Several communities in Warren County will be hosting Christmas events in the next couple weeks following the Thanksgiving holiday. 

While there are some paid amenities at some of the events, admission to all of them is free. 

Marthasville Community Christmas

Marthasville will hold its community Christmas event on Sunday, Dec. 1 at the City Park Pavilion. 

The free event will include visits with Santa Claus, carolling and refreshments. That event starts at 5 p.m. and will run until later that evening depending on attendance. 

The Grabs House Museum will also be open in Marthasville that afternoon from 1-4 p.m. 

Truesdale Community Christmas

Truesdale’s fourth annual Community Christmas will be held at the MaryLou Center and Bruer Park on Dec. 7 from 3-5:30 p.m. 

Attendees will receive a free meal of hot dogs, chips and a drink and will also be able to visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus along with several other guests starting at 3 p.m.  

The Grinch, Darth Vader and Anna and Elsa from Pixar’s “Frozen” will also be in attendance for photos and visits with the kids. 

Kids can also write their letters to Santa and take part in ornament painting at the MaryLou Center. 

The chili cook-off will also start at 3 p.m. Tickets to try the chilis can be purchased for $5 and all proceeds will go towards the Shop with a Cop event later this month on Dec. 14. 

“We enjoy this event every year, just because it brings a lot of families together,” said City Utility Clerk Elise Morris. 

There are also raffles and giveaways that will be ongoing throughout the event with prizes ranging from bicycles like in previous years to a 58-inch TV or four tickets to the Polar Express Train Ride in St. Louis. 

Later that evening, at 4:45 p.m. the city will light its Christmas tree in Bruer Park and will announce the winners for the chili cook-off and for the raffle items. City officials noted raffle winners must be present to receive their prizes. 

There will also be a performance from Anna and Elsa from “Frozen” following the lighting of the Christmas tree. 

“The whole event is free, unless you want to sample the chili,” said City Treasurer Missy Bachamp. “That’s the whole thing, it's just giving back to the community, having everybody come and enjoy each other for a while.”

Near the end of Truesdale’s Community Christmas, Warrenton’s Christmas Parade will travel through town leading into their Hometown Christmas later that evening. 

Warrenton’s Hometown Christmas

Warrenton is introducing a new holiday event this year, Hometown Christmas, the city announced in a press release. The event is scheduled for Dec. 7 starting at 5:30 with the Warrenton Christmas Parade which will start at Truesdale’s Community Christmas at Bruer Park before traveling downtown to Warrenton City Hall. 

The Warrenton City Hall parking lot will be transformed into “Peppermint Square,” where attendees can enjoy free hot chocolate and s’mores, meet live reindeer, browse through holiday vendors and take part in children’s crafts, according to the press release. 

There will also be carolling, a station for letters to Santa, trackless train rides, a Christmas light maze and free photos with Santa, taken by local photographer Lyndsay J+Photography. 

Attendees can earn raffle tickets by collecting stickers from the event stations with a limit of five entries per child aged two through 18. Winners will be announced at 8:30 p.m. and participants must be present to win. 

The city is currently seeking event sponsors, vendors and participants for the Christmas Light Parade, according to the press release. Interested parties can register online at www.warrenton-mo.org. 

For more information, contact Jenna Jones with the City of Warrenton at 636-456-3535 ext 245 or at jenna.jones@warrenton-mo.org. 

Wright City’s Christmas Parade

Wright City will start its annual Christmas parade on the evening of Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. starting at the Railhouse Pub before turning up the street and finishing at Diekroeger Park. 

Once the parade reaches its destination the Christmas cheer will continue at Diekroeger Park with a  bonfire and hot chocolate available at the park to attendees. 

Wright City Parks Director Stuart Bruning was optimistic about the annual event and said he expected 500-600 people to be in attendance for the event. 

“It’s just a super festive time. We will have all kinds of people that participate in the parade,” said Bruning. “Everyone from individuals, to church groups, to nonprofit groups to tractors and the Old Threshers.”

He said anyone wishing to participate in the parade can line up at the Railhouse Pub beforehand, and if they have any questions they can reach out to the parks department at parks@wrightcity.org. 

The event carries a special significance to Bruning as it was started by his predecessor at the parks department, Curt Kehoe. 

“He loved Christmas, and he was the one that started the Christmas parade and started a lot of the events that we do, and it’s just really important to me that we put on a good event,” said Bruning. 

The Curt Kehoe Memorial Christmas Tree will be lit in Diekroeger Park as well following the conclusion of the parade. Kids will also be able to visit with Santa Claus in the Wil Heiliger Activity Building. 

“We just get a lot of people that are involved in it and try to make it bigger and better every year,” said Bruning.