexa City Center, offers great choices of restaurants, including Grand street Café, Ignite Wood Fire Grill and saints Pub + Patio. Lenexa’s new hotels are con- veniently located and offer easy access to other parts of the metro area. explore more than 30 beautiful parks and 26 miles of trails, including Black Hoof Park with its 35-acre Lake Lenexa. ( Lenexa.com/parks ) Opening in late July, the Lenexa Public Market is uniquely located inside our new city hall. This 11,000-square-foot food hall and market will fea- ture fresh foods and artisanal products. The mar- ket will be a dynamic place showcasing our community's character through food, drink and lo- cally sourced goods. (LenexaPublicMarket.com) We invite you to see, explore, taste and experi- ence the great things Lenexa has to offer. Plan your visit at Lenexa.org/convention-and-visitors- bureau or Lenexa.com. Kansas You will also discover unique destinations by