Winter Carnival
Winter Carnival is here! There are so many activities going on within the community and we encourage you to check them out!
Each day this week, there will be piano music at Encore Café. Enjoy a cup of coffee, a sandwich, or some of their delicious baked goods while taking in the sounds of the season!
Monday night is the annual ECFE Holiday Open House at Armstrong School. This is a great family friendly event!
Wednesday is the First National Bank Holiday Open House. Be sure to swing by for treats and your chance to win some great door prizes! Wednesday is also the annual Scotties Holiday Fair at First Presbyterian Church.
Thursday evening looks to be a really fun night. Gem Den, Collage Saint James, and True Value/Radio Shack/Verizon will all be open late! After you’ve done your shopping, check out the Roundhouse Model Railroad Display as they will be open that evening. The Roundhouse will be open on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons throughout the month of December!
On Friday, Pioneer Bank has their Customer Appreciation Open House. They will have treats and gifts available. St. James Liquor Store is hosting their Holiday Open House as well. That evening, head to the Eagles Club for Holiday Trivia hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. There will be meat raffles throughout and an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest!
Saturday is the big day that many look forward to most! There are events ALL DAY to enjoy! Get your breakfast at Augustana Lutheran Church’s Santa Lucia Festival. From there you can head to the Vendor Show at the Legion. The St. James Historical Society Museum and Church will both be open and decorated for the Holidays. In the afternoon, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the 225 Event Center along with many other activities for the kids to enjoy! There are many bake sales happening on Saturday, so bring your money and enjoy all of the Christmas goodies available! Hayrides will be happening courtesy of C&B Operations. There will be Highland Cows in the St. James Veterinarian Clinic parking lot, and a limited number of treats will be available to feed them. The St. James Emergency Responders are having their annual Chili Feed which raises money for the Shop with a Hero event. At 6:00 we will have the Parade of Lights! This fun parade goes down 1st Avenue. It should be a lot of fun! After the parade, come down to the Downtown Park to enjoy hot chocolate, bonfires, and listen to carolers singing Christmas songs. The weather forecast is looking good, so come on out and enjoy a day full of fun!
There’s still more to come on Sunday! The Sons of the American Legion are hosting a Swedish Meatball fundraiser at the American Legion. In the afternoon, there is a free movie matinee of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Princess Theater (sponsored by Pioneer Bank). That evening there will be TMT tours of the town’s Christmas lights (a project through Thrivent), leaving from Brandt Ridge. If you are interested in signing up for that event, call the Chamber office!
Don’t forget to stop at the Chamber of Commerce office. We have St. James beanies for sale (while supplies last!) and are also running a Shop Local program for Chamber Bucks. For every $100 in Chamber Bucks purchased, your name will be entered into a drawing for fabulous door prizes donated by our great local businesses! This promotion runs through December 15, so stop on over and get in the drawing!
We hope you ENJOY all of the FUN festivities our community has to offer!