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Whether you like the cold weather and dark evenings or not, the holiday season is upon us again.
With themed pop-up bars, lighting ceremonies and concerts galore, Kansas City has a holiday-themed event every single weekend through the New Year to get you into the spirit.
Christmas, Hanukkah and more holiday pop-ups in Kansas City in 2024
If you want to feel some holiday cheer without braving the cold weather, you can visit the Holiday Reflections exhibit at Union Station through January 1. This “walk-thru holiday village” will have lights, ornaments, and even a mini-train for kids.
If you want to enjoy the exhibit in a kid-free environment, Union Station is hosting the adults-only pop-up bar Tinsels & ‘Tinis at Holiday Reflections on Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 19-21 for $15-25 a ticket depending on when you visit (although it may already be sold out).
Other holiday pop-up bars include the return of Miracle Kansas City 2024, with Miracle on the Plaza at 4807 Jefferson and Miracle at Rockhill at 2000 Grand Blvd. Both locations take reservations as well as walk-ins.
Tinsel Tavern Holiday Pop-Up in Shark Bar at KC Live! in the Power and Light District is now taking reservations from Nov. 28-Dec. 28. The pop-up is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Rec Deck the Halls at the Boulevard Tours and Rec Center is a 21+ holiday pop-up that runs every Friday and Saturday from November 29–December 28. There is a $5 cover and a portion of ticket sales benefit the nonprofits Guadalupe Centers and Kansas City G.I.F.T.
Jingle Bar, a 21+ pop-up at KC Wine Co in Olathe, also opens on Nov. 24 through Dec. 22. KC Wine Co is also home to the KC Pumpkin Patch, which is hosting a family-friendly Winter Wonderland walk-through that also starts on Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 22.
If you want to get your dog in on the holiday fun, Knights of Lights at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival is pet-friendly — dogs cost $5 to get in and an adult ticket is $17 if you buy it online. Knights of Light runs every Friday–Sunday from November 29–December 31. While there, you can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and snag a gift bag for you and your pup.
For a German-style holiday market, Campground in the West Bottoms is throwing its fifth annual Christkindlmarkt. For one weekend only, December 5-8, head to the camping-themed space for cocktails, local artists, and food.
The Hannukah Glow Party is at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City on December 15. Come prepared to party at the silent disco. This family-friendly event will also have food and crafts.
Where to find holiday lights displays around Kansas City
Speaking of lights! If you want to be wowed by an outdoor light display, Electric Glow at Overland Park Arboretum is a great bet. You can visit on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from November 25–December 30, and find music, hot cider, and gnome houses.
The Arboretum will offer the same holiday festivities at its luminary walk, but to enjoy the candlelit scenery without the fanfare, head to the adults-only candlelight stroll. Learn more about each event and find tickets here.
You can take another wintery walk outdoors at the Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Garden, which runs on various weekdays and weekends now through Jan. 4. Check Powell Gardens' website for more details and to purchase tickets. While you're there, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, get crafty with the kiddos and catch live musical performances in the Powell Gardens Chapel.
Sar-Ko Aglow is another walk-through holiday light display at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa that you can visit nightly from December 6–January 20.
If you don’t want to leave your car you can head to Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane at Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas, from November 28–December 31. While watching the lights, you can even tune into 90.5 Rose FM and watch a synchronized musical performance.
You can see another free drive-through light display at the 37th annual Christmas in the Park at Longview Park in Lee’s Summit from November 27–December 31. The website recommends that you visit the park during the week early in the season to avoid long lines.
On the other side of Longview Lake, Christmas in the Sky is a one-night holiday fireworks display at Longview Lake on November 27 that will be synchronized to music on the radio station 99.7 FM The Point.
In Parkville, you can stroll the Parkville Holiday Wonder Walk with colorful holiday displays and illuminated pathways beginning December 6 through January 3.
Looking for something new to enjoy this season? Check out the Hallmark Christmas Experience at Crown Center, a free event that's open to the public on weekends now through December 22. Featuring festive lights and photo ops, a Home Sweet Hallmark Movie-Thon and a Christmas Market with more than 20 vendors and a festive food hall, you'll feel like the main character of your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie.
Tree lightings and small town traditions around Kansas City
If you are a sucker for tradition, Kansas City’s 95th annual Plaza Lighting Ceremony occurs on Thanksgiving, which falls on November 28 this year. Chiefs' owner Clark Hunt and his wife Tavia Hunt will flip the switch this year, and Quixotic and DJ Kirby are performing.
The next day, on November 29, the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Event will take place at Crown Center, with musical performances, hot chocolate and s’mores, and a firework display.
For a smaller lighting ceremony, head to Grandview for the Mayor’s Christmas Tree lighting on December 5. You can bring canned food and toiletry donations for the Grandview Assistance Program. Or you can go to Prairie Village for their Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting that night too.
If you have ever watched a Hallmark Christmas movie, you know that small towns have that unmatched holiday charm. Visit Parkville’s 24th annual Christmas on the River on December 6 for a bit of quaint holiday charm. The event will be capped off with a fireworks show at dusk.
Lawrence, Kansas, hosts an annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, which is on December 7 at 11 a.m. Much of the parade occurs on horseback, and Santa rides through town on a horse-drawn sleigh. It doesn’t get much more quaint than that!
Kansas City holiday music and performances
Kansas City is no haven for Grinches when it comes to celebrating the holidays in song. If you’re looking for something festive to do this season, here are a few of our favorite concerts and performances — but don't miss our full list of 2024 holiday performances around Kansas City.
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without the Kansas City Ballet’s annual performance of The Nutcracker. This year, it's at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center from December 6–December 24. Tickets start at $34 for adults and children.
Another mainstay of the Kansas City holiday season is the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s annual performance of A Christmas Carol. This year the show runs through December 28, and tickets start at $44.
For the classic movie fans, the Kansas City Symphony brings to the community Handel’s “Messiah,” a live orchestra performance of “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” a live orchestra concert of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a “Home Alone” concert and more. Prices vary and tickets are selling fast, so don't wait to get yours.
You can also see the Symphony on December 6 and December 16 at TubaChristmas, one of Kansas City’s great traditions. The concert is in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and features tuba and euphonium players. It costs $10 to participate but taking in the brassy sounds is free — be sure to register in advance.
Not a tuba person? Try Trombone Christmas, now in its eighth year, on December 14. The event will be held as part of the GloWild Festival. Registration to play is $15, but there’s no cost for the concert itself.
If a rockin' Christmas is your thing, you’re in luck: The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is in town Saturday, Dec. 7, for two shows, and tickets start at $59. This year’s performance is entitled “The Lost Christmas Eve” and hasn’t been seen since 2013. You can expect pyrotechnics, lasers, and big, loud, memorable storytelling.
Do all your holiday shopping around Kansas City
Whether you're shopping for yourself or looking for gifts, find everything you need for correspondence and other print-based hobbies at Kansas City's local stationery shops. Check out our complete list of local gift and stationary shops to help you shop local in Kansas City.
You can also find gifts made by local artists and artisans at City Market's Annual Merry Market with Art Garden KC. Starting November 30 through December 22, you can shop, eat, and drink on Saturdays and Sundays at the City Market. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.
You can eat and shop for a good cause at Holidays in Crestwood the weekend of Dec. 5-7. The Crestwood shops are donating 10% of their sales to the organization Child Protection Centers during that stretch, and there will be a gingerbread house auction to benefit the organization. You can also drink hot chocolate, see Santa, and hear music from the UMKC Conservatory Carolers.
Other options to buy local for the holidays include the Overland Park Holiday Market on December 7 in Downtown Overland Park. On December 14, the Westport Christmas Market will feature vendors selling handmade holiday items.
It’s the same day as the KC Santa Dash — a 5k in Westport where the runners are dressed in Santa costumes. Shop and watch the runners, or sign up for the race yourself!
