Kansas City's Plaza Lights Shine at Christmas

I spent some of my childhood in the Kansas City area and what I enjoyed the most when I was young was seeing the Plaza lights at Christmas time.

It is an over-90-year-old tradition that spans a 15-block area with Christmas lights over the entire Country Club Plaza. The lights come on in a special ceremony at each year’s Thanksgiving.

Hampton Inn Country Club Plaza — *Hampton Inn at the Country Club Plaza*

You can walk or drive through the Plaza area since the lighting is spread out throughout the retail district.

Where We Stay

Our favorite place to stay near the Country Club Plaza is the Hampton Inn which we could walk from to the Plaza.

You do have to walk down the hill to the lights, but it is very close.

Out and About on the Plaza

Some of our favorite stores include Better Cheddar, which if you’re into cheese is the store to checkout.

The Plaza also has a department store-sized Barnes & Noble that I always like to browse when I’m there.

You can order from Chuy’s Mexican restaurant on the Plaza, which has tasty chips and enchiladas.

Horse drawn carriages can be seen in the Plaza. — *Horse-drawn carriages can be seen in the Plaza.*

Fun Facts About the Plaza Lighting

The Plaza lighting started with a single strand of Christmas lights strung over a store entrance in 1925 and by 1930 it included the whole plaza area.

Lights start to be strung up following Labor Day each year, it takes that long to hang this many lights.

The Plaza is built like a Seville Spain square there are towers throughout the complex adding to the beauty of the lighting.

The big switch on the stage at the Plaza Lighting Ceremony really does turn on all the lights.

A child selected to help turn on the lights from the audience is always chosen at random.

The only time that the Plaza lights were not in operation occurred in 1973 when President Nixon called upon all Americans to curtail the use of Christmas lights to reduce dependence on foreign oil imports.

Guests who have been invited to turn on the Plaza Lights include George Brett, Trent Green, “Fastest Man in the World” Maurice Green, Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, Eric Stonestreet, Walter Cronkite, Derrick Thomas, Marcus Allen, Buck O’Neil, Saturday Night Live’s Heidi Gardner, and KC-based rapper, Tech N9ne.

Best Views

The best viewing options for the Plaza Lights include the 211 parking garage. Other rooftops with good views during the season of lights include McCormick & Schmick’s, The InterContinental Kansas City Hotel, and the second floor of Barnes & Noble.

Parking

All of the Plaza’s parking garages are free and open to the public.

Hours to see the lighting

The Plaza Lights shine daily from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., Thanksgiving through mid-January.

The lighting is free and can be seen as you walk from restaurants to stores in the Plaza area. Also, you can drive through the streets of the Plaza and see the lights that way, watch where you are driving with people out and about and other cars.