Last weekend we had an amazing kickoff to the holiday season here in Excelsior Springs! But the fun has really just started, with an assortment of upcoming holiday events, light shows, and Santa sightings in the near future! We’ve rounded up a list with all the details you need to know so you won’t miss out!
Upcoming Holiday Events
Slightly Off Broadway’s Annual Christmas Show – December 6th-15th
ES Golf Course Holiday Brunch – Sat, Dec 7th, 10:30am-2pm
Christmas on the Farm at Watkins Mill – Dec 7th
Holiday Homes Tour – December 7th – Click here for tickets
Christmas Market and Young Entrepreneurs Showcase – Dec 7
Chamber Holiday After Hours at Wine and Shine Tasting Room – Dec 12th at 4pm
Pictures with Santa and Free Rides through the Lane of Lights – Fri, Dec 13th from 6:00pm-8:00pm – Load at the Hall of Waters – No reservations needed
Candy Cane Hunt – Dec 14th – 9:00am – Community Center
Cocktails and Candy Canes – Sat, Dec 14th from Noon-5pm downtown
Christmas Harmony – Sat, Dec 14th from 1pm-3pm at Selah CWM, 1727 W Jesse James Rd, Unit 14. Enjoy cookies and hot chocolate while listening to a live Christmas saxophone.
Roberts Robinson Chevrolet’s Pics with Santa and Toy Drive for Meet the Need – Sat, Dec 14th at 2-4pm
Santa at ReeceNichols Excelsior Springs, Dec 14th – 4-7pm – Free pics with Santa, Open House, and Food Drive for people and pets
ESHS Student Council Reindeer Run – ESHS – Dec 14th at 5:30pm
Excelsior Springs Business Women Holiday Happy Hour at Huey’s Hidden Vault on Dec 17th from 5-7pm – All working women in ES invited to attend this business networking event with Champagne and Cupcakes!
Holly Jolly Light Tours – Fri, Dec 20th – enjoy an hour-long excursion through Excelsior Springs enjoying the holiday lights!
Early Tour – 6:00pm-7:15pm
Late Tour – 7:45pm-9:00pm
Book online at estrolley.com
Holiday in Whoville – – Sat, Dec 21st at 8:30am – Meet the Grinch breakfast – Crafts and Games
Warbird Whiskey’s Ugly Sweater Christmas Party – Dec 21st at 5:00pm
Holiday Light Shows
Lights on Aspen are on at 1705 Aspen Lane in Excelsior Springs, from 5:30pm-10pm and on Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm. This year they’ve added 8 new songs (about 25 minutes for the whole show) Tune your radio to 91.3 FM.
Ridgeway Drive in Wood Heights – 5:30pm-9:30pm
Salem Road into Lawson
South off 92 Hwy in Wilmar Estates on A Highway
The Vintage behind Aldis
Kings Edition
Off 92 Hwy a house on Washington School Rd with lots of inflatables, lights, and music
Santa Spottings
Deck the Paws at Humane Society of Ray County – Dec 8th – 1-4pm
Cookies with Santa at Richmond Eagleton Center in Richmond on Dec 11th from 6-8pm
Pictures with Santa on December 13th from 5-7pm at the Hall of Waters
Roberts Robinson Chevrolet December 14th at 2:00pm
Santa at ReeceNichols Excelsior Springs, Dec 14th – 4-7pm
ES Baptist Church will have Breakfast with Santa on Sat, Dec 21st from 9-11am – $10/person
Toy Drives
Excelsior Springs American Legion – Toy Drive Breakfast – Sat, Dec 7th from 8am-11am at 206 Veterans Memorial Drive – donate a new unwrapped toy of $10 or more and get a free biscuits and gravy breakfast
Deviant Tattoo – 1097 Italian Way – collecting for Meet the Need – Accepting toys for all age groups. In need of footballs, basketballs, adult size hoodies, and stocking stuffers for boys. Tattoos are 20% off with donation
The Excelsior Springs Fire Department is participating in the Season of Hope toy drive until the middle of December. Donations can be dropped off at their station, 1120 Tracy Avenue, Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. Toys should be new and will benefit kids around the KC area.
Meet the Need has a Christmas Store that could use donations.
The Elks Lodge adopts 5 local families with 22 children and could use donations for their Christmas. There is a signup sheet at the lodge with their wish lists. A complete meal with a turkey and all the fixings is given, as well. The Elks also support the Cameron Veterans home by supplying gifts and stockings for all 120 residents. They could use donations of large print puzzle books.
The Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center has students that stay on campus over the Christmas break, often because they don’t have a home to return to. Those interested in donating to this effort, please contact us here at the Excelsior Citizen.
Help for the Holidays
Melissa Manley Eckert established a non-profit “Hope for the Holidays” using a Facebook Group to adopt local families for the holidays. You can join the group that has over 350 members by clicking here.
Meet the Need has a Christmas store. Call them at 816-630-5221 to sign up for help.
Excelsior Springs Community Center has a giving tree each year.
The Good Samaritan Center is selecting families to provide gifts for the holidays. Sign up at their office downtown at 108 S Thompson Ave.
More Holiday Fun
The community was disappointed when the Holiday Train made a last minute diversion to another track in order to avoid a freight train, leaving many families in the community without the spectacle that some waited hours to see. Citizen Steve Cohoon shared his video capturing it as it came through Mosby:
The Excelsior Springs Baptist Church announced that they distributed 3,000 Christmas packages with the help of area churches, to be sent to children around the world living in extreme poverty.
ESHS Alum Kisha Banister starred in a Hallmark Holiday Movie commercial that will be showing on Kansas City channels thorughout the holiday. Check it out!
We hope you all have a happy and safe holiday season!
Updated 12/9/24 at 9:52pm: Corrected the spelling of “Aniston”
