The Holidays Come Alive This Saturday at Union Station

The Holidays Come Alive with the magic, beauty and pure spectacle that only Union Station can deliver this Saturday, November 17 beginning at 10 am. It's a daylong, free celebration packed with festive entertainment and family activities. It will conclude with a spectacular holiday lighting ceremony at 6:30 pm featuring Kansas City's largest indoor Christmas tree and an all-new, breathtaking performance by Quixotic. All events will be held inside Union Station so there's no need to bundle up the kids!

"The holidays at Union Station are so much more than lights," George Guastello, president and CEO of Union Station, said. "Do we have lights? Absolutely! There are 25,000 lights on our gorgeous indoor Grand Hall Tree alone! Yards and yards of garland, mammoth wreaths, 70 Christmas trees and more will all be lit inside the Station on Saturday night. But it's so much more than decorations. What Union Station does for the holidays is what it's done for over 100 years; Union Station creates memories. We do that by creating holiday experiences you can't find anywhere else. It all starts Saturday and lasts the full season - all the way through our wildly popular Noon Year's Eve and New Year's Swingin' Eve celebrations."

The big lighting event starts at 6:30 pm this Saturday with a ceremony that will lead into a magical performance designed by the creative genius of Kansas City's own Quixotic. Inside Grand Plaza aerialists will fly through the air while magical reindeer, standing eight feet tall, will roam through the crowd leading them on a magical trip to the North Pole. Throughout the performance the interior will be lit in waves, ending with the Union Station ablaze in its holiday glory.

The exterior of the Station will also come alive in a dazzling holiday light show every evening on the half hour. This choreographed display will not only entertain, but also add to the festive illumination of the downtown skyline. In addition, there will be plenty of family photo opportunities (think holiday cards!) with larger-than life holiday props and décor, and concessions sold throughout the day. Kiss Under the Clock, a Union Station holiday tradition, returns this year from 10 am-2 pm with Kelly Urich from 94.9 KCMO Radio and holiday favorite, National Lampoon's, Christmas Vacation, the first in our Classic Holiday Movie Series, will be running in the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre throughout the day for only $3 per person.

DAY OF ACTIVITIES

All located in Grand Plaza, unless otherwise notated.

10:00 am - 4:00 pm: Maker Studio: Make a Shimmering Snowflake

10:00 am - 4:00 pm: Mesner Puppets Holiday Activity

10:00 am - 8:00 pm: Letters to Santa (in Model Rail)

1:00 - 4:30 pm: Balloon Artist & Sister Act Face Painters

6:00 - 7:00 pm: Candy Cane Stop with 94.9 ?

7:00 - 8:30 PM Free Mini Train Rides

7:00 - 9:00 pm: Holiday Model Rail

Stage Performances

*All located in Grand Plaza, unless otherwise notated.

10 - 10:45 am: Mrs. Claus Holiday Stories

11:00 - 11:45 am: KC Ballet 2 Performance

12:30 - 1:15 pm: Quite Frankly the Band

2:00 - 2:45 pm: Dan Riggs Big Band

3:15 - 3:30 pm: Starlight Stars

4:00 - 4:45 pm: Miller Marley Youth Ballet

5:00 - 6:00 pm: HARMONIUM

6:30 - 7:00 pm: Holiday Lighting Ceremony Featuring Quixotic

7:00 - 7:30 pm: HARMONIUM

Event parking rate of $10 applies.

For a complete list of family friendly events that last all season long, please visit www.unionstation.org/holidays. Holidays Come Alive at Union Station is supported by Neighborhood Tourism and Development Fund and Kansas City Southern Holiday Express Train.