fbpx

|

Christmas season arriving in NEJC with tree lighting ceremonies this week

Share this story:

Prairie Village's annual Mayor's Holiday Tree Lighting event returns to Corinth Square Thursday.
Prairie Village’s annual Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting event returns to Corinth Square Thursday.

The holiday spirit will be visible across northeast Johnson County this week as several cities host community events to mark the start of the season.

  • Lenexa's Sar-Ko-Aglow fun is set for Friday evening.
    Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Aglow fun is set for Friday evening.

    Westwood will hold its Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony tonight at 6 p.m. on the grounds of City Hall. The Westwood View Honor Choir will perform before an appearance by Santa.

  • On Thursday, the Prairie Village Foundation will host its 32nd annual Mayor’s Holiday Tree lighting at Corinth Square. Vocalocity, a metro-wide show choir, will perform along with groups from Dancerz Unlimited. Special guests joining Santa and Mayor Laura Wassmer this year will be Snoopy and Charlie Brown. The event benefits the foundation’s utility assistance, home repair and food pantry operations. “These contributions will assist families in our community when they find themselves in a situation where there are limited resources available,” said Ann Lilak of the foundation. “The PV Foundation sheds light for those who need a little extra assistance-throughout the year.” You can make donations on site or via the foundation website here. The merchants of the Village Shops and Corinth Square will also be holding their holiday open houses, with discounts at the majority of shops.
  • Mission’s annual Holiday Lights and Festive Sights celebration is set for Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Sylvester Powell, Jr., Community Center. Mayor Steve Schowengerdt will join Santa and Mrs. Claus in lighting the tree at 5:15 p.m., with holiday treats, arts and crafts and live music to follow.
  • Merriam will host its Soups on with Santa and Mayor’s Tree Lighting ceremony Friday at the Merriam Marketplace and Irene B. French Community Center. The lighting ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m., with soup for supper and holiday activities to follow at the community center through 8:30 p.m. Merriam’s parks and recreation department is requesting the people who attend the event bring a canned food item or a new toy to donate as admission.
  • Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Aglow holiday light display will be Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. The lights will go on at 6 p.m., and be followed by caroling, hot cocoa and a visit from Santa. More information is here.
  • Shawnee has redubbed its Christmas Around Town event as the Shawnee Christkindlmarkt will run from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Shawnee City Hall and the surrounding downtown area. The event will feature food trucks, carolers and even a live reindeer ahead of the tree lighting at 5 p.m., when Mayor Michelle Distler will present a donation from the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund to the Shawnee Storm Special Olympics and Shawnee Community Services. More info is here.

About the author

Jay Senter
Jay Senter

Jay Senter is the founder and publisher of the Post.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he worked as a reporter and editor at The Badger Herald.

He went on to receive a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas, where he earned the Calder Pickett Award. While he was in graduate school, he also worked as a reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World.

LATEST HEADLINES