Friday, December 7, through Sunday, December 9
Downtown LeClaire IA
Local artisans, a local author, running reindeer, a lot of ugly sweaters, and, of course, appearances by St. Nick are among the guaranteed sights at this year's eagerly anticipated Christmas in LeClaire weekend, with holiday-themed events and family activities scheduled at more than a dozen downtown locales between December 7 and 9.
On December 7, LeClaire's Masonic Lodge will feature a cookie sale, soup, sandwiches, and crafts, while Riverside Foursquare Church has its own bake sale and cookie-decorating event for kids, with free coffee and hot chocolate provided. The LeClaire Civic Center opens the weekend's “Santa's Gift Shop” in which children can use Christmas in LeClaire dollars to shop for family and friends, and local author Blake Ross will also be on hand all weekend signing his books and prints. The Mississippi River Distilling Company, meanwhile, has free food and cocktail samples from 5 to 11 p.m., along with live music starting at 7 p.m., and more holiday tunes can be heard all weekend on the streets of LeClaire with the ukulele players of Razzleberries.
December 8 brings with it the inaugural half-mile Reindeer Dash beginning in the Civic Center parking lot at 9 a.m., an event featuring guest appearances by Dr. Seuss' Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, followed by the 10 a.m. Third-Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K Run. Master carver Luke Travers will create wooded shoes inside the Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the venue will also host lace-making demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., visits with the WQAD meteorologists from noon to 3 p.m., and balloon artist Jason Hamilton from 2 to 5 p.m.
Also taking place on Saturday: Breakfast with Santa at the LeClaire Happy Joe's from 8 to 10 a.m.; the annual Christmas Fun Festival with crafts, activities, and snacks at the Masonic Lodge; cookie decorating at Riverside Foursquare Church; vocal group The Harminators singing outside the Mississippi River Distilling Company; 1 to 2:30 p.m. photos with Santa at Granite Extract; and Christmas characters from around the world strolling all day through the downtown streets.
This year's Christmas in LeClaire wraps up on December 9 with additional lace-making demonstrations, crafts, activities, and visits by Blake Ross and Luke Travers at the Civic Center, plus tours at the Buffalo Bill Museum and free trolley rides with designated stops throughout the downtown district. And kids get one last chance, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., for photos with Santa at Granite Extract.
For more information on this year's Christmas in LeClaire, call (563)289-4205 or (563)370-3509, or visit VisitLeClaire.com.
