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Check out these holiday events in Great Bend
firestation1 lights
Holiday displays in front of Fire Station 1 on Williams Street are part of Great Bend’s Trail of Lights.

• Free ice skating in Jack Kilby Square - Thursdays and Fridays, 4-8 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 1-6 p.m.

• Trail of Lights, various locations in town - Open now through Jan. 1; free to drive.

• Visit Santa and Santas Around the World (www.santasaroundtheworld.com) at 1223 Main St. - Thursdays and Fridays 4-6 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 1-6 p.m.

• Downtown Christmas Windows - at participating businesses. 

• Dolly Trolley Rides - Free rides to see the Trail of Lights, compliments of local sponsors. Reserve tickets at https://www.santasaroundtheworld.com/dolly-trolley. Rides depart from Perks Coffee Shop, 1216 Main, at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, through Dec. 30.

• Golden Belt Model Railroad Display, 1405 Main - 4-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 1-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through December.

• Wheatland Electric Christmas Light Contest - Various homes in town.

• Christmas Trees and Holiday Displays - at the Barton County Historical Society Village and Museum, 85 South U.S. 281. Open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Christmas trees available for viewing through the end of the year. (Note: the museum closes at 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons.)

• Holy Family School Christmas Musical, “Straight Out of Bethlehem” - 7 p.m. Dec. 12 in the Fine Arts Auditorium at Barton Community College. 

• Christmas lunch and music by Great Bend USD 428 band students - Thursday, Dec. 14 – noon lunch and 1 p.m. program at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas Ave.

• Santa & Mrs. Claus visit Club 1 Fitness - 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14. Free and open to all. Enjoy a cup of cocoa while the children create a winter craft and visit the couple from the North Pole.

• FCC Family Craft & Cookie Fair – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 16 at First Christian Church, 5230 Broadway. Santa will arrive around 10 a.m. and be there until noon.

• Santa at the Zoo - 1-3 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo.

• Cookies and crafts for kids - 2-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at Great Bend Coffee, 2015 Lakin Ave. Free event also features music by Bent Wheat.

• Vespers - 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Great Bend High School Auditorium, followed by Youth Choir at 3:30 p.m.

• Church of the Nazarene Christmas Musical, “Camel Lot -Don’t Miss the Messiah - during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday, Dec. 17.

• Christmas in Stafford - Sunday, Dec. 17, Lighted UTV/Golf Cart Parade at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting; pick up scavenger hunt clues and popcorn at the Ritz Theatre. (Turn in sheets by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18.

• Christmas Eve at the Crest Theater - 6 p.m. on Dec. 24 at 1905 Lakin Ave. Community celebration with singing, candles, goodies for kids, and the joy of Christmas, sponsored by First Southern Baptist Church.

• Christmas in Stafford - Saturday, Dec. 30, free kids movie at the Ritz Theatre at 3 p.m.; Music Bingo (Oktoberfest Gives Back event) at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6) at the Stafford VFW, 301 S. Main.

• Write letters to Santa - Through Dec. 20 at the Larned Chamber’s North Pole mailbox, 502 Broadway, Larned.