This JoCo suburb is celebrating its 75th anniversary with several upcoming events

Like one of its northeast Johnson County neighbors, the city of Fairway is turning 75 years old this year.

To celebrate, the city is hosting several free events in the coming months at Neale Peterson Park — including a citywide party and a free concert.

Here’s how you can take part in Fairway’s 75th anniversary celebrations for the rest of 2024:

In June, the city hosted a pool party to kick off its 75th anniversary celebrations.

Below are three other opportunities for people to to gather and mark the milestone:

Park Party on Aug. 9: The city is hosting a park party at Peterson Park, 6136 Mission Rd., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9. The party is free to the public and will feature inflatables, a DJ, giveaways, raffles and ice cream treats.
Outdoor Movie on Sept. 21: Fairway continues the celebration with an outdoor movie at Peterson Park on Saturday, Sept. 21. The movie will begin around 7:45 to 8 p.m., and sweet treats from the 1940s and 1950s will be available.
Outdoor Concert on Oct. 12: The final celebration is an outdoor concert at Peterson Park from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. The Matchsellers, a local bluegrass band, will play two 45-minute sets. Popcorn and other concessions will be available for purchase, and a “History of Fairway” will be on display at the park.

All of the above events are free and open to the public.

Brice Soeken, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said the city doesn’t want an admission fee to dissuade people from celebrating.

Soeken told the Post that he hopes these events continue to foster a “sense of community” for Fairway.
Like other northeast Johnson County cities, Soeken said, Fairway is a close and tight-knit community.
The parks and recreation department tends to see the same kids and families playing at city parks, swimming at the Fairway Pool and attending special events like gymnastics parties, he said.
“I think the residents of Fairway like to be together, and helping them come together and celebrate the city that they’ve chosen to live in is a cool thing for them,” Soeken said.

Soeken said city staff wanted to make sure anyone who wants to celebrate Fairway’s 75th anniversary had a chance to do so, which is why the city opted for several celebrations instead of just one.
Still, Soeken said that the four different 75th anniversary celebrations doubled the number of special events Fairway typically hosts on an annual basis.
Soeken said the city intentionally spread the events out across the summer and into the fall to allow city staff some down time, as annual pool operations alone are a large feat.
“It’s not lost on me that I’m asking my staff do quite a bit this year, but they rise to the occasion like they always do and everything has gone off without a hitch so far,” Soeken said.