The 100-Foot Evergreen Arrives at Crown Center as Kansas City Kicks Off Its Holiday Season
A towering 100-foot-tall evergreen arrived at Crown Center on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, marking the unofficial start of the winter holiday festivities in Kansas City, KMBC reported. The massive tree completed a grueling 2,000-mile journey from Oregon, traveling via truck with scheduled stops in Jerome, Idaho, and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Truck driver Dale Middlestadt transported the 14,000-pound specimen, which was harvested during the final week of October. According to local organizers, representatives from Crown Center travel to Oregon every two years during the summer months to hand-select the official municipal tree.
The arrival sets off a rapid-fire sequence of holiday events across the city. The Crown Center Ice Terrace opens for the season on Friday morning, treating early visitors to three hours of free skating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Crews will lift the massive evergreen onto its permanent stand on Friday as well, beginning the intricate process of reattaching branches and stringing holiday lights.
Decades of Community Support and Tradition
Beyond its visual impact in the heart of the city, the tree carries a long-standing philanthropic mission. Historical accounts from the city note that former Mayor George Shelley purchased the very first municipal Christmas tree using his own funds in the late 1870s. Alongside the display, he distributed food baskets to families facing financial hardship, establishing a precedent of civic giving that persists today.
The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Association now manages the outreach effort, supporting senior citizens, people with disabilities, and local children through gifts, gift cards, and holiday gatherings.
“No matter what’s going on all around us, I think that the Christmas season is this great space that brings everybody together, that has us share the spirit, and a big part of that tradition is here at Crown Center,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told KMBC. “And so the Mayor’s Christmas Tree, which has existed since 1878, is the sort of thing that to me says this is Kansas City at its best.”
Residents looking to support the initiative can contribute directly to the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund online. Another primary fundraising avenue is the annual commemorative ornament program, which has run since 1981. Crafted from the wood of the previous year’s tree, these limited-edition pieces are designed by Hallmark artists.
This year’s collectible, titled “Merry Skaters,” was designed by Sheyda Best and features two penguins bundled up for winter sports on candy-cane ice skates. The ornaments go on sale at Crown Center customer service the day after Thanksgiving, though online preorders are already open.
Holiday Events Bring Scheduled Celebrations and Construction to Downtown
The arrival of the tree is the first domino in a busy month of civic celebrations. The Plaza Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 26. The official Christmas Tree Lighting Event and subsequent fireworks display will take place on Thursday, Nov. 27, at Crown Center Square.
Immediately following the lighting ceremony, visitors can purchase tickets for the Hallmark Christmas Experience, which runs from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20.
While downtown Kansas City faces ongoing urban construction projects in the vicinity of Crown Center and the nearby Kansas City Royals developments, municipal leaders emphasize that long-running traditions remain secure.
“We’ve talked to our friends at Crown Center and the Kansas City Royals. The mayor’s Christmas tree is going to continue to be here,” Mayor Lucas said. “Crown Center Square will continue to be here, so while there be construction near, where we’ll see some changes all around us, what we will continue to see is the holiday spirit that we’ve seen here for what, going on 60 years now.”
1,800 miles later, Christmas is here in Kansas City. Come see the Mayor’s Christmas Tree at Crown Center! pic.twitter.com/PF6GJfVeOo
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