O’Fallon Around Town — Nov. 24 edition

▪ Noon Friday, Nov. 25 is the deadline to appear in next week’s “Around Town” listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Due to the number of submissions, events may run only one time in print, will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: O’Fallon Progress Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Thursday, Nov. 24

▪ 9th annual Community Thanksgiving Meal — 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Faith Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 520 E. Highway 50, O’Fallon. Arrive between serving hours for dine-in service. Free and open to all residents of Shiloh, O’Fallon, Scott AFB and surrounding areas. Sponsored by Citizens for O’Fallon Community Thanksgiving Meal. 618-235-1588 or ofallonthanksgiving@gmail.com.

Thursday, Nov. 24 thru Saturday, Dec. 31

▪ 53rd annual Way of Lights Christmas Display — 5-9 p.m. nightly. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, 442 S. De Mazenod Drive, 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. Free admission to the outdoor light display. Paid features include camel, donkey and pony rides, petting zoo, kettle corn, food booth, carriage rides, community music performances, LEGO display and more. 618-397-6770 or snows.org.

▪ Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland — 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Horner Park, 11113 Widicus Road, Lebanon. Enjoy a mixture of colorful lights with beautiful cut-outs depicting scenes and whimsical adventures. lebanonswinterwonderland.org

Thursday, Nov. 24 thru Saturday, Jan. 7

▪ 10th annual Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden — Hours vary by date. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. Immerse yourself in a wonderland of more than 1.5 million lights, including spectacular new shows and favorite holiday tradition. New this year: A spectacular new show fills the pools in front of the Climatron with more than 100,000 lights. Advanced tickets are strongly encouraged to guarantee the date/time of your choosing. Tickets range from $3 to $22. Family Nights, which include $3 children’s tickets, are Wednesday nights through Dec. 14. Garden Glow is closed December 24 and 25. For more information, visit mobot.org/glow.

Friday, Nov. 25

▪ O’Fallon Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

Friday, Nov. 25 thru Tuesday, Dec. 27

▪ Christmas Wonderland Light Display — 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 5-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Rock Spring Park, 2100 College Ave., Alton. More than 4 million lights will twinkle against the beautiful backdrop of Rock Spring Park, lighting the way toward another illuminating holiday season. Returning this year to Christmas Wonderland will be the annual walk-through event set for Monday, Nov. 28. People are allowed to walk through the park during the evening to enjoy the lights. Admission for the walk through is $1 per person. The popular Enchanted Forest will also be open this year for visitors. Holiday trees are decorated by community organizations, schools and scout groups. Visitors to the park vote on their favorite and the organization’s tree with the most votes receives a cash prize. Santa will once again be back at the Santa House. Family members are encouraged to take their own photos with Santa at no charge. Admission to Christmas Wonderland is a suggested donation of $7 for cars and small vans or $1 per person for vehicles holding more than 10 people. 800-258-6645 or riversandroutes.com.

Friday, Nov. 25 thru Friday, Dec. 30

▪ U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo — 5-8:30 p.m. on select nights only. Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, St. Louis. ‘Tis the season for holiday lights and sweaters! The dazzling holiday event features brand-new light displays and themed areas. Warm up with winter-themed treats, and say hello to the animals at Penguin & Puffin Coast and the Insectarium. For tickets and info: stlzoo.org/wildlights.

Saturday, Nov. 26

▪ Winter Wonderland Small Business Saturday Craft Fair — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station, 212 E. 1st St., O’Fallon. Winter Wonderland on Small Business Saturday is a small business spin on the traditional shopping experience, reminding people to #ShopSmallFirst. See all of the fun and exciting ways your small business favorites kick off this season. facebook.com/events/830725824881567

▪ Concert at the Garden’s Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum — 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. The Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum at the Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. Featuring musicians of HEARDing Cats Collective, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, promotion, and preservation of intermedia art and non-traditional music. mobot.org/museum

▪ Christmas Candlelight Tours — 5-8 p.m. (online timed tickets available). The 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House, 409 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville. The historic home will be aglow in candlelight and bedecked in early 19th-century decorations as visitors are immersed in a truly interactive historical experience. A variety of activities are planned to showcase the stories of those who lived at the Stephenson House in the early 1820s. Enjoy a leisurely visit in traditionally decorated rooms as historical interpreters discuss the history of the house and the Christmas customs of the families who lived there. Get a taste of homemade gingerbread made from an 1803 recipe baked in the kitchen hearth, learn a simple country dance in the dining room, sing carols around the parlor’s 1820 pianoforte, as well as vignettes in the servants’ quarters, master bedroom, and children’s bedroom. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online at stephensonhouse.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 30

▪ O’Fallon Sunrise Rotary Meeting — 6:45 a.m. O’Fallon Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. 618-210-8156 or ofallonsunriserotary.org.

Thursday, Dec. 1

▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Online via Zoom. Installation of officers. Program: “Iconography in the Cemetery” presented by Daniel Fuller, Event and Volunteer Coordinator, Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum. This program will explore Bellefontaine Cemetery for examples of imagery, but the education will be helpful at all cemeteries. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

Other area happenings

▪ O’Fallon Township Senior Committee Dinner & Entertainment — 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. For O’Fallon Township residents only. Cost: $3 per person. Reservation deadline: Friday, Dec. 9.

▪ Nominating Petitions Available for the April 4, 2023, Consolidated Election — Nominating petitions are available at the Shiloh Municipal Building during regular business hours 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday for those persons interested in running for the office of Trustee at Large – three to be elected for a four-year term in the Tuesday, April 4, 2023, Consolidated Election. Filing begins at 7 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, and ends at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at the Shiloh Municipal Building, 1 Park Drive, Shiloh, IL 62269.

This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM.