Kansas City’s two big holiday light traditions are the Country Club Plaza Lights, a 15-block display that dates to 1925, and Crown Center’s 100-foot Mayor’s Christmas Tree, lit Friday, Nov 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. The 2026 Plaza lighting ceremony date has not been announced yet. Read on the organizers’ pages on 2026-10-20.
Dates at a glance
| What | When (2026) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Center Ice Terrace season | Nov 6 to Mar 14, 2027 (free skate on opening day) | 2026-27 prices not posted |
| Winterland: A Holiday Cirque Experience (Crown Center) | Nov 20 to Dec 22 | See Crown Center |
| Santa’s Arrival at Crown Center | Fri, Nov 27, 10 a.m. | Free |
| Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting | Fri, Nov 27, 6 p.m. | Free |
| Hallmark Christmas Experience | Fridays to Sundays, Nov 27 to Dec 20 | Free on the Square; Light Walk ticketed |
| Santa at Destination North Pole | Nov 27 to Dec 24 | See Crown Center |
| Holiday Choirs (Crown Center Atrium) | Nov 30 to Dec 18 | Free to watch |
| Country Club Plaza Lighting Ceremony | Not yet announced | Not yet announced |
Country Club Plaza Lights
- The tradition: the display began in 1925 with a single strand of lights over a store entrance, and the first Plaza Lighting Ceremony was held in 1930, according to Visit KC. Today the lights outline the Plaza’s Spanish-style buildings across 15 blocks.
- 2026 ceremony: not yet announced. The Plaza’s website had no 2026 date, time or guest when we checked. Local news reported the 2025 ceremony on Thanksgiving night.
- The switch: the stage switch really does turn on all the lights, and a child from the audience is picked at random to help, Visit KC says.
- Where to watch: Visit KC suggests the rooftop of the Plaza 211 parking garage for the ceremony.
- How long they stay up: crews start taking the lights down from mid-January, and all are down by March, per Visit KC.
Crown Center: Mayor’s Christmas Tree and the Hallmark Christmas Experience
- Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting, Fri, Nov 27, 6 p.m.: free, about 30 minutes, on Crown Center Square, 2405 Grand Blvd. Youth Chorus KC performs, Crown Center President Stacey Paine and Mayor Lucas speak, and it ends with fireworks. Crown Center has hosted the tree for more than 50 years; it stands for the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund, which helps Kansas City residents at the holidays.
- Hallmark Christmas Experience, Fridays to Sundays, Nov 27 to Dec 20: Fridays and Saturdays noon to 9 p.m., Sundays noon to 7 p.m. Free: a Christmas Market and Holiday Hallmarket, food and holiday drinks, photo spots, and the Hallmark Holiday Light Show on the 100-foot tree at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6 p.m. on Sundays.
- Ticketed: the Light Walk (last entry 15 minutes before closing) and sessions with Hallmark stars, artists and writers at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Tickets are limited; prices are on the event’s ticket site, not the event page.
- Santa: arrives Fri, Nov 27 at 10 a.m. by horse-drawn carriage at the Crown Center Atrium (free, about 15 minutes), then visits at Destination North Pole on Level 1 of the Shops through Dec 24.
- Tree ornaments: wood from past trees is made into ornaments sold for the Tree Fund, at Customer Service on Level 2 from Nov 27.
- Also at Crown Center: The Pigeon Gets a Big Time Holiday Extravaganza! (Nov 10 to Dec 31), Winterland: A Holiday Cirque Experience (Nov 20 to Dec 22) and A Ruby Room Christmas (Dec 9 to 23).
Crown Center Ice Terrace
The outdoor rink on Crown Center Square opens Fri, Nov 6, 2026 with a free skate, and the season runs to Mar 14, 2027. Crown Center had not posted 2026-2027 hours or prices yet. For reference, last season was $10 for ages 4 and up, skate rental $6, children under 4 free with a paid admission, and Thanksgiving hours were 3 to 10 p.m. Parking is in the Crown Center garages (entries P2 and P3).
GloWild is on now, not at Christmas
The Kansas City Zoo’s lantern festival, GloWild: Hidden Treasure, runs Oct 1 to 31, 2026 along a mile-long path at 6800 Zoo Drive. It runs rain or shine, is cashless, and parking is free near the front entrance. Hours and prices are on the Zoo’s tickets page.
Still unconfirmed
- The 2026 Plaza Lighting Ceremony date, time and guests.
- Ice Terrace hours and prices for 2026-2027.
- Hallmark Christmas Experience Light Walk prices and the list of Hallmark stars.
Not yet announced here. We check the Plaza and Crown Center pages weekly and update this guide when anything changes.
Frequently asked questions
When are the Plaza Lights turned on in 2026?
Not yet announced. The Country Club Plaza had not posted a 2026 lighting ceremony date or time on its website when we checked on Oct 20, 2026. Local news reported the 2025 ceremony on Thanksgiving night. We check weekly and will add the date as soon as the Plaza posts it.
When is the Mayor’s Christmas Tree lighting at Crown Center?
Friday, Nov 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. on Crown Center Square, 2405 Grand Blvd. It is free and lasts about 30 minutes, with Youth Chorus KC, remarks from Mayor Lucas and a fireworks finale.
What are the Hallmark Christmas Experience dates and hours?
Fridays to Sundays, Nov 27 to Dec 20, 2026, on Crown Center Square. Fridays and Saturdays run noon to 9 p.m. and Sundays noon to 7 p.m. The market, food, photo spots and tree light show are free; the Light Walk and Hallmark talent sessions need tickets.
When does the Crown Center Ice Terrace open?
Crown Center lists the 2026-2027 Ice Terrace season as Nov 6, 2026 to Mar 14, 2027, with a free skate on opening day. Hours and prices for the new season were not posted yet; last season admission was $10 for ages 4 and up and skate rental was $6.
When does Santa arrive at Crown Center?
Friday, Nov 27, 2026 at 10 a.m. in a horse-drawn carriage at the Crown Center Atrium. It is free. Santa then stays at Destination North Pole on Level 1 of the Crown Center Shops through Dec 24.
Is GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo a Christmas event this year?
No. In 2026 GloWild: Hidden Treasure runs Oct 1 to 31, so it ends before the holiday season. It is a mile-long lantern walk, runs rain or shine, is cashless and has free parking.
Sources
- Country Club Plaza events, checked 2026-10-20 (no 2026 lighting date listed)
- Visit KC, Kansas City Plaza Lights, checked 2026-10-20
- Crown Center, Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting, checked 2026-10-20
- Crown Center, Hallmark Christmas Experience, checked 2026-10-20
- Crown Center events and Ice Terrace, checked 2026-10-20
- Crown Center, Santa’s Arrival, checked 2026-10-20
- Kansas City Zoo, GloWild festival details, checked 2026-10-20
- KSHB, 2025 Plaza Lighting Ceremony (2025 timing only)
More big Missouri dates: Kansas City area events, Chiefs home games at Arrowhead, St. Louis holiday lights, Branson Christmas shows and Polar Express and all Missouri events.
Coming Up Near Kansas City
- Kansas City Symphony: Prokofiev's Sixth and Barber's Violin Concerto (Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center)On now through Nov 1 · Kansas City
- Jonas Brothers: The Burning Up Tour All Over Again (T-Mobile Center)Nov 3 · Kansas City
- Crown Center Ice Terrace opening day and seasonNov 6 · Kansas City
- Garth Brooks at T-Mobile CenterNov 6–7 · Kansas City
Places Nearby
- Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic SiteState historic site · in Kansas City
- National WWI Museum and MemorialMuseum · in Kansas City
- Liberty MemorialNational Historic Landmark · in Kansas City
- Truman, Harry S, Farm HomeNational Historic Landmark · Grandview · about 17 mi
Straight-line distance from the centre of Kansas City, not driving miles. Events within 40 miles, places within 25. Dates come from our checked events list and may change; confirm with the organizer.
Cite this page: It's Missouri, “Kansas City holiday lights 2026: Plaza Lights and Crown Center”, itsmissouri.com/kansas-city-holiday-lights-plaza-crown-center/ (updated ). By the It's Missouri editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.