Write down the addresses on Lenexa's holiday calendar and most of them share one road. City Hall is at 17101 W. 87th St. Pkwy. The Lenexa Rec Center is next door at 17201. Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park sits at 87th Street Parkway and Lackman Road. Between Nov. 4 and Dec. 20, that stretch of parkway hosts nearly every city event and Public Market event of the season. Only the Candy Cane Hunt is held somewhere else.
The newest places to eat, drink and shop are a short drive off that road in three directions. A German-style brewery opened in Vista Village to the west. A cocktail bar opened at Lenexa City Center. A general store with two decades of history moved into one of Old Town's oldest buildings. Here is the season in order, with a stop for after each event.
The calendar at a glance
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 4 | Touch-a-Truck Night | Lenexa Public Market, 8750 Penrose Ln. | 4–6 p.m. | Not listed |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | City Center Live: Fountain City String Quartet | Community Forum, City Hall | 6:30 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Sip, Mingle & Jingle | Lenexa Public Market | 5–9 p.m. | Not listed |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Holiday Farmers Market | City Hall | 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Free covered parking |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Sar-Ko Aglow Lighting Ceremony | Grand Pavilion, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park | 6–7 p.m. | Free parking |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holiday Kid Makers Market | Public Market and City Hall | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Not listed |
| Sun., Dec. 6, 13, 20 | Santa at the Market | Lenexa Public Market | 12:30–2 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Naughty or Nice Games | Lenexa Rec Center | 6–8 p.m. | $5 members, $8 nonmembers |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | City Center Live: Mandolin Orchestra of Kansas City | Community Forum, City Hall | 6:30 p.m. | Free |
| Wed., Dec. 16 | Winter Water-land Bingo | Lenexa Public Market | 6–8 p.m. | Not listed |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Candy Cane Hunt | Old Town Activity Center, 9301 Pflumm Rd. | 9–11 a.m. | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Holiday Farmers Market | City Hall | 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Free covered parking |
Look down the Where column and two addresses do most of the work. Ten of the twelve rows are at the Public Market, City Hall or the Rec Center. One is at Sar-Ko-Par. Only the Candy Cane Hunt is in Old Town. If you know where to park at City Hall, you know where to park for most of the season.
November starts with trucks and a string quartet
The season opens on Wednesday, Nov. 4, when Touch-a-Truck Night runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Lenexa Public Market. Kids can climb into municipal vehicles, honk the horns and meet the staff who drive them. The Market moved the time earlier to make the most of the daylight.
Ten days later, City Center Live brings the Fountain City String Quartet to the Community Forum at City Hall on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and seating is first-come. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, so arriving at 6 p.m. is the way to get a good seat.
The weekend before Thanksgiving holds two shopping events, one evening and one morning. On Friday, Nov. 20, the Public Market hosts Sip, Mingle & Jingle from 5 to 9 p.m. It lists more than 35 craft vendors, live music from the Kelley Gant Trio, food and drink specials and prize drawings every hour. The next morning, the first Holiday Farmers Market moves the regular farmers market vendors indoors at City Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The city lists vegetables, meats, breads, nuts, wine, jams and sauces, along with body care products, pet treats and handmade art. SNAP benefits are accepted. Covered parking is free.
Dec. 4 is the anchor, and the lights stay on into January
The Sar-Ko Aglow Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 4, is the one event on the calendar with a firm start. Mayor Sayers switches on the lights at 6 p.m. at the Grand Pavilion, east of Rose's Pond in Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. Hot cocoa, the Dickens Carolers and visits with Santa follow until 7. The city points ceremony guests to free parking at Sar-Ko-Par Aquatic Center and Foundry Church.
The ceremony lasts an hour, but the display lasts much longer. Sar-Ko Aglow is lit every night from 6 to 11 p.m., from Dec. 4 through Jan. 18, 2027. For those quieter visits, the city recommends free parking off Greenway Lane near the Grand Pavilion and the aquatic center. That means the lights are on for the out-of-town guests arriving the week of Christmas and for a walk after New Year's, well after the crowd from opening night.
Weekends in December fill up around the Public Market
The weekend after the lighting is the busiest of the season. On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Holiday Kid Makers Market brings more than 30 young vendors to booths in City Hall and The Kitchen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Santa is there from noon to 2. The Public Market described both this event and Sip, Mingle & Jingle in an Oct. 20 post on shopping local this season.
From there, Sundays belong to Santa. Santa at the Market is a free drop-in visit from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Dec. 6, 13 and 20, with letters to Santa and activities that change each week.
The rest of December fills in around those Sundays:
- Naughty or Nice Games, Friday, Dec. 11, 6–8 p.m. The Lenexa Rec Center hosts cookie decorating, crafts, "grouchy games," a bounce house and snowball fights, plus a special grumpy guest. It is for ages 4 and up and costs $5 for Rec Center members and $8 for nonmembers. Registration is required, so check the event page to see when sign-ups open.
- Mandolin Orchestra of Kansas City, Saturday, Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m. This is the second free City Center Live show in the Community Forum, again with first-come seating.
- Winter Water-land Bingo, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 6–8 p.m. Family Night at the Public Market turns to winter-themed bingo with prizes.
- Candy Cane Hunt, Friday, Dec. 18, 9–11 a.m. This is the one event away from the parkway, at the Old Town Activity Center, 9301 Pflumm Road. Children 6 and under hunt for candy canes outdoors with a parent or guardian, then have milk and cookies, crafts, story time and a musical performance. Santa and Mrs. Claus may stop by. It is free and needs no registration.
- Holiday Farmers Market, Saturday, Dec. 19, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. This second indoor market at City Hall lands the weekend before Christmas, which makes it the last local market of the season for holiday cooking.
After that, the calendar goes quiet until Jan. 17, 2027, when Movie in the Pool brings a family film to the indoor screen at the Lenexa Rec Center.
Where to go after: three new stops off the parkway
The Public Market already covers dinner on event nights. The current lineup includes African Dream Cuisine, Cardboard Corner Cafe, Homestead Kitchen + Bakery, KC Döner, Mr. D's Coffee, Saap Saap Noodles, Sohaila's Kitchen and Topp'd Pizza + Salads, plus rotating pop-up restaurants. This year added three places a short drive away, one in each direction.
West: KC Bier Co. in Vista Village. The Kansas City brewery opened its first Johnson County location at 18030 W. 98th St. this summer, off Prairie Star Parkway and Ridgeview Road. Johnson County Post reported a biergarten, an amphitheater, a children's play area, a dog park and a second-floor deck that looks down on the brewing process. The Lenexa location's calendar lists a Nosferatu screening on Oct. 31 and Brews with Moos on Nov. 7, along with regular trivia, jazz, polka and music bingo nights. Vista Village is led by Kansas City-based West Star Development.
Center: Neat at Lenexa City Center. The cocktail bar opened in July at 16953 City Center Drive, in the space Savoy Tea Co. used for about five years, near Pure Barre and BODY20. Johnson County Post described black walls, gold accents, lots of plants and leather couches, with drinks inspired by the owners' travels and a decade of local bartending. Hours can change after an opening season, so check Neat's site before planning a nightcap after a City Center Live concert.
East: The Peddler's Daughter in Old Town. After about two decades on Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas, this locally owned general store moved in September to 13416 Santa Fe Trail Drive. A plaque by the door identifies the building as the historic Ann Huseman building. Johnson County Post called it one of the oldest commercial buildings still standing in Lenexa. Its neighbors include Jerry's Bait Shop and Maps Coffee & Chocolate. Owner Tami Gochenour told the Post, "Everyone's been really welcoming." It is a short drive from the Candy Cane Hunt on Pflumm Road, which makes Dec. 18 an easy morning to do both.
Two Vista Village openings to watch for
Two more Vista Village tenants were announced this year. Ice cream shop Pecan Jacks still lists its Vista Village location at 9707 Ridgeview Road as "Coming Soon." Local pet retailer Callie Mae's announced a store at 9731 Ridgeview Road, and in June Johnson County Post reported a target of late fall, "likely October or November." Check with Callie Mae's for its current opening status before you go. If both open as planned, the next stretch of Ridgeview Road will offer ice cream and a pet shop near the brewery.
If you're hosting family this December, The Rob Ellerman Team is glad to share more Lenexa favorites, from the best nights to see Sar-Ko Aglow to the new stops worth showing your guests. Find Your Market and reach out whenever you'd like a local suggestion.
