Plaza Lighting Ceremony

Country Club Plaza [1]
47th St. btwn. Jefferson and Broadway Sts., Kansas City
www.countryclubplaza.com [2]

With the flip of a switch, more than 80 miles of Christmas lights illuminate building exteriors along the Country Club Plaza [1] on Thanksgiving night. What started with a string of 16 lights over a doorway in 1925 has blossomed into an eagerly anticipated annual tradition.

If you plan to attend the ceremony, be advised that hotel reservations on the Plaza fill up months, even years, in advance.

For a sneak peek of the lights without the crowds, grab an extra-strong espresso and head to the plaza from 2 to 6 a.m. the day before Thanksgiving, when they test the lights.