Season’s greetings from Saint Charles! The region’s best free Christmas festival is almost here, and it’s time to start planning. St. Charles Christmas Traditions® opens on November 28 (the day after Thanksgiving), and runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from then until December 24 (Christmas Eve). You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a Hallmark Christmas movie as you walk along brick-lined Main Street decked in fresh pine greenery. Experience the magic of Saint Charles Christmas Traditions® as you meet the Legends of Christmas, shop local for Christmas gifts, and enjoy a delicious meal, all without leaving Historic Main Street. As you’re preparing for your trip to Saint Charles Christmas Traditions®, check out our list of can’t-miss activities and tips to make the most of your visit. Happy holidays!
OPENING DAY CEREMONY
When: November 28 after the Opening Day Procession at noon
Where: The KATY Depot in Frontier Park
Welcome the start of the holiday season with the Legends of Christmas on the deck of the historic KATY Depot! Whimsical holiday figures joyfully declare the start of Saint Charles Christmas Traditions® as Santa and Mrs. Claus cut the ribbon to begin Christmastime in Saint Charles.
THE SANTA PARADE
When: Noon on Saturdays & Sundays, PLEASE NOTE: there is not a Santa parade on Opening Day. There is a short procession of the characters as they make their way to the KATY Depot for the Opening Ceremony
Where: Between the 100 block of North Main Street to the intersection of Boone’s Lick and South Main Street
Witness a host of holiday figures, carolers, and Santas from around the world bring pomp and pageantry to Main Street St. Charles in the Santa Parade. Stand along the street to get a preview of the Legends of Christmas as they parade through the historic district. Stay until the end, the grand finale features a delegation of international gift-givers, each holding the flag of their native country. Victorian Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus follow in an enchanting horse-drawn carriage.
KRAMPUS KARNIVAL: THE BIZARRE, ODD, AND CURIOUS TRADITIONS OF CHRISTMAS
When: Friday evenings (excluding opening day) from 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Location: The KATY Depot in Frontier Park
Krampus Karnival is without a doubt, the most unique Christmas event you can find. Make sure your Christmas card is the most memorable with a family photo with Krampus, the furry creature known as the punitive partner of Saint Nicholas in Bavarian and Austrian culture. Revel in his playful antics and play “Krampus-fied” carnival games with his friends (that include an Icelandic Ogress, a whimsical singing skeletal horse, and mischievous Greek trolls) at this “merry” not “scary” event.
TIP: Show your Krampus spirit by getting an exclusive Friday-night-only Krampus shirt and collect the special commemorative cards only available at Krampus Karnival.
“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” STROLL
When: Wednesdays (12/3, 12/10, 12/17), 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Location: Historic Main Street St. Charles
Enter the classic Charlie Dickens novel “A Christmas Carol” as St. Charles Main Street turns into the foggy streets of 1840s London for “A Christmas Carol” Stroll. Memorable characters and scenes hop off the page and come to life as you walk in the footsteps of Ebenezer Scrooge. Experience his adventures with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come firsthand. You may even run into British Pantomime performers, a 19th-century toy vendor, or Her Majesty Queen Victoria herself!
TIP: Collect a full set of Wednesday-exclusive commemorate cards at “A Christmas Carol” Stroll. A full set of the story cards creates its own summarized version of the classic Christmas story that fits right in your hands.
PHOTOS WITH SANTA
When:
- Opening day (11/28): 12:45 PM to 7 PM (Santa leaves the Depot at 7:45 PM)
- Saturdays: 12:45 PM to 7 PM (Santa leaves the Depot at 7:45 PM)
- Sundays: 12:45 PM to 4:30 PM
- Wednesdays: 6 PM to 8:30 PM
- Christmas Eve (12/24): 11 AM to 1 PM
Location: The KATY Depot in Frontier Park
This isn’t your typical Santa photo experience. At Saint Charles Christmas Traditions®, guests get special one-on-one private time with Santa in his parlor, allowing for heartfelt interactions that create memories that last a lifetime, without dozens of people watching you from line.
***on Opening Day and Saturdays, Santa LEAVES the depot at 7:45PM. Depending on when you arrive/ how long the line is, visitors that arrive close to that time may not get a photo with Santa (his helpers will let you know when you arrive). Arrive by 7PM to be sure to get a photo!
TIP: If you want to skip the busy weekend lines at the KATY Depot, catch Santa and Mrs. Claus near the Christmas tree in Berthold Square (200 block of South Main Street) on Friday evenings (12/5, 12/12, 12/19). Wednesday nights at the depot are less busy, as well!
LIVE CHRISTMAS CAROLERS
When: Throughout the festival
Where: Historic Main Street Saint Charles
A famous elf once said, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Christmas carolers from multiple different decades fill the air with holiday classics at Christmas Traditions®. Catch ensembles like the USO Evergreens and Mistletoe Misses, the Cobblestone Wassailers, and the Singin’ Snowmen belting out your favorite Christmas songs throughout each festival day.
TIP: If you want to see all of the caroler groups at once, attend the Sounds of the Season: A Celebration of Caroling History concert on Opening Day, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2:30 PM on the Grand Staircase of the Old Post Office (119 South Main Street). The ensembles put on a special performance as they take the audience on a journey through holiday music history that includes facts about each song.
OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAY TREATS
When: Throughout the festival
Location: Chestnuts are at the Daniel Boone Statue located between the 700 and 800 blocks of South Main Street and the Wassail is located in Berthold Square at the 200 block of South Main Street
Find chestnuts roasting on an open fire along Main Street at Saint Charles Christmas Traditions®. Get roasted chestnuts as a tasty snack or use them as old-fashioned hand warmers. Wash them down and warm up with a hot cup of wassail. Served by merry milkmaids-turned-wassailers (of “12 Days of Christmas” fame), get yours just up the street in Berthold Square.
TIP: Purchase a cup of wassail in an exclusive reusable 2025 Christmas Traditions® mug that’s only available while supplies last.
SANTA SEND-OFF
When: December 24 at 1:30 PM
Location: The Kister Park Gazebo
Join the Legends of Christmas for a festive pep rally and bid farewell to Victorian Santa and Mrs. Claus before they return to the North Pole to prepare for the big night. This heartwarming celebration brings the community together to reflect on a magical season of Saint Charles Christmas Traditions®, filled with joy, wonder, and memories.