Community Calendar

Be "Wrapped in Plaid" at the Springfield Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 13 at 2 pm. The classic Springfield event returns to celebrate the rich and varied threads of our community and highlight the holiday season, all wrapped in the warmth and tradition of plaid.

The Springfield Christmas Parade will march up South Avenue from Elm Street, circle the west side of Park Central Square and then continue east on St. Louis Street to the Springfield Expo Center. Featuring marching bands from local high schools, Louie from the Springfield Cardinals, the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners, BWI's spinning port-a-potty and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The parade will be led by the grand marshals, the Central High School Kilties Drum & Bugle Corps & Alumni, in celebration of their 100th Anniversary. The Kilties hold the distinction of being the oldest, continually running, all-female uniformed Scottish drum and bugle corps in the United States. They have been a proud Springfield tradition since their founding in 1926 by R. Ritchie Robertson. The parade honors the corps' century of excellence, community service, and dedication to tradition.

Preceding the parade, there will be a Christmas Market on Park Central Square beginning at noon. The market offers parade-goers festive holiday shopping opportunities. This also marks the final weekend to vote in the Downtown Holiday Window Challenge, where visitors of Downtown Springfield can cast their vote for their favorite holiday window display.

The celebration will continue in the evening after the parade with free horse-drawn carriage rides from 6 pm to 9 pm, provided by the Downtown CID, and the opportunity to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus below the grand Christmas tree in the square between 5 pm and 8 pm. Families are encouraged to make Saturday a full day of fun in Downtown Springfield.

The Springfield Christmas Parade is presented by College Station Theaters and managed by the Downtown Springfield Association. The Springfield Christmas Parade is also made possible through the support of the following sponsors: Downtown CID, Ozarks First, Phelps County Bank, and the City of Springfield.

This event unites veterans, active-duty service members, veteran support organizations, and patriotic supporters to honor military service, foster meaningful connections, and celebrate in a gameday atmosphere.

Registration is required.

The Dade County Community Theatre will present A Twisted Christmas Carol by Phil Olson December 12-20 at the Dade County ArtConnect Center.

Tickets are required.

Saturday, December 13th, 2025
Doors: 9:00PM
Show: 9:30PM
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in 2017.
As a stand-up, Johnson headlines theaters, clubs, colleges, and festivals around the world and you can currently find him on his FLOWERS TOUR. He is also a prolific writer and performer who puts out weekly stand up sets on his YouTube channel. In 2024, Johnson released 28 hours of stand up and he is on track to exceed that amount this year. The content on his YouTube channel has been viewed over 340 million times by people all over the world.

The Dade County Community Theatre will present A Twisted Christmas Carol by Phil Olson December 12-20 at the Dade County ArtConnect Center.

Tickets are required.

Adults are invited to attend Ozarks Trombone Quartet: A Holiday Concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, in the Library Station Frisco Room, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway.

Enjoy holiday favorites with the Ozarks Trombone Quartet, featuring top local musicians from the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Missouri Jazz Orchestra. This program is sponsored by Friends of the Library.

For more information on this free program call 417-865-1340.

The Southern Ozarks Community Orchestra, with the Willow Springs Arts Council, will perform their holiday concert “All is Calm… then the Bells Ring" on December 14 at the Historic Start Theater. Tickets will be available at the door.

The Queen City Chorale will present Handel's Messiah December 14 at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

A beloved masterwork returns with bold, communal spirit as singers from across the Ozarks present a large-scale performance of Handel’s Messiah.

This collaborative event will feature a large ensemble of musicians, including a professional orchestra and soloists, bringing this sacred score to life in full force.

Send a cheerful greeting to a loved one the old fashioned way.

Children ages 7 and older are invited to attend Merry Movie Medley from 3-5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15, at the Ash Grove Branch Library, 101 E. Main St.

Gather your friends and family for a festive movie night featuring timeless ’90s Christmas classic "Home Alone," rated PG.

For more information on this free program call 417-751-2933.