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

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