Christmas lives at Crown Center in Kansas City. Their winter wonderland opens November 28, the day after Thanksgiving. And the fun lasts all the way past Christmas Day. Below is a quick look at the holiday events planned at Crown Center.

• NOVEMBER 7 – MARCH 15
  Crown Center Ice Terrace
  
  Kansas City’s only public outdoor ice skating rink opens for its 36th season of great skating fun! Enjoy free skating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on opening day. Regular admission is $6, or free for adults over age 60 and children under age 5.
  
  Skate rental is $3, or skaters may bring their own. Hours through January: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday & Saturday. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in February and March. Call 816-274-8411 for more information.

• NOVEMBER 28
  Santa’s Arrival at Crown Center
  
  Santa Claus arrives in a horse-drawn carriage to kick off the holiday season. Sluggerrr®, K.C. Wolf, Perry Penguin, Tip from Crayola®, Casey the Bear and other costumed characters help greet Jolly Ol’ St. Nick. Join Santa as he makes his way to Crayola Christmas Land, where he resides through December 24. FREE admission. Santa arrives at 10 a.m. 816-274-8444.

• NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 31
  Santa’s Crayola®Christmas Land
  
  Children can play on super-sized Crayola® products while waiting to tell Santa all their holiday wishes. Santa is in residence November 28 through December 24. The play area remains open through December 31. FREE admission. Photos with Santa are available for a fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday; noon to 6 p.m., Sunday. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444.

• November 28
  Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
  
  The 100-foot-tall Mayor’s Christmas Tree, one of the nation’s tallest, is the centerpiece for an illuminating holiday celebration. Enjoy fireworks choreographed to Christmas music while gazing at 7,200 white lights on the Mayor’s Christmas Tree, a symbol of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund, which assists more than 33,000 people each year. FREE admission. Program begins at 5:30 p.m. 816-274-8444.

• DECEMBER 1-19
  Holiday Music
  
  Beautiful music fills the halls of Crown Center, as more than 130 area school, church and community choirs perform during weekday lunch hours and weekday evenings. Brass quintets will entertain on weekends. FREE admission. 816-274-8444.

• DECEMBER 6, 13, 20
  Magic, Music & Marionettes
  
  Enjoy holiday shows on three Saturdays in December. The Magic of David Sandy (December 6), Jim Mr. Stinky Feet’s Christmas” & The Hiccups December 13) and the StoneLion Puppet Theatre’s December 20) make up the schedule. FREE Shows at noon and 2 p.m. 816-274-8444.

ONGOING EVENTS

• Hallmark Visitors Center
  
  The trees, 17 in all, were created by Hallmark employees for the company founder. It’s just one of the attractions at the FREE Visitors Center.

• Crown Center Square Fountain dances to holiday tunes
  
  The temperatures drop, but the fountains continue to flow at Crown Center. The famed Crown Center Square Fountain’s 49 water jets dance to “Carol of the Bells” and “The Nutcracker Overture” all season.
   

AMERICAN HEARTLAND THEATRE

• November 6 - December 28
  “A Tuna Christmas”
  
  Witness the delightfully eccentric citizens of Tuna attempt to cope with seasonal traumas such as a disaster-prone little theatre production of “A Christmas Carol” and the 15th annual lawn display contest that is being sabotaged by a mysterious Christmas phantom! 816-842-9999 or ahtkc.com.
   

THE COTERIE THEATRE

• November 11 - December 28
  “Seussical”
  
  Dr Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg are tunefully interwoven in the celebrated version of this “all-ages” musical. The New York Times credits the Coterie with originating one of the most performed plays in educational theatre in the U.S. Part of the Coterie’s Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or coterietheatre.org.

OFF CENTER THEATRE
 

• November 7-8, December 5-6, December 12-13
  "Right Between The Ears"
  
  The Lawrence, KS-based improv group performs. Call 816-842-9999 or visit rightbetweentheears.com for tickets.
   
• November 13-16
  “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
  
  Musical Theater Heritage presents one of only four musicals to ever win a Pulitzer Prize. Call 816-221-6987 or visit
  mthkc.com for show information and tickets.
   
• December 18-21
  “George Harter’s Christmas Spectacular"
  
  ”You never know who’s going to drop in for a cup of egg nog during Musical Theater Heritage’s Christmas party. But you can be sure the guests will put you in the holiday spirit with your favorite songs of the season. Call 816-221-6987 or visit mthkc.com for show information and tickets.d 2 p.m. 816-274-8444.