The Metro East Messenger 12.2.22 Issue

Upcoming Local Events

The Annual Way of Lights, Now through Dec. 30th, 5 9pm, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville. Wintertime sparkles at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows as the Annual Way of Lights Christmas display illuminates the grounds. Since 1970, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate have invited one and all to make the Way of Lights a part of their family tradition. This breathtaking display focuses on the birth of Christ, the one true light of the world. Find out more by visiting: www.snows.org/wayoflights.

Santa House, Downtown Highland Square. Come see Santa in his house Mon Fri 6 8pm, Sat. 10am 12pm & 1 4pm, or Sun 1 4pm. Santa will leave his house to return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Christmas in the Village, Dec. 2nd, 6pm, St. Jacob Activity Center. There will be giveaways for kids, food and drink and pictures with Santa.

Christmas in the Park, Dec. 2nd, 6:30pm, Village of Marine. Watch Santa arrive by fire truck at 7pm. There will be hot dogs, hot chocolate and Santa will have goodies for the kids. Dress warm and join us around the fire pits for some winter fun at the park.

Live Music Every Weekend at The Cabin at Judy Creek, 3730 S. State Rte. 157, Glen Carbon. Upcoming music: 12/2 Mike Sonderegger, 12/3 Crossed the Line, 12/4 Midlife Duo, 12/8 Ryan Hoelting, 12/9 Rocky Mountain Oysters, 12/16 The Double Wide Duo. Follow their Facebook page for more updates.

Upcoming Local Events

17th Annual Snowflake Festival, Dec. 2nd, 6 8:30, Glazebrook Park, Godfrey. Get your pictures taken with Santa in the gazebo, take a horse drawn carriage ride, make crafts and enjoy some hot cocoa and cookies courtesy of the Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department. We will be accepting new toy donations for Toys for Tots.

1st Annual Festival of Trees, Dec. 2nd, 3rd, & 4th, Friedens United Church of Christ, Troy. Tour a collection of custom trees and wreaths donated and decorated by area business, civic organizations and individuals. A selection of trees/wreaths will be raffled off. Tickets $1 or 25 for $20. Cookies and hot chocolate provided. Friday, Dec. 2nd: 12-8pm, Special Guest Santa Claus from 5 8pm. Sat, Dec. 3rd: 12 8pm. Sun, Dec. 4th: 1 4pm. All proceeds will be donated to Triad Strong, a local charity committed to helping our students, staff, and families within the Triad District area during times of need.

Jammies & Jingles At Edwardsville Children's Museum, Dec. 2nd, 6 8pm. ECM invites you to celebrate the holiday season with us! Families are encouraged to wear their jammies and enjoy listening to Christmas music while the kids make Christmas tree pinecones, mold dough into indoor snowmen, play a tree trimming game, and visit with Santa! $8 members/$10 non members. Purchase tickets at edwardsvillechildrensmuseum.org/event/jammies and jingles

Swansea Fire Department Lighted Christmas Parade, Dec. 2nd, 7 9pm, Swansea. Parade will begin at Wolf Branch Middle School and travel up Old Caseyville to Baron Drive to Heatherwood, to Green Haven, to Big Bend, to Twin Lake and end at the fire house. There will be pictures with Santa, Bounce houses and refreshments. Interested in participating please email Jack Korves at: jkorves@swanseail.org. Rain date will be December 4th.

Upcoming Local Events

2022 Lighted Christmas Parade, Dec. 2nd, 6:30pm, Mascoutah. The parade will assemble at First and Church Streets. It will proceed west on Church and then proceed south on 4th to Main where it will turn east on Main Street and turn north on Lebanon. The parade will then proceed west on Church back to St. John’s.

2022 Gingerbread Run, Dec. 3rd, Belleville. Kids Dash (100 yd): 8am, Gingerbread 5k run/walk: 8:30am. Sign up by Nov. 9th to be guaranteed a shirt size. Sign up at bit.ly/3SuAi5P.

Winter Market Downtown Edwardsville, Dec. 3rd, 9am 1pm, Downtown Edwardsville.Winter market will feature artisans, baked goods, crafters, locally grown items, and unique boutique gifts and products from our neighborhood and the surrounding communities. More than 75 vendors have signed up and it has been extended onto Second Street. For more info, go to cityofedwardsville.com/618/Downtown in December.

TriadStrong Winter RUNderland 5k, Dec. 3rd, Fun Run 8:30am, 5k 9am, Silver Creek Elementary School, Troy. Professional chip timing by Final Lap Racing. 5k entry fee is $25 ($35 after 11/25), Fun Run is $15. Register at bit.ly/3SEapkb.

Mr. & Mrs. Claus At South Roxana Village Hall, Dec. 3rd, 10am 1pm, South Roxana Village Hall. Bring the family to take pictures with Santa Claus and his wife at South Roxana Village Hall! Village Hall will also be offering face painting and have treat bags for visiting kiddos. Don't forget to bring your camera!

Upcoming Local Events

Santa Fest, Dec. 3rd, 10am 12pm, Maryville Fire Department. Visit with Santa and take a picture with him in front of a firetruck (bring your own camera). Kids can also make an ornament, have cookies and punch and receive a treat from Santa. Free event sponsored by the Maryville Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

Skate with Santa, Dec. 10th, Noon to 1:30pm, RP Lumber Center, Edwardsville. There is nothing like ice skating to get you into the holiday spirit! This year you have the opportunity to do so with the big man himself! This Saturday meet Santa, snap a few photos, and skate until your little heart's content. Members: free, District 7: $7, Non district: $9. Children 3 and under: free.

Winter Wonderland Festival, Dec. 3rd, 1 5pm, Civic Park, Granite City. Elf Walk 1 5pm: Follow the clues left for you by Santa’s elves and see if you can find where they’re hiding. Stop by the holiday headquarters in Civic Park for your book of clues and be sure to enter the Ugly Sweater Contest. Mistletoe Market 1 5pm: Stop the Township Hall for lots of vendors. Candy Cane Parade begins at 2:30pm. The parade begins at GCHS ending at Civic Park. Pictures with Santa directly after the parade until 5pm at the Granite City Cinema. $10 per photo, pets welcome.

Holiday Open House, Dec. 3rd, 1pm, Glen Carbon Library. Join us for a holiday celebration at the Library! Get a caricature done of your family, visit with therapy dogs, make some crafts, decorate cookies, and of course, meet Santa himself! Register your family for a timeslot to meet Santa and spend the rest of your time enjoying the festivities! Registration required at glencarbonlibrary.org.

Upcoming Local Events

Annual "Christmas at Collins House" and "Light Up Parade" Event, Dec. 3rd, 5:30 8pm, Uptown Collinsville. Event will include an evening Holiday light up parade through the Uptown area of Collinsville and end with festivities at the historical Collins House. The Event will include a tree lighting ceremony, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and various family friendly activities.

City Of Edwardsville Tree Lighting Ceremony 2022, Dec. 3rd, 6pm, EdwardsvilleCity Park. Come see the 2nd annual holiday tree lighting ceremony in EdwardsvilleCity Park December 3 at 6pm! There will be Christmas carolers and s'mores at the event and hot cocoa from 222 Artisan Bakery. The tree lighting ceremony is at 7pm.

Dashin’ Thru The Lights 5k Fun Run/Walk, Dec. 3rd, 6:30pm, Roxana Park. Registration for Dashin' Thru The Lights is now opened! To guarantee a shirt, pre registrationmust be complete by Sunday, Nov. 20th. The deadline to register for the run is Thursday, Dec. 1st (No Shirt Guaranteed). Register at the Rox Arena (8 4:30pm, Mon Fri) or online at signupville.com/Roxana. For additional questions, call 618 254 7485.

ABOB Olde Alton Arts & Craft Fair, Dec. 3rd & 4th, Alton High School. Save the date for a fun weekend of holiday shopping at the 33rd annual ABOB Olde Alton Arts & Craft Fair. Sat. Dec. 3rd, 9am 4pm, $3.00 admission. Sun., Dec. 4th, 10am 3pm, $2.00 admission. Kids 12 and under are free. Strollers are not recommended. For more info go to abob.net or contact abobcraftfair@gmail.com or (618)474-6996.

Santa is Coming to Glen Carbon/Lighted Christmas Parade, Dec. 3rd, and 4th. Santa has traded in his sleigh and reindeer for a fire truck! Join us as Santa travels down S. Main St on Sat. Dec 3rd at 7pm during the lighted Christmas Parade, and then hosts a party at Fire Station #1. There will be refreshments, arts and crafts, bounce house and more! Then on Sun. Dec. 4th, Santa will be at the Cabin for pictures, ornament making and cookies!

CEO Winter Festival, Dec. 3rd, 2 6pm, Silver Creek Elementary. To start off the holiday season on December 3rd, the Collinsville Triad Maryville CEO Winter Festival and Dodgeball Tournament will take place. There will be numerous seasonal activities including cookie decorating, pictures with Santa, and lots of games! We will also have Chick Fil A and pizza for sale, along with a concession stand. This event will offer an opportunity for our community to connect with our CEO program and it will provide a fun experience for all age groups!

Annual Candy Cane Parade 2022, Dec. 3rd, 2:30pm, Granite City. Parade will kick off at Granite City High School Parking Lot to State Street to Madison Avenue to Niedringhaus Avenue to Civic Park. Participant and Sponsorship Forms available at gcacf.org/candycaneparade.

JingleJam III to Benefit Collinsville Food Pantry Holiday Drive, Dec. 3rd, 7:15 9:30pm, Old Herald Brewery & Distillery, Collinsville. Five local musical acts are teaming up for JingleJam III at Herald Square. The event is sponsored by Laura Buick and Old Herald Brewery & Distillery and benefits the Collinsville Food Pantry’s annual holiday drive. It will help provide a meal and toys for 200 needy families in the Collinsville area. Performers include Curt Copeland, Steve and Rhonda Evans, 10 String Dream, Scott Marlin, and Merge V. There’s no admission charge, but a suggested donation of $10 and/or a new, unwrapped toy. A limited number of VIP packages are available for $25 and include premium seating, hot beverages and a commemorative sweatshirt. Text to donate at 44321.

Brunch’n With Santa, Sundays in December, 11am 2pm at FLOCK & Food Truck Park, 210 Ridge Street, Alton. This is an all ages event with a take your own photo with Santa op! Coffee and pastries available for purchase from The Coffee Box plus our delicious menu of cocktails, mocktails and of course, our house made hot cocoa piled high with marshmallows!!

Upcoming Local Events

Pints, Paws, & Mr. Claus, Dec. 4th, 12 4pm, Recess Brewing, Edwardsville. Bring your pup to grab a pint at Recess Brewing on December 4th for our first ever Pints, Paws, & Mr. Claus event. Benefiting Metro East Humane Society we will have a pet supply drive, a photo with Santa station for your 4-legged family members and will be donating a percentage of pint sales to Metro East Humane Society. A cash donation of your choosing will get you a 10-minute time slot for our photographer to capture a photo of your pet(s) and Santa, and two digital images delivered via email in time for Christmas! Sign up at bit.ly/3VkSf8n. Santa is back at Nickel Plate Station! Wednesdays 5:30 8pm and Saturdays 1 4pm. Now through Dec. 21st. The holidays are right around the corner and there is no better person to help start spreading the ho ho holiday cheer than the big man himself! Visits with Santa are free! Bring your camera and a smile! We've got you covered for the rest. Nickel Plate Station is located opposite the Market Basket on Troy Rd, Edwardsville.

29th Annual Festival of Trees, Dec. 7th, 6 10pm, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville. The 40,000 square foot event space transforms into a holiday winter wonderland with beautifully decorated live & artificial trees, gorgeous wreaths, and unique home décor. These extraordinary masterpieces are sold by silent auction. Guests enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction for trees and decorations, and live entertainment by Erin Bode. Delicious catering by Catering by Bella Milano. For more info and tickets, go to festivaloftrees.info.

Upcoming Local Events

Elf Christmas Party, Dec. 7th, 6:30pm, Maryville Community Center. Santa’s Elves are coming to host a Christmas party! Join us to decorate cookies, dance to Christmas carols, and stuff your own reindeer plushie. One of Santa’s Elves will even visit to tell us a story! Sign up begins Nov. 7th. $5 per child due at registration.

Christmas Rox Party, Dec. 8th, 5:30 7:30pm, Rox Arena, Roxana. Everyone is invited to the Christmas Rox Party! We will have a live reindeer, a visit from Santa, a sing along dance party with Celia, Christmas Cookies and Christmas crafts! Don't forget to bring your camera for some great photos with Santa and the reindeer! No residency requirements or registration required! Question? Stop by Roxana Library or call 618 254 6713.

Elf Workshop, Dec. 9th and 11th, R.P. Lumber Center, Edwardsville. Kids love to make presents to give to their loved ones. Well now they can! Parents can drop off their child for a two hour period so they can create some holiday cheer. Friday, Nov. 9th 6 8pm. Nov. 11th, Noon to 5pm. Register at secure.rec1.com/IL/edwardsville il/catalog. There will also be a Santa’s Secret Shop where children can have a private shopping experience with an Elf guide while adults wait in the lobby. Together they will “wrap” each gift and meet the parent back at the door.

A Forever Vintage Christmas Market 2022, Dec. 9th 11th, Belle Clair Fairgrounds. Vendors from all around the country vending repurposed, industrial, vintage, architectural salvage, antiques, primitives, handmade, furniture, boutique & more! Live music, hand crafted cocktails and amazing eats. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Friday $10 (good all weekend), Sat. and Sun $5. Children 12 and under are free.

Breakfast with Santa, Dec. 10th, 8:30 10:30am, Knights of Columbus Hall, Godfrey. Advanced registration is required. The cost is $14 for adults & children 13 and older, $7 for ages 6-12, 5 and under are free. Hosted by the Godfrey Parks and Recreation Dept. For more info and registration, call the park’s office at (618)466 1483.

Pictures with Santa, Dec. 10th, 10am 12pm, Bethel Baptist Church of Caseyville. Welcome the Holiday season with free pictures with Santa. There will be candy canes for the kids and the first 30 people get a 5x7 hard copy. The rest will be mailed to you.

Sip and Shop, Dec. 10th, 10am 2pm, The Command Post at the American Legion, Troy. Come and shop locally before the Holiday season and have some drinks while you look around! If you're interested in having a table, contact Sarah Tye about details.

Santa Visits Miner’s Theatre, Dec. 10th, 11am 3pm, Miner’s Theatre, Collinsville. Santa will be on stage again for visits with your family & friends and Pets. You are welcome to take as many photos as you'd like. This is a fun free opportunity to visit the Theatre and see all the beautiful updates.

FREE Pics with Santa! Dec. 10th, begins at 11:30am , 1818 Offshore, Edwardsville. Bring the kids to visit and snap a pic with the man in red! Sponsored by Tara Riggs, real estate broker with ReMax Alliance. Guests will receive one free digital pic of the magical moment thanks to local Edwardsvillephotographer, Jennifer Birkenmeyer. Kiddos will receive a take home swag bag containing reindeer food and a DIY cookie & frosting kit! We’ll also be accepting monetary donations for Edwardsville Neighbors during the event. Sign up for a 5 minute time slot using this link: rem.ax/santapics.

Upcoming Local Events

Santa in the Park, Dec. 10th, 1 3pm, Hamel Community Building, Hamel. Come enjoy cookies and crafts with Santa in the park!

Santa is Coming to Worden, Dec. 10th, 1 3pm, American Legion Auxiliary Post #564, Worden. Join the ladies Auxiliary at the Worden American legion for a great day of Christmas cheer including cookie decorating, ornament making, reindeer food, letters to Santa, pick a pop, and of course visiting with the big man himself, Santa!! Come enjoy this fun complementary event!

Photo with Santa Food Drive, Dec. 10th, 2 5pm, Sanctuary on Main, Troy. Join us for photos with Santa food drive supporting The Glen Ed Pantry and Ministries Unlimited! We are thrilled to bring this event back again this year! Enjoy writing letters to Santa, children’s crafts, photo with Santa and more! Bring donation items in exchange for a free digital photo with Santa. Sponsored by The Sanctuary on Main in Troy, Jen Faulkner Homes Team and Julie Purnell with Gori Realtors.

Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station Winter Market, Dec. 10th, 3:30 7:30pm, 212 E. 1st St, O’Fallon. Winter Market is back with 50+ artisan and food vendors, live music, food trucks and carriage rides! Expect a mix of farmers market vendors with meats, cheeses, coffee, bread and prepared foods as well as a much larger selection of artisans. Carriage reservations can be made at bit.ly/3ylkoTg.

Upcoming Local Events

Crawlin' Around The Christmas Tree Holiday Pub Crawl 2022, Dec. 10th, 4 6pm, Downtown Edwardsville. Don your ugliest sweater, Santa suit, holiday inspired costume or onesie and crawl, walk or run to the local bars participating in our inaugural “Crawlin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Pub Crawl! All proceeds will be donated to Edwardsville Neighbors, a local nonprofit that assists families in need. All Christmas crawlers, with purchase of a $25 ticket, will receive a can coolie, light up Christmas necklace, access to specials at participating bars and a strong dose of holiday spirit! The pub crawl starts with registration at Big Daddy's (132 N. Main St., Edwardsville) between 4 p.m. 6 p.m. the day of the event to receive your swag bag. There will also be a fun photo op with a backdrop. Each bar will have a fun set of rules for patrons to try to abide by (there will be a sign inside the entrance of each bar). Get your tickets at rem.ax/xmascrawl

Granite City Senior Social Club Christmas Party, Dec. 11th, Granite City Township Hall. Tickets on sale now through Dec. 4th. $13 for members, $15 for nonmembers. Doors open at 11:30am. Catered meal at 12:30pm. Enjoy Memories of Elvis with Steve Davis, 1:30pm. Dancing with the Vince K Band, 2:45 4:15pm. There will also be attendance prizes, raffles and a 50/50 drawing. For more info, call (618)877 4373.

Christmas Craft Fair, Dec. 17th, 9am 3pm, Collinsville High School. This craft fair we will have vendors, food, vintage items, pictures with Santa, raffle prizes, face painting and a lot more. For more info, email Jkelly@cusd.kahoks.org.

The Nutcracker at SIUE, Dec. 17th & 18th. Turning Pointe Academy of Dance is proud to present the Nutcracker at Dunham Hall at SIUE. Dec. 17th at 2pm & 7pm, Dec. 18th at 2pm. Buy tickets now at bit.ly/3ESmFrp.

Winter Market and Sing-Along at the Cabin, Dec. 17th, 5 8pm, Yanda Log Cabin, Glen Carbon. Looking for unique, affordable gifts? This is the place! Vendors include: Seven Forks Farm, Iris Hill Farm, Gingerstitcher, Tenderloin Lavender Farms, Nook Handsewn Crafts, The Glen Carbon Library, Glen Ed Pantry, HappilyEverLaughterrCustom Jewelry and New Direction Farm.

The Christmas Carol Pub Crawl, Dec. 17th, 5 8pm, Downtown District, O’Fallon. Get into the Christmas Spirits with your ugliest Christmas sweater and sing your way around downtown with a Christmas carol! Each bar will be great practice for your team to compete in the Christmas carol contest at the end of the night. Christmas drink specials, Christmas carol contest, ugliest Christmas sweater contest, prizes and get your picture taken with Bad Santa! Sign up your team of 10 or less at bit.ly/3EUFURc.

A Very Merry Family Adventure, Dec. 17th, 5:30m, 1 District Dr. Edwardsville. Join us for a fun evening of sharing stories, searching for Christmas lights, and time together with family and friends. Sign up for a time slot and come pick up your scavenger hunt kit at Liberty Middle School. You will even have a chance to win a gift card from one of our amazing EdGlen small businesses! Sign up by clicking this link: bit.ly/3H09BD9.

Winter Market 2022, Dec. 17th & 18th, 10am 4pm, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville. Winter Market is a holiday shopping experience for you and your family! Shop & Stroll 30,000 square feet of one of kind gifts, handmade crafts, boutique items, kid crafts & activities, family fun for everyone! Admission and parking are free.

The Nutcracker Tea Party, Dec. 18th, 12pm, The Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville. Whitley's Wishes Nutcracker Tea Party is sure to become your new favorite holiday family tradition! Join us for a magical afternoon with Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince as the advanced class from Rena's Dance Unlimited performs selections from this holiday classic. This 45 minute performance will delight the child in all of us but is especially suitable for little one's ages 3 10. Kids 3 12 can also enter our coloring contest for a chance to win their very own Nutcracker! Proceeds from this event go to Whitley's Wishes to fund critical research needed to find a cure for DIPG, pediatric brain cancer. For tickets, go to bit.ly/3UjBbOH.

Holiday Fun With Popcorn

Popcorn is such a fun, simple and versatile food, especially during the holidays! It’s great for parties, an afternoon snack or pick me up after a long day of shopping and decorating. Here are a couple recipes that are perfect for this time of year. They also make great gifts! Visit Popcorn.orgto find more sweet, salty and savory holiday recipe ideas.

Gingersnap Popcorn Snack Mix

Yield: 2 quarts

2 quarts popped popcorn butter flavored nonstick cooking spray

1/3 cup granulated sugar substitute

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread popcorn on baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

• In small bowl, combine sugar substitute,ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and freshly ground pepper; sprinkle evenly over popcorn.

• Spray again with nonstick cooking spray and toss to coat evenly.

• Bake 7 minutes and serve warm.

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Bark

Yield: 1 pound

5 cups popped popcorn

12 ounces white chocolate baking chips, chopped white chocolate or white candy coating

1 cup crushed hard candy peppermints

• Cover baking pan with foil or wax paper; set aside.

• Place popcorn in large bowl; set aside.

• In double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, or melt according to package directions.

• Stir in crushed peppermints after chocolate is melted. Pour chocolate mixture over popcorn mixture and stir to coat. Spread onto prepared pan; cool completely.

• When chocolate is cooled and set, break into chunks for serving.

• Store in airtight container at room temperature.

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