December 09, 2021

Businesses dressed up with beautiful window displays. A Christmas market serenaded with carols from a choir. A parade, featuring floats, marching bands and Santa Claus. The magic of the holiday season is taking over Downtown Springfield Saturday, Dec. 11.

There are three free, family-friendly events scheduled for that day, providing something for everyone. You can enjoy Christmas Market on the Square, the Downtown Springfield Christmas Parade and the Team A.N.A. 417 Downtown Springfield Holiday Window Challenge. This year’s parade theme is “The Joy of Christmas!” It’s going to be great and we want to see you there.

“Our community needs a little extra joy as we continue to emerge from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Jennifer Moseley, Downtown Springfield Association Event Manager, said. “What better time to find joy than the holiday season? We invite everyone to visit Downtown and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. You will make happy memories with your loved ones as you enjoy one of the Queen City’s treasured holiday traditions.”

We don’t want you to miss out on the fun. Here are all the details you need to know.

Start your day at Christmas Market on the Square

Buy Christmas gifts from local artists and retailers while you enjoy holiday snacks and warm drinks sold by local vendors. Inspired by the open-air Christmas markets held across the country, Christmas Market on the Square will run from noon-4 p.m. Dec. 11 inside Park Central Square.

“There is something magical about a Christmas market and we’re excited to bring this experience to Springfield,” Moseley said. “The Christmas Market on the Square is two weeks before Christmas Day, so this will be a great chance to pick up locally-made gifts and support our city’s small businesses.”

Guests at Christmas Market on the Square can shop locally-made goods while enjoying holiday treats from The Coffe Ethic, Hawk’s Popcorn and Rinds and Xurro’s Handcrafted Spanish Donuts. Formed: An Artist Collective, Meffy’s Buddy’s, Ozark Mtn. Flower Truck, SOAP refill station and the Downtown Springfield Association will all have booths set up for the event.

The Central High School choir program will provide live entertainment from 1-1:30 p.m. adding even more holiday cheer to the afternoon. There is no charge to attend Christmas Market on the Square.

Healthcare ceroes to serve as Grand Marshals

When the Downtown Springfield Christmas Parade, presented by Penmac, steps off at 2 p.m., healthcare heroes will be leading the way. CoxHealth and Mercy Springfield will both be providing team members to lead the parade up South Avenue, around Park Central Square and east on St. Louis Street to the Springfield Expo Center.

“We all owe a tremendous debt to the healthcare workers who have helped guide our community through the Covid-19 pandemic,” Moseley said. “We reached out to Steve Edwards of CoxHealth and Brent Hubbard of Mercy with the idea of shining the spotlight on the people that work with the public every day. They immediately agreed to help us with that.”

Grand Marshals from CoxHealth are:

• Brianna Logan, RN at Cox South’s Covid unit
• Cecelia Harris, Physical Therapist
• Myra Smith, Environmental Services
• Walid Abbasi, Respiratory Therapist
• Tracie Dixon, Emergency Department

Grand Marshals from Mercy are:

• Dr. Mayrol Juarez, Critical Care Medicine
• Dr. Will Sistrunk, Infectious Disease Specialist
• David Huskisson, Chaplain

The Downtown Springfield Christmas Parade, presented by Penmac, has 80 entries this year. A total of 13 area schools are represented, including five Springfield high schools. There will be non-profit and business floats as well as a visit from Santa Claus.

Enjoy the Holiday Window Challenge

Stick around after the parade to check out the Team A.N.A. 417 Downtown Springfield Holiday Window Challenge. Participating Downtown businesses will have their windows decorated for the season. Visitors will be able to vote for their favorites. The event raises money and awareness for Team A.N.A. 417, a local non-profit dedicated to inspiring patients and their families, educating communities and driving research to help find answers for acoustic neuromas and other benign brain tumors.

“It’s going to be a very special day in Downtown Springfield,” Moseley said. “We hope our community will come together Dec. 11 and create great holiday memories together.”

Parade will be recorded for broadcast

Can’t make it to the parade? No worries. KOLR10 is once again recording the parade for broadcast during the holiday season. Here’s the schedule.

• Dec. 24, 3 p.m. — KOLR 10
• Dec. 25, 11 a.m. — KRBK
• Dec. 25, 6 p.m. — KOZL
• Jan. 1, 2 p.m. — KOZL
• Jan. 1, 6 p.m. — KRBK