The holiday season is kicking off in the Quad Cities with a host of annual events and activities. Here’s a look at some of the upcoming Christmas and holiday happenings to help you get into the holiday spirit:
- “A Christmas Story: The Musical,” through Saturday, Dec. 30, Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Ave., Rock Island; $56-$63.. For tickets and more information, call (309) 786-7733. ext. 2.
- Deck the Downtowns, a series of jolly holiday promotions encouraging people to eat, drink, shop and be merry Downtown Bettendorf, Davenport and Rock Island, through Monday, Jan. 1. The event features a Holiday Display Challenge with decorated storefronts painted by local artists (pick up a flier at downtown businesses to find all locations and vote for your favorite for a chance to win gift cards and goodies); a holiday pickle ornament hunt downtown Davenport (pick up a card at a downtown business, find the pickles and win a pickle ornament); a holiday train ornament hunt downtown Rock Island (find 10 trains to win a train ornament), and more.
- Winter Lights, through Monday, Jan. 1, Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 Fourth Ave., Rock Island. Bundle up and explore more than 225,000 glowing lights throughout the Sun Garden, Children’s Garden, lawns, pond, pocket gardens and more; $10 adults, $6 youth ages 2-15, free for kids under 2.
- Holiday Light Shows, Illuminate at Weed Park, Muscatine, Iowa, through New Year’s Eve. A $10 donation is suggested. Norbert F. Beckey Bridge will have a nightly synchronized music and light show at 7:45 p.m. from Friday, Dec. 1, to Monday, Jan. 1.
- Miracle at The Freight House, through Sunday, Dec. 31, 421 W. River Drive, Suite 2, Davenport. Christmas-themed cocktail pop-up bar with over-the-top kitschy, festive decor and a themed cocktail menu. Visit the website for more information.
- Aledo Main Street’s 18th Annual Holly Days, 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, Main Street, Aledo, Illinois. Santa pictures, tree lighting, parade, vendors and more.
- Jingle & Mingle, 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, Downtown Muscatine, Iowa. The annual stroll features shopping, pictures with Santa, visits from famous holiday characters, hot chocolate, live music and more with more than 30 participating businesses.
- Christmas in LeClaire, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 1-3, Downtown LeClaire. Shopping, crafts, baked goods, and silent auctions, Santa visits, holiday characters, Annual Ugly Sweater 5K and Kids’ Fun Run and Light Up LeClaire Parade Saturday and more. Friday night tree lighting has been canceled due to weather.
- Christmas in The Village, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, the Village of East Davenport. Shopping, children’s activities, trolley rides, ice sculpting, live window scenes, holiday characters, carolers, kettle corn, hot chocolate, Santa at the Village Firehouse, and at 9 p.m. Saturday fireworks and more.
- Merry Grinchmas Party, 6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, Village of New Windsor, Illinois. Raffles, prizes, treats, hot drinks, fun crafts and more holiday activities.
- Viola’s Christmas in the Village, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, Viola, Illinois. Face painting, vendors, pictures with Santa, parade and more.
- New Kingdom Trail Riders’ open house and pictures with Santa, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, New Kingdom Trail Riders, 18929 81st St., Sherrard, Illinois.
- DeWitt’s Annual Hometown Christmas, Saturday, Dec. 2, DeWitt, Iowa. Kids’ Christmas Carnival at Emmaus Road Church, with 25-cent carnival games and make-and-take crafts and prizes; Family Holiday Movie at the DeWitt Operahouse Theater, time TBD; as well as from 5-7 p.m. Live & Lit Window Walk; 5 p.m. lighted parade on Sixth Ave.; Christmas Tree Lighting in Lincoln Park and more.
- Rock Island Rotary Reindeer Ramble 5K Run/Walk, 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, Schwiebert Riverfront Park and bike path, Rock Island; $30. Festivities also will include a post-race party with hot cocoa, pie and pastries. Packet pickup and race-day registration will be 7:30-8:45 a.m. Dec. 3 at the nearby Rock Island Holiday Inn, 226 17th St.
The historic Hauberg Estate in Rock Island is celebrating its annual Winter in Bloom from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. CREDIT FRIENDS OF HAUBERG - Hauberg Estate’s Winter In Bloom, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, 1300 24th St., Rock Island. The annual open house includes hot chocolate and cookies, storytime with the Artsy Bookworm, crafts and games for kids, shopping at the Hauberg Stables Gift Shop, a cash bar in the Carriage Haus Bar, a Christmas Village display. From noon to 4 p.m. will be carriage rides and Santa visits will be from 1-3 p.m.
- 19th Century Christmas, noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, Butterworth Center, 1105 Eighth St., Moline; and Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Ave., Moline. Traditional Victorian Christmas, tours, hot chocolate, spiced cider, crafts, live music, visit with Santa and more. Free.
- ‘Tis the Season (for seniors), 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St., Bettendorf. Refreshments and live entertainment from bands, choirs, dancers and more. Registration is required by Thursday, Nov. 30; free. For more information or to register, call (563) 344-4113 or visit the website.
- The 25th Annual Blessing Tree event, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, Be the Light Park, State Street between 10th and 12th Streets, Bettendorf. In a collaboration between Gilda’s Club of the Quad Cities, Ascentra Credit Union, The Downtown Bettendorf Organization and City of Bettendorf, the event will feature cocoa, cookies, victorian carolers and more. Names of loved ones will be read at 6:15 p.m., and the tree will be illuminated at 6:30 p.m. Community members may sponsor a light, bow, or ornament in memory, celebration or in gratitude of a special person. The 32-foot tree will be visible from both sides of the river. For more information, visit the website or call (563) 326-7504.
Fireplaces and much more will wear their holiday finery once again for the Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center’s 19th Century Christmas. CREDIT BUTTERWORTH CENTER & DEERE-WIMAN HOUSE - Geneseo Christmas Walk: Gingerbread House Party, Saturday, Dec. 9, Geneseo, Illinois; 8:30 a.m. Jingle Run, 5-8 p.m. Lighted Christmas Parade, Gingerbread House Competition, Youth Essay/Coloring Contest, Christmas shopping and more.
- Polar Express Pajama Party, Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 14-17, Putnam Museum and Science Center, 1717 W. 12th St., Davenport. Cost is $16 for adults and $14 for youth, or $30 for a VIP package. Festivities at the museum include showings of “The Polar Express 3D,” make-and-take sleigh bells, face painting, a hot chocolate bar and much more. For more information, a complete schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
