Although Halloween has yet to happen and the busiest part of the holiday shopping season won’t begin until after Thanksgiving, Warrenton is already preparing for Hometown Christmas.

“From the glow of Christmas lights against the evening sky and the excitement of the parade to the wonder of live reindeer, the sparkle of the light maze and the magic of snow falling throughout the festivities, Hometown Christmas captures the feeling that makes this season so extraordinary,” according to City of Warrenton Events Director & Communications Specialist Jenna Jones, the main organizer of the event.

“There's something special about seeing a child's eyes light up at the sight of Santa, discovering a treasured holiday gift, wandering through twinkling displays or sharing a warm cup of hot chocolate while the sounds of Christmas fill the air. We want to create those little moments that, woven together, become some of a family's most treasured holiday memories.”

The Warrenton Board of Aldermen approved a road closure request for the downtown event, planned for Saturday, Dec. 5, as well as for the Christmas Light Parade the same day, at their meeting Oct. 20.

The Hometown Christmas event road closure, from 4 to 9 p.m., is only for one block of West Walton Street, located south of Warrenton City Hall between South Morgan Street and South West Street.

“So these are the same road closures as last year’s Hometown Christmas event,” said City Clerk Melody Rugh. She added, however, that the Christmas Light Parade leading to the event, which begins at 5 p.m., will start from Rebecca Boone Elementary this year.

“I think that’s the only change, because I think last year it started at Black Hawk Middle School,” Rugh said. 

From 5 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Booneslick Road will be closed from the city’s eastern limits to Morgan Street for the parade.

This will be the third year of the Christmas Light Parade and downtown celebration being held as the combined Hometown Christmas event. Previously, the Warrenton Downtown Association hosted the Christmas Light Parade, but it did not end with a downtown festival, which is a new addition since the city took over the event when the association dissolved in 2024, Jones said.

There were 40 participants in last year’s parade, which was an increase over the previous year, Jones said. She is hoping for even more this year, she added, and is still taking applications.

All Christmas Light Parade floats and participants must be illuminated, Jones noted. “They have to be lit up one way or another, whether it’s like a light-up necklace, or there’s Christmas lights all over the float or on their vehicle,” she said.

Hometown Christmas has been growing each year, with 1,500 to 2,000 people attending the first year and around twice as many in 2025, Jones said.

“Last year, the weather was perfect,” she said, adding that while she has not yet started her major push to promote the 2026 event, she hopes for an even better turnout this year.

Food vendors on hand for Hometown Christmas will include C&G Kitchens, Hauling Eats and Rooster Farms, while a variety of retail and gift vendors will be selling everything from T-shirts and totes to cutting boards, snow globes, hand-painted ornaments and crocheted items.

“It’s going to be set up kind of like a Christkindl market,” Jones said.

Some of the vendors expected to participate in this year’s event include Suze Blue Creations selling jewelry, woodworking items and more, Blue Line Cigar Company, and Dave's Homemade Goodies selling baked goods.

Other attractions at Hometown Christmas will include live reindeer, Christmas carolers, a Christmas light maze, a letters to Santa station, craft stations, inflatables and more.

The event will also feature complimentary s’mores, hot chocolate and mulled cider, photos with Santa, and a raffle. While Jones is still working on getting additional prizes to give away for the raffle, some of those she has already confirmed include a Perception Stand-On Kayak, a Kayo S70 go-kart, an SSR Motorsports SR110SE dirt bike, and a pair of Beats Studio Pro headphones.

For more information, visit www.warrenton-mo.org/events/hometown-christmas-2026/.