JEFFERSON CITY – Step back in time and into the spirit of the season at Missouri state parks and historic sites! From festive candlelight tours to traditional German, French and Ozark customs, Missouri State Parks has it all. Whether you’re looking for a historical old-fashioned Christmas, a visit with Santa or carolers, state parks and historic sites offer memory-making experiences for your winter celebrations.
- 4-28, Winter Traditions: An Exploration of Celebrations at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site.
The public is invited to view the exhibit “Winter Traditions: An Exploration of Celebrations” during the month of December. The exhibit explores Missouri’s unique cultural journey and the traditions that influenced it. It touches on winter traditions from Haiti, Italy, Indigenous cultures and more. The exhibit is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays at the Shaw House, 200 Merchant St., Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
- 5-7, Frozen Chosin Challenge at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park.
From Dec. 5-7, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park will host a series of winter treks collectively known as the Frozen Chosin Challenge. Sponsored by the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial, this event is designed to bring awareness to the Korean War – specifically the Battle of Chosin Reservoir – and its participants. The event consists of three separate challenges over three days. The purpose of the event is not for participants to compete against each other but to work as teams, making certain each person completes the course. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is located at 148 Taum Sauk Trail, Middle Brook, Missouri.
- Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., Tree Lighting and Salem Chamber Choir Performance at Echo Bluff State Park.
Ring in the holiday with the park’s annual tree lighting and Salem Chamber Choir performance. The festivities will take place inside the Betty Lea Lodge and start with the tree lighting. After the lighting, the choir will fill the rafters of the lodge with heavenly music as they perform traditional and international holiday carols. Refreshments will be available complements of the lodge. Echo Bluff State Park is located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive in Eminence, Missouri.
- 6-7 and Dec. 13-14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Weihnachtsfest at Deutschheim State Historic Site.
Celebrate a traditional 19th century German Christmas in historic Hermann, Missouri. Throughout the event, the 1840 Pommer House will be decorated in the German Christmas style and open for free self-guided tours. Staff will be on-site handing out traditional springerle cookies and sharing how Christmas customs of German immigrants became American traditions still celebrated today. Depending on the weather, there may be a small Christmas market cart in front of the visitor center. Items for say may include springerle cookie molds and rolling pins, recipe books, imported German pop-up cards, children’s books, and ornaments for seasonal gift giving. Deutschheim State Historic Site is located at 101 W. Second St. in Hermann.
- Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m., Guided Bison Saunter at Prairie State Park.
Winter will be here before we know it, and that brings shorter days. Join the team on a 2-mile saunter over uneven terrain. Guests should bring water and snacks and dress for the weather. Registration is limited to 30 participants and is required. Call the park office at 417-843-6711 to reserve your space. Prairie State Park is located at 128 NW 150th Lane in Mindenmines, Missouri.
- Saturday, Dec. 6 from 1-8 p.m., Le Réveillon at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site.
Revel in the spirit of an early Missouri French Christmas during Le Réveillon as part of Ste. Genevieve’s annual Holiday Christmas Festival, which features events throughout the downtown area.
Event schedule is as follows:
- 1-3 p.m. – Paper filigree with Lisa Palmer of Never Bored Creations, LLC.
- 1-4 p.m. – Free tours of the lower level of the Felix Vallé House, decorated for the holidays.
- 2-4 p.m. – Traditional dances performed by Dance Discovery, a St. Louis-based dance troupe that performs historically authentic social dances from the 1600s to the present.
- 6-8 p.m. – Le Réveillon. Enjoy candle lit tours of the Felix Vallé House, and experience Le Réveillon, a traditional fest held after midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Interact with interpreters in period dress and enjoy special desserts including buche de Noel.
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site is located at 198 Merchant St. in Ste. Genevieve.
- Saturday, Dec. 6 from 2-6 p.m., Ozark Christmas Traditions at Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site.
Travel back in time and see how the Boone family and residents of Greene County celebrated Christmas in the 1800s. Drop in for a visit with St. Nicholas, make a 19th century door decoration, and learn Christmas customs of the Missouri Ozarks. As day fades to night, watch the site come aglow with lanterns and listen to the sounds of Christmas from the Echoes of Dogwood Mountain dulcimer groups. The historic site is located at 7850 N. State Highway V in Ash Grove, Missouri.
- Saturday, Dec. 6 from 5-7 p.m., Old-Fashioned Christmas at Arrow Rock State Historic Site.
Step back in time at Arrow Rock State Historic Site’s annual Old-Fashioned Christmas event. The historic buildings will be open and staffed with interpreters dressed in their finest Christmas attire, and the streets will be filled with carolers and horse-drawn carriages. In addition, there will be a living nativity to commemorate the season, and shops and restaurants throughout the village will be open. Arrow Rock State Historic Site is located at 39521 Visitor Center Drive in Arrow Rock, Missouri.
- Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Candlelight Christmas Concerts at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site.
Join the team for a performance by Rick Thum and Friends in the warm glow of the candlelit legislative chambers to evoke memories of a historic past and bring to life some well-known Christmas songs and the stories behind them. These merry melodies will surely get you in the holiday spirit. Both shows will take place upstairs in the Capitol. Attendees are encouraged to dress warmly, as the building does not have central heating. Tickets are required and are $14 each. Tickets can be purchased at the site or by phone. There is a limit of 50 tickets per concert and four per family. To purchase tickets, call 636-940-3323. First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site is located at 200 S. Main St., St. Charles, Missouri.
- Friday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Candlelight Open House at Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site.
Experience an 1860s Victorian Christmas during a candlelight open house of the Hunter-Dawson Home. The mansion will be aglow with the warmth of oil lamps and candles and decorated with fresh greenery, Christmas trees and 1860s-style ornaments. Staff dress in period clothing will be available to answer any questions. The candlelight open house will take place on Dec. 12-13 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Standard daytime tours will also be offered hourly from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. those days. The open house is free, and there is no need to register. Payment is required for daytime tours. Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site is located at 312 Dawson Road in New Madrid, Missouri.
- Saturday, Dec. 13, noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14, noon to 5 p.m., A Very Peck Christmas:
An Old-Time Shopping Experience at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site.
Take a break from the wrapping, baking and decorating and enjoy a simpler time on the Missouri frontier! Step back in time to experience the ambiance of shopping by candlelight at the 1820s Peck Bros. Dry Good and Hardware Store. Products for sale include old-fashioned toys and games, lye soap, candy, handmade items, Christmas ornaments and more. Enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season with your family to discover these unique items that are perfect as stocking stuffers or small gifts! The store is located on the first floor of the Capitol complex at 200 S. Main St. in St. Charles, Missouri.
- Saturday, Dec. 13 from 5-7 p.m., Christmas Open House at Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site.
Celebrate the holiday season with a visit to Harry S Truman’s birthplace. The home will be lit by candles and adorned with Christmas decorations. Step back into the 19th century and see how Christmas was celebrated during Truman’s childhood. Enjoy wassail and cookies while the kids write letters to Santa. Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site is located at 1009 Truman, Lamar, Missouri.
- Sunday, Dec. 14 from 2-4 p.m., Old-Fashioned Christmas at Crowder State Park.
Join Crowder State Park staff and the Friends of the Thompson House for an old-fashioned Christmas celebration. Come make old-fashioned Christmas ornaments, enjoy refreshments and watch the kids visit with Santa. Meet at the equestrian parking lot at 2 p.m. and then head to the Thompson House, the oldest house in Grundy County. In case of inclement weather, activities will be moved to the Camp Grand River Recreation Hall. Crowder State Park is located at 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton, Missouri.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.