Short answer: The Kansas City Symphony’s 2026 holiday concerts are The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert from November 27 to 29, Handel’s Messiah from December 4 to 6, the Christmas Festival from December 17 to 20 and The Polar Express in Concert on December 23 and 24. All of them are at Helzberg Hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Kansas City, and the matinees start between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Kansas City Symphony holiday concerts 2026 at a glance
| Date | Concert | Start times |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 27 | The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert | 7:00 PM |
| Sat, Nov 28 | The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert | 1:00 PM, 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Nov 29 | The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert | 2:00 PM |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Handel's Messiah | 7:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Handel's Messiah | 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Handel's Messiah | 2:00 PM |
| Thu, Dec 17 | Christmas Festival | 7:00 PM |
| Fri, Dec 18 | Christmas Festival | 7:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 19 | Christmas Festival | 1:00 PM, 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Dec 20 | Christmas Festival | 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Dec 23 | The Polar Express in Concert | 7:00 PM |
| Thu, Dec 24 | The Polar Express in Concert | 11:00 AM |
Click a start time to see the seats listed for that concert. Times come from each listing, so check the date and time again at checkout, especially on the Saturdays and Sundays that have two shows.
What each holiday program is
- The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert: Jason Seber conducts as the complete film plays on the big screen and the orchestra performs the score live, with Michael Caine as Scrooge and Kermit the Frog as his put-upon clerk.
- Handel’s Messiah: Jane Glover conducts the orchestra, four vocal soloists and the Kansas City Symphony Chorus.
- Christmas Festival: associate conductor Daniel Wiley leads carols and holiday favorites with vocalist Jim Hogan and the Symphony Chorus, plus an early visit from Santa.
- The Polar Express in Concert: Justin Freer conducts Alan Silvestri’s score live with the film, on the evening of December 23 and the morning of Christmas Eve.
Best picks for families and for a night out
For younger children, the daytime shows are the easiest fit: The Muppet Christmas Carol on Saturday, November 28 at 1:00 PM, the Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 19 at 1:00 PM and The Polar Express on Christmas Eve at 11:00 AM. For an evening out, Messiah on Saturday, December 5 at 7:00 PM and the Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 19 at 7:00 PM are the classic picks. The Christmas Festival has six performances, more than any other holiday program, so it usually has the widest choice of seats.
Helzberg Hall tips
Helzberg Hall is the 1,600-seat concert hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, at 16th Street and Broadway near the Crossroads Arts District. A large city-run parking garage sits next to the building. Seats wrap around the stage on several levels, and for Messiah and the Christmas Festival the Symphony Chorus sits in the loft behind the orchestra. For the two film concerts, choose seats that face the screen. Other events in the hall are on our Helzberg Hall tickets page, and more shows around town are on our Kansas City tickets page.
Before you go
- Arrive early: holiday weekends bring heavy traffic downtown, so leave extra time to park and find your seats before the music starts.
- Late arrival: follow the ushers’ instructions on late seating, which may hold you at the door until a break in the music.
- Your tickets: the delivery method and timing are shown on each listing, and your order confirmation explains how to receive them.
After the holidays
Music Director Matthias Pintscher returns in January with Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert fills Helzberg Hall from January 28 to 31, 2027. The season runs through Mahler’s First Symphony from June 4 to 6, 2027. Every listed date is on our Kansas City Symphony tickets page. BuyTickets.com is an independent resale marketplace, not the Kansas City Symphony or the Kauffman Center, so prices are set by sellers and can be above or below face value. The total you see before checkout includes fees, and every order is covered by our 100% ticket guarantee. See all Kansas City Symphony concerts and dates.