From the weekend after Thanksgiving through the week after Christmas, the Middle Mississippi River Valley hosts a number of holiday events to celebrate the season. Communities such as Keokuk, Quincy, Alton, O’Fallon, and St. Louis create dazzling holiday light displays in public parks. Historical and cultural intuitions bedeck their sites with unique holiday decorations. Other communities like St. Charles hold special events throughout the season.
PROBABLE 2024 ONGOING HOLIDAY EVENTS
Belleville’s Chriskindlmarkt
November & December, 2024
Belleville, Illinois
Recently, Chriskindlmarkt’s have begun to flourish throughout the United States. These open-air Christmas festivals are based on cherished Bavarian traditions. Belleville bases its version on its strong German heritage and will feature European vendors and traditional German food and refreshments. Vendors will operate in individual wooden chalets and offer German lace, hand-blown glass ornaments, amber jewelry, nesting dolls, and much more. The festival will also include a Children’s lantern parade around the historic square on Friday nights, cultural activities, arts, crafts, music and dancing. Stop by and see all that Main Street Belleville has to offer.
Winter Jewels
November & December, 2024
Ladue, Missouri
Escape the cold as the Butterfly House magically transforms during Winter Jewels! Enjoy the Tropical Conservatory filled with elaborate fairy gardens, home to the guardians of our jewel-toned butterflies. Discover the world of many colors that can be found in nature.
Quincy Festival Of Lights
November & December, 2024
Quincy, Illinois
It’s been over 20 years since the former display hosted its inaugural year in the park in 1999 as the Avenue of Lights and ended in 2014. The new Festival of Lights hopes that by returning bringing this family tradition of 1.5 miles of animated light displays to Moorman Wavering Park a new generation of children and their families will grow up and are inspired by having seen a display from its very first year; watching and seeing the display grow bigger and more exciting every year than the year.
Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland
November & December, 2024
Lebanon, Illinois
This display at Horner Park is run by volunteers who crafted many the family-friendly, nostalgic look back in time with just a hint of modern day displays. The display is situated on a mile long road meanders past lighted scenes many of which are animated and set to music.
Christmas at the Park
November & December, 2024
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Christmas at the Park is a winter wonderland with over a half-mile drive-through of an estimated 65 collections consisting of almost 450 pieces with over 400,000 lights. Visitors are also offered the opportunity for guests to venture out of their car and visit the concession stand, take pictures with our props, and when available, even meet Santa.
Parade of Lights Float Display
November & December, 2024
Fort Madison, Iowa
Since 1990 groups in Fort Madison have been building lighted floats and organizing the Parade of Lights in November. Following the parade, the lighted floats are on display in Central Park through the end of December.
Glenfestival Of Trees
November & December, 2024
Glen Carbon, Illinois
The Glen Carbon Heritage Museum will be filled with Holiday Magic that you won't want to miss! The halls will be decked with lighted trees and wreaths for display throughout the holiday season. The museum will be open special hours over the holidays so that visitors can vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded for winners in each category.
Holiday Flower and Train Show
November & December, 2024
St. Louis, Missouri
The annual Holiday Flower And Train Show delights visitors of all ages with G-scale trains of many eras traveling along 900 feet of track through a miniature holiday landscape made up of festive decorations and thousands of fresh plants, accented by beautiful poinsettias and flowers.
City of Christmas
November & December, 2024
Keokuk, Iowa
Old favorites and new additions are part of City of Christmas that features approximately 100 displays and nearly one million lights. Visitors to the display will be able to tune into the “Voice of City of Christmas” at 90.1 on their FM radio dial as they near Rand Park and to listen to holiday carols and hear the story of City of Christmas and comments about the various displays as they travel through the myriad of lights and displays.
Belleville’s Gingerbread Walk
November & December, 2024
Belleville, Illinois
Belleville's Gingerbread Walk is a self-guided tour through downtown where you can explore the art of many area residents who took the time to plan, create, and build award-winning gingerbread creations. There are entries from people in every age group: Some are elaborate, some are simple, and all are special. These gingerbread creations are displayed in downtown merchant windows starting at the Square on East and West Main Streets.
Garden Glow
November & December, 2024
St. Louis, Missouri
Visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Garden at night surrounded by a spectacle of unique light installations. Hundreds of thousands of lights will adorn some of the Garden’s most iconic locations including the Climatron®, Kaeser Memorial Maze, the Central Axis and Tower Grove House. Walkways will be transformed into an explosion of visual magic, while more traditional displays will delight crowds of all ages.
Belleville’s Chriskindlmarkt
November & December, 2024
Belleville, Illinois
Recently, Chriskindlmarkt’s have begun to flourish throughout the United States. These open-air Christmas festivals are based on cherished Bavarian traditions. Belleville bases its version on its strong German heritage and will feature European vendors and traditional German food and refreshments. Vendors will operate in individual wooden chalets and offer German lace, hand-blown glass ornaments, amber jewelry, nesting dolls, and much more. The festival will also include a Children’s lantern parade around the historic square on Friday nights, cultural activities, arts, crafts, music and dancing. Stop by and see all that Main Street Belleville has to offer.
Saint Charles' Christmas Traditions
November & December, 2024
St. Charles, Missouri
St. Charles celebrates the holidays with festivities that include caroling, chestnut roasting, authentically costumed Santas from around the world, and a Santa Parade each weekend. Visitors will find candlelight shopping and dining Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings as the shops and restaurants on South Main Street stay open until 9 pm as well as special activities beginning at 6 pm.
Christmas Wonderland
November & December, 2024
Alton, Illinois
Begin your holiday celebration escaping from the chaos of the season and experiencing the enchantment of Christmas at the "Christmas Wonderland" holiday light display. The "Grandpa Gang" has been at it again transforming Rock Springs Park into a Winter Wonderland. Visitors can drive through the park to view more than 2 million lights, cascading waterfalls of lights, lighted trees and displays, and take your child's photo with Santa Claus in the Enchanted Forest.
Lights Of The Delta
November & December, 2024
Blytheville, Arkansas
Mississippi County has been the place to go in the Mid-South for Christmas lights. The annual 'Lights of the Delta' display is the largest not only in the State of Arkansas, but in the Mid-South. With more than 30 motion displays and a total of six million lights on a 40-acre old air force base, it's earned some national recognition. One of the popular features is to see the display on a hayride.
Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park
November & December, 2024
Ladue, Missouri
St. Louis County Parks celebrates its annual Winter Wonderland that is created and designed by St. Louis County Parks employees. A drive through Tilles County Park reveals a winter wonderland decorated with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights and holiday displays.
Saint Louis Zoo Wild Lights
November & December, 2024
St. Louis, Missouri
The Saint Louis Zoo celebrates the holiday season with Saint Louis Zoo Wild Lights. The annual Christmas light display is a fun way for families to enjoy the beauty and spirit of the season. During Wild Lights, the Zoo is decorated with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights to create a winter wonderland. Popular exhibits like the Hoessle Herpetarium and the Insectarium are also open.
Celebration of Lights
November & December, 2024
O'Fallon, Missouri
A tradition since 1991, the City of O'Fallon presents a drive-through dazzling holiday one mile display of over one million lights depicting holiday scenes. Each scene is designed and funded by local organizations, churches and businesses.
Brewery Lights at Anheuser-Busch
November & December, 2024
St. Louis, Missouri
Witness and experience the magic of more than a million twinkling lights during the 34th annual Brewery Lights at the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery! Guests are invited to stroll down Pestalozzi Street to marvel as the brewery is turned into a remarkable holiday experience with something for everyone, including a Kids Zone with rides on the Brewery Express train, nightly screenings of a classic holiday movie on an outdoor big screen and festive games.
Augusta's Gingerbread Haus Contest
Dates TBA - December, 2024
Augusta, Missouri
Gingerbread and the classic gingerbread house are two features of the winter holidays that almost everyone loves and building competitions and famous house displays have become a holiday traditions. Augusta’s version features gingerbread house creations in two categories: Local Landmark and Heartwarming House with the entries broken down into two age groups. All entries will be on display at the Augusta Visitors Center. The public is asked to be our judges, so come by and vote for your favorite in each of our categories.
Allée Allumée
Fridays November & December, 2024
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Guides lead the adventurous through a twinkly path as children from colonial Ste. Genevieve bring gifts to a manger scene. Live music, cookies and cocoa, and a visit from Pere Noel help round out this seasonal event.
Holiday Marketplace - Annual Holiday Art Sale
November & December, 2024
Venue: Hannibal Arts Council Gallery
Hannibal, Missouri
Everyone is encouraged to support local artists and stop by the Hannibal Arts Council and other downtown galleries and specialty shops to find a unique one-of-a-kind holiday gift for someone, or for yourself. This show features the work of a variety of artists, and each piece of artwork and the items for sale typically include anything from original paintings, prints, and photographs, to wearable items, jewelry, ornaments and three dimensional works.
Bethalto Christmas Village
NOT CONFIRMED
Bethalto, Illinois
Celebrate Christmas with a stroll through Central Park in Bethalto, enjoying decorated, lighted Christmas-themed cottages, live music, great food, visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday vendors and crafters, a live nativity scene, children's craft area, petting zoo, with 75 live trees as a beautiful backdrop.
