Christmas Lights in Manhattan, Kansas | Festival of Lights Holiday Tradition
If you’re from Manhattan, KS, you know the holiday season officially starts when the lights come on in Blue Earth Plaza. The Festival of Lights in Manhattan, KS, is the most magical way to kick off Christmas — and it happens every year, the Friday after Thanksgiving! Thousands gather to watch Santa fly into Manhattan, countdown together, and see the largest pre-lit Christmas tree in Kansas twinkle to life. ✨
🎅 2025 Festival of Lights Schedule — Manhattan, Kansas
Here’s what to expect for the big night:
- Lighting Ceremony: Friday after Thanksgiving
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Blue Earth Plaza, Manhattan, KS
- Santa’s Fly-In: Right before the tree lighting!
- Holiday Music Broadcast: Tune into 88.1 FM
Bring your family, your BFFs, your fuzzy gloves — and be ready for pure joy!
What Makes the Festival of Lights in Manhattan, KS So Special?
This isn’t your average tree lighting. This is Manhattan — we go big.
Santa doesn’t just stroll into town… he flies over iconic landmarks like:
🏟 Bill Snyder Family Stadium
🌄 Manhattan Hill
🟣 KS Hill
🎄 And then swoops right into Blue Earth Plaza
The animation and special effects are next-level every single year. Trust me — if it’s your first time, you’ll gasp right along with the crowd!
And once the tree lights up, you can walk through the plaza or enjoy the synchronized show from your car by tuning into 88.1 FM. The lights dance along with the music!
Letters to Santa, Hot Cocoa, & So Many Traditions
Families have made the Festival of Lights a cherished tradition — and you’ll feel that community love everywhere you go. You can:
🎁 Drop a letter to Santa in his personal mailbox
☕ Sip hot chocolate while watching the tree sparkle
📸 Snap holiday card photos with the displays
🚗 Cruise through the lights if you prefer the warmth of your car
👪 Make brand-new memories that feel absolutely timeless
Whether it’s your first visit or your 10th, it’s impossible not to feel the magic.
Powered by Local Giving + Volunteer Spirit
One of the best parts of the Festival of Lights in Manhattan, Kansas, is that it’s 100% funded and operated by donations and volunteers. The idea started in 2013 when local businessman Colin Noble asked friends and community leaders to help make a holiday tree happen in Blue Earth Plaza.
Fast-forward to today — Whoville Inc. oversees one of Kansas’s most loved Christmas traditions. Every light, decoration, and moment of magic exists because our community cares.
If you want to help keep the tradition shining, donations are always welcome!
Make It a Holiday Light-Hopping Night 🎶
Can’t make the lighting ceremony? No worries!
Load up those friends, pump the Christmas playlist, and add these stops to your holiday light route:
✨ Festival of Lights — Blue Earth Plaza
🎄 Christmas lights through town
🌟 Short drive to Wamego for the Wamego City Park light display
We do it every year, and I don’t see this tradition ending any time soon!
Plan Your Visit to the Festival of Lights in Manhattan, Kansas
Whether you're a local making memories or visiting the Little Apple for the holidays, this event is pure Christmas joy. It’s festive, it’s free, and it’s full of magic that brings us together.
📍 Blue Earth Plaza, Manhattan, KS
📅 Starting the Friday after Thanksgiving — nightly through the holiday season
🎧 88.1 FM synchronized music
More info available on their official website or Facebook page.
