JERSEYVILLE - Families are invited to the tenth annual Downtown Country Christmas Festival in Jerseyville for games, visits with Santa, a parade and more.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
On Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, kids of all ages and their loved ones can come out to City Center Park in Jerseyville. The festivities kick off at 1 p.m., and Santa Claus will be arriving by helicopter at 1:30 p.m. Kids can enjoy a movie, bounce houses, activities and Elf School, all for free. The event will conclude with a City of Jerseyville tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. and a parade to Dolan Park at 5:30 p.m.
“We’re getting people into a small town that isn’t really on the beaten path and celebrating what it is to be a community,” said Michael Ward, one of the organizers. “We definitely try to make it the best experience possible for anyone who comes.”
The games have been “revamped,” so there are new activities and bounce houses for kids to enjoy. One of the local businesses will act as the North Pole post office that day. The Stadium Theater will also have a free screening of “The Polar Express” at 11 a.m.
Ward is especially excited to bring back Elf School, with all proceeds going to the Jersey Community High School theater department.
“It’s a place for little kids to learn how to be elves and be helpful and have the spirit of Christmas,” he said of Elf School. “The kids do enjoy it, that’s for sure.”
The evening will culminate in the tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m., when a 22-foot Christmas tree will be lit by the Jersey County Fair queens. There will then be a parade through town to Dolan Park, where people can enjoy the Bright Nights lights display.
There will be food trucks and a few other items available for purchase, but otherwise, the festival is completely free. Ward said it was important to the organizers to keep the event free so families can enjoy the day with no limitations.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Downtown Country Christmas. Ward explained that the tradition started with a local mom who worked with the Jersey County Business Association to have a free screening of “The Polar Express” for the community. In the years since, the festival has grown into a town-wide celebration of the holiday season.
"We’ve really just developed the festival as a response to what’s needed in the community, and it’s nice that we still have the community supporting it,” Ward said. “I think there’s over 75 different business sponsors this year, which is amazing because this whole thing wouldn’t happen without the businesses and the sponsors that we have, and especially the volunteers. There’s a group on the board that works for about six months for this one-day festival, and they don’t get enough credit.”
This year’s theme is “A Walk Down Memory Lane,” and there will be photos of previous Downtown Country Christmas celebrations hanging up in Dolan Park.
Last year, Jerseyville welcomed 4,500 visitors for a total of roughly 8,000 attendees at Downtown Country Christmas. Ward said this day is often the best day of the year for the nearby restaurants, and it provides a great opportunity for local businesses to spread the word about their work. He is especially proud of how many kids come out and have a great time.
“It’s just all about community,” he added. “Everywhere you look, there’s something benefiting our community, even after the festival is over.”
For more information about Jerseyville’s Downtown Country Christmas Festival, visit their official website at DowntownCountryChristmas.com or the official Facebook page.
More like this:
