With the Thanksgiving leftovers dwindling and the Black Friday sales a memory, Jefferson City is shifting its attention to celebrating the Christmas season with four annual events this week.
The events - Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting, Downtown Living Windows, Mansion Candlelight Tours and Jefferson City Jaycees Christmas Parade - begin Thursday and are centered around the downtown.
"As mayor and a business owner, I'm glad to see how these events have grown and how our community has embraced them," Mayor Carrie Tergin said. "It's nice to hear people from outside the community say, 'You have to see what Jefferson City does for the holidays.'"
Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting
The 13th annual Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting will kick off the festivities with a lighting ceremony Thursday at Rotary Centennial Park.
Entertainment will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the tree lighting will occur at 6:30 p.m. Free refreshments will be served while supplies last, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet visitors.
Non-perishable food items and unwrapped toys will be collected for The Salvation Army.
30th annual Downtown Living Windows
The 30th annual Downtown Living Windows will transform downtown into a holiday wonderland Friday.
From 6-9 p.m., downtown storefronts and windows come alive with dancers, singers, religious and holiday themes.
Guests can also enjoy hayrides, visits with Santa Claus at Hawthorn Bank, carolers, entertainers, refreshments and more during the free event.
"This event, and the others as well, are a great way to show how integral a part the downtown area is for the holiday season," said Tricia Workman, chairwoman of Living Windows. "I've been involved the last four years, and truthfully, it's been built up to where it plans itself in many ways. We start in July to brainstorm to add something new each year, but it comes together pretty easily, and that's thanks to the work of all those who were part of getting it started 30 years ago."
In addition to numerous businesses, churches and other entities participating in the annual event downtown, the organizing committee has expanded it to include the East End district as well, which will include Sweet Smoke BBQ, JQ's on High, Premium Pets and Love2Nourish to name a few East End participants.
A Polar Express, courtesy of The Trolley Company, will board passengers at Missouri River Regional Library and go down High Street, around Lafayette and back up to the library.
For more information and updates on this free community event, visit Downtown Jefferson City Association's website at downtownjeffersoncity.com.
Workman wanted to remind residents that between 5-5:30 p.m. Friday they'll begin to close downtown streets, and there also be no street parking. The Madison Street access to the downtown parking garage will shut down at 5:30 p.m. and that will leave the Capitol Avenue access as the only way in and out of the garage through 9 p.m.
Mansion Candlelight Tours
Also Friday, candlelight tours of the Governor's Mansion will begin, and Gov. Mike Parson and his wife, Teresa, will greet visitors.
A new addition to this year's festivities is a working wooden train wrapping around a 40-foot Norway spruce to be displayed on the Mansion lawn. A live nativity scene performed by Concord Baptist Church will be on site as well.
The annual lighting of the tree will take place at 6 p.m, Friday. Candlelight tours of the mansion will immediately follow. Doors will be open until 9 p.m. Friday and again from noon-3 p.m. Saturday. Each day, student choirs and bands throughout Missouri will provide music during the tours.
The Sparta High School band will perform outside on the front steps during the lighting ceremony Friday (6-6:20 p.m.). Other choirs performing inside the Mansion on Friday night include: School of the Osage (6:20-6:45 p.m.), Bolivar High School (6:50-7:15 p.m.), Rolla High School (7:20-7:50 p.m.) and Waynesville High School (7:55-8:25 p.m.).
On Saturday, choirs performing inside the Mansion include: Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City (noon-12:25 p.m.), Jefferson City High School (12:30-12:55 p.m.) and Helias Catholic High School (1-1:25 p.m.).
During the tours, visitors will be able to view the decorations throughout the ground floor of the Mansion. Friends of the Governor's Mansion docents will be available to answer questions about the historic house.
For the candlelight tours, visitors will enter the Mansion through the Madison Street gate.
Jefferson City Jaycees Christmas Parade
Dozens of floats decorated in holiday themes and local bands playing Christmas tunes will come together Saturday for the 79th annual Jefferson City Jaycees Christmas Parade.
The parade, which begins at 4:30 p.m., runs through the heart of downtown on High Street and back down Capitol Avenue. For more information, visit jeffcityjaycees.org.