Updated guide to Kansas City holiday events: Shows, lights galore, despite COVID-19
This list has been updated with more events. Cancellations are listed at the end.
When children must remain 6 feet from a masked Santa Claus as their parents take photos from behind a plexiglass shield, you know something is different about this holiday season.
But that’s life in the age of COVID-19.
Although the pandemic has decimated the usually packed schedule of live music, theater and other performing arts, many of the area’s other traditional holiday events will proceed — with accommodations for the pandemic such as those above at Santa’s Gingerbread Station at Crown Center. It will run Nov. 27-Dec. 23. Other area Santas will ho-ho-ho at a distance as well.
Crown Center also will play host to a different kind of Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be a virtual-only event when the 100-foot tree is illuminated at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27.
Similarly, the Plaza Lighting Ceremony is designed to be broadcast-only in 2020. Visitors will still be able to check out the area’s favorite light display through Jan. 10.
Most other holiday light shows have been little affected by the pandemic. Even at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, which has been closed since March, the Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane will go forward (Nov. 26-Jan. 7).
As usual, Union Station will present a full array of holiday activities, highlighted by the new Holiday Reflections walk-thru village in the massive Grand Plaza.
Some area performing arts companies have gotten creative to give the public a small selection of holiday offerings.
Some are going virtual with holiday shows. Kansas City Repertory Theatre will take a storytelling approach to “A Christmas Carol” (through Dec. 31). The Coterie theater decided to turn its “The Snowy Day” into a streaming event (Dec. 1-Jan. 3). MTH Theater at Crown Center will present “A Spectacular Christmas,” filmed at a local Christmas tree lot and on the front lawn of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Dec. 10-31).
And Lyric Opera of Kansas City will stream its new version of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” featuring Paul Mesner puppets, starting Dec. 15. The opera had planned on in-person presentations but said those are now canceled because of the explosion of COVID-19 cases and new restrictions. Kansas City Ballet also announced it canceled its sold-out run of “The Holiday Show” for the same reason.
Here are the details:
Union Station
Classic Holiday Movies
Through Dec. 24 ($3), Regnier Extreme Screen. tickets.unionstation.org
Holiday Reflections walk-thru village
10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily ($5).
Laser Holiday Magic
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. through Jan. 3. ($8), Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. unionstation.org/sciencecity
Mini Holiday Express
10 a.m.-8 p.m. through Jan. 1 ($5).
Strawberry Swing’s Holiday Market
Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5-6, 12-13 and 19-20 ($7.50). eventbrite.com
Crown Center
Ice Terrace
Through March 7 ($7).
Santa’s Arrival
10:30 a.m. Nov. 27.
Santa’s Gingerbread Station
11 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 27-Dec 23, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 24.
Mayor’s Christmas Tree
Nov. 27-Jan. 3. Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27. Virtual only at crowncenterchristmas.com
Performing arts
Kansas City Repertory Theatre, “A Christmas Carol”
Through Dec. 31 (streaming, $65 per household). kcrep.org
“The Snowy Day”
Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (streaming, $25-$65), Coterie Theatre. thecoterie.org
Storling Dance Theater, “Child of Hope”
Dec. 4-13 ($15-$20), Culture House. culturehouse.getmytix.net
Kansas City Chorale, “Health, Hope and Peace”
2 p.m. Dec. 6 (free), Southeast Lawn of National WWI Museum and Memorial. theworldwar.org
The Wires, “An Intimate Christmas Concert”
7 p.m. Dec. 9 (online, free). mymcpl.org
MTH Theater at Crown Center, “A Spectacular Christmas”
Dec. 10-31 (streaming, $45). musicaltheaterheritage.com
Casi Joy
7 p.m. Dec. 10 (livestreamed, free, for Kauffman Center Spotlight members, $75 and up). kauffmancenter.org
Harold Hynick, “A Christmas Carol — A One-Man Show”
1 and 5 p.m. Dec. 12 ($20-$30), Groundhog Day Theater. eventbrite.com
Tenor Ben Bliss and Guests, “Holiday Bliss”
Harriman-Jewell Series Discovery Concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 12 (livestreamed, free). hjseries.org
Bach Aria Soloists, Holiday Concert
7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 ($20-$30), Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. bachariasoloists.com
Christmas at the Q
Dec. 14-29 (streaming, free). qualityhillplayhouse.com
Lyric Opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors”
Starting Dec. 15 (streaming, $40). kcopera.org
The Dickens Carolers
7 p.m. Dec. 17, 10 a.m. Dec. 19 (online, free). mymcpl.org/events/68921 and mymcpl.org/events/68922
Jim Brickman, “Comfort & Joy At Home” Virtual Tour
7 p.m. Dec. 17 (streaming, $40-$125). follytheater.org
William Baker Festival Singers, Candlelight, Carols & Cathedral
8 p.m. Dec. 18 and 2 p.m. Dec. 20 ($5-$50), Holy Angels Catholic Church. festivalsingers.org; also livestreamed at facebook.com
Light displays
Winter Magic
Through Jan. 2 ($20 for standard vehicles and $30-$40 for larger vehicles), Swope Park. wintermagickc.com
Festival of Lights: Enchantment
Through Jan. 3 ($5-$12), Powell Gardens. powellgardens.org
Christmas in the Park
5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday Nov. 25-Jan. 2, Longview Campground. makeyourdayhere.com
Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane
5-11 p.m. Nov. 26-Jan. 7 (free), Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, Overland Park. opkansas.org
Plaza Lights
Nov. 26-Jan. 10; lighting ceremony, 6 p.m. Nov. 26 (broadcast-only). facebook.com or countryclubplaza.com
Luminary Walk
4:30-10 p.m. Nov. 27-28, Dec. 4-5 and 11-12 ($14), Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. artsandrec-op.org
Rockin’ Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Display
Nov. 27-Dec. 23 ($25 per car), KC Pumpkin Patch. facebook.com
Sea of Lights
Nov. 27-Jan. 10 ($17.95-$21.95), Sea Life Kansas City. visitsealife.com/kansas-city
Luminary Walk and Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 4, Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center, Mission. facebook.com
Liberty Light Show
6, 6:45, 7:30, 8:15 and 9 p.m. Dec. 4-6 and 11-13, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty. pleasantvalley.org
Sar-Ko Aglow
6-11 p.m. Dec. 4-Jan. 10, Sar Ko Par Trails Park, Lenexa. facebook.com
Soul of Santa Christmas Tree Lighting
6 p.m. Dec. 4, 18th and Paseo. thesoulofsanta.org
Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show
7 p.m. Dec. 4, Kansas Speedway (free, sold out); 6:40 p.m. Dec. 5 (livestreamed, free). walmartdroneshow.com
More ice skating
Summit Ice
Through Feb. 28 ($8), Lee’s Summit. cityofls.net
The Ice at Park Place
Through Feb. 28 ($9-$11), Park Place. parkplaceleawood.com
Linden Square Skate Rink
Opens Nov. 26 after the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting ($5), Gladstone. lindensquare.info
Other events
Santa’s Wonderland
Through Dec. 24, Bass Pro and Cabela’s. basspro.com
Holiday Stroll
Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5-6, 12-13 and 19-20, Weston. westonmo.com
Drive-Thru PJ Party with Santa
5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 4, Zona Rosa. zonarosa.com
Santa’s Express in Lights
5:30-9 p.m. Dec. 4-5 and 11-12 ($10 per car suggested donation), National Agricultural Center & Hall of Fame. aghalloffame.com
A Downtown Christmas
6-9 p.m. Dec. 4, Downtown Parkville. parkvillemo.org
Living Windows
7-9 p.m. Dec. 4, Independence Square. facebook.com
Cruisin’ With Santa Claus
9-11 a.m. Dec. 5 (sold out), Legends Outlets. legendsshopping.com
Sidewalk Santa
9 a.m.-noon, Dec. 5 ($5-$7), Leawood Community Center. leawood.org
Christmas Open House
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 5 (free), Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. mahaffie.org
Kearney’s Magical Night
5-8 p.m. Dec. 12, Firehouse Community Center, Kearney. kearneyfirehouse.org
Other virtual events
Coleman House Opening
Dec. 4, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. toyandminiaturemuseum.org
Santa Dash
10 a.m. Dec. 5 ($12-$30). santadashrun.com
Fairy Princess
6 p.m. Dec. 6. kansascitymuseum.org
Canceled events
Day After Thanksgiving Family Day
Nov. 27, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. toyandminiaturemuseum.org
Christmas in the Courtyard
Dec. 4, Merriam Community Center. merriam.org
Kansas City Ballet, “The Holiday Show”
Dec. 4-20, Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity. kcballet.org
River City Community Players, “A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 11-13, Performing Arts Center, Leavenworth. eventbrite.com
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
