Guide to St. Louis Christmas Events and Holiday Festivals 2007

St. Louis sparkles with Christmas festivals and holiday events kicking off on Thanksgiving weekend and running through the 2007 holiday season. From annual holiday traditions downtown, to an old-fashioned Christmas in the Missouri countryside; from hilarious Christmas plays to tranquil Holiday Concerts, St. Louis holiday activities and festivals delight children and families of all ages.

Downtown St. Louis rings in the 2007 holiday season with their annual Macy's Holiday Festival of Lights. The St. Louis Christmas event runs from 4:30pm to 6:30pm on Wednesday November 21, 2007. Mayor Slay will flip the light switch at the May Amphitheatre in Kiener Plaza, the site of the holiday program, and then a horse-drawn carriage with Santa Claus will proceed down a lit up Sixth Street from Kiener Plaza to Macy's. Children's holiday activities, food, music, and entertainment will be capped off by a festive display of fireworks.

Another annual St. Louis holiday tradition is the Ameren St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade is put on by the not-for-profit organization, Christmas in St. Louis. The Thanksgiving morning parade steps off at 8:45am on Thursday November 22, 2007 at 8:45am. Live television broadcasts the popular St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade which begins at Fourth and Washington and heads to Market and then to Fourteenth.

Two diverse, potentially future classic, holiday plays are featured The Playhouse at Westport Plaza this 2007 holiday season. 'Every Christmas Story Every Told!!' tells a funny, wacky tale of three actors intending to perform A Christmas Carol. 'Every Christmas Story Every Told!!' is family-friendly and the weekly performances kick off on Friday November 16 at 10:30pm and running through Sunday December 30, 2007. Show times are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 10:30pm, Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 1pm and tickets cost $30.

Another even eccentric holiday show at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is Sister's Christmas Catechism. This comical performance includes audience interaction and runs from November 13 through December 30, 2007. Tickets cost $41 and shows start at 7:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesday, 2pm on Thursdays, 7:30pm on Fridays, 1pm on Saturdays, and 4pm on Sundays. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is located at 635 West Port Plaza in Maryland Heights, Missouri with the telephone number (314)469-PLAY for more information.

Powell Symphony Hall on 718 North Grand Boulevard in St. Louis is home to a variety of holiday concerts this season. Premier St. Louis Christmas concerts include Holiday Songbook on Friday December 14 at 2pm and Saturday December 15 at 2pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday December 16 at 2pm and A Gospel Christmas featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama on Thursday and Friday December 13 and 14 at 7:30pm. The holiday concert Classical Christmas is geared towards children with a sing-a-long with the St. Louis Children's Choir as the highlight. The festive show is at 2pm and 7:30 on Saturday December 22 and at 2pm on Sunday December 23.

Voted Best Holiday Light Display in St. Louis and Best Family Holiday Attraction in St. Louis, Santa's Magical Kingdom at Jellystone Park shimmers with more than 2 million lights. Santa's Magical Kingdom features a Santa's Workshop, Candy Cane Factory, flying reindeer, toy land, a gingerbread house, and many more festive delights in this Christmas Fantasy Land. Santa's Magical Kingdom charges $16 for cars or vans. The St. Louis holiday event is open nightly from November 17, 2007 to January 2, 2008 from 5L30pm to 10:30pm Sundays through Thursdays, and until 11pm Fridays and Saturdays. Jellystone Park is located in Eureka, 20 miles west of St. Louis near Six Flags.

An 80 mile drive from St. Louis into the valley takes visitors back in time to an old-fashioned Christmas Festival, Christmas in the Valley. Thanksgiving weekend Arcadia Valley hosts a Christmas Parade and holiday events in downtown Ironton. Friday November 23, 2007 from 5pm to 8pm is the 'Lighting of the Courthouse' featuring Christmas carolers in the Gazebo, open houses at shops on Main Street, carriage rides, pictures with Santa, and more holiday fun. Saturday, November 24, 2007 starts with Arcadia Valley Kiwanis Club fundraiser pancake breakfast, showcasing Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph, from 8pm to 10:30am. The annual Christmas parade steps off on Main Street in Ironton, proceeding to Maple Street in Arcadia and then to College Street. The Arcadia Academy Gymnasium will be a popular destination on Saturday offering a Christmas Craft and Gift Show beginning at 4pm, the music show a "Bob Hope Style White Christmas, seasonal food and refreshments, and pictures with Santa Claus following the parade.