Posted in Kansas City November 29, 2017 by

This One Strange Tradition Near Kansas City Is A Complete Mystery But It’s Awesome Anyway

Winter and its holidays are a time where many people start cooking meals for armies, hoarding evergreens, and stalking their friends and family for the perfect gifts. The Kansas City Metro Area has many holiday traditions you won’t find elsewhere, like our preference for the Fairy Princess over a classic Santa. However, there’s one strange tradition that’s been happening for years that is still a mystery.

Every year, Parkville decorates its downtown with lights, trees, wreaths, and everything holiday related.
Main Street Parkville Facebook
It brings many visitors into the scenic area to view the lights and enjoy the spirit of the holidays before the weather gets nasty. They've honored this annual tradition for years, and show no sign of changing it or stopping anytime soon.
The whole town lights up at night, with lights trailing to the edge of town. You can imagine just how beautiful they look once the first white snow blankets the ground.
Main Street Parkville Facebook
The holiday spirit is hardly strange, however there's a mystery behind some of the decorations...
An unknown person has been decorating the evergreens on Highway 9 for years. For the most part, locals think of it as adding a little more holiday magic to the regular drive.
Main Street Parkville Facebook
However, when someone decided to call the authorities to point out the lack of permit, it threatened the decorations - they were taken down immediately, surprising many locals who love the playful mystery behind the festive ornamentations.
Parkville citizens stepped up to help keep this unique tradition alive, supporting each other and ensuring everything was planned for.
Kathy Stump/Save 9 Highway Christmas Trees Facebook
Residents rallied together and successfully acquired a permit to decorate the trees each year for the holiday season, though the identity of the mysterious original decorator remains unknown.
Maybe someday the original decorators will step forward to claim the start, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Rick McMaster / Flickr
Together, with the help of a strong community that truly loves the holidays, we hope this little tradition will continue for years to come!

If you’re still up for a little travel and a lot of beauty, make sure to check out this amazing park near Kansas City once it’s snowed a little.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.