The Ultimate Guide to Hallmark Christmas Experience 2025: What to Expect, Activities, and Kansas City Holiday Fun
Does your ideal holiday season involve Hallmark, Hallmark and more Hallmark? Then boy do we have some good news for you. The beloved Hallmark Christmas Experience is returning for 2025, bringing holiday magic to life in spectacular fashion.
After enjoying this magical event in 2024, we’re excited to share everything you need to know about the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Experience, from festive activities to planning tips and nearby Kansas City holiday attractions.
What Is the Hallmark Christmas Experience?
Fan conventions are all the rage and Hallmark got in on the action last year by launching two brand new fan experiences. First there were the two sailings of the Hallmark Christmas Cruise. We were thrilled to be part of the inaugural Hallmark cruise!
Next up was the Hallmark Christmas Experience held in Kansas City, MO. The experience was designed to be an immersive Hallmark fan experience marrying classic holiday activities with events featuring your favorite Hallmark stars.
The event brings to life the nostalgic, warm, and festive atmosphere that has made Hallmark Christmas movies a beloved holiday tradition for millions of families. Visitors can do some holiday shopping by the light of an enormous Christmas tree, meet Hallmark Channel celebrities, participate in crafting workshops, and enjoy numerous photo opportunities.
Where and When Does the Hallmark Christmas Experience Take Place?
Location
The Hallmark Christmas Experience is hosted at Hallmark’s headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. The company transforms its Crown Center complex, which includes the Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope creative center, into a festive holiday destination.
The panels with celebrities as well as the crafting workshops were held in the Westin Crown Center.
2025 Dates and Times
For 2025, the Hallmark Christmas Experience will run from late-November through December, starting the weekend before Thanksgiving and continuing until a few days before Christmas.
- Opening Date: Approximately November 28, 2025
- Closing Date: Approximately December 21, 2025
Ticket Information
Tickets for the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Experience will go on sale in June 2025, although an exact date has not been announced.
- Tickets must be purchased in advance online
- Ticket packages last year started at $259 and ranged to $699. Ticket prices and details have not been released for 2025
- The ticket packages are likely to sell out quickly, especially once the stars attending each weekend are announced!
- In addition to VIP packages, Hallmark sold a la carte events like special meals, pop up bars, crafting classes, celebrity panels, and access to the holiday light walk.
Planning Your Visit
If the 2024 event is any indication, the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Experience will be extremely popular. Here are some tips for planning your visit:
- Purchase tickets as soon as they become available
- If you’re traveling from out of town, book your local accommodations. We recommend staying on site at the Westin Crown Center, although the adjacent Sheraton Kansas City is also conveniently located and easily accessed without going outside!
- If you’re not used to the cold weather, plan accordingly! Some weekends saw snow, while our weekend was met with a windchill in the single digits.
Will I Meet Hallmark Stars?
Last year, only those who had purchased the Find Magic package had the opportunity for a scheduled meet and greet. This included a chance to say hello, and take photos with the stars on hand for the weekend.
Can I Meet Hallmark Stars without a VIP Package?
We have good news for those of you who might not be in the market for a Find Magic package! A number of the celebrities made it a priority to be out and about throughout the event. Many attendees ran into celebrities in the lobby of the Westin and out at the holiday market.
In a recent interview with Benjamin Ayres he said the Christmas Experience was a much more intimate experience than the Christmas Cruise.
In addition, the Hallstars often stayed on hand after events to say hello to guests.
All of that to say that your odds of getting a chance to say hello to your favorite Hallmark star are great! (But we make no promises!)
Which Hallmark Stars will be at the 2025 Hallmark Christmas
Each weekend will have a different lineup of stars who participate in the celebrity panels, games, holiday lighting events and meet and greets. While the 2025 lineup hasn’t been announced yet, previous years have featured stars like:
- Lacey Chabert
- Tyler Hynes
- Jonathan Bennett
- Kristoffer Polaha
- Ashley Williams
- Andrew Walker
- Kimberley Sustad
- Barbara Niven
What Activities Take Place During the Hallmark Christmas Experience?
The Hallmark Christmas Experience offers a wide variety of festive activities that capture the essence of those beloved Hallmark Christmas movies. Based on previous years and announced plans for 2025, visitors can look forward to:
Hallmark Stars On Stage
Let’s be honest, this is why you’re really here! Through their ticket packages and a la carte offerings, fans were able to watch their favorite Hallmark celebrities on stage.
Events included Reindeer Games which got fans in on the fan as well as panels where stars talked about the making of your favorite movies and series.
Crafting Workshops
Last year, craft workshops offered by Hallmark artists were scheduled throughout each weekend! For example Lynn Guinta, a Hallmark artist who was also onboard the Hallmark Christmas Cruise hosted an envelope decorating class:
Additional craft classes included:
- Canvas painting classes
- Ornament decorating workshops
- Wreath making classes
The classes were included as a part of the Find Magic package and visitors could also opt to book the classes individually for a fee.
Holiday Shopping
The Hallmark Christmas Experience features exclusive merchandise not available elsewhere as well as items from local vendors.
- Limited-edition Hallmark ornaments and collectibles
- Hallmark Channel branded clothing and accessories
- Holiday books and gift items
- Personalized greeting cards and stationery
- Jewelry
- Food items
- Books, Toys & Puzzles
The Holiday Light Walk
Set up in a small corner of the town square was the holiday light walk. Tickets were available a la carte as well as part of the packages. While the light walk was small, it was packed with beautiful displays making for a perfect photo opp.
Nightly Tree Lighting Events
The biggest surprise to us was how much we loved the nightly tree lighting events, happening several times on weekend evenings. There was a different light show every hour. Often Hallmark celebrities would show up to light the tree, or locals in the audience would be given the chance to do the honors!
Check out the view of the light show from our room!
Seasonal Food and Beverages
No Christmas experience would be complete without festive treats. Last year there was a themed brunch, dinner and pop up bar all available for purchase. Also, there were plenty of fun treats outside in the holiday market. Hot chocolate by the fire pits was a popular attraction!
What Else Is There To Do in Kansas City During the Hallmark Christmas Experience?
Kansas City transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season, making it the perfect destination for extending your Hallmark Christmas Experience into a full holiday getaway. Here are some of the best Kansas City holiday attractions to enjoy during your visit:
- Country Club Plaza Lights – Just a short drive from Crown Center, the Country Club Plaza hosts one of the nation’s most spectacular holiday lighting displays. Millions of lights outline the Spanish-inspired architecture, creating a magical scene. The lights typically illuminate from Thanksgiving through mid-January.
- Ice Skating at Crown Center
- Kansas City Ballet’s The Nutcracker
- Union Station Holiday Events – Kansas City’s historic Union Station hosts numerous holiday events, including:
- Holiday Express train rides
- Massive model train displays
- Holiday-themed science exhibits at Science City
- Special holiday film showings at the Extreme Screen theater
- Holiday Shopping – Beyond the exclusive merchandise at the Hallmark event, Kansas City offers excellent holiday shopping:
- Country Club Plaza for upscale shopping in a beautiful setting
- Crown Center shops for unique gifts and Kansas City souvenirs
- The Crossroads Arts District for local artisan gifts
- Kansas City Makers market for handcrafted items
- Holiday Light Tours
- Seasonal Food and Drink – Kansas City’s renowned culinary scene embraces the holidays with seasonal offerings:
- Holiday afternoon tea at the historic Raphael Hotel
- Special holiday menus at top restaurants like Bluestem and The Antler Room
- Christmas brunch at Grand Street Cafe
- Festive cocktails at Tom’s Town Distilling Co. – Transforms into Tinsel Town for the holidays!
Girls Gone Hallmark recommends:
- Jack Stack for Kansas City barbeque. Make a reservation!
- Clay & Fire – This was the stand out dining experience of our weekend. The cuisine is Armenian/Persian and the restaurant is in a converted home and dining takes place both on the patio and throughout the rooms. The service was excellent as was the food.
Final Thoughts: Is the Hallmark Christmas Experience Worth It?
We attended the final weekend of the Hallmark Christmas Experience in 2024. While this posed some personal challenges – traveling just a few days before Christmas – ultimately it was a great experience!
Here’s what we loved about the Hallmark Christmas Experience:
- The view from our room. We had a perfect view of the outdoor experience and we were able to watch nightly tree lighting light shows!
- The small and intimate feel of the event. While Hallmark reported that over 80,000 guests took part in the experience last year, spaces rarely felt crowded. It was easy to run into new friends and perhaps even the Hallmark celebrities you were there to see.
- Shopping at the Holiday market. We loved the Holiday Hallmarket full of Hallmark branded items, and event exclusives. Some of these items would sell out early each weekend, so plan accordingly! Small businesses also set up shop in the outdoor market and it was fun to do a little last minute holiday shopping
We’re Your New Best Hallmark Friends
Hi, we’re Megan and Wendy! Join us for Hallmark movie reviews every Tuesday and Thursday! We review the new Hallmark Original movies, Hallmark Mysteries, Countdown to Christmas movies, and fan-favorite Hallmark movies – all year long.
You can expect fun, laughs, lots of questions and – as always – we ask ‘Did You See That?’ Want to see the library of movies we’ve reviewed? Click here.
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