KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The city of fountains is ringing in the New Year with a bang and it’s not too late to get involved in the festivities.

Events for all ages are popping up around the metro, from kid-friendly activities to ballroom dancing and cocktail parties.

“I don’t really stay up that late for New Year’s so I (usually) miss out,” Alayna Taylor, 7, said.

This year, Taylor didn’t miss out.

Science City at Union Station hosted a new Noon Year’s Eve event today featuring all of its exhibits, in addition to family-friendly New Year’s-themed activities.

“We have different activities that we’ve designed, such as building fire crackers wands in our maker’s studio area,” Jordan Fox, Science City educator, said. “We do have some rockets, these little Alka Seltzer pop rockets that kids can design in our periodic table area inside Science City.”

“We also have activities for early learners, some other arts-based activities, lots of fun stuff, even large board games.”

Cam McAllister, 10, said he’s most excited to visit restaurants in Union Station and around Kansas City.

“I think my mom was saying they’re really good,” he said.

Once the kids head to bed, Jeremy Bennett, director of lifestyle at the Crossroads Hotel, said there’s still a few tickets left for their jungle, disco-themed celebration.

“We don’t have, necessarily, a target demographic,” he said. “We will have something for everybody tonight though.”

The all inclusive event kicks off at 9 p.m. with access to numerous multi-themed rooms, all food and beverages, including custom holiday cocktails, and live DJ entertainment.

  • The disco jungle ballroom features a bar and dance floor, as well as side rooms set for photo opportunities.
  • The entrance to the Crossroads Hotel is transformed into a 1970s disco dance floor.
  • An illusion box displayed in the Crossroads Hotel, perfect for selfies.
  • A LED tunnel with changing lights leads to the illusion box in the Crossroads Hotel.

“We’ve hosted this party every year that we’ve been able to, so we started in 2018, took a little break with COVID, and now we’re back.,” Bennett said.

If disco isn’t for you, Wade Qandil, owner and CEO of the Camelot Ballroom in Overland Park, Kansas, invites you to join them for their New Year’s Eve ballroom bash.

Expecting at least 260 guests, Qandil said the event features five different performances showcasing a variety of dance styles.

“Tonight, we are going to show a foxtrot and we are going to show a cha-cha, then we’ll show a waltz and quickstep,” Qandil said. “Oh, and I forgot about hip hop. We have an exciting hip hop show.”

He said champagne will be distributed and toasted at 11:30 PM, so anyone dreading the late New Year’s Eve hours can call it an early night.

“We have the champagne, of course, included,” he said. “We have everything else, the noise makers and everything.”

Qandil said even he is ready to dance.

“Tonight, I am doing the cha cha cha,” he said.