Mega-guide to 2021 Kansas City holiday events: Shows, music, so many light displays
Forget the massive drain of energy. Huge holiday light displays are growing in number and in popularity.
In the Kansas City area, the drive-thru experience “Winter Magic” ($20 per carload Monday-Thursday and $25 Friday-Saturday; $30-$45 for vans and buses) in Swope Park debuted last year. “Holiday Light & Magic” ($20 per vehicle) in Wyandotte County Park and “Magic of Lights” ($25-$45 per vehicle; $60-$75 for limo/party bus) at Arrowhead Stadium have joined the drive-thru trend this year.
Of course, the Country Club Plaza lights probably remain the most popular of the area displays, and they have the advantage of being free. Among the area’s other freebies are longtime favorites such as Jackson County’s Christmas in the Park and Lenexa’s Sar-Ko Aglow.
As always, the Plaza lighting will take place on Thanksgiving. Six members of the KC Current women’s soccer team will flip the switch at 6:52 p.m. Nov. 25. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m., with fireworks following the lighting ceremony.
Most light shows proceeded last year despite the pandemic, but that wasn’t the case for nearly all of the area’s traditional musical and theatrical offerings. They have returned for 2021, but if you’re considering attending a concert or show indoors, you’ll likely need to be vaccinated. Most venues provide vaccine and mask requirements on their websites.
With shots now available to children as young as age 5, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s popular “A Christmas Carol” and the Kansas City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” will welcome vaccinated children. The Kansas City Symphony also will allow unvaccinated children with negative tests to attend Christmas Festival matinee performances on Dec. 18 and Dec. 19 and “Film + Live Orchestra: ‘Home Alone’” on Dec. 23 and 24.
“A Christmas Carol” began its five-week run at Spencer Theatre on Nov. 19, and the area’s holiday schedule continues to pick up steam. This listing can help plan your holidays:
Four favorites
▪ “A Christmas Carol,” Kansas City Repertory Theatre, through Dec. 26, Spencer Theatre. kcrep.org.
▪ Christmas in the Park, 5:30 p.m. through Dec. 31, Frank White Jr. Softball Complex. makeyourdayhere.com.
▪ Plaza Lights, through Jan. 9, Country Club Plaza. countryclubplaza.com/events.
▪ Fairy Princess, Dec. 9-12, Kansas City Museum. kansascitymuseum.org.
Kauffman Center
Kansas City Ballet, “The Nutcracker,” through Dec. 24. kcballet.org.
▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Handel’s Messiah,” 7 p.m. Dec. 10-11, 2 p.m. Dec. 12. kcsymphony.org.
▪ Kansas City Symphony, Christmas Festival, 7 p.m. Dec. 16, 8 p.m. Dec. 17, 1 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 19. kcsymphony.org.
▪ Spire Chamber Ensemble, “Handel’s Messiah,” 7 p.m. Dec. 20. spirechamberensemble.org.
▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Film + Live Orchestra: ‘Home Alone,’” 7 p.m. Dec. 22-23, 11 a.m. Dec. 24. kcsymphony.org.
Union Station
▪ Holiday Classic Movie Series, through Dec. 21, Extreme Screen
▪ “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” Theatre for Young America, through Dec. 23, City Stage. tya.org
▪ “Holiday Reflections,” throughDec. 27
▪ Mini Holiday Express Train, through Dec. 27
▪ “Laser Holiday Magic” and “Stars of Faith,” through Jan. 2, Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium
▪ Noon Year’s Eve, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 31
Note: The Kansas City Southern Holiday Express Train’s annual visit to Union Station has been canceled because of the pandemic.
Crown Center
▪ Santa’s Gingerbread Station, through Dec. 23
▪ EBT Santa’s Countdown to Christmas, through Jan. 3
▪ “A Spectacular Christmas,” Dec. 9-23, MTH Theater at Crown Center. musicaltheaterheritage.com.
Lights, lights, lights
▪ “Magic of Lights,” 5-10 p.m. through Dec. 24 (closed Dec. 12), Arrowhead Stadium. magicoflights.com.
▪ Festival of Lights, through Dec. 30, Powell Gardens. powellgardens.org.
▪ “Knights of Lights: A Renaissance Christmas Extravaganza,” through Jan. 1, Kansas City Renaissance Festival. kcrenfest.com.
▪ “Winter Magic,” through Jan. 2, Swope Park. wintermagickc.com.
▪ “Holiday Light & Magic,” through Jan. 2, Wyandotte County Park. holidaylightandmagic.com.
▪ Sea of Lights, through Jan. 3, Sea Life Kansas City. visitsealife.com/kansas-city.
▪ Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane, 5-11 p.m. through Jan. 7, Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. opkansas.org/events.
▪ Sar-Ko Aglow, through Jan. 17, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa. lenexa.com.
▪ Luminary Walk, 5-9 p.m. Dec. 9-11 and 16-18, Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. artsandrec-op.org.
▪ Liberty Light Show, Dec. 10-12, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. pleasantvalley.org/libertylightshow.
▪ Santa’s Express in Lights, 5:30-9 p.m. Dec. 10-12, National Agricultural Hall of Fame. aghalloffame.com.
▪ Rozarks Luminary Hike, 5-9 p.m. Dec. 13-18, Rozarks Nature Trails. rosedale.org.
Historical holidays
▪ Holiday Tours, through Dec. 30, Bingham-Wagonner Estate. bwestate.net.
▪ “A Victorian Fashionable Christmas” Holiday Tours, through Dec. 30, Vaile Mansion. vailemansion.org.
▪ Olde World Christmas, through Jan. 9, Strawberry Hill Museum. strawberryhillmuseum.org.
▪ Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour, 1-8 p.m. Dec. 8, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 9, Mission Hills and Kansas City. kappahomestour.com.
▪ Christmas Five Senses Open House, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 10, Wornall House. wornallmajors.org.
▪ Holiday Open House, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 11-12, Rice-Tremonti Home. rice-tremonti.org.
▪ Country Christmas, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 11, Lanesfield School Historic Site. jcprd.com.
▪ Candlelight Tour, 4:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 11, Fort Osage. makeyourdayhere.com.
▪ Holiday Open House, 2-5 p.m. Dec. 12, Harris-Kearney House. westporthistorical.com.
▪ Christmas Family Fun Day, 10 a.m.-noon, Dec. 18, Alexander Majors House. wornallmajors.org.
Folly Theater
▪ Stile Antico and Kansas City Chorale, “A Renaissance Christmas,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9. chambermusic.org.
▪ Central Standard, “Together Again for the Holidays,” 7 p.m. Dec. 11
▪ Eileen Ivers, “A Joyful Christmas,” 8 p.m. Dec. 17
▪ Drag Queen Christmas, 8 p.m. Dec. 19
Other music and dance
▪ Rezound, Holiday Handbells, through Dec. 11, multiple venues. rezound.org.
▪ Lyric Opera of Kansas City, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” through Dec. 12, Michael and Ginger Frost Production Arts Building. kcopera.org.
▪ Storling Dance Theater, “Child of Hope,” through Dec. 12, Culture House. storlingdance.org.
▪ Kansas City Chorale, “Holiday Pops!” 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 1900 Building. kcchorale.org.
▪ “The Nutcracker,” 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and 2 p.m. Dec. 11, Reign Dance Studios. reigndancestudios.com.
▪ Kansas City Chorale, “Benjamin Britten: St. Nicholas,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, Atonement Lutheran Church. kcchorale.org.
▪ Liberty Symphony Orchestra, Winter Concert, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, Liberty High School. libertysymphony.org.
▪ Dan and Claudia Zanes, “The Holiday Sing-Along,” 11 a.m. Dec. 11, Yardley Hall. jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
▪ Christmas with Kansas City Bronze, 4 p.m. Dec. 11, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. festivalsingers.org/concerts.
▪ Bach Aria Soloists, Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. bachariasoloists.com.
▪ Choral Spectrum, “Light: A Holiday Celebration,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 3 p.m. Dec. 12, Central United Methodist Church. choralspectrumkc.org.
▪ Max Haverfield & Friends Christmas Show, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12, Chestnut Fine Arts Center. eventbrite.com.
▪ Northland Symphony, Holiday Concert, 3 p.m. Dec. 12, North Kansas City High School. northlandsymphony.org.
▪ “Handel’s Messiah” Sing-Along with St. Paul Choir, 4 p.m. Dec. 12, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Lee’s Summit. stpaulsls.org.
▪ Fountain City Brass Band, “A Not So Silent Night,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, UMKC. fcbb.net.
▪ William Baker Festival Singers, “Candlelight, Carols & Cathedral,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, 2 p.m. Dec. 19, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. festivalsingers.org/concerts.
▪ American Youth Ballet, “The Nutcracker,” 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18, 2 and 6 p.m. Dec. 19, Yardley Hall. jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
▪ Lee’s Summit Symphony, “Holiday Magic,” 3 p.m. Dec. 18, The Pavilion at John Knox Village. lssymphony.org.
▪ Miller Marley School of Dance and Voice, “Clara’s Dream,” 6 p.m. Dec. 18, 2 p.m. Dec. 19, Olathe South Performing Arts Center. millermarley.com.
▪ Kantorei KC, “Home for the Holidays,” 7 p.m. Dec. 18, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 19, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. kantoreikc.com.
▪ Spirituality and All That Jazz: Holiday Hits, 4 p.m. Dec. 19, Unity Temple on the Plaza. eventbrite.com.
▪ Dickens Carolers, 2 p.m. Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21, Chestnut Fine Arts Center. chestnutfinearts.com.
▪ Cathedral Choir and Orchestra, “Sounds of Christmas,” 3 p.m. Dec. 19, Northland Cathedral. eventbrite.com.
▪ Tallgrass Chamber Choir, “A Tallgrass Christmas,” 3 p.m. Dec. 19, St. John’s United Methodist Church. eventbrite.com.
▪ Te Deum, “Christmas Joy,” 7 p.m. Dec. 20, Village Presbyterian Church, and 7 p.m. Dec. 21, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. te-deum.org.
▪ Trans-Siberian Orchestra, 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 29, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com.
Other theater
▪ “Christmas in Song,” through Dec. 24, Quality Hill Playhouse. qualityhillplayhouse.com.
▪ “OCTA is Home for the Holidays,” 8 p.m. Dec. 9-11, 2 p.m. Dec. 12, Olathe Civic Theatre Association. olathetheatre.org.
▪ “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-11, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16-18, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre Stage 2. metkc.org.
▪ “Straight Outta Bethlehem,” 6 p.m. Dec. 10-11, New City Church Kansas City. eventbrite.com.
▪ Living Room Theatre, “A Very Fancy Milking Christmas Concert (for Serious People),” 7 p.m. Dec. 20, Black Box. thelivingroomkc.com.
▪ A Magical Cirque Christmas, 8 p.m. Dec. 21, Music Hall. magicalcirquechristmas.com.
Excelsior Springs
▪ Lane of Lights, through Dec. 30
▪ Hall of Trees, through Dec. 31
Ice skating
▪ Crown Center Ice Terrace, through March. crowncenter.com/iceterrace.
▪ The Ice at Park Place, through Feb. 27. parkplaceleawood.com.
▪ The Rink at Zona Rosa, through Feb. 20. zonarosa.com.
▪ Summit Ice, Lee’s Summit, closing depends on weather. summitice.net.
More events
▪ Singing Trees, 5-9 p.m. through Dec. 31, KC Family Dental, Fairway. kcfamilydental.com
▪ Merry Market, Dec 10-12, and Dec. 17-19, City Market. thecitymarketkc.org/events..
▪ “Journey to Judea,” Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 3-5, Countryside Baptist Church. journeytojudea.com.
▪ Day in the Life: Holiday Spirit and WWI, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 11, National WWI Museum and Memorial. theworldwar.org.
▪ Christmas Train, noon-4 p.m. Dec. 11, KC Northern Miniature Railroad, Frank Vaydik Park. kcparks.org.
▪ Great Santa Run 5K and Little Elves Fun Run, 9 a.m. Dec. 12, Johnson County Community College. kcsantarun.com.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
