Even before Plaza celebration on Thanksgiving, holiday lights will shine all over KC
The Country Club Plaza’s holiday tradition gets the most publicity and draws the biggest crowds, but plenty of other public light displays throughout the Kansas City area will attract viewers in the coming weeks.
Even before Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt and his wife, Tavia, flip the switch on the Plaza lights for the 95th annual Thanksgiving night tradition, folks will be able to soak up the holiday spirit on both sides of the state line and north and south of the river.
The biggest displays — in addition to the Plaza lights — will be the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department’s traditional Christmas in the Park in Lee’s Summit, Knights of Lights on the grounds of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs and the Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Also popular are the lights in Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa and Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park.
There also will be tree-lighting events throughout the area, highlighted by the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Center Square.
Beyond light displays, three other major holiday experiences will kick off soon.
Holiday Reflections, with a walk-thru village, 30-foot tree, mini-train ride and much more, will return to Union Station. New this year will be recreations of the overhead crowns that once decorated downtown intersections.
A new attraction, Jingle!, will move into Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. It will include an ice-skating trail, a snow-tubing hill and a light maze, plus refreshments, music and, of course, Santa Claus.
Also debuting will be the Hallmark Christmas Experience, a free event each weekend at the Crown Center Square with a Christmas market, food and themed drinks. Plus, more than 35 stars of Hallmark movies will appear at ticketed events.
Here is a roundup of the area’s holiday extravaganzas.
Let there be lights
Legendary Tree Lighting: 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16; Legends Outlets, Kansas City, Kansas (free). legendsshopping.com
Johnson County Parks and Recreation District’s Holiday Tree Lighting: 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20; Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee (free). jcprd.com
Independence Square Lighting and Santa’s Village: 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22; Truman Courthouse, Independence (free). independencemo.gov
Holiday Lighting Ceremony: 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23; Zona Rosa (free). zonarosa.com
Christmas in the Park: Opening event, 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 at Longview Lake Beach; runs 5:30-10 p.m. or 5:30-11 p.m. Nov. 27-Dec. 31 at the Frank White Jr. Softball Complex, Lee’s Summit (free). makeyourdayhere.com
Magic Tree lighting: 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27; Paragon Star, Lee’s Summit (free). paragonstar.com
Plaza Lighting Ceremony: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28; Country Club Plaza (free). countryclubplaza.com
Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane: 5-10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28-Dec. 31; Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, Overland Park (free). opkansas.org
Knights of Lights: 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 5:30-9 p.m. Sundays (also, Dec. 23-24, 31), Nov. 29-Dec. 31; Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs ($9-$17; $3 more at gate). kcknightsoflights.com
Luminary Walk: 5-9 p.m. Nov. 29-30, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-14 (also, adults-only Candlelight Stroll, Dec. 5, 12, 19, and limited electric-lights-only Electric Glow, varying dates Nov. 25-Dec. 30); Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens ($12-$17). artsandrec-op.org
Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29; Crown Center Square (free). crowncenterchristmas.com
Sar-Ko Aglow: Lighting ceremony, 6-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6; runs 6-11 p.m. nightly through Jan. 20 at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa (free). lenexa.com
Soul of Santa Christmas Tree Lighting: 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6; 18th and Vine (free). thesoulofsanta.org
Already operating
Festival of Lights: Dates and hours vary through Jan. 4; Powell Gardens, Kingsville ($10-$22; parking $10). powellgardens.org
Winter Magic: Opens nightly at 6 p.m. through Jan. 5 (closing times vary); Platte Purchase Park ($20-$40 per vehicle; $7 more at gate). wintermagickc.com
More than lights
Holiday Reflections: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 22-Jan. 1; Union Station Grand Plaza ($8-$10). unionstation.org
Jingle!: Dates and hours vary, Nov. 22-Dec. 31; Legends Field ($26-$38). jingleholiday.com
Hallmark Christmas Experience: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 29-Dec. 22; Crown Center (free; sessions with Hallmark stars, $75-$95). experiencehallmarkchristmas.com
