2021 Holiday • FREE
TOURISM
TIMES CARLYLE LIGHTS IN CARLYE c MIDWEST NOMAD FAMILY
‘Tis The Season For Traditions!
Many communities in ILLINOISouth are rooted within their traditions, especially around the Holidays. There are light shows, parades, markets, and many other unique events that have become staples in the area over the last several decades! Countless families have fully embraced some of these ‘Holiday Happenings’ and mark them on their calendars to experience year after year. Hopefully some of these events pique your interest, and become Holiday traditions for you and yours!
4387 N. Illinois St., Suite 200 Swansea, Illinois 62226
10/21, 50M
RACE TICKETS MAKE GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS!
AUGUST 19 & 20
SEP. 30 - OCT. 2
2021 Holiday
TOURISM
TIMES
Holiday Happenings Celebrate the Season with Lights, Shopping, and More in ILLINOISouth!
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nce November hits, the Holidays really start to spring to life in our region of the state. One of the first tell-tale signs of the magical season can be found in Vandalia. Once they display the giant tree right in the middle of West Gallatin Street, it’s VERY apparent that the Holidays are upon us. From that point on, the next eight weeks are all Holiday celebrations all the time throughout our 21county territory.
Shopping at different markets and boutiques is yet another opportunity to find that Holiday cheer. Learn more about these places to buy gifts for friends and family on pages 8-9. Of course, the Holiday season would be incomplete without certain events that have become time-honored traditions throughout several different communities
in ILLINOISouth. We’re talking about parades, and Christmas strolls, as well as several different gatherings where you get to meet the man himself – Santa Claus. For more on events like this, read ahead to pages 4-7. One thing is for sure, the next eight weeks are going to be an amazing, magical, and cheerful time to visit ILLINOISouth!
The Christmas spirit is spread in SO MANY different ways in ILLINOISouth. If you are all about beautiful light displays, there are at least ten different communities that you should make plans to visit. Some offer drivethru only displays, others are walking displays; and some of them are so big – they feature over a million lights! The Way of Lights in Belleville and the Holiday Lights Fair in Du Quoin are two long-running displays that attract folks from over an hour away for the last several decades. For more information on other light displays, make sure to check out pages 6-7. There are those who really get into the spirit by picking out a Christmas tree for their homes, and there are several places to do that in our territory as well. One such place is Dahnke’s Pine Patch near Martinsville, but they do MUCH more than just trees. They have a snowball arena, an awesome activity called barn ball, and a fan-favorite is their reindeer! HORSE DRAWN TROLLEY IN BELLEVILLE ILLINOISouth.org
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O PLACE N S ’ E LIK R E H
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Olney Holidays FOR THE
Holiday Bazaar
November 6 • 9am-1pm Olney City Park, 618-869-2471
Christmas Light Display November 25 through December 31 • 5-9pm Olney City Park
Olney Christmas Parade November 27 • 6:30pm Downtown Olney, 618-302-7989
RCRC Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk November 25 • 8am Musgrove Park, 618-616-5757
Annual Polar Bear Plunge January 1 • Noon East Fork Lake, 618-392-7977
Call Olney City Hall for more information: 618-395-7302 | Find us on M 4
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VANDALIA STATEHOUSE IN FAYETTE COUNTY
4387 N. Illinois St., Suite 200 Swansea, Illinois 62226 618−257−1488 www.ILLINOISouth.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOND COUNTY Jes Adam • Dennis Potthast, Treasurer
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CLARK COUNTY Norma Calvert • Bailey Maulding CLAY COUNTY Amy Allen • Doug Spitzner CLINTON COUNTY Jim Sullivan • Sandy Timmermann CRAWFORD COUNTY Lisa Schaefer • Penny Shaw
HOLIDAY 2021
CUMBERLAND COUNTY Billie Chambers • Tania Craig
CONTENTS
EDWARDS COUNTY Debbie Fearn • Dennis Turpin
1 Holiday Happenings
FAYETTE COUNTY Mayor Ricky Gottman
3 Greetings from ILLINOISouth
HAMILTON COUNTY Jerry Prince • Monica Tucker JASPER COUNTY Jane Casey • Mindy Hartke LAWRENCE COUNTY Paige Harvey • Tom Robinson
RICHLAND COUNTY Karen Bell • Belinda Henton, Secretary ST. CLAIR COUNTY Cathleen Lindauer • John West WABASH COUNTY Jim Pfeister • Brenda Bobbitt WASHINGTON COUNTY Dee DeMoss Marvin Steinkamp, Chairman WAYNE COUNTY Gary Sloan WHITE COUNTY Cindy Conley • Kelly Northcott CITY OF HIGHLAND Mallord Hubbard
STAFF MEMBERS ELAINE BYRD Office Manager/Executive Assistant ebyrd@illinoisouth.org DARLENE CHAPMAN President/Finance Director dchapman@illinoisouth.org KATERINA ENGLE Graphic Designer & Social Media Specialist kengle@illinoisouth.org JORDAN JACKOVICH Sales & Marketing Specialist jjackovich@illinoisouth.org CHRISTINE ORR Sales & Marketing Director corr@illinoisouth.org ELIZABETH VATOLE Marketing & Communications Intern ANDY WATERMAN Communications Director awaterman@illinoisouth.org DENA WOODS Web Designer & Content Specialist dwoods@illinoisouth.org
CREDITS ANDY WATERMAN Author KATERINA ENGLE Publication Designer BREESE PRINTING & PUBLISHING Printing To submit an event for Tourism Times, visit ILLINOISouth.org/events ILLINOISouth.org
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Christmas Lights
10 Holiday Listings 14 MADE in ILLINOISouth
MONROE COUNTY Clyde Heller • Jim Hill
RANDOLPH COUNTY Emily Lyons • Ronnie White
Parades and Events
8 Holiday Shopping
MARION COUNTY Sonya Germann, Vice Chairman Ben Stratemeyer
PERRY COUNTY Carrie Gilliam • Judy Smid
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Greetings From The Crew At ILLINOISouth! It’s good to be back! For the first time since 2019, we have released our Holiday edition of the Tourism Times. Whether you’re reading a hard copy or viewing this publication online, we hope you find it to be a handy Holiday tool. Enjoy parades, breakfasts with Santa, Holiday markets and everything in between from the first of November through the end of the year! As a note, events are subject to change due to the ongoing pandemic. If there is something in this publication that you are interested in attending – we highly recommend you do a quick Internet or social media search to make sure that plans are still solid. Likewise, if there is an event you know did not make this publication – that does not mean it is not active. There’s a strong possibility that plans were not finalized by the time the Tourism Times went to print. We recommend you do a quick check or call ahead just to be sure! You can also check our event calendar at illinoisouth.org, where events are updated as we receive information on them. As you read ahead, you will notice that we broke the publication up into different niche categories around the Holidays. If you’re only interested in light displays, there is a whole section about that, complete with a calendar of when each light display is active. If shopping is more your speed, we have a section just for that as well! Hopefully you take this information and plan a trip
or five to ILLINOISouth this Holiday season. If so, we’d LOVE for you to take a ton of pictures of your visit and tag us in ALL of them. We love to see and hear about everyone’s experience while you’re visiting! From all of us here at ILLINOISouth, we hope you have a safe and happy Holiday season.
Left to Right: Katerina Engle, Elaine Byrd, Christine Orr, Andy Waterman, Darlene Chapman, Jordan Jackovich, Elizabeth Vatole, & Dena Woods
Welcome To The Team! We are happy to announce that the ILLINOISouth crew has grown this Holiday season. We’d like to give a warm welcome to three ladies who are playing a significant role in helping ILLINOISouth market our region of the state to the fullest of our capabilities! The first is a familiar face, as Jordan Jackovich returns to the team in a new role. Jordan was an intern at ILLINOISouth, and that role eventually turned into a parttime position as an office assistant. Jordan left ILLINOISouth upon graduating from McKendree University in the spring of 2019, but now she has returned as our new Sales & Marketing Specialist! ILLINOISouth is also happy to announce the addition of Dena Woods, our new Web Designer & Content Specialist. Dena will be playing a key role in making sure that our website it up-to-date and is as engaging as possible for visitors. Another happy and helpful face in our office recently is that of Elizabeth Vatole, a Public Relations Major at SIU Edwardsville. Liz is playing a key role in creating fresh new content for our website and social media pages! Please help us in welcoming these wonderful additions to our team!
Jordan Jackovich
Dena Woods Elizabeth Vatole
Download the ILLINOISouth Tourism App on Apple or Android to help plan your trip! We make every effort to verify the information contained in the Tourism Times; however, we suggest that you call to confirm the hours of operation, rates and reservation requirements before visiting. © Copyright 2021 ILLINOISouth Tourism Tourism Times
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Parades & Events you can buy for gifts for friends and family, or a little something for yourself,” Pautler adds. Other communities have really rallied around parades as their main Holiday tradition. Highland hosts a lighted Christmas Parade, and along with Santa on the Square as long as the pandemic allows. O’Fallon’s Illuminated Holiday Parade draws thousands of spectators each year, and now features a Winter Market downtown at Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station – which is slated for December 11th from 3:30-7:30pm this year. The Annual Lighted Christmas Parade is another strong tradition, and many businesses and restaurants have extended hours for folks who are
visiting! Once the suspended Christmas Tree is in place above Market Street in Mt. Carmel, you know it is almost time for the ever-popular Mt. Carmel Christmas Parade and Christmas Uptown Festival. The theme changes each year for the parade, so the floats are always something different and unique! On the first Saturday in December, Santa Claus makes his grand appearance at Columbia’s Bright Night Christmas Parade down Historic Main Street. Visit with Santa and enjoy food, beverages and activities for the kids at Turner Hall following the parade. There are of course plenty of other events that have become staples of the Holiday season in communities
CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE IN WATERLOO
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he streets of SO MANY communities in our region of ILLINOISouth come to life each and every Holiday season. Lights and garland line streetlights, there is an abundance of decorated trees, and several town squares host events that often feature Santa Claus himself! One such community that really goes all out this time of year is Red Bud in Randolph County. This year, Red Bud will be hosting a Christmas Walk on November 21st, a Lighted Parade on November 26th, and Small Business Weekend is the November 26th and 27th as well. Arguably the most popular part of Red Bud’s Holiday festivities is Santa’s Village, where kiddos can chat with Santa. That event starts when Santa rides into town during the parade on the 26th. Many of the events had to be cancelled last year, so Red Bud Chamber President Tami Pautler is over the moon to be able to hopefully host everything this year. “We are so excited,” Pautler explains. “Last year all but the Christmas Walk and Small Business Saturday was cancelled. Kids could go by and wave at Santa, but not sit on his lap. This may be the last year for the Santa we have had for at least 30 years.” Pautler adds that as of early fall, they were moving full speed ahead with plans – but they are prepared to add any precautions if necessary. “Please come and see our beautiful town,” says Pautler. “Come ready to be enveloped by the hometown hospitality that Red Bud has to offer. People that come from out of town just can’t believe that we do this every year. But we do. Be prepared to social distance and wear a mask if necessary. We want everyone to have a good time, and we want everyone to be safe. We have great food, 3 wineries in the area, a brewery, and other bars. We have several cute little boutiques with everything
BRIGHT NIGHT CHRISTMAS PARADE IN COLUMBIA
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LITTLE ROOT TRAIN RIDE IN FLORA
SANTA HOUSE IN MT. CARMEL
across ILLINOISouth. In Waterloo, Christmas on the Square is a Tradition that you do not want to miss. It’s always held the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving in historic downtown Waterloo. Stop by participating merchants downtown and pick up a shopping stamp card. Several winners are drawn and will receive $1,000 worth of gift certificates! The weekend also includes free carriage rides and visits with Santa, the GLOW Holiday Lighted Parade on Saturday evening and more! Another VERY unique event can be found in Lebanon on November 19th and 20th this year. Lebanon Victorian Holiday is an annual event to usher in the Holiday season with the Lamplighter, caroling, horse & carriage rides, live entertainment, food, desserts, and photos with Father Christmas. It all takes place on the historic Brick Street (also known as West St. Louis Street) in downtown Lebanon. Another event that hearkens back
to Holiday celebrations from centuries ago is Olde Tyme Christmas in Vandalia! This year’s event is slated for November 12th and 13th on Gallatin Street, and always kicks off with the lighting of the Christmas tree – followed by a parade of carolers, and appearances from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. There are usually horse and carriage rides, as well as plenty of shopping opportunities during Olde Tyme Christmas – so be sure to visit Vandalia this Holiday season! An event now 33 years in the making is back this year, as Christmas on the River in Chester is slated for December 3rd through the 5th. Recent celebrations have featured a craft and vendor fair, a lighted parade, and many other family friendly events. A tree lighting ceremony usually kicks off the Christmas season in Pinckneyville. The event known as Cracklin’ Christmas, also features a great opportunity to do some shopping at local stores and boutiques that stay open a little later than normal
and offer special deals! Just north in Washington County, folks are excited for this year’s Nashville Hometown Christmas event. The festivities will get started on Friday, December 3rd with the event's first ever lighted parade, and will continue on Saturday with a Holiday Market, a Candy Cane Lane kid’s only booth and much more. Elsewhere in Washington County, Okawville has become known for its Christmas Stroll – which features a craft fair, a festival of trees, horse-drawn surrey rides, and museum tours among other activities on the first weekend of December. Flora is definitely a great place to visit during this time of year, as they host Christmas in the Park! Children can go for a ride on the Little Toot Railroad and then have a visit with Santa in his house in Charley Brown Park! A celebration that has been a staple for over 16 years now is Jasper County Christmas. Folks can experience the lighting of the Old River Bridge in Newton, the lights in Peterson Park which is also in Newton, as well as lights in Sainte Marie. There is usually an event in downtown Newton as well, which features vendors, food, and more. We hope these events spark your interest, and give you a couple of ideas to mark on your calendars this Holiday season!
8th Annual Belleville Christkindlmarkt An Open-Air German Christmas Market
Nov. 26-28, Dec. 2-5, Dec. 9-12, and Dec. 16-23
BELLEVILLE, IL
SANTA'S VILLAGE IN RED BUD
FREE Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays Nov. 26 – Dec. 19
Giant Snow Globe Sunday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 18 (Open only for photo opportunities)
Santa on the Square Nov. 26 – Dec. 24 For additional information, visit our website at bellevillechristkindlmarkt.com Find us on Facebook! M Belleville Illinois Christkindlmarkt Belleville Tourism 618-233-6769 | 800-677-9255 All events are at the Downtown Public Square, located at IL 159 & Main Street. Please check our website for inclement weather changes and delays!
LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE IN NASHVILLE ILLINOISouth.org
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Christmas Lights
ccording to Buddy the Elf, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by ‘singing loud for all to hear.’ Arguably the next best way to get in the Holiday spirit, is to take in the beauty of vibrant light displays. Luckily, there are almost a dozen Christmas light displays scattered throughout our 21-county territory of ILLINOISouth! We will start in our western region, and work our way east highlighting some of the best features of each light display. For nearly 20 years, the small community of Coulterville in Randolph County has played host to one of the most impressive light displays you’ll ever see. The Coulterville Holiday Light Display has a drivethru portion, and a walking portion. The drive-thru display spans FIFTEEN city blocks, featuring 2 million lights and over 600 figurines. In the park, there is the walk-thru display which has over a MILLION lights, as well as hundreds of decorated trees and animated scenes. The Coulterville Holiday Light Display is totally free, and opens for the season on December 3rd!
The American Farm Heritage Museum in Greenville plays host to their Christmas Lights Wonderland every year, and it is a sight to behold. This marks the 13th year for the event, which isn’t your typical light display, as it’s more of a Christmas scene display. There are dozens of different display cases each with different figurines and decorations inside. You can visit Christmas Lights Wonderland nightly from 5-9pm, through December 31st. It is free to the public, but donations are accepted.
Stiefs have 44 display cases with over 200 characters inside that act out different Holiday scenes. The Woburn Christmas Display is literally set up in the Stief's driveway, and it attracts about TEN THOUSAND people each year. The display is a walk-through experience, and while there is no charge – donations are accepted. This is one VERY unique Christmas tradition you won’t want to miss. For the past two decades the Holiday Lights Fair at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds has become a Christmas tradition for many folks in southern Illinois. Organizers are hoping to have some of the festivities back in the Expo Hall this year; including live music, meeting Santa, and vendor booths. In terms of the
Not far north of Greenville sits the very small town of Woburn where Dave Stief and his wife decorate their home each and every year. When we say decorate, we don’t mean your traditional tree and lights. The WAY OF LIGHTS IN BELLEVILLE
HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY IN COULTERVILLE
The community of Lebanon is very proud of their Winter Wonderland display, put on every year in Horner Park. The drive-thru experience is free of charge, but donations are accepted. Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland is open Sunday-Thursday from 5-9pm, and from 5-10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings, beginning November 19th.
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For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, Wonderlights Christmas at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison is WELL WORTH the visit. Not only are you driving on a professional racetrack for portions of the display, but the sights and sounds are amazing. There are over a MILLION LED lights set to new and traditional Christmas music that you can listen to on your radio while driving through!
c JULIE STALEY | @princessjhs
One of the more well-known drive-thru light displays in ILLINOISouth is the Way of Lights, located at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. This is the 52nd year for the Way of Lights, which has become a fan-favorite tradition for families in St. Clair County and beyond. The best time to visit the Way of Lights to avoid large crowds is on Family Night Tuesdays - which also features discounts on camel and pony rides. There are also special deals on treats to feed the animals in the petting zoo!
CHRISTMAS DISPLAY IN WOBURN
If you’re near Clinton County this Holiday season, we highly recommend a drive through Carlyle City Park to view over a million lights they have on display. This drive-thru display is free to the public! They also have a contest for children 13 and under, to find Piper the Penguin – which moves frequently throughout the park. You definitely will NOT want to miss Christmas in Carlyle! Foundation Park in Centralia is home to the Fantasy of Lights, which is a popular drive-thru display that draws thousands of people each year. Fantasy of Lights is usually open through January 1st, and is free to the public – but donations are accepted.
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CHRISTMAS IN CARLYLE IN CLINTON COUNTY
lights - it is an amazing drive-thru display with over three miles of lights to admire. Admission to the Holiday Lights Fair is $10 a carload and is usually open through December 30th from 5:30-9:30pm. Another long-running fan-favorite that attracts folks for miles is the Christmas Light Display in Olney’s City Park. It features the sounds of Christmas along with colorful lights and displays to celebrate the season. “We are excited to offer the Christmas Light Display each and every year,” explains Olney’s City Clerk, Kelsie Sterchi. “It truly spreads the magic of the holiday season and is something that several people look forward to each year.” Because it is a drive-thru display, it is totally safe in terms of social distancing. Because of that, this event was able to go on last year. “We are fortunate that we were still able to offer the display in 2020. Donations were also record-breaking which
have allowed us to purchase some new additions for this year,” Sterchi adds. The displays will be aglow Sunday - Thursday from 5-9pm, and from 5-10pm on Friday and Saturday. Make a visit to Olney now through the end of December to experience this AWESOME display. It is free to the public, but donations are accepted at the exit. To experience a great display and also help a fantastic cause at the same time, a trip to Carmi is a must. Carmi’s Christmas Lights of Hope can be found at the White County Fairgrounds, and is open each Friday through Sunday from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. The display can be seen from 6 to 9pm each of those nights, and proceeds from the display go towards Carmi Christmas Elves Inc. The non-profit’s mission is to provide support, both financial and otherwise to local youth and poverty-stricken residents in the community.
Enjoy the Magic of Crawford County this Holiday Season!
City of Robinson Tourism 300 South Lincoln | PO Box 188 | Robinson, IL 62454 618-544-7616 | tourism@cityofrobinson.com www.cityofrobinson.com/tourism
Festivals • Unique Shops • Fine Dining Historical Sites ILLINOISouth.org
LOURDES GROTTO - NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS IN BELLEVILLE
A new light display that just took off in 2020 can be found at Fairview Park in Casey! It opens up the weekend after Thanksgiving, and is open through the end of the year. “During the summer of 2020 we decided that we needed some brightness and this was the year to make it happen,” explains Casey’s Economic Development Director, Bailey Maulding. “When we started we weren’t sure how it was going to happen but everything started to come together. We could not have done this without the help of our sponsors, businesses, The City of Casey Electric Department, the crews of Maulding Excavating, our nightly volunteers, and most of all each and every one of you that supported Christmas in Fairview Park by driving through night after night,” Maulding adds. “The response in 2020 was incredible! We hope you and your families enjoyed the display as much as we did. We have so many ideas to make 2021 even better! We can’t wait to see you!”
Have yourself a merry little
Christmas in Carlyle Christmas in Carlyle Light Display November 26 • City Park Official lighting of the Park, with Parade and Fireworks
Make it a whole day in Carlyle by checking out our shops and restaurants. Support local businesses this holiday season! Visit us online at carlylelake.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/cityofcarlyle Tourism Times
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Traveling to our region?
WATCH
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When it comes to planning a trip, it is second nature to do a quick internet search and watch a few videos of the place you plan to visit. Travelers love to have an idea of what to expect when arriving to their destination and at ILLINOISouth we couldn’t agree more. We take videos of all of our travels and have posted over 160 videos to our YouTube channel! So if you’re curious about what food to eat, where to shop, and things to see while in our neck of the woods – just search ILLINOISouth Tourism on YouTube or check out our video library at: ILLINOISouth.org/Video-Library
Celebrate the Holidays in Albion VFW Veterans Day Flag Display
nother aspect of the Holiday season that can certainly be considered a tradition is shopping. While Black Friday is popular, Small Business Saturday has picked up A LOT of steam in ILLINOISouth. Whether it is in Mt. Carmel, Red Bud, Salem or anywhere in between - several local chambers of commerce put together ‘Shop Small’ events that give folks plenty of opportunities to buy unique gifts for loved ones, all while supporting people in their communities. One place that supplies a one-stop-shop for several different gifts is Warehouse 300 in Trenton. They are hosting their Mistletoe Market Days from Wednesday, November 17th through Sunday, November 21st. This five-day event is full of shopping, twinkling lights, and lots of giveaways. There will be extended evening hours again this year until 6pm, and vendors will restock their areas throughout those five days, so there is always a great selection of Holiday décor and gift ideas. “Warehouse 300 loves hosting this Christmas event,” exclaims owner Brenda Kohlbrecher. “Our vendors go the extra mile in creating a festive shopping atmosphere! Extra vintage lights, holiday lights, Christmas trees, mantles, and light up merchandise can be found throughout the entire market.” In terms of social distancing, there will be a limit of 40 shoppers in the Warehouse at any given time. “The market never superseded two dozen at any one time last year, and it's a big place,” Kohlbrecher explains. “All that said, shopping at the warehouse is by far your safest experience as you prepare for the holidays! Make plans to attend Mistletoe Market Days! Or come shop Warehouse 300 during regular hours, and let us help you capture the holiday spirit!”
Yet another aspect of shopping during the Holiday season is picking out the perfect tree for your home! There are over a half-dozen tree farms and nurseries throughout ILLINOISouth that specialize in the pick-your-own tree experience. Two of those tree farms can be found in Bond
Another place to do some shopping around this time is the POP-UP SHOP in Columbia! This historic venue gives entrepreneurs a retail space to sell their products to folks that they otherwise may not have the chance to sell to. Entrepreneurs cycle in and out of the space, so there is always something new and exciting to check out! CHRISTKINDLMARKT IN BELLEVILLE
Thursday, November 11 Program starts at 11am
Likely the most popular shopping event during the Holiday season is the Belleville Christkindlmarkt. This year marks the 8th year of the market, which usually opens up the day after Thanksgiving, and is open each weekend afterwards all the way through December, ending on the 23rd. It is modeled after one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets – and features chalets where vendors can sell their goods. There is such a good mix of shopping to be had, and that’s not all! There are also opportunities to meet Santa, and there are also live reindeer on display. People travel from hours around to experience one of the only German Christmas markets in the region, so be sure to mark this one on your calendars for sure!
CHRISTKINDLMARKT IN BELLEVILLE
Albion Turkey Trot Thursday, November 25 8:00AM Edwards County High School
Hot Cocoa Run Saturday, November 27 8:00AM
Albion Done Bright Lights Nov. 25, 2021 – Jan. 1, 2022
Breakfast With Santa Saturday, December 11 8:00AM to 10:00AM Albion Fire Station
“A Classic Christmas” Annual Lighted Parade Saturday, December 11 5:30PM Edwards County Fairgrounds
Find us on X Albion, Illinois Chamber of Commerce
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Shopping County; Randy’s Country Barn sits north of Greenville, while Daniken Tree Farm is near Pocahontas. If you’re looking for a shopping opportunity while you’re picking out a tree, Randy’s Country Barn is the place to go. They have a great selection of gift items, including t-shirts and Holiday themed knick-knacks. Daniken Tree Farm has become a popular place for folks to meet Santa Claus before or after they head out to the field for their trees. Santa visits the first three weekends after Thanksgiving from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Another staple in the southern Illinois Christmas tree scene is Alfeldt’s Tree Farm & Nursery in Washington County. Alfeldt’s has been growing trees since 1964, and has about 40 acres worth of trees to choose and cut from, ranging in height from 10 feet tall on and smaller. A very popular place to walk among rows and rows of lush white pines is Eckert’s in Belleville. Eckert’s also has a great Country Store to shop at, and a fantastic restaurant to order carry out from. In our eastern region, Dahnke’s Pine Patch near Martinsville brings in people from several counties around. This place is an absolute blast, not only do they
offer patch pick trees, but they also have a picture patch, reindeer tours and a flight school, barn ball, a snowball arena and more! Dahnke’s has been a go-to place for Holiday tradition in Clark County for 37 years! Some of these establishments have implemented safety procedures to help protect visitors from the current pandemic, so we encourage you to call ahead or look each place up on Facebook before traveling - so you know exactly what those procedures are. Happy tree hunting!
MASCOUTAH I L L I N O I S
Located just off Interstate 64 (exit 23), adjacent to Scott AFB, home to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
Parks • Dining • Lodging Heritage Museum Historic Downtown WAREHOUSE 300 IN TRENTON
SHOP SMALL IN MT. CARMEL
Antique & Specialty Shopping
EVENTS
Lighted Christmas Parade December 3 • Main Street
Winter Wonderland Dec. 3 – Jan. 2 • Scheve Park Walk-through Christmas light display
City of Mascoutah
www.mascoutah.org • 618-566-2964
M City of Mascoutah, Illinois
Mascoutah Chamber of Commerce
www.mascoutahchamber.com • 618-566-7355 RANDY'S COUNTRY BARN IN GREENVILLE ILLINOISouth.org
M Mascoutah Chamber of Commerce
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Holiday Listings PARADES November 5 Belleville Shriner’s Parade Downtown Public Square, Belleville 618.409.5675
In order to submit an event, you must complete and submit an event form for each event on our website: ILLINOISouth.org/ Membership/Submit-Event. Event submission deadlines for our printed publications are: Spring/Summer: January 15th, Fall: May 1st, Holiday: August 1st. Event information received after these dates may be listed on the website, but it is subject to exclusion from the printed publications. Please keep in mind events should be “Visitor Friendly” and bring in people from outside your area. Priority is given to events that produce overnight stays.
November 25–December 30 22nd Annual Holiday Lights Fair
December 10–12 Christmas Lights in the Park - Newton
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin 618.542.2895
Peterson Park, Newton • 217.246.3878
November 25–December 31 Olney Christmas Light Display
Belleville Main Street, Belleville • 618.233.6769
Annual Highland Lighted Christmas Parade Highland • 618.654.3721
Red Bud Lighted Parade Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
November 26 Holiday Lighting Contest Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Lighting Festival in Downtown Palestine Leaverton Park, Palestine • 618.586.2222
Lighting of the Fountain November 27 Waterloo Christmas Parade Downtown Waterloo • 618.939.8600
Downtown Belleville • 618.233.6769
Red Bud Community Tree Lighting Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Olney Christmas Parade Downtown Olney • 618.302.7989
November 26–28 Christmas Lights in the Park - Newton
December 3 Lighted Christmas Parade
Peterson Park, Newton • 618.783.3399
Main Street in Mascoutah • 618.566.7355
November 26–December 25 Lights in the Park
Nashville Hometown Christmas (Lighted Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting) Downtown Nashville • 618.314.0499
December 4 Lighted Christmas Parade - Fairfield Downtown Fairfield • 618.842.6116
Bright Night Christmas Parade Historic Main Street, Columbia • 618.281.7144
Northside Park, Breese • 618.526.4495
November 26–December 26 Christmas in the Park - Flora Weekends Only Charley Brown Park, Flora • 618.662.5646
Christmas Lights Wonderland American Farm Heritage Museum, Greenville 618.664.9733
Mt. Carmel Christmas Parade Market Street in Mount Carmel • 618.262.5116
Festival of Lights Parade Downtown Marshall • 217.251.2441
December 4–5 Candy Canes On Main Downtown Casey • 217.932.2700
December 11 Albion Chamber of Commerce “A Classic Christmas” Lighted Parade Edwards County Fairgrounds, Albion
December 14–23 Santa Float Downtown Waterloo • 618.939.5300
LIGHTS November 12–January 2, 2022 WonderLight’s Christmas World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison 618.215.8888
November 19–December 31 Way of Lights National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Belleville • 618.397.6700
December 17–19 Christmas Lights in the Park - Newton Peterson Park, Newton • 217.246.3878
December 24–26 Christmas Lights in the Park - Newton Peterson Park, Newton • 618.783.3399
SHOPPING November 5 Moonlight Madness Sale Downtown Nashville • 618.327.3700
November 5–6 Junktique Market Days Charley Brown Park, Flora • 618.508.2103
November 6 Old Town Farmer’s Market Downtown Belleville • 618.233.2015
Holiday Craft & Flea Market Wayne County Fairground, Fairfield
Holiday Bazaar Olney City Park, Olney • 618.869.2471
Holiday Pop-Up Market Cross Street Station, Robinson • 618.544.1557
November 26–January 2, 2022 Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland of Lights Horner Park, Lebanon • 618.537.8420
November 26–January 9, 2022 Christmas in Carlyle City Park
November 6–7 Flea Market St. Clair County Event Center, Belleville 618.830.7552
Carlyle City Park, Carlyle • 618.594.2468
O’Fallon Panther Band Boosters Art & Craft Fair
November 27–December 31 Fantasy of Lights
O’Fallon Township High School, O’Fallon 618.632.3507
Foundation Park, Centralia • 618.533.7623
December 1–26 Christmas in the Park
November 7 John Crouch Giant Flea Market
Fairview Park, Casey • 217.330.5507
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin 618.542.1515
December 1–30 Coulterville Holiday Light Display
November 10 Gifts from the Heart
Coulterville • 618.525.9182
December 1–31 Festival of Trees Merchants Park, Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
December 2 7th Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Downtown Waterloo • 618.939.5300
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
November 12 Frauenabend/Ladies Night Out Downtown Maeystown 618.520.5875
November 13 WNOI Holiday Bazaar - Online Flora • 618.622.8331
November 24 Christmas Tree Lighting
December 3–5 Christmas Lights in the Park - Newton
Bower Park, Olney • 618.392.2241
Peterson Park, Newton • 217.246.3878
November 25–January 1, 2022 Albion Bright Lights Around the Square
December 3–January 2, 2022 Winter Wonderland
Downtown Albion • 618.445.2303
Scheve Park, Mascoutah • 618.566.7355
Holiday 2021
Jasper County • 618.783.3399
Olney City Park, Olney • 618.395.7302
November 26 Santa Parade
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December 11 Self Guided Christmas Evening
D12 Fall Craft and Vendor Fair Breese Elementary School, Breese 618.526.7128
Brewery, Bottle & Jar Show Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.346.2634 (618) 257-1488
HOLIDAY LISTINGS
November 14 Auto Swap Meet
November 26–28 40th Annual Art and Craft Fall Fair
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
November 17–21 Mistletoe Market Days
November 26–December 23 Belleville Christkindlmarkt (Market)
Warehouse 300, Trenton • 618.806.7118
November 18 Cracklin’ Christmas Divas’ Night Out
Downtown Columbia • 618.281.4672
Downtown Flora • 618.662.5646
November 20 Girls Day Out The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Belleville • 618.397.6700
Holiday Pop-Up Market Cross Street Station, Robinson • 618.544.1557
Holiday Hunt Historic Main Street, Columbia • 618.281.7144
November 20–21 Belleville Flea Market Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
November 21 Red Bud Christmas Walk Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
November 26–27 Red Bud Shop Small Weekend Downtown, Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Harlan Hall, Marshall • 217.826.9023
December 4–5 Flea Market St. Clair County Event Center, Belleville 618.830.7552
Downtown Pinckneyville • 618.357.3243
November 19 Moonlight Madness
Cumberland County • 217.849.2000
Holly Days
Open Weekends Only Belleville Public Square, Belleville • 618.233.6769
November 27 Small Business Saturday
Downtown Belleville • 618.233.2015
December 4 Cumberland County Hometown Christmas Around the Square
December 5 John Crouch Giant Flea Market
Belleville Shop Small Saturday
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin 618.542.1515
Belleville Main Street, Belleville 618.233.2015
La Fete de Noel
Shop Local Small Business Saturday Nashville • 618.327.3700
American Legion, Prairie du Rocher 618.317.4487
Holiday Sip & Shop
Wabash County RMC Shop Small Business Saturday
The Weingarten, Belleville • 618.257.9463
Market Street in Mount Carmel 618.262.5116
December 9 Waterloo “Warm & Fizzies”
November 29 Girls Night Out/Festival of Trees 8th Day Venue, Vandalia • 618.283.1196
December 4 Delta Theta Tau’s Christmas Bazaar Pinckneyville Jr High School Gymnasium Pinckneyville
Downtown Waterloo • 618.939.8600
December 10–12 Forever Vintage Market Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
December 11 Cookie Day Walk Downtown Belleville • 618.233.2015
Christmas Bazaar Pinckneyville Jr High School Gymnasium Pinckneyville • 618.357.8775
Mouse House in Toledo
Holiday Pop-Up Market
December 16 Divas’ Night Out
Cross Street Station, Robinson 618.544.1557
Downtown Toledo • 217.849.2000
Downtown Belleville • 618.233.2015
Season’s Greetings
Vandalia from
Olde Tyme Christmas Friday Nov. 12, 5pm-9pm Saturday Nov. 13, 10am-2pm
Santa’s Corner Friday, November 12 5pm-9pm Saturday, November 13 10am-12pm Across from City Hall
Statehouse Gala Friday, December 3 6pm-8:30pm Vandalia Statehouse
Statehouse Christmas Open House Saturday, December 11 5pm-7pm
Girls Night Out/ Festival of Trees
Monday, November 29 8th Day Venue, Vandalia, IL Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.00
Ladies Night Out/ Paint Night Thursday, December 9 8th Day Venue Doors open at 6 pm
Free Christmas Movie Day Saturday, December 11 Starmax Theater • 10am Polar Express - Wear your PJs!
Sponsored by McKellar, Robertson, McCarty and Click
Vandalia Statehouse
Soroptimist Club Breakfast with Santa Saturday, December 4 8am-10am Unity Baptist Church
618-283-1196 • VandaliaIllinois.com ILLINOISouth.org
Tourism Times
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HOLIDAY LISTINGS
December 18 Men on a Mission
November 20 Victorian Holiday
December 3 Vandalia Statehouse Gala
Fairfield Retail Merchants, Fairfield 618.842.6116
Downtown Lebanon • 618.537.8420
Vandalia Statehouse • 618.283.1196
“Clothing Worn at Fort de Chartres in the 1700’s” by Les Ames de Chartres
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
December 18–19 Belleville Flea Market Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
EVENTS November 1–30 The Apollo Experience Bryan Bennett Library, Salem 618.548.3006
November 6 “The National Archives Past, Present and Future” by Wesley Braswell Monroe County History Museum, Waterloo 618.939.5008
Art & Wine Walk Downtown Belleville • 618.233.2015
November 6–7 Fort de Chartres Winter Rendezvous & Woodswalk Fort de Chartres, Prairie du Rocher 618.284.7230
Woodcarvers Show Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
November 10–12 Albion - Veterans Day Display Albion Square, Albion 618.445.2303
November 11 Veterans Day Flags and Program Newton Courthouse, Newton 618.783.8451
Belleville Veterans Day Memorial Downtown Belleville • 618.233.6769
Lend Me a Tenor Looking Glass Playhouse, Lebanon 618.537.4962
November 12–13 Olde Tyme Christmas Downtown Vandalia • 618.283.1196
Santa’s Corner Across from City Hall, Vandalia 618.283.1196
November 13 Youth Pheasant Hunt Eldon Hazlet State Park, Carlyle 618.594.2484
Soroptimist Club - Build A Snowman Across from City Hall, Vandalia 618.283.1196
Santa Run Bent Oak Golf Course, Breese 618.526.4495
November 14 Drift STL World Wide Technology Raceway Madison • 618.215.8888
November 17–January 1, 2022 Gingerbread Walk Display Downtown Belleville • 618.233.1416
November 19 Victorian Holiday Downtown Lebanon • 618.537.8420
Monroe County History Museum, Waterloo 618.939.5008
Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
Moonlight Madness Downtown Olney • 618.392.2241
November 20–21 Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s Eckert's in Belleville • 618.233.0513
November 24 Thanksgiving Eve Dueling Pianos The Weingarten, Belleville • 618.257.9463
November 25 Gobble Hobble Fun Run Glik Park, Highland • 618.651.1386
Albion’s Annual Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk
December 3–4 Mt. Carmel Santa House Merchants Park, Mt. Carmel 618.262.5116
December 3–5 Christmas on the River Chester • 618.826.1430
December 3–24 Christmas Trees on Parade
Edwards County High School, Albion 618.445.2303
Heritage Woods of Flora Flora • 618.662.4599
RCRC Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk
December 4 Soroptimist Club - Breakfast with Santa
Musgrove Park, Olney • 618.616.5757
Unity Baptist Church, Vandalia 618.283.1196
Thanksgiving 5K & Turkey Chase Downtown Belleville thanksgiving5krun@gmail.com
Gingerbread 5K Run/Walk
November 26–December 24 Cut Your Own Christmas Tree at Eckert's
Nashville Hometown Christmas
Eckert's in Belleville & Millstadt 618.233.0513
Santa on the Square - Belleville Downtown Belleville • 618.233.6769
November 27 Fun Hot Cocoa 5K Colyer Coffee House, Albion • 618.445.2800
Santa Comes to Town Nashville • 618.327.3700
Welcome to Whoville Downtown Sainte Marie • 618.783.3399
Come Home for Christmas
Downtown Belleville • 618.233.6769
(Holiday Market & Candy Cane Lane) Downtown Nashville • 618.314.0499
Okawville’s Annual Christmas Stroll Downtown Okawville • 618.243.5694
Santa Comes to Town - Toledo Downtown Toledo • 217.849.2000
Visit with Santa Columbia Library, Columbia • 618.281.4237
Jasper County Christmas Downtown Newton • 618.783.3399
Turner Hall Christmas Social Turner Hall, Columbia • 618.281.5393
Downtown Greenville • 618.664.9272
The Traveling Salvation Show
November 27–28 Gingerbread Workshop
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s
Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, Lebanon 618.537.6863
Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
Eckert's in Belleville • 618.233.0513
December 4–5 Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s
November 27–December 23 Highland’s Santa on the Square
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Downtown Highland • 618.654.3721
November 30–December 3 Photos with Santa
Dog Show Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, Belleville 618.235.0666
Gingerbread Workshop
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
December 1–5 Nashville Christmas Porch Decorating Contest
Christmas in the Barn Rainbow Ranch, Nashville • 618.424.7979
Nashville • 618.314.0499
Okawville Christmas Porch Decorating Contest Okawville • 618.243.5694
December 1–31 Sights and Sounds of Mt. Carmel All Around Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
December 3 Downtown Centralia Christmas Stroll
December 5 Santa Comes to Town - Greenup Downtown Greenup • 217.923.3401
An Old Fashioned German Christmas in Maeystown Downtown Maeystown • 618.580.5875
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
Centralia • 618.533.7623
December 7–8 Red Bud Dinner with Santa
Christmas Uptown
Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Market Street in Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
November 19–21 Christmas Magic Weekend Downtown Robinson • 618.544.7616
November 20 Palestine Preservation Projects Society Cookie Walk Fife Opera House, Palestine • 618.544.7616
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Holiday 2021
Okawville’s Annual Christmas Stroll Okawville • 618.243.5694
Designer Bag Bingo Turner Hall, Columbia • 618.281.4672
The U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America Holiday Concert Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, Lebanon 618.537.6863
Red Bud Santa’s Village
December 7–10 Photos with Santa
Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513 (618) 257-1488
HOLIDAY LISTINGS
December 9 Ladies Night Out/Paint Night
December 11 Visit with Santa
December 18–19 Gingerbread Workshop
8th Day Venue, Vandalia • 618.283.1196
Columbia Library, Columbia • 618.281.4237
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
History Museum of Monroe County Present “The Waterloo Singers Company”
Christmas in the Barn
December 9–12 A Christmas Carol by A Looking Glass Playhouse
Monroe County History Museum, Waterloo 618.939.5008
Looking Glass Playhouse, Lebanon 618.537.4962
December 21–23 Photos with Santa
Statehouse Christmas Open House
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Vandalia Statehouse • 618.283.1196
December 10 Red Bud Santa’s Village
The Old Belleville Historical Luminary Walk Old Belleville Historic District • 618.531.7753
Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
December 24–25 Mt. Carmel Santa House Merchants Park, Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus December 26–28 Annual Centralia High School Holiday Tournament
Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
December 11–12 Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s
December 10–11 Ice Skating Rink - Flora
Rainbow Ranch, Nashville • 618.424.7979
Centralia High School, Centralia • 618.533.7623
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Downtown Flora • 618.662.5646
December 26–30 Mater Dei Holiday Tournament
Gingerbread Workshop
Mt. Carmel Santa House
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
Mater Dei High School, Breese • 618.526.7216
Merchants Park, Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
Christmas in the Barn December 10–12 The Hett and State Street Dance Company co-present: The Nutcracker Hettenhausen Center for the Arts Lebanon • 618.537.6863
Rainbow Ranch, Nashville • 618.424.7979
December 12 Santa’s Sunday Funday in Red Bud Downtown Red Bud • 618.282.3505
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
December 11 Martinsville Hometown Christmas Downtown Martinsville • 713.865.0022
30 Annual Newton Junior Woman’s Club Breakfast with Santa th
St. Thomas Parish Center, Newton 618.783.2706
December 27–29 Duster Thomas Hoops Classic Pinckneyville High School, Pinckneyville 618.357.5013
December 31 La Guiannee at Fort de Chartres
Avon Theater, Breese • 630.334.4011
Fort de Chartres, Prairie du Rocher 618.284.7230
December 14–17 Photos with Santa
New Year’s Eve Musical Showcase Lincoln Theatre, Belleville • 618.233.0018
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
January 1, 2022 Annual Polar Bear Plunge
December 17–18 Mt. Carmel Santa House
East Fork Lake, Olney • 618.392.7977
Merchants Park, Mt. Carmel • 618.262.5116
Albion’s “Breakfast with Santa” Albion Fire Station, Albion
Free Christmas Movie Vandalia
December 18–19 Breakfast with Santa at Eckert’s
Starmax Theater, Vandalia • 618.283.1196
Eckert’s in Belleville • 618.233.0513
January 2, 2022 Way of Lights Run/Walk National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Belleville • 618.394.6292
SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER IN Du Quoin Tourism’s
22 Annual nd
Holiday Lights Fair November 25-December 30 5:30 - 9:30pm Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Highway 51 South
Drive-thru only $10 per vehicle, cash only Due to COVID-19, there will be NO activities in the Exhibition Hall. Follow us on Facebook for information: Du Quoin Tourism
ILLINOISouth.org
THIS YEAR! Christmas Walk
Santa’s Village
November 21, 11am-4pm
December 3, 10, & 17 6pm to 8pm
Lighted Parade November 26, 6pm Bloom St
Dinner with Santa
Community Tree Lighting
Santa’s Sunday Funday!
November 26
December 12, 12-4pm
December 7 & 8
Starts after the Lighted Parade & Santa’s Village Opens
Holiday Lighting Contest Begins November 26 Vote on Facebook at
M Red Bud Chamber Shop Small Weekend November 26 & 27 Follow us on Facebook! M Red Bud Chamber
For event information, visit redbudsantavillage.com and our M Santa’s Village, Red Bud, Illinois. Tourism Times
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Witness Distillery, Vandalia
P
ositioned perfectly across from the iconic Old State Capitol in Vandalia, there sits a building full of stories and spirits. Witness Distillery offers up some amazing whiskey, rum, and vodka – but the story of how they got their start and why they bought this particular building is just as equally amazing. “What many people don’t know is that when this building was built in the 1860’s, the state of Illinois was the largest producer of whiskey in the country – and Vandalia had two distilleries at the time,” explains Rick Radliff, who owns Witness Distillery with his wife Cindy. While this building was not originally a distillery, it still has a lot of history that attracted the Radliffs. It has the oldest working elevator in the state, along with another very cool feature. “Downstairs there is what used to be an entrance where merchants could walk underground to the bank and make a deposit at night and be safe. We wanted to make sure that people could see that,” Radliff says. Rick started out making rum in his garage with a ten gallon still, and his interests grew from there. Now his production is on a much larger scale, and they are happy to give tours to all who are interested. “When folks come, we can walk them through how we process,” says Radliff. “All the way from milling our own grain, which we do out back. We bring that in, we cook that in our mash tun, to convert that starch to sugar – then we move that into our fermenters. We pitch our yeast, and about four days later we have whiskey that is ready to run through the still. Out of that 450 gallons of mash, we’ve got about 45 gallons of alcohol – that’s what we utilize to make our products,” he explains. One of the biggest parts of that process is that practically everything they do at Witness Distillery is with a ‘local first’ mentality.
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Holiday 2021
“We locally source our water from a spring just north of Vandalia. We also locally source our grains, our grains come from right here in Fayette County – especially the corn,” Radliff adds. For those who visit Witness, there is plenty to do. Aside from the aforementioned tours, they are connected to Blind Society - a great restaurant with an expansive menu. On top of that there is the Whiskey Underground, which is fittingly located in the basement of the building, and is an awesome place to go simply for drinks. There is also a merchandise area with clothing, spirits and more to purchase. The Radliffs say the last five years of building Witness from the ground up has been a ton of work, but there are many moments where the reward is evident. “People have told us that we have been successful in producing a quality spirit, which we felt that it was – but it’s nice to have that affirmation,” explains Cindy Radliff. “When we first started down this journey I thought Rick was just talking, but I’m really glad we’re taking this journey because I believe this business will help us to revitalize this area a little bit more, bring some people in from other places to see Vandalia.” To watch our ‘Made in ILLINOISouth’ feature video on Witness Distillery, make sure to check out ILLINOISouth’s YouTube channel!
THANK YOU for supporting and enjoying all of the wonderful communities, attractions and more in ILLINOISouth this year! From all of us here at ILLINOISouth Tourism, we hope you have an amazing Holiday season.
(618) 257-1488
See Centralia
for the Holidays Fantasy of Lights
Daily, Nov. 27–Dec. 31 Dusk-11pm
Join us for a
Jasper County Christmas! November 11th Veterans' Day
Courthouse Lawn Newton, IL
Downtown Shopping & Activities on Friday Nights:
Welcome to Whoville
Call June at 217-246-3878
Centralia Foundation Park
Downtown Centralia Christmas Stroll Dec. 3
Downtown Centralia
Annual Centralia High School Holiday Tournament Dec. 26– 26 – 28
Centralia High School centraliaholidaytournament.com
Scan Me!
Visit Our Website SeeCentralia.com 618.533.7623 Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/SeeCentralia
&
Follow us on Instagram at Instagram.com/SeeCentralia
December 3rd, 9th, & 17th
November 27th Village of Sainte Maire
for details and updates.
Find us on M Sainte Marie Community Club
Jasper County Christmas
Christmas Lights in the Park
December 4th Fun, Music, & Food!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday Only
Self Guided Christmas Evening in Jasper County
Nov. 26th - Dec. 25th 5pm to 9pm • Netwon, IL
Find us on M Christmas Lights in Peterson Park Newton, IL
December 11th
Jasper County Chamber of Commerce • 618-783-3399
Washington County
Christmas Okawville Starting on Wednesday, December 1, view decorated porches around town.
Friday, Dec. 3 • 4‒7pm: Food trucks with live music and short kids’ movies throughout the evening • 6pm: Live Nativity • After Dark – Caroling in the park and decorated porches, vote online for your favorite by Sunday, December 5
Saturday, Dec. 4 • 9am: Santa Breakfast at the Original Springs • 9am‒5pm: Holiday Vendor/Craft Fair at Community Club • After Dark: Decorated porches, vote online for your favorite by Sunday, December 5 Okawville Chamber of Commerce facebook.com/OkawvilleChamber myokawville.com ꞏ 618-243-5694
ILLINOISouth.org
Nashville Starting on Wednesday, December 1, view decorated porches and shrubs around town, vote for both online by December 5
Friday, Dec. 3 • 7pm: Lighted parade downtown • 8pm: Community Tree lighting & The Night Before Christmas Reading with Santa and special helpers at City Hall
Saturday, Dec. 4 • 9am: Holiday 5K – Polar Dash • 10am‒6pm: Holiday Vendor Market & Food Fest, Live Reindeer Photos, Carriage Rides, Photos with Santa, and more • 3‒6pm: Candy Cane Lane Free Kids Activities • After Dark: Drive-In Movie – Polar Express • Plus, music & entertainment throughout the day Nashville Hometown Christmas facebook.com/NashvilleHometownChristmas 618-314-0499
Stay with us! Original Springs Hotel & Bath Super 8
618-243-5458
618-243-6525
Tourism Times
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