Wonders of Christmas on the square, Jingle Bell parade is TONIGHT in G’ville

The annual Wonders of Christmas on the Gainesville Square festival and Jingle Bell Parade will be held this Friday, Dec. 5. 

The festival opens at 5 p.m. with vendor booths, which will remain open throughout the night. Also at 5 p.m., there will be singing in the gazebo, located on the courthouse lawn. 

The Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas contest will be held at 6 p.m. in the gazebo, and the Jingle Bell Parade begins at 7 p.m. 

After the parade, Santa will be available for visiting and photos in the gazebo. 

This year’s vendors

Allisa West, the booth and vendor coordinator for the event, says there are 27 vendors signed up to attend this year’s event! West gave the Times this current list of vendors who are planning on attending:

Curtright Catering and Services: flavored kettlecorn, burgers, hotdogs, rib sandwiches.

Maple Leaf Stitches: Crocheted hats and other items.

Christina’s Country Creations: baked goods. 

Ozark County Historium: buffet of homemade soups, chilis, cookies and drinks (located inside the Historium, on west side of the square across from the gazebo);

Hillbilly Kettlecorn: Kettle corn and pork rinds.

Uncle Charlie’s Deep Fryed Sweets: Funnel cakes, deep fried treats. 

Mamma Moon Herbals: Small-batch herbal products and jewelry. 

The Stables: ribbon fries, smoked brisket, pulled pork, smoked green chili chicken and corn dogs. 

Sandy Naegele: Knitted blankets, Christmas crafts. 

Freedom Church: Cotton candy and popcorn. 

Ozark County Circuit Clerk and Recorder’s office: giving away candy. 

Ambergurumi: Unique hats, stuffed animals, fidget toys.

Juanita and Greta: Baked goods. 

Destiny Homer: Organic Indian street food and hickory and chai tea. 

B and R Western Store: Custom leatherwork, handmade takc, cowhide stockings.

Options Pregnancy Center: Selling hot chocolate and Snowman treats. 

Gainesville Veterinary Hospital: Photo booth for kids and pets.

Piland Youth Camp: Baked potatoes, Piland sweatshirts.

Momma’s Crochet: crocheted baby blankets, snuggler teddy bears. 

Saints of Valor/Kingdom Daughters: Chicken fried rice.

Stockmens Bank: Giving away hot chocolate and cookies.

Dylan Abraham: Homemade vanilla extract.

Care to Learn: Giving out hats and gloves and selling Care to Learn apparel.

Going Back to Basics: Elderberry syrups, local honey, infused honey, organic bee pollen, dried herbs, baked goods, skin products.

Coe Hamm fundraiser: Raffle tickets for a benefit supporting 2-year-old Coe Hamm, diagnosed with a terminal illness. 

Jeff Goss: plants, seeds, vegetables, cedar sachets, soap, flower bulbs and pottery.

There is still space for other booths if vendors are interested in setting up to sell food or other items. There is no booth fee. Call Allisa West at 417-543-0407 to find out more. 

Singing and Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas contest

From 5 to 6 p.m., there will be singing and music at the gazebo, located on the courthouse lawn. At 6 p.m. that will change over to the annual Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas contest when children, ages 4-5, step up to the microphone and answer a series of questions from the contest emcee. 

The lighthearted contest usually features “gentle” questions like What are you looking forward to most at Christmas? What is your favorite part of Christmas or What is your favorite Christmas treat?  At the end of the questions, the child will have the opportunity to do a little something special. Sometimes they sing a song or tell a joke.

All contestants had to be pre-registered by Nov. 28 to participate. Each contestant will receive a gift. Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas will receive a gift and a crown and will have the option to ride in the parade.

Jingle Bell Parade

The Jingle Bell Parade begins at 7 p.m., and parade organizer Paula Rose says that it’s shaping up to be another lively event.

Rose says she’s extra excited that there will be four bands this year, more than usual. At presstime Tuesday, marching bands from Gainesville, Bradleyville and Chadwick had all confirmed that they will be performing. Also looking forward to the event is the Springfield Central High School Kiltie Drum & Bugle Corps, an absolute favorite at each year’s festival. 

In addition to the bands, there have been six or seven groups sign up to enter floats in the parade. All will be eligible for the annual float contest, which awards cash prizes each year. The grand prize winning float will win $150, first place $100, second place $75 and third place $50. 

The parade also offers cash prizes for best lighted vehicle with $100 going to first place and $50 to second. 

In addition to the bands, floats and lighted vehicles, there are a whole host of other vehicles and festive entries that will be participating.

Rose says there is still time to sign up to participate in the parade. Give her a call at 417-989-1282. 

Visits with Santa

The big man himself, Santa Claus, will be the honored guest in the Jingle Bell Parade, wrapping up the end of the line. 

When he’s made his way all the way around the square, his escorted ride will stop and allow him to exit and take his seat in front of the Christmas tree inside the Gainesville square gazebo. 

There he’s looking forward to visiting with little boys and girls from across the area about their Christmas lists. He’ll be available to take photos, free of charge too. Parents and guardians should bring their own camera or phone to snap the shots, as there will not be a photographer at the event taking photos. 

April Luna is parade marshal

This year’s 2025 Jingle Bell Parade Marshal is local resident April Luna. 

April, a middle school teacher at Gainesville, has been involved in a wide variety of community efforts and events over the years. 

She was very active in the Ozark County Relay For Life event for many years while it was still operational here. 

She’s also helped organize or emcee several different contests and competitions at Hootin an Hollarin including the queen pageant, Cedar Pete and Addie Lee contest, bed and outhouse races and costume contest. 

She also cooks dinner for her congregation each Wednesday at Mammoth Assembly of God, where she attends. She also lends her culinary talents to the 44th judicial district Foster Care Christmas party. 

She’s been involved in the Ozark County Toy Drive and the local P.E.O. chapter.

April and her husband Todd have three children: Hunter, Chase and Stella.  

April will be riding in this year’s Jingle Bell Parade. 

Rose told the Times that she enjoys choosing someone to serve as parade marshal who goes above and beyond to help the community in various ways - and April does just that.

Donate to the effort

Donations are needed each year to make the Wonders of Christmas festival a reality. Those donations allow prizes to be offered for bands, floats and lighted vehicles in the parade, signs and banners to be made and other expenses involved with the event. To donate to the effort, deposit checks in the “Ozark County Christmas Committee” account at Century Bank of the Ozarks in Gainesville. 

Editor’s note: To be safe, G&E Carriages won’t be offering their horse-drawn carriage rides at this year’s festival due to a recent outbreak of a deadly horse virus that has plagued other areas of the United States. They will be still be on hand to transport Santa in the Jingle Bell Parade - just this year he’ll be in a hay wagon.