2023 Holiday Events

Midwest Trust Center presents “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College. (Midwest Trust Center)


This holiday season is filled with great concerts, performances and exhibits by local, national and international artists. Peruse our holiday calendar and make your plans for a festive outing with family and friends.

– compiled by Anne Thorson


MUSIC

The Harriman-Jewell Series presents tenor Juan Diego Flórez at 3 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Folly Theater. (photo by Kristin Hoebermann)

Kansas City Symphony: Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 With Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21
Nov. 24 – 26, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org

Juan Diego Flórez, Tenor
Nov. 26, 3 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org

Kansas City Chorale: “Wintersong”
Nov. 30, 5:30 p.m.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum
www.kcchorale.org

Park ICM Piano Studio in Recital
Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.
1900 Building
Mission Woods, Kansas
icm.park.edu

“Milking Christmas”: A New Musical
Written by Friend Dog Studios and Ryan McCall
Nov. 30, Dec. 2 – 6, times vary
William Inge Memorial Theatre
theatretickets@ku.edu

The Kansas City Symphony performing “The Messiah” in 2022. This year’s performance will take place Dec. 1 – 3 in Helzberg Hall. (Kansas City Symphony)

Kansas City Symphony: “The Messiah”
Dec. 1 – 3, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org

Heartland Men’s Chorus Presents “A Very Merry Christmas Pageant”
Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3, 3:30 p.m., The Folly Theater
Dec. 10, 3:30 p.m., Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College
hmckc.org

Park ICM Orchestra Presents a Holiday Concert: “An Intimate Christmas with the ICM”
Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Park University
Parkville, Missouri
icm.park.edu

Midwest Trust Center presents “On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan” at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 in Yardley Hall. (Midwest Trust Center / photo by Doug Hinebaugh)

The Friends of Chamber Music presents Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung, Master Pianists, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at The Folly Theater. (©2022 Arts Management Group)

“On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan”
Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
Yardley Hall, Johnson County
Community College
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center

Friends of Chamber Music: Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung, Master Pianists
Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.
The Folly Theater
www.chambermusic.org

Kansas City Chorale: “Holiday Pops!”
Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.
1900 Building
Mission Woods, Kansas
www.kcchorale.org

“A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 7, 7 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas
lied.ku.edu

Kansas City Chorale: “A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., Country Club United Methodist Church
Dec. 9, 1 p.m., St. Michael the Archangel, Overland Park, Kansas
Dec. 10, 2 p.m., Atonement Lutheran Church
www.kcchorale.org

Bach Area Soloists: Annual Holiday Concert
Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
www.bachariasoloists.com

Jim Brickman “A Joyful Christmas”
Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org

Kansas City Symphony and Chorus: Christmas Festival
Dec. 14 – 17, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org

Lee’s Summit Symphony Holiday Radio Show
Dec. 16, 3 p.m.
The Pavilion at John Knox Village, 520 NW Murray Rd., Lee’s Summit
www.lssymphony.org

“Holiday Harmonies – Central Standard and Vocal Standard”
Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org

“Girl Named Tom”
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org

Ashley Davis – Winter Solstice Celebration
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas
lied.ku.edu

Te Deum: “Lessons and Carols for Today”

  • Dec. 18, 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
  • Dec. 19, 7 p.m., Village Presbyterian Church

www.te-deum.org

Kansas City Symphony: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Film and Live Orchestra)
Dec. 21 – 24, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org

The Kansas City Symphony presents Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a film and live orchestra performance, Dec. 21 – 24, at the Kauffman Center. (©Disney)

THEATER

Kansas City Rep: “A Christmas Carol”
Nov. 21 – Dec. 24, times vary
Spencer Theatre
www.kcrep.org

MeatEater Live
Dec. 7, 7 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org

“Million Dollar Quartet Christmas”
Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center

EXHIBITIONS

“These Colors Will Not Run”
Through Dec. 21
Kansas Focus Gallery, Nerman Museum
www.nermanmuseum.org

Installation view of “Jewish Holidays in the All-Electric House,” on view through Jan. 6 at the Johnson County Museum (Johnson County Museum)

“Rooted among the Ashes: Hibakujumoku / A-bombed Trees”
Through Dec. 31
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum
trumanlibraryinstitute.org

“Jewish Holidays in the All-Electric House”
Through Jan. 6
Johnson County Museum
www.jcprd.com/1835/Arts-Heritage-Center

“Julie Blackmon: A Life in Frame”
Through Jan. 7
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org

“TRAINS: Transportation and the Transformation of Johnson County”
Through Jan. 13
Johnson County Museum
JCPRD.COM/Trains

“Alternative Limb Project – The Vine” is part of “Bespoke Bodies: The Design and Craft of Prosthetics,” on view through April at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. (National WWI Museum and Memorial)

“Entertaining the Troops” through Jan.
“Bespoke Bodies: The Design and Craft of Prosthetics” through April
“Votes and Voices” through April 2025
“Mail Call” through June 2026
National WWI Museum and Memorial
hwww.theworldwar.org/exhibitions

“Beyond Ninth Street: Legacies of Women in Abstraction”
Through Feb. 11
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org

“Evelyn Hofer: Eyes on the City”
Through Feb. 11
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

“Spandita Malik: Jāḷī — Meshes of Resistance”
Through Feb. 25
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org

“Cities Are for People: Street Photography, 1945 – 1970”
Through Feb. 25
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

“Monet and his Modern Legacy”
Through March 10
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

“Landscapes: Real and Imagined”
Through March 17
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

Works by Ruben Castillo (pictured here in a prior exhibit), are part of the “Charlotte Street Fellows • 2023” exhibit through April 24 at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. (Charlotte Street / photo by EG Schempf)

“Etta James” by Frederick J. Brown is part of the late artist’s exhibit “Energy is Jazz” through May 5 at the American Jazz Museum. (american jazz museum)

“Charlotte Street Fellows • 2023”
Through April 24
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
www.nermanmuseum.org

“Frederick J. Brown Exhibit: Energy is Jazz”
Through May 5
American Jazz Museum
americanjazzmuseum.org

“Sarah Zapata: So the roots be known”
Through July 28
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org

“A Layered Presence – Una presencia estratificada”
Through Sept. 8, 2024
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

Karel Sigtenhorst’s “Tea Pot” and “Two Tea Cups” and Brian Horsch’s “Owl Jar” are on view in the “Holidays at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery” exhibit through Dec. 30 at Belger Crane Yard Gallery. (Belger Crane Yard Gallery)

“Sonam Dolma Brauen, My Father’s Death”
Through Nov. 11, 2024
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

“Holidays at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery”
Nov. 3 – Dec. 30
Belger Crane Yard Gallery
belgerarts.org

“Glamorous Women: Gender and Fashion in Chinese Art”
Nov. 18 – May 19
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkinsorg

Holiday Tree in Kirkwood Hall
Nov. 24 – Dec. 31
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org

DANCE 

Kansas City Ballet: 2023 Nutcracker Ball
Dec. 1, cocktail hour 6 to 7 p.m., ballroom opens at 7 p.m.
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
balletball@kcballet.org

Kansas City Ballet: “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 1 – 24, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcballet.org

“Lawrence Art Center’s The Nutcracker, A Kansas Ballet”
Dec. 8 – 10, times vary
Lawrence Arts Center
lawrenceartscenter.org

Kansas City Ballet dancers Joshua Bodden (left) and Naomi Tanioka and artistic director Devon Carney in Devon Carney’s 2022 production of “The Nutcracker” (photo by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios)

JAZZ

The Soul of Santa “Do Good” Foundation 5th Annual “Very Jazzy” Holiday Benefit Concert Fundraiser, featuring Lonnie McFadden
Dec. 1, 7 p.m.
Gem Theater
thesoulofsanta.org

Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring Lee Langston”
Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
Kauffman Center
www.kcjo.org

KU School of Music: 2023 KU Jazz Vespers
Dec. 6, 7:30p.m.
Lied Center
lied.ku.edu/?event=ku-jazz-6dec2023

The Coterie Theatre presents “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” through Dec. 31. (Coterie Theatre)

Installation view of “Bricktionary: The Ultimate LEGO® A-Z,” on view through March 31 at Union Station (photo by USKC)

CHILDREN

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical”
Through Dec. 31, times vary

  • ASL interpreted performance Nov. 25 at 4 p.m.
  • Sensory-friendly performances Dec. 14 at noon and Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

The Coterie Theatre
thecoterie.org

“Bricktionary: The Ultimate LEGO® A-Z”
Through March 31
Union Station
www.unionstation.org

Kansas City Ballet: “Sugar Plum Fairy’s Children’s Ball”
Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
www.kcballet.org

“MTC Kids Jam – Hot Peas ‘N Butter”
Dec. 2, 11 a.m.
Midwest Trust Center
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center

Kansas City Symphony presents “The Muppet Christmas Carol ™ in Concert” Dec. 8 and 9 at the Kauffman Center. Kansas City Symphony)

What If Puppets – “Animal Amigos”
Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
Midwest Trust Center
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center

Kansas City Symphony: “The Muppet Christmas Carol ™ in Concert”
Dec. 8 and 9, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org

Kansas City Ballet: Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker
Dec. 13, 6 p.m.
Kauffman Center
www.kcballet.org

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND FUN

Winter Magic on Cliff Drive drive-thru lights experience
Nov. 2 – Dec. 31, 7 to 11 p.m. (6 to 11 p.m. following DST)
Cliff Drive in Kessler Park, Enter Gate 1 at The Paseo and Lexington, 1800 Cliff Drive
$25/car
wintermagickc.com

Adults-Only Candlelight Stroll 2023
Nov. 13 and Dec. 14, 5 to 9 p.m. (last entry at 8 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$16 per person
www.artsandrec-op.org

Evergy Festival of Lights
Nov. 16 – Dec. 30, Wed.-Sun. 5 to 10 p.m.
Powell Gardens
Admission prices vary
powellgardens.org

Laser Holiday Magic
Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, Union Station
Nov. 17 – Dec. 31, times vary (no shows Nov. 24 and Dec. 24 and 25)
www.unionstation.org

94th Annual Plaza Lighting Ceremony
Nov. 23, 5 p.m.
View lights 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. through Jan. 14
Country Club Plaza
www.countryclubplaza.com

A family enjoying the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Luminary Walk, which this year opens Nov. 24 (Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens)

Luminary Walk
Nov. 24-25, Dec. 1-2, 7-9, 15-16, 5 to 9 p.m. (last entry at 8 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$15 per person; children 5 years and younger are free
www.artsandrec-op.org

Electric Glow 2023
Nov. 28 and 29, Dec. 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20, 4:30 to 8 p.m. (last entry at 7 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$10 per person; children 5 years and younger are free
www.artsandrec-op.org

Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec. 1, 5 p.m., Historic 18th And Vine Jazz District
Dec. 8, 5 p.m., The Shops on Blue Parkway
thesoulofsanta.org

Lawrence Lithography Workshop 2023 Holiday Print Sale
Through Dec. 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Wed. – Sat. and by appointment
2011 Tracy Ave.
www.lawrencelitho.com

KC Clay Guild Holiday Pottery Sale and Studio Tour
Dec. 1, 5 – 9 p.m.; Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Dec. 3, noon – 4 p.m.
Various locations
www.kcclayguild.org

Kansas City Art Institute End-of-Semester Exhibition and Sale
Dec. 1, 5 – 8 p.m.; Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.;
Dec. 3, noon – 5 p.m.
Kansas City Art Institute
www.kcai.edu

Irma Starr Ceramic Artist Holiday Appearances
Nov. 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Hall’s Crown Center
Dec. 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Randy Neal Florist, 4308 W. 119th St., Leawood
www.irmastarr.com

Lawrence Art Guild Holiday Art Market
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Dec. 3, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence
lawrenceartguild.org

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