KC events Nov. 28-Dec. 4: ‘Jurassic World Live!,’ Plaza lighting, ‘Potted Potter’

Heidi Gardner, the Kansas City native in her third season as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” will flip the switch at the Plaza Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving night. The lights are scheduled to go on at 6:54 p.m., followed by fireworks and a concert by The Elders, who will be joined by Susan McFadden of Celtic Woman and world champion bagpiper Anthony Byrne. Pre-show entertainment will include singing and dancing. Lights will shine nightly through Jan. 12. 816-753-0100. countryclubplaza.com.

Powell Gardens’ holiday celebration features lighting displays on a one-mile walk through the 970-acre grounds situated 30 miles east of Kansas City. This year’s Festival of Lights will take on a new twist as it guides visitors through the Heartland Harvest Garden and follows the theme of “Luminosity.” Other attractions will include Santa and roving carolers on select evenings, children’s activities daily and hot chocolate. Runs 4-10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday through Jan. 5. 816-697-2600. Tickets are $5-$12 through powellgardens.org.

Featuring more than 20 characters, including the mighty T. rex, Blue the Raptor, Triceratops, Pteranodons, Baby Stegosaurus and four other dinosaurs, “Jurassic World Live!” has an original story that brings human and dinosaur characters together in an all-new production. When the Indominus Rex escapes and causes chaos in the park, a team of scientists attempts to save Jeanie, an all-new dinosaur, from a terrible fate. Also, 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1. 816-949-7100. Tickets are $15-$100 through sprintcenter.com.

This is the 20th year for the Luminary Walk, where visitors pass among thousands of candles illuminating more than a mile of pathways through woods and gardens while music fills the air. Other attractions are the Gnome and Fairy Villages, the Children’s Garden, visiting with Santa, horse-drawn wagon rides and sipping cider around the campfire. 913-685-3604. Tickets are $9-$12 through artsandrec-op.org/arboretum.

For the first time since being elected Kansas City’s mayor, Quinton Lucas (with a special guest) will flip the switch to light the 100-foot Mayor’s Christmas Tree. One of the nation’s tallest holiday trees, it is a symbol of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund that assists the city’s less fortunate. The cast of “A Spectacular Christmas Show” at MTH Theater at Crown Center will perform, and a fireworks display will conclude the ceremony. 816-274-8444. crowncenter.com. Free.

All your favorite “Harry Potter” characters, plus a special appearance by a fire-breathing dragon, will be on hand for this family-friendly show that condenses all seven of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” books (and a real-life game of Quidditch) into 70 hilarious minutes. Created by BBC Television actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner in 2006, “Potted Potter” has been seen by more than a million people and is now playing at Bally’s in Las Vegas. 816-474-4444. Tickets are $39.99-$99.99 through follytheater.org.

If you’re a longtime fan of “Saturday Night Live,” you’re likely familiar with Joe Piscopo, who did a spot-on Frank Sinatra impression while he was in the “SNL” cast in the early 1980s. His main claim to fame these days is a radio show and podcast. Piscopo will appear at a memorial event for Walter White, a former tight end for the Chiefs who died in April. The event, which will begin with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m. and will include dinner and live music, will support the Chiefs’ Ambassadors charity group. Tickets are $100 through chickennpickle.com/kc/event/walter-white-memorial-event.

With 150 vendors including makers, crafters and artisans from throughout the Midwest, the ninth annual Holiday Swing indie craft fair will provide one-stop shopping for many of your holiday gifts in the festive setting of Union Station. Photo booths and food trucks also will be on hand. Free admission; tickets for preferential shopping (9-10 a.m. each day) are $20 through thestrawberryswing.org.

The Chiefs-Raiders game is always big, even when it really isn’t. But this matchup will be extra big, as Kansas City tries to hold off its bitter rival from the Bay Area in the race for the AFC West title. Coming off a bye week, the Chiefs will be playing their first game at home — where they have struggled to a 2-3 record — since beating the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 3. Barring a rematch in the playoffs, this will be the last time the Oakland Raiders will play at Arrowhead; next year they will be the Las Vegas Raiders. 816-920-9300. Tickets are $90-$375 through chiefs.com.

Central Standard Theatre has presented Invasion, which imports top international actors to perform critically acclaimed shows, since 2010. This year’s alternating productions will star Guy Masterson (in “A Christmas Carol” and “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”), Pip Utton (in “Einstein” and “Before I Forget I Love You, I Love You”), Clara Francesca (in “Manifesting Mrs. Marx”) and Bob Paisley (in “The Professor”). Runs through Dec. 8. 816-635-0543. Tickets are $10-$27.72 ($132.12 for full festival) through cstkc.com/invasion-2019.

The idea of TubaChristmas started in 1975 with a show in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza, and Kansas City has been presenting one since 1979. All area tuba and euphonium players are invited to join the lunch-hour concerts of holiday music, and more than 500 musicians have been known to perform together. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-471-0400. kcsymphony.org. Free; advance registration required.

Sarah Bernhardt was the world’s most famous female actor at the end of the 19th century, and she was looking for a new challenge. The French thespian found it when she decided to play the title role in “Hamlet” in 1899 while she was in her 50s. Theresa Rebeck’s “Bernhardt/Hamlet,” which ran briefly on Broadway last year, recreates that bit of theatrical history. Runs through Dec. 29. 816-531-7529. Tickets are $34-$44 through unicorntheatre.org.

Jen Kober, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com

Michael Blackson, Nov. 29-30, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Jordan and Bret Raybould, Nov. 29-30, Red Front Bar & Grill. eventbrite.com/event/70720943245 and eventbrite.com/event/70721187977

Pigface, Nov. 28, RecordBar. therecordbar.com

Ramon Ayala, Nov. 28, Blvd. ticketmaster.com

Thanksgiving Breakfast Dance Southern Blues Tour featuring Willie Clayton, Bigg Robb and Ms. Jody, Nov. 28, Scottish Rite Temple. eventbrite.com/event/78721128013

Herobust with Slimez and Inf1n1te, Nov. 29, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Michael Ray and Carly Pearce, Nov. 30, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com

Kim Petras, Dec. 1, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Night the Buzz Stole Xmas Night 1 featuring K.Flay, Meg Myers, Hembree and Mess, Dec. 1, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com

Romero Lubambo, Dec. 2-3, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu

Snails with Rusko and more, Dec. 3, Truman. thetrumankc.com

Michael Martin Murphey, Dec. 4, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

“Celebration,” Dec. 2-Jan. 30, Buttonwood Art Space. buttonwoodartspace.com

Pilgrim Run 5K, Nov. 28, Hyde Park. pilgrimrun.org

Ward Parkway Thanksgiving 5K/10K, Nov. 28, Ward Parkway Center. wardparkwaythanksgivingdayrun.com

Thanksgiving Family-Style Menu. Noon-9 p.m. Nov. 28. $25-$65. Affäre Restaurant, 1911 Main. affarekc.com, 816-298-6182

Thanksgiving Buffet. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 28. $20-$42. Bristol Seafood Grill, 51 E. 14th and 5400 W. 119th, Leawood. bristolseafoodgrill.com, 816-448-6007

Thanksgiving buffet. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 28. $28.99. The Buffet Ameristar Casino, 3200 N. Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com, 816-414-7000

Thanksgiving Buffet. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 28. $18-$35. The Elms, 401 Regent, Excelsior Springs. elmshotelandspa.com, 816-630-5500

Thanksgiving buffet. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Nov. 28. Epic Buffet Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Casino Blvd., Kansas City, Kan. hollywoodcasinokansas.com, 913-287-9763

Thanksgiving dinner. 3-7 p.m. Nov. 28. $75. The Fontaine, 901 W. 48th Place. thefontainehotel.com, 816-437-8420

International Thanksgiving Bash. 10 p.m. Nov. 30. Jambo Bar & Grill, 9922 Holmes. eventbrite.com/event/80493270539

Thanksgiving three-course prix-fixe menu. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 28. $19-$39. J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood, 8901 Metcalf, Overland Park. jgilberts.com, 913-642-8070

Thanksgiving feast. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 28. $18-$55; wine pairing $35. Lidia’s Kansas City, 101 W. 22nd. lidias-kc.com, 816-221-3722

Thanksgiving Special. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 28. Marquee Café, Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Casino Blvd., Kansas City, Kan. hollywoodcasinokansas.com, 913- 287-9764

Thanksgiving Dinner. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 28. $24-$49. Tavernonna , 106 W. 12th. hotelphillips.com/tavernonna, 816-346-4410

Thanksgiving Feast. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 28. $14.99-$29.99. The Well Bar Grill & Rooftop, 7421 Broadway. waldowell.com, 816-361-1700

This story was originally published November 26, 2019 at 7:00 AM with the headline "KC events Nov. 28-Dec. 4: ‘Jurassic World Live!,’ Plaza lighting, ‘Potted Potter’."