OWENSVILLE — Area residents and visitors will have several opportunities to celebrate the holiday season with events Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5-6, in Owensville, Rosebud, Gerald and Bland.

First up Friday is Santa’s Parade of Lights by the Owensville Chamber of Commerce. The annual event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Owensville with free activities, food and refreshment booths lining First Street, a s’mores bonfire by Harvest Church near the Moose Lodge and Santa Claus available for photos and visits inside the old Circle D building. Children’s choir singing will begin around 6:45 p.m., followed by Santa’s lighting of the tree at the corner of North First Street and Peters Avenue and then the parade. This year there will be no snowflake drop but the Chamber has added a petting zoo by S & R Livestock LLC to the event.

Saturday morning festivities begin at 7 a.m. at the Owensville Masonic Lodge with an all you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast and Santa on location for children to take photos with through 10 a.m. The breakfast costs $12 per adult and $5 per child, is open to the public and will include biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and beverages. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Helping Hands Outreach Center of Gasconade County food pantry.

The Owensville High School (OHS) band program’s 33rd annual Winter Craft Market begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and runs through 3 p.m. at the OHS gymnasium. Attendees can expect to enjoy food, raffles, music, shopping for gifts, gift wrapping and more, with a special visit from Santa at noon. All proceeds from this event will benefit the OHS band.

The Gasconade County Threshers Toy Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Rosebud where several vendors will be selling farm toys, pedal tractors and other new, vintage and antique toys. This event is $5 for adult admission and children get in free with an adult.

Santa will make a quick visit to the Gerald-Rosebud Fire Protection District station in Gerald from 12-2 p.m. with free photo opportunities with Santa, hot cocoa, candy canes and cookies before he heads to downtown Rosebud.

Rosebud Area Enrichment Association’s Christmas in downtown Rosebud event begins at 12 p.m. Saturday with several family fun activities planned. Horse drawn carriage rides and raffle ticket sales will take place from 12-5 p.m. Prizes for this year’s raffle include a light pink wheeled Yeti roadie cooler filled with $2,500 worth of items including $2,000 in cash, gift certificates and gift cards as well as donated items for the first-place winner, a Plein Air painting valued at $500 along with $300 cash for the second place winner and $300 cash for the third place winner. Tickets for the raffle are $1 each or six for $5. Winners will be drawn at 5 p.m.

From 1-4 p.m., visitors may enjoy a petting zoo, face painting and the Monkey Bus. The first responder parade will take place at 3 p.m. followed by a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus at 3:15 p.m. and the drawing of letters to Santa at 4 p.m. with a special toy donated by Tonya Zelch given to the winner. OHS choir will present holiday-themed music from 4:30 to 5 p.m. when the tree lighting occurs.

Also held in Rosebud on Saturday will be Christmas at the Barn with live music from 12-3 p.m., free popcorn, cookies and drinks, free pictures with Santa from 1-3 p.m. with a donation of a non-perishable food item for local food pantries. Special prize drawings will be held for children.

Closing the evening Saturday will be Bland Christian Church’s fourth annual Miracle in the Message, a free drive-through experience at the Bland City Park from 5:30-8:30 p.m., showcasing the life of Jesus Christ with live actors and animals.

With activities stretching from morning to night, the weekend promises a full slate of festive traditions. Whether visiting Santa, shopping local or enjoying parades and music, families will find plenty of ways to ring in the holiday season together.