December Events Calendar spotlights spooky Merry Axemas market, a Jinkx & DeLa drag romp, This is Important [Live], Laura Jane Grace, and a college basketball showdown
The best of holiday cheers, fears, and queers...
Ongoing/Multiple:
December 1-24
The Nutcracker, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
December 1-30
GloWild: Around the World, Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
December 1-3, 8-10, 15-17
The Strawberry Swing Presents: 13th Annual Holiday Swing, Crown Center
December 5-6, 12-13, 19-20
Electric Glow, Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
December 14-16
Drunken Christmas Carol, or The Time We Went to Uncle Morty’s…, Lawrence Arts Center
December 21-24
Knights of Lights Festival, Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Events
December 1
Adventure Club, The Midland
The Phil Collins Experience, Uptown Theater
Dirty Dancing in Concert, Kansas City Convention Center
Heartless Bastards, The Bottleneck
FAC MMA 22, Cable Dahmer Arena
Nest, Limb Dealer, Pusher, Farewell KCMO
December 2
Christmas in Hell 2: The Return of Satan Claus, Replay Lounge
Cherry Bomb, VooDoo Lounge
Angel Du$t, The Bottleneck
19th Annual KISSmas Show, Knuckleheads
Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade, Downtown Lawrence
December 3
Running of the Bull(dogs), Bar K
Kitchen Dwellers, recordBar
Mae, The Bottleneck
Poems: musicbyskippy’s EP Release and Holiday Show, Westport Coffee House
Merry Axemas, Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center
The Kansas City Horror Club and Black Rose Co. are teaming up for “Merry Axemas, A Spooky Holiday Market.” Find the perfect gift for the horror fans in your life from over 50 local vendors, and get a chance to have your picture taken with Krampus. The event is being held at the Stoney Creek Hotel on Sunday, December 3, from 12-6 p.m. Entry is free, and all ages are welcome.
December 4
Jackie and Jan’s Jingle Jam, Hamburger Mary’s
Pasquale Grasso, guitar, Lied Center of Kansas
December 5
106.5 The Wolf’s Acoustic Christmas, The Midland
Thelma & The Sleaze, The Bottleneck
Hail the Sun, Granada
December 6
Motherfolk, Encore Room
December 7
A Christmas Carol, Lied Center of Kansas
Level Up, recordBar
Pony Bradshaw, The Bottleneck
It’s a Wonderful Life: A live radio play, Lenexa City Hall
December 8
Joe Gatto, The Midland
Roman Alexander, PBR Big Sky
Moon Taxi, The Truman
Kansas City Mavericks vs. Idaho Steelheads, Cable Dahmer Arena
Boxknife, Thonggag, Cat F!ght, Replay Lounge
December 9
Queer Bar Takeover, The Ship
Mark Normand: Ya Don’t Say Tour, Uptown Theater
Westport Christmas Market, Westport
MoonShroom with Wayne Gottstine & Jamie Briggeman, Knuckleheads
KPR Presents: Big Band Christmas 2023, Liberty Hall
Tape B: Old School X New School 2023 Fall Tour, recordBar
Winter Wonderland, North Kansas City Parks & Recreation
Manor Records “Masterclass” ft. Michelle Bacon, Manor Records
The Uncouth Record Release w/ Doldrums, White LIne Nightmares, DJ Pez, The Brick
A Motown Holiday, Gem Theater
December 10
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Heartland Men’s Chorus Presents ‘A Very Merry Christmas Pageant,’ Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College
December 11
Patrick Droney, The Madrid
Emery, The Almost, recordBar
December 12
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, The Midland
Following the success of their highly acclaimed holiday special in 2020, RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni and drag queen royalty, Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme, are bringing their holiday tour back to Kansas City on Dec 12 at The Midland. Written and directed by BenDeLaCreme, you can be sure to expect a night full of witty comedy, new songs, and a few fan favorites. This show is recommended for ages 18 and up. Tickets start at $49.50.
December 13
Kansas City Mavericks vs. Allen Americans, Cable Dahmer Arena
Country Christmas with Randy Houser, PBR Big Sky
December 14
Riot Ten, The Truman
The Menzingers, Liberty Hall
Joe Samba, Encore Room
Midnight Market: Birthday Party, The Bottleneck
December 15
A Driftmist in the Night, The Bottleneck
Kansas City Mavericks vs. Allen Americans, Cable Dahmer Arena
Betsy O & the Hollaback boys, Konza Swamp Band, Replay Lounge
This is Important Podcast [Live], The Midland
The minds behind Workaholics and the 2018 Netflix movie Game Over, Man are ready to hit The Midland on Friday, December 15. This is Important, a podcast created and hosted by Adam Devine, Anders Holm, Blake Anderson, and Kyle Newacheck, was created during the pandemic and has flourished into a weekly show, boasting over 160 episodes of everything from fresh takes on politics to the fabled luggage talk. The tour was spawned from the ashes of a canceled Workaholics movie (thanks, Paramount+) and is full of good, cheap laughs and flying BuzzBallz.
December 16
TVBOO, The Madrid
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, T-Mobile Center
Holiday Harmonies presented by Central Standard & Vocal Standard, The Folly Theater
The Spooklights, Knuckleheads
Krampusnacht Holiday Macabre Market, The Big Rip Brewing Company
Lawrence City Band Holiday Market, Lawrence Public Library
Heavy Petty Holiday Show, Granada
Ugly Sweater Party, Bar K
December 17
Alexandra Kay, The Madrid
Breed Meet-Up: German Shepherd, Bar K
December 18
Paint Your Pet, Bar K
December 20
Kansas City Mavericks vs. Tulsa Oilers, Cable Dahmer Arena
December 21
Kansas State vs. Wichita State, T-Mobile Center
December 22
David George Orchestra Rock & Roll Christmas Show, The Madrid
The Ugly Cowboys, The Rackatees, Alien Hellbop, Replay Lounge
December 23
Luck 20, Arithmetic Band, Carlos Homebrew Victory, Replay Lounge
Radkey X-MAS Evil Eve feat. The Ugly Cowboys, The Utilitarians, recordBar
December 25
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
December 27
Pamper the Madman, Plaid Iris, They Came in Droves, recordBar
December 28
Jamiroquai – Funk Tribute, recordBar
December 29
Shakedown Strings: Playing the Grateful Dead, Knuckleheads
Laura Jane Grace, Granada
Laura Jane Grace—founder, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Against Me!—comes to the Granada on Friday, December 29, with special guest Mya Byrne. She also published the book Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout, an autobiography based on Grace’s journals that tackles her strong beliefs and struggles with mental illness and gender dysphoria to her coming out as a transgender woman—being one of the first punk rock icons to do so. Grace’s Granada show is part of a quick run of solo dates promoting her new single, “Dysphoria Hoodie.”
December 30
JAM: Michael Jackson & Bruno Mars Tribute, Knuckleheads
Various Blonde, Terrasoul, Bad Alaskan, Replay Lounge
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Wichita State Shockers, T-Mobile Center
The Kansas Jayhawks and Wichita State Shockers men’s basketball teams are making their way to the Missouri side on Saturday, December 30, for their matchup at the T-Mobile Center. This is a great opportunity for Kansas City residents who are fans of either university to enjoy a clash between the two at a neutral venue. As the Jayhawks come off of a heartbreaking conclusion to their dominant 2022-23 regular season with their loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Bill Self and the boys are looking to get back on track with this mid-season rivalry meeting with Wichita State.
December 31
Kansas City Mavericks vs. Wichita Thunder, Cable Dahmer Arena
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium