Registration is required to attend Santa Land

For now, the 17th Annual Santa Land will be held Tuesday, Dec. 1, at the Black River Coliseum, but the event certainly will be different for the community and the volunteers, said organizers who met this week.

The general public will attend from 6-8 p.m., and special needs families can enter at 5:30 p.m. Participants must pre-register.

The exhibitors will have items ready to go for a distanced, touchless, interactive experience.

Exhibitors will be required to wear a face covering and gloves, and it is highly recommended participants wear a face covering as well for their protection.

Hand sanitizing stations will be placed in several locations.

The number of people in the arena area will be limited.

Pictures with Santa still will be offered free of charge, but the set up will be somewhat different.

More details will be available after the Nov. 16 meeting, along with information on how to pre-register.

So far, there are several businesses and organizations, which have agreed to participate in some way.

To make this year’s event as safe as possible, Santa has enlisted the help of Lanny Corcimiglia, experienced volunteer Greg Riggs and Chris Waite, all from the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department.

Anyone interested in helping or participating is asked to attend the second planning meeting Monday, Nov. 16, at the coliseum.

“A few businesses already are on board for the Dec. 1 event,” but anyone else who wants to help or participate is asked to attend the organizational gathering or call the park department at 573-686-8645, Waite said.

While the event and activities usually are geared toward children 12 years and younger, the entire community is invited to Santa Land.

Santa Land is free to the public.