125,000 balloons form a KC holiday town. Also on the way: ‘Nutcracker,’ more lights

Dan Kelly
·4 min read

More than 70 balloon artists from around the world will take part in Big Balloon Build KC this weekend on the Great Lawn in the 18th and Vine District.

The international festival, taking place in the United States for only the second time, will use more than 125,000 balloons to create a walk-thru holiday toy town. There also will be STEM activities, the Soul of Santa Holiday Market and adult happy hours.

General admission ($10-$15) will be 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Dec. 2-4, with happy hours ($25-$30) at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 and 3 and a gala event fundraiser ($100) at 6 p.m. Dec. 2.

Proceeds benefit Operation Breakthrough’s Ignition Lab and Troost Market Collective. More information at bigballoonbuildkc.com.

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” from Lyric Opera of Kansas City will run Dec. 2-11 at the Michael and Ginger Frost Production Building.
“Amahl and the Night Visitors” from Lyric Opera of Kansas City will run Dec. 2-11 at the Michael and Ginger Frost Production Building.

More holiday events

▪ “Buddy’s Holly Jolly Christmas,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1-3, MTH Theater at Crown Center ($45-$51). musictheaterheritage.com.

▪ Christmas on the River, 6 p.m. Dec. 2, Parkville (free). parkvillemo.org.

▪ Sar-Ko Aglow, lighting ceremony, 6 p.m. Dec. 2; runs 6-11 p.m. through Jan. 16, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park (free). lenexa.com.

▪ Lyric Opera of Kansas City, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 2 p.m. Dec. 11, Michael and Ginger Frost Production Building ($17.50-$55). kcopera.org.

▪ “The Nativity,” Nativity Puppets, 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 2 and 5 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Dec. 4, Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral ($12-$17). nativitypuppets.org.

▪ “Christmas in Song,” opens 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2; runs through Dec. 24, Quality Hill Playhouse ($42-$45). qualityhillplayhouse.com.

▪ Soul of Santa Holiday Benefit Concert featuring Eric Benét, Chanté Moore and more, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, Gem ($85-$125). thesoulofsanta.org/celebration.

▪ Tallis Scholars, “Hymns to the Virgin,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception ($25-$40). chambermusic.org.

▪ Kansas City Symphony, “The Doo Wop Project Christmas,” 8 p.m. Dec. 2, Kauffman Center ($40). kcsymphony.org.

▪ TenThing Brass Ensemble, “A Feeling of Norwegian Christmas,” 8 p.m. Dec. 2, Yardley Hall ($14-$42). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.

▪ Heartland Men’s Chorus, “’Tis the Season: A Holiday Spectacular!,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4, Folly ($28-$53); 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11, Yardley Hall ($25-$50). hmckc.org/holiday.

▪ Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 8, Mission Hills, Fairway and Kansas City ($30-$35; VIP event, 5-9 p.m. Dec. 7, $100). kappahomestour.com.

▪ Kansas City Ballet, “The Nutcracker,” opens 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7; runs through Dec. 24, Kauffman Center ($34-$250). kcballet.org.

▪ “Milking Christmas,” Living Room Theatre, opens 8 p.m. Dec. 7; runs through Dec. 24, Black Box ($25-$35). thelivingroomkc.com.

Chloe McFadden will team with her father, Lonnie McFadden, for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s “The Family” on Dec. 6 at the Kauffman Center.
Chloe McFadden will team with her father, Lonnie McFadden, for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s “The Family” on Dec. 6 at the Kauffman Center.

More music

▪ Home Free, 8 p.m. Dec. 1, Uptown ($27.50-$87). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, Lied Center ($16-$30). lied.ku.edu.

▪ Winterlude: Doug Talley Quartet, 7 p.m. Dec. 4, Polsky Theatre ($17-$35). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.

▪ The Piano Guys, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Midland ($44.50-$90). midlandkc.com.

▪ Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “The Family” featuring Lonnie and Chloe McFadden, 7 p.m. Dec. 6, Kauffman Center ($33.50-$68.50). kcjo.org.

▪ Wet Leg, 8 p.m. Dec. 6, The Truman ($22-$44). thetrumankc.com.

▪ Amon Amarth with Carcass, Obituary and Cattle Decapitation, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7, Uptown ($41.50-$108.25). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Lemonheads, 8 p.m. Dec. 7, Madrid ($30). madridtheatre.com.

The Broadway in Kansas City series will offer “Pretty Woman: The Musical” Dec. 6-11 at the Music Hall.
The Broadway in Kansas City series will offer “Pretty Woman: The Musical” Dec. 6-11 at the Music Hall.

More entertainment

▪ August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” from Melting Pot Theatre will play at Just Off Broadway Theatre, opens 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1; runs through Dec. 10 ($17.25-$27.50). kcmeltingpot.com.

▪ UMKC Theatre’s production of “The 39 Steps” will run at Studio Theater, Performing Arts Center 116, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3 and 6-9, 2 p.m. Dec. 10 (free). conservatory.umkc.edu.

▪ Model trains will fill the Overland Park Convention Center for the Great Train Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3-4 ($10-$12). trainshow.com.

▪ “Pretty Woman: The Musical” will come to the Music Hall as part of the Broadway in Kansas City series, opens 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6; runs through Dec. 11 ($38-$121). broadwayinkc.com.

▪ What If Puppets (formerly Mesner Puppet Theater) will present “Cirque du Wiener Dog” at Polsky Theatre, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dec. 7-8, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 11 a.m. Dec. 10 ($6-$16). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.

▪ Actress Susanna Hamnett will play every character in “Nearly Lear,” a retelling of Shakespeare’s play, at the Lied Center, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 ($16-$30). lied.ku.edu.