Santa's coming to Downtown Poplar Bluff early this year with Christmas at the Depot. The annual holiday celebration begins tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot. Hours are from 4 - 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. It will end on a Saturday, Dec. 23.
Sponsored by the Black River Heritage Artisans, the event's festivities include a coat and toy drive, bake sale, free movie nights, vendor booths, various holiday contests, a silent auction, and pictures and cookies with Santa. Organizer Rhonda Belcher said each weekend will feature different events to ensure "all weekends are special."
"We will have several vendors setting up with a variety of items, and some different vendors each weekend and even each day on some weekends," she said.
The Holiday Coat and Toy drive was successful last year and will continue this year, Belcher added. Attendees can drop items off to volunteers during operating hours. She asks all items be either new or gently used.
Belcher said the $100 VISA Gift Card Raffle will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17. Tickets are available for $1 each or six for $5.
This year's silent auction will be done in two phases; the first will end on Dec. 10 and the second will end on Dec. 22, she added. Christmas at the Depot will also feature free gifts.
"Each weekend we will pick a different day to give away free gifts to the first 25 people," she said. "The first week it will be Thursday, our opening day."
Belcher said holiday films will be shown Sundays at 7 p.m., and there is no cost to attend.
"The first two are a surprise," she said. "However, since Dec. 17th is our last Sunday, we will be playing The Polar Express. We ask that people bring a chair and/or a blanket and watch with us."
Special events this weekend include Cookies with Santa at 11 a.m. Saturday and live broadcasts by KLUE 103.5 and KZMA 99.9 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Next weekend, Dec. 7-10, there will be a cookie eating contest at 2 p.m. Saturday. Entry into the cookie eating contest is $1. The first phase of the silent auction will conclude Sunday at 3 p.m.
Dec. 14-17 will feature the VISA Gift Card drawing and a street dance from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday. The baking contest will also be in full swing. Categories include cookies, pies and cakes.
"Each will be turned in on a different day," Belcher said. "Cookies Thursday (Dec. 14), by 3 p.m., pies Friday (Dec. 15) by 3 p.m., and cakes Saturday (Dec. 16) by 3 p.m. and judging will be Sunday (Dec. 17) at 4 p.m."
The last weekend will feature an ugly sweater contest at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, and the silent auction will end at 7 p.m.
Belcher said for more information, check out the event's Facebook page by searching "Christmas at the Depot 2017."