Santa Claus Christmas Celebration Extended for Month-long Festivities

SANTA CLAUS — During the Christmas season visitors flock to the town of Santa Claus, Ind. for its Christmas Parade and Festival of Lights during the second week of December. This year, however, visitors will find much more to do as the festivities are extended from a one weekend event to a month-long celebration packed full of Christmas activities.

The action will begin on Friday November 20 with an official tree lighting ceremony where Santa will make his first appearance of the season. The celebration will then run for a full month until Sunday, December 20.  Philip Koch, president of Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort, has worked in hand with Kevin Klosowski, owner of Santa’s Candy Castle, to plan the festivities for this year’s celebration.

“This is going to be the event we’ve always wanted but never had,” Koch said, “a celebration appropriate to the town’s name.”

Some events include a pre-Christmas dinner, tree lighting ceremony and Christmas Karaoke every Friday. Saturdays will offer original contests such as fruit cake eating races, present wrapping challenges, Christmas tree decorating contests and gingerbread house building competitions. The Festival of Lights, a tour of decorated homes in Christmas Lake Village, will return for both the second and third Saturdays in December. A new 1.2 mile light show will take visitors through Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort as they learn the true story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from 20 to 30 foot tall scenes custom made for the program.

In addition, Klosowski plans to roast chestnuts while visitors enjoy story time with Santa at the Candy Castle. He also invites local churches and high school choirs to sing carols during the activities.

Koch would also like to set up a weekend craft show in the Lake Rudolph Auxiliary Building. Crafters can set up and leave displays for the duration of the celebration. “We need artisans,” Koch said, “beyond those who participate at the weekend-long fest.”

New to the agenda this year is a Christmas wine tasting event scheduled for the second weekend in December at the Christmas Lake Golf Course. Also look forward to the Santa Claus United Methodist Church’s puppet show, the Optimist’s Breakfast and events at Santa’s Lodge and a Family Fun Run around the area.

This packed celebration schedule is full of volunteer and vendor opportunities. Organizations and individuals that wish to donate their time or set up a booth for profit are asked to call 812-224-1790 for more information.

“We want to help everyone in town,” Koch said, “churches, schools, charities, businesses and individuals. We want families to come here and create wonderful memories, to make people happy, raise money for charities and businesses and grow the town of Santa Claus.”

For more information call Philip Koch at 812-224-1790 or the Spencer County Visitors Bureau at 1-888-444-9252.