Things To Do

In Kansas City, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Here’s where to go

The annual Mayor’s Christmas Tree will arrive Nov. 3 at Crown Center. It will be put in its stand the next day, and the lighting ceremony will take place Nov. 25.
The annual Mayor’s Christmas Tree will arrive Nov. 3 at Crown Center. It will be put in its stand the next day, and the lighting ceremony will take place Nov. 25. File photo

With the start of November comes the first signs of the holiday season at Crown Center and elsewhere around town.

The Mayor’s Christmas Tree will complete its trip from Oregon, arriving in Crown Center Square at 9 a.m. Nov. 3 to unofficially kick off the season. The 100-foot tree will be put in its stand at about 10 a.m. Nov. 4, and the lighting ceremony will take place Nov. 25. This is the 50th year in Crown Center Square for the Mayor’s Christmas Tree, which will remain on display through Jan. 2.

The Crown Center Ice Terrace will open for its 50th season with a free skate 6-9 a.m. Nov. 4, then will operate through March 12 ($8; hours vary).

More information on these and other Crown Center holiday events at crowncenterchristmas.com.

Also, after two seasons in Swope Park, the drive-thru lights experience “Winter Magic” moves to Cliff Drive in Kessler Park. It will operate starting at 7 p.m. Nov. 3-5 and 6 p.m. Nov. 6-Jan. 1. Tickets are $25 per car ($40-$55 for limos, commercial vans and buses) and are available at wintermagickc.com.

“Winter Magic,” which used to be in Swope Park, will begin Nov. 3 on Cliff Drive in Kessler Park and run through Jan. 1.
“Winter Magic,” which used to be in Swope Park, will begin Nov. 3 on Cliff Drive in Kessler Park and run through Jan. 1. Rich Sugg File photo

More holiday events

“A Christmas Carol” with Gerald Dickens, great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 4, Midwest Genealogy Center; 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 5, Woodneath Library Center (free). mymcpl.org.

KC Local Holiday Market, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 5, Thompson Barn, Lenexa (free). eventbrite.com.

Olde World Christmas, noon-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Nov. 5-Jan. 15, Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center ($5-$10). strawberryhillmuseum.org.

Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, performs “A Christmas Carol” at Mid-Continent Public Library branches each year. This year’s dates are Nov. 4 and 5.
Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, performs “A Christmas Carol” at Mid-Continent Public Library branches each year. This year’s dates are Nov. 4 and 5. File photo

Classical music and dance

Kansas City Contemporary Dance, “Behind Closed Doors,” 7 p.m. Nov. 4-5, City Stage ($12-$22). kccontemporarydance.org.

Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, “Virtuoso Pairings,” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church ($15-$35). kcchamberorchestra.org.

UMKC Conservatory, “Crescendo,” 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4, Kauffman Center ($50). umkc.edu/crescendo.

Kansas City Symphony, “Magic Circle Mimes: The Listener,” 2 p.m. Nov. 6, Kauffman Center ($25-$50). kcsymphony.org.

Pianist Terrence Wilson, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Folly ($30-$40). chambermusic.org.

William Baker Festival Singers, 3 p.m. Nov. 6, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church ($5-$50). festivalsingers.org/concerts.

KU Symphony Orchestra with Project Trio, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9, Lied Center ($14-$25). lied.ku.edu.

Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi will entertain fans Nov. 5 at the T-Mobile Center.
Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi will entertain fans Nov. 5 at the T-Mobile Center. File photo

More music

Casting Crowns with Cain and Anne Wilson, 7 p.m. Nov. 3, Cable Dahmer Arena ($29-$129). cabledahmerarena.com.

Carly Rae Jepsen, 8 p.m. Nov. 4, Uptown ($40.50-$56.50). uptowntheater.com.

Keiko Matsui, 8 p.m. Nov. 4, Folly ($25-$45). follytheater.org.

Susan Werner, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Lied Center ($19-$35). lied.ku.edu.

Gloria Trevi, 8 p.m. Nov. 5, T-Mobile Center ($50-$225). t-mobilecenter.com.

I Prevail with Pierce the Veil, Fit for a King and Stand Atlantic, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Uptown (sold out). uptowntheater.com.

Amanda Shires, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Madrid ($22). madridtheatre.com.

Lucius with Shamir, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, The Truman ($27.50-$55). thetrumankc.com.

Rumours: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Midland ($25-$59.50). midlandkc.com.

Comedian Kevin Hart will appear Nov. 3 at the T-Mobile Center.
Comedian Kevin Hart will appear Nov. 3 at the T-Mobile Center. File photo

More entertainment

Comedian Kevin Hart will bring his Reality Check Tour to the T-Mobile Center, 8 p.m. Nov. 3 ($49.50-$159.50). t-mobilecenter.com.

The Gallery Bogart, a new gallery in the West Bottoms focusing on contemporary Latin American art, will present “Figurative Dialogue” by Abel Massot as its inaugural show, opening reception 4-7 p.m. Nov. 5. gallerybogart.com.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City will stage Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” at the Kauffman Center, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 and 11, 2 p.m. Nov. 13 ($33.50-$201). kcopera.org.

Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds will host their history podcast, “The Dollop,” at the Uptown, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 ($35-$75). uptowntheater.com.

Overland Park will get an early start on Veterans Day with a celebration including music, helicopter tours, military equipment displays and an A-10 flyover at Aspiria, 6240 Sprint Parkway, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 9 (free). opkansas.org.

This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 5:30 AM with the headline "In Kansas City, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Here’s where to go."

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Dan Kelly
The Kansas City Star
Dan Kelly has been covering entertainment and arts news at The Star since 2009. He previously worked at the Columbia Daily Tribune, The Miami Herald and The Louisville Courier-Journal. He also was on the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty for six years, and he has written two books, most recently “The Girl with the Agate Eyes: The Untold Story of Mattie Howard, Kansas City’s Queen of the Underworld.”
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