KANSAS CITY, Mo — People were are all bundled up on 18th and Vine Friday night as the Christmas tree lit up for another year.
VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Alyssa Jackson
Tucker Lott, founder of the Soul of Santa "Do Good" Foundation, brought this event to the historic jazz district five years ago.
"The Soul of Santa is about your spirit. Look inside yourself, find yourself and you will see the Soul of Santa is you and the spirit is in me," Tucker Lott said.
Speaking of looking "inside", this is also a time to reflect on 18th and Vine this holiday season.
"18th and Vine is and I'm biased, one of the most important areas of Kansas City particularly from a historic perspective," said Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Lott sees the district becoming a prime tourist attraction sooner than later.
"Just like the old days when it really was something," Lott said. "I didn’t grow up here, but I knew about 18th and Vine. I came here 20 something years ago. I can see development coming and I can be a part of it. I am a part of it."
From the two men who’ve been a part of its progress, the spirit of the holidays illuminates what else the district can be.
"Just to come in and experience history," Kendrick said. "You experience history when you walk into the district and this lighting ceremony helps shine a light on that."
It’s not just about flipping the switch.
"It’s gonna get bigger and bigger and bigger," Lott said.
They hope even beyond the holiday season that some day they’ll have those "good old days" back.
"In this day and age, when we look so forward we’re looking at returning 18th and Vine back to what it used to be when it was a cultural crossroads, where jazz and baseball intersected and anyone who was anyone came here. I think we’re seeing that re-birthed," Kendrick said.
—
