City of O’Fallon enjoys prosperous holiday season of activities with an eye toward 2023

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style

In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas

Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile – “Silver Bells”

Talk about a Christmas spirit. Starting with the festive Illuminated Holiday Parade that drew thousands to downtown O’Fallon and continuing the community camaraderie throughout the month of December, Downtown District merchants and the O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce are jolly about a most wonderful time this year.

Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25 drew crowds, which continued through the month, supported by O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce incentives — “Tinsel Around Town” and “It Pays to Buy Local” campaign.

“Many of the merchants in the district had record setting small business Saturday sales,” said Jon Greenstreet, owner of Bike Surgeon and part of the merchants’ association. “It was great to see the customers engaging with local.”

The biggest day downtown was Saturday, Dec. 10, with the hustle and bustle of the Winter Market at O’Fallon Station, plus the chamber’s Tinsel Around Town promotions, a Kids Craft Market at VFW Post 805, the O’Fallon Public Library presenting Story Time at the Caboose and more holiday cheer.

Andrew Dallner, director of O’Fallon Parks and Recreation, which oversees O’Fallon Station, called the turnout “phenomenal.” He said cars were parked on five blocks either way.

“Winter Market was amazing! The biggest market crowd ever,” Greenstreet said.

It Pays to Buy Local Campaign

For the second year, the chamber conducted an “It Pays to Buy Local” campaign, which tracked what businesses brought in the most dollars and also had the most receipts submitted.

“We blew out last year’s total dollars by almost $35,000 while gaining an extra 96 receipts submitted,” said Chamber Director Debbie Arell-Martinez, who wanted to thank participating businesses and the community.

During the 22 shopping days between Nov. 21-Dec. 19, if people purchased something for at least $10 at a participating local business, they could upload a receipt photo and fill out contact information, and for every $10, get one entry into a drawing for cash prizes. There was no limit to how many receipts people could submit. Individuals received double points for receipts with items purchased during Tinsel Around Town and the Winter Market on Dec. 10.

Participating businesses included: 1st Street Lounge, Art Gecko Creative Studio, Bike Surgeon, Birch Market, Boarding House Bistro, Furchild, Juice Heal Thrive, Nitro Family Foods, Refinery Salon, Sanctuary Salon, Steven Mueller Florist, Sweet Katie Bee’s Bakery & Café, and all Vine Street Winter Market vendors.

A total of 595 receipts were submitted, with Furchild having the most, 190, followed by Bike Surgeon at 173, Refinery Salon with 58, Steven Mueller Florist at 34 and Nitro Salsa with 22.

A total of $103,817 in sales were submitted in receipts, with Bike Surgeon first, Refinery Salon second, Furchild third, Steven Mueller Florist fourth and Nitro Salsa fifth.

Some downtown merchants participated in the second annual Christmas Carol Pub Crawl, where people could win prizes in the Ugly Sweater Contest and a team singing Christmas Carol contest Dec. 17.

On Dec. 19, the chamber wrapped up the Snowman Selfie contest, and the winners were Brightly Senior Living in Glen Carbon for Most Creative and Redbird Pediatrics in O’Fallon for most selfies taken, with its “Dr. JP Frost” display. Winners in drawings won a total of $600.

The popular Snowman Selfie Challenge, started a couple years ago, has people upload selfies taken at participating businesses on the #snowmanselfiechallenge Facebook page, which entered them into drawings for cash prizes - $500, 250, 125, 75 and 50.

“We had an amazing time watching the selfies and receipts flow in over the last month,” Arell-Martinez said.

Giving Back Traditions

The O’Fallon Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 198 made Christmas a little brighter for 44 children by providing them with a shopping spree for toys, clothes, and gifts in the 22nd annual O’Fallon Cops & Kids program Dec. 4.

Kicking off the season was the Illuminated Holiday Parade, which was switched from Saturday to Sunday, Nov. 27, because of inclement weather. After this treasured community tradition took place, a free community gathering on Vine Street from Bike Surgeon to O’Fallon Station, with hot chocolate, popcorn, cookies, cider, ornaments, coloring pages, letters to Santa, and character greetings.

“You all showed up in many thousandw ... and shared your spirit and love right back with us. I hope this tradition continues for many years to come — growing and sharing and loving each other through it all. I love this town, and I love this parade. Thank you all for participating in and supporting us year after year ... This is truly done by a small crew of 15ish folks, and we love every minute!” wrote chairman Beth Ortega on the event Facebook page.

O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach took note of the successful holiday activities downtown.

“They had a very, very good season. People enjoyed coming downtown and participating in any and all of the activities,” he said at the Dec. 19 city council meeting.

Now in its fourth season, the O’Fallon Station is thriving as an event hub, which was the point to the Destination O’Fallon economic development initiative approved in 2016. Downtown has been revitalized, and a partnership between the city and the businesses have coordinated activities to draw people there.

Wreaths Across America

For the sixth year, the O’Fallon Rotary Club’s annual Wreaths Across America was a “total success,” said chair John “Woody” Almind, a retired Air Force colonel who coordinates the project for the club. He works throughout the year on the program, as the club raises funds and recruits volunteers to help with the mission.

Across the nation, similar programs took place this year Saturday, Dec. 17. It’s a national event to honor those who have served the country and is held the third Saturday in December.

“The mission of Wreaths Across America is to 1.) Remember the fallen, 2.) Honor those who serve and their families and 3.) Teach our children the value of freedom,” Almind said. “With that in mind, the ceremony is a ‘teaching’ ceremony that will teach our youth to honor our veterans. We teach them the significance of taps, the 21-gun salute, and so forth.”

The O’Fallon Rotary Club purchased 792 wreaths to place in three O’Fallon and three Shiloh cemeteries:

• O’Fallon City Cemetery, 601 N Oak St. (340 wreaths).
• Keppler’s Cemetery aka St. Joseph Burial Association, near 701 O’Fallon-Troy Road (just north of O’Fallon) Lebanon (20 wreaths).
• Rock Spring Cemetery, 40 Commerce Drive, Lebanon (near cement plant) (five wreaths).
• Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery (St. Clare Cemetery) near 4060 Lebanon Ave. (Village of Shiloh) (310 Wreaths).
• Shiloh Cemetery, near 210 S Main St., across the street from Shiloh First United Methodist Church (93 wreaths)
• Engelmann Cemetery, off Shiloh Station Road (five wreaths).

“We had the biggest turnout ever,” Almind said. “We had 23 Boy and Girl Scout Troops participating — the most ever.

The O’Fallon Township High School Interact Club handed out programs.

O’Fallon Rotarian Bob Kaufman emceed this year’s event. Olivia White, a senior at OTHS, sang the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance was performed by Cub Scout Pack 47, led by Scoutmaster Ryan Sommer. Taps was performed by OTHS Marching Panthers Nathaniel Boston and Bryce Mikos.

Those placing the wreaths included the Boy and Girl Scouts, OTHS AFJROTC Cadets, OTHS Interact Club and Daughters of the American Revolution — Looking Glass Prairie Chapter (Kim Dalrymple) and Belleville Chapter (Brandy Werner and Paula Lea).

Almind said next year’s Wreaths Across America ceremony is Dec. 16.

What’s Ahead in 2023

Greenstreet said the Downtown District merchants have something planned every month.

“We have been working on the event calendar for 2023 and we are kicking it off with Brian Keller Day on Jan. 28 with a trivia walk and an art show at the station, 1-5 p.m. We have something planned for each month and a big event each season,” he said.