Where should you go for holiday lights in KC? Here are 6 local favorites
With Christmas approaching, the Kansas City area has been gearing up for holiday festivities throughout the area.
Whether it’s at someone’s home, or in a park, it’s hard to miss the bright lights that the holiday season has to offer. Some options you may have to pay for, some may be free, but they all bring on the holiday spirit.
The Star previously asked readers about places they recommend to check out for holiday lights in the metro. Here’s what you suggested, and all you need to know about it.
Christmas in the Park at Frank White Jr. Softball Complex in Lee’s Summit
It may be too cold to play baseball, but not cold enough to take in the holiday lights around the ballpark. The 38th annual Christmas in the Park showcase has more than one million twinkling lights and over 200 animated displays, according to Jackson County Parks + Rec.
The drive-thru starts at the Frank White Jr. Softball Complex at 3901 SW Longview Road in Lee’s Summit and goes through the Longview Lake Campground. This is a free display to check out, though voluntary donations are encouraged by the park, as it “will uplift 36 local charities across our community this year.”
Christmas in the Park is open nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, and 5:30 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens — Kingsville
Shopping, food and drinks, and holiday festivities all in one place? That’s what the Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens has to offer, as dozens of activities are available around the glaring lights.
This year, the path of lights showcases the Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel as visitors make their way through the Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden before reaching the Meadow Pavilion, according to Powell Gardens. The festival is also offering a plethora of activities, including a holiday buffet dinner Dec. 13, multiple Santa workshops, as well as the daily holiday train.
The winter festival will run every Thursday-Saturday in December, and will then be done for the holidays on Jan. 2-3. Tickets for the festival and its events can be found on powellgardens.org.
Gray’s Lights in Raymore
A free neighborhood option is Gray’s Lights in Raymore, which goes above and beyond with its animated light displays. The lights even follow the rhythm of music that’s played as it brings brightness to the neighborhood.
Gray’s is located at 1402 Essex Court in Raymore. According to its Facebook page, the house has been doing the animated light display since 2009. One can only imagine how high the home’s electric bill is during the holiday season.
North Pole Acres — Oak Grove
A drive-thru option, North Pole Acres provides a light display that features 1 million pixels that can change over 16 million different colors, according to its website. The 1-mile course also plays 22 songs that is sequenced to modern Christmas music.
Running until Jan. 1, the light shows will run you $20 per car, $40 per commercial vehicle (cars with eight people or more). If you enjoy the drive-thru the first time, you can run it back and see it again for the price of one show as long as you go that same night.
Tickets for the show are available online at northpoleacres.com. North Pole Acres recommends turning your car radio to 87.9 FM when on the drive to get the musical experience.
Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
The 26th Annual Luminary Walk runs until Dec. 30, offering a festive walk through in the arboretum and botanical garden, which has 300 acres of gardens, ponds, trails and plenty more areas to explore.
Bring the kids out for the Luminary Walk, where you all can wander through the garden paths and enjoy sparkling lights, holiday music, and even get some photo ops with Santa. There’s also an adults-only candlelight stroll, which the park says is great for an outing with friends or a romantic outing.
Traditional Luminary Walk weekends occur on the weekends. The next ones are Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 19-20. Adults-Only Candlelight Strolls are on select Thursdays, the next on Dec. 18. Electric Glow, an electric-lights only viewing for smaller crowds, is set for Dec. 17, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, and 30.
General admission tickets will cost you $17 for the traditional Luminary Walk. More details on the light shows at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens can be found on its website.
Rotary Park in Blue Springs
About 30 minutes outside of Kansas City, the North Pole Trail of Lights in Rotary Park runs through Dec. 30. According to the park, there’s over 250,000 lights up for the display in Blue Springs.
Admission is free for this display, as visitors can also go see Santa every Friday and Saturday before Christmas between 6 and 9 p.m. A reader submitted this option to The Star, saying there are lots of lights and places to take pictures.
Think there’s another one for us to add? Feel free to let us know at ralexander@kcstar.com.
