
Get ready for Christmas in Carthage!
Vision Carthage is bringing families together for Merry Mondays in December! Each Monday evening leading up to Christmas Day, look forward to free festive events as part of our Hometown Holidays initiative!


Join us as we light up downtown with the Mayor! This year the buildings on the square will be outlined in lights. Make sure you stay for the Carthage Christmas Parade hosted by Skills USA. This year's theme is "Merry Christmas America!" Hosted annually on the first Monday of December, this year's event falls on Dec. 7.
On Monday, Nov. 30, bring your baskets and holiday cheer to hunt for candy canes at Central Park in Carthage, MO. Find one of the special candy canes and win a prize! Take photos with Santa, enjoy hot chocolate, and make merry memories! This is a FREE event for the community! Join us at 6:30 p.m.


Join us at Kellogg Lake for an evening under the stars as we make s'mores over firepits, take pictures with Santa, create natural ornaments, go on a hay ride, and more!
This free event is made possible through a partnership with the Kellogg Lake Nature Center and Preserve and the Vision Carthage Hometown Holidays Committee.
Step into the magic of Christmas at Polar Express Night in Municipal Park!
Join us for an evening of holiday cheer, twinkling lights, festive activities, and Christmas magic. Bring the family, wear your coziest pajamas, and get ready for a memorable night inspired by the beloved holiday classic, The Polar Express. Special thanks to the Kiwanis Club for bringing the Christmas Train to life for kiddos on this night! All aboard for Christmas fun!


Get ready to spice up your holiday season! Join us on the square for Tamale Thursday on Dec. 17, a friendly (but deliciously fierce) tamale competition that brings together the boldest flavors in town!
Stroll the twinkling lights, sample mouthwatering tamales, and vote for your favorites as local chefs, home cooks, and tamale masters go head-to-head for bragging rights!
Bring your friends, bring your appetite, and bring your holiday cheer - this is one festive showdown you won't want to miss!
Vision Carthage is teaming up with Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre to bring you a cozy, festive evening downtown!
Local performers will share a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” along with a musical medley of Christmas classics for a FREE evening of entertainment you won't want to miss!


Get ready to jingle and mingle at our holiday pop-up bar: Spirit of the Square! Step inside this over-the-top festive wonderland packed with twinkling lights, tinsel galore, and holiday cheer on tap. Sip merry-themed cocktails, snap photos in our decked-out spaces, and soak up all the cozy, Christmas-y vibes. Whether you’re naughty, nice, or somewhere in between — this limited-time holiday spot on the square is the place to sleigh your evening with friends or that special someone!

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