KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tens of thousands of lights have been strung since warm August days in preparation for the Plaza Lighting Ceremony Thanksgiving night and crews readied for the crowds into the morning Thursday.

KCTV5 will air the lighting ceremony live and KCTV5.com will stream the lighting.

Crews have tested the lights during the past two nights. On Wednesday, bands, dancers, musical groups and hosts rehearsed for the hour-long show that starts at 7 p.m. The lights get flipped by Overland Park native and Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudeikis at 7:30 p.m.

Sudeikis joins a long list of celebrity switchers. Last year American Idol winner David Cook threw the switch. Others that have thrown the switch include George Brett, Kate Spade, Dick Vermeil and Walter Cronkite.The first year lights were ever hung in the Plaza was 1930 with a simple string of lights hung over the door of a building.

Those heading to the Plaza Lighting should plan on some roads in and around the Plaza being closed. Those roads closed are Wyandotte Avenue from Ward Parkway to 47th Street ad Nicols Road from Central Avenue to Wyandotte Avenue. Those roads will be closed until 6 a.m. Friday.