101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Kansas City - 2023

KidsOutAndAbout is Kansas City's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!

If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!

If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for Kansas City, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun!

Santa Sightings

Nov 11, 2023	Legendary Tree Lighting - Legends Outlets
Nov 17, 2023	Tree Lighting Ceremony - Ward Parkway
Nov 17, 2023	Mayor's Tree Lighting 2023 - Downtown Lee's Summit
Nov 17, 2023	Mayor's Holiday Festival - Downtown Overland Park
Nov 17, 2023	Santa's Village - Independence Uptown Market
Nov 18, 2023	Holiday Season Premiere 2023 - Park Place
Nov 18, 2023	Northern Lights Holiday Lighting Ceremony, presented by Saint Luke's North Hospital
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023	Visits with Santa - Oak Park Mall
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023	Strolling Santa and Carolers - Park Place
Multiple dates starting Nov 20, 2023	Santa Paws: Pet Photos with Santa - Oak Park Mall
Nov 24, 2023	Santa's Arrival at Crown Center
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Santa's Gingerbread Station - Crown Center
Nov 27, 2023	Christmas in the Park/Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony - Cornerstone Park
Multiple dates starting Nov 27, 2023	Santa's Workshop - Gardner Parks and Recreation
Dec 1, 2023	Christmas in the Courtyard - Merriam Community Center
Dec 1, 2023	Christmas Open House - Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site
Dec 1, 2023	Sar-Ko Aglow Lighting Ceremony - Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park
Dec 1, 2023	Parkville Christmas on the River 2023 - Main Street Parkville
Dec 1, 2023	PJ Party with Santa - Zona Rosa
Dec 1, 2023	Cookies with Santa - Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site
Dec 2, 2023	Breakfast with Santa - Merriam Community Center
Dec 2, 2023	Visit with Santa - Oak Creek Nursery
Dec 2, 2023	Photos with Santa - Cornerstone Park
Dec 2 and Dec 9, 2023	Breakfast with Santa - Flint Hills Discovery Center
Dec 5, 2023	Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - Blue Springs City Hall
Dec 9, 2023	Woodland Tales with Father Christmas - Ernie Miller Park and Nature Center
Dec 9, 2023	Breakfast with Santa - Gardner Parks and Recreation
Dec 17, 2023	Visit Santa Outside at his Raytown Workshop
Dec 20, 2023	Animal Tales: Preschool Storytime - Visit from Santa - Ernie Miller Park and Nature Center

Old-Time Christmas

Multiple dates starting Nov 4, 2023	Christmastime Weekend Tours - Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Royal Victorian Christmas Tours - Vaile Victorian Mansion
Dec 1, 2023	Twilight Gala at the Mansion - Bingham-Waggoner Estate
Dec 1, 2023	Christmas Open House - Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site
Dec 2, 2023	Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade
Dec 2, 2023	An 1855 Christmas Celebration - Missouri Town 1855
Dec 9, 2023	Candelight Tour - Fort Osage
Dec 9, 2023	A Very Merry Christmas - Wornall/Majors House Museums

Light Displays

Multiple dates starting Nov 2023	Lee’s Summit Magic Tree
Nov 11, 2023	Holiday Lighting Ceremony - The Village at Briarcliff
Multiple dates starting Nov 16, 2023	Festival of Lights - Powell Gardens
Multiple dates starting Nov 20, 2023	Holiday Reflections - Kansas City Union Station
Multiple dates starting Nov 22, 2023	36th Annual Christmas in the Park - Frank White Softball Complex
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Luminary Walk - Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Knights of Lights 2023 - The Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Dec 1, 2023	Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting - Olathe Community Center
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023	Sar-Ko Aglow - Sar Ko Par Trails Park

Holiday Theatre

Multiple dates starting Nov 7, 2023	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical - The Coterie Theatre
Multiple dates starting Nov 21, 2023	A Christmas Carol - Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Multiple dates staring Nov 24, 2023	Three Wisecats on Broadway - Theatre For Young America
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023	Kansas City Ballet Presents The Nutcracker
Dec 3, 2023	The Jewish Nutcracker - The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre at The J
Multiple dates starting Dec 7, 2023	It's A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play - Music Theater Heritage
Dec 21 & 22, 2023	Mystery of Christmas 2023 - Dramatic Truth Ballet Theatre & School

Holiday Concerts

Nov 22, 2023	26th Annual Christmas in the Sky - Longview Lake Beach
Multiple dates starting Nov 27, 2023	Holiday Choirs - Crown Center
Dec 1-3, 2023	Kansas City Symphony presents Handel's Messiah
Dec 2 & 3, 2023	A Kansas City Christmas - Lenexa Baptist Church
Dec 5, 2023	TubaChristmas 2023 - Crown Center
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023	Holiday Concert - Rezound! Handbell Ensemble
Dec 14-17, 2023	Kansas City Symphony Present's Christmas Festival
Dec 16, 2023	Trans-Siberian Orchestra - T-Mobile Center
Dec 18, 2023	Spire Chamber Ensemble and Baroque Orchestra Present Handel's Messiah
Dec 21-23, 2023	Kansas City Symphony Presents The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Film + Live Orchestra ©Disney

Christmas Tree Experience

Nov 2, 2023	Arrival of the Mayor's Christmas Tree - Crown Center
Opening Nov 18, 2023	Wilderson Tree Farm - Basehor
Opening Nov 18, 2023	Bierman's Christmas Tree Farm - Kansas City
Nov 24, 2023	Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting Event - Crown Center
Opening Nov 24, 2023	Evening Star Pines- Eudora
Opening Nov 24, 2023	Reindeer Lane- Trimble
Opening Nov 24, 2023	Midland Holiday Pines- Shawnee Mission
Opening Nov 24, 2023	Christmas Ranch Tree Farm - Excelsior Springs

Ice Skating

Nov 3, 2023	2023 Opening Day at the Ice Terrace - FREE Skate
Multiple dates starting Nov 3, 2023	Crown Center Ice Terrace
Multiple dates starting mid-Nov 2023	The Ice at Park Place
	Independence Community Ice Rink
	KC Ice Center
	Line Creek Community Center
	Bode Ice Arena

Shopping & Craft Fairs

Nov 2-4, 2023	Christmas Open House - Petals & Potpourri
Nov 3 & 4, 2023	Holiday Art & Craft Show - The Pavilion at John Knox Village
Nov 4, 2023	KC Local Holiday Market 2023 - Thompson Barn
Nov 16, 2023	Christkindl at Moonlight Market
Nov 16-19, 2023	Holiday Boutique - Overland Park Convention Center
Nov 17 & 18, 2023	Best Little Arts and Crafts Show - Roger T. Sermon Community Center
Nov 18 & 19, 2023	Mistletowne Market 2023 - North Kansas City Parks and Recreation
Nov 18 & Dec 16, 2023	Holiday Farmers Market - City of Lenexa
Nov 19, 2023	Holiday Kid Makers Market - City of Lenexa
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Merry Market - The City Market
Multiple dates starting Nov 25, 2023	The Strawberry Swing Presents the 13th Annual Holiday Swing - Crown Center
Dec 1 & 2, 2023	'Tis the Season Art & Craft Show - The Pavilion at John Knox Village
Dec 2, 2023	11th Annual Holiday Art Market - Academie Lafayette
Dec 9, 2023	Farmers Market Holiday Mart - Downtown Lee's Summit
Dec 9, 2023	Uptown Holiday Market - Independence Uptown Market

Hanukkah

Nov 29, 2023	JFS Hanukkah Wrap Party
Dec 3, 2023	The Jewish Nutcracker - The White Theatre
Dec 10, 2023	PJ Library Hanukkah Glow Party at the J

New Year's Eve

Dec 31, 2023	Family New Year's Eve - Flint Hills Discovery Center
Dec 31, 2023	Wonder Eve: A "Noon Year's Eve" Party - Wonderscope
Dec 31, 2023	Noon Year's Eve Pajama Party Countdown - Lenexa Public Market

Miscellaneous

Nov 8, 2023	Glass Fusion Ornaments - Ceramic Cafe
Nov 11, 2023	Build-a-Plush Workshop - Merriam Community Center
Nov 12, 2023	Holiday Make & Take - Board & Brush Lenexa
Nov 17, 2023	Miracle on Main Street: A Holiday Fest - Grandview Main Street
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023	The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle
Nov 23, 2023	94th Evergy Plaza Lighting Ceremony - Country Club Plaza
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023	Mayor's Christmas Tree Ornaments Through the Years - Crown Center
Nov 25, 2023	Family Day: Flurry Friend - Pinot's Palette Olathe
Dec 1, 2023	Christmas in the Courtyard - Merriam Community Center
Dec 2, 2023	Sugar Plum Fairy Children's Ball - Kansas City Ballet
Dec 6, 2023	Animal Tales: Preschool Storytime - Mrs. Claus Reads! - Ernie Miller Park and Nature Center
Dec 9, 2023	Merry Grinch-Mas - Merriam Community Center
Dec 9, 2023	A Very Merry Christmas - Majors Barn
Dec 9, 2023	The Great Candy Cane Hunt - Stagecoach Park
Dec 16, 2023	Cookies & Cocoa with Mrs. Claus - Bingham-Waggoner Mansion & Estate
Dec 16, 2023	Winter Solstice Celebration - Ernie Miller Park and Nature Center
Dec 17, 2023	2023 Great Santa Run 5K & Little Elves Fun Run - KC Running Company

Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!