Reminder: Osage City Kiwanis Club celebrates 22 years of downtown trick or treat parade

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, will mark the 22nd year that the Kiwanis Club has organized the Halloween Parade that takes place downtown on Market Street. Trick or treaters gather at 4:15 p.m. at Santa Fe Park; trick or treating at the businesses will begin at 4:30 p.m. The parade route will walk east on Market to Seventh Street, cross and walk west on Market to Fifth and cross back to Santa Fe Park. Everyone is welcome. Parents are urged to walk with children.

2023 Christmas on Market- “I’ll Be Home For The Holidays” – Nov. 11, 2023

Planning is progressing for the annual Christmas on Market celebration on Nov. 11. We encourage you to mark the date on your calendar and plan to shop local that weekend as many of our hometown businesses will be offering great opportunities for holiday gifts. The theme for Christmas on Market 2023 is “I’ll Be Home For The  Holidays”.

In addition to shopping, activities will be held throughout the day including senior center breakfast, food court, visits with Santa, Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk, in-store activities, RadioShack toy expo, gingerbread house building, ping pong drop, raffle drawing, Kansas City Chief’s Wolf mascot, Topeka High Drum Corps, free retail poker run, emergency services showcase, fire truck rides, story time, quarter bingo, chili cook off, chili feed and the traditional lighted Christmas parade.

The raffle is going to have some very nice items to be given away. Raffle tickets will be available starting Oct. 27 up to the time of the drawing. The tickets are being sold at a variety of businesses including Bank of Osage City, KB’s Specialtees, First National Bank, Furniture Loft, Hair Designs by Diane, Harmon Dental, Landmark Bank, Two Cousins weeSale, McCoy’s RadioShack, Osage Hardware, Ramblin’ Rose, Ridge Iron Grill, Subway, and Osage County Senior Center the day of the event. The raffle drawing will be held at Sixth and Market. The Chamber does encourage the public to attend, but winners do not have to be present to win.

The KC Chiefs Wolf mascot will be back in town to meet and get pictures and will also participate in the parade. The Topeka Drum Corps will also be back in town and will perform at 5 p.m. downtown in the center of the business district and then will participate in the parade.

Craft show

This year, the craft show will be at St. Patrick Brigid Hall. If interested in having a booth, contact Janet Bosworth to register, 785-554-5039.

Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk

Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk registration forms are being distributed to elementary students, high school/middle school cross country, track participants, or any student interested in taking part in the annual event. Students are asked to take the form home to be filled out and returned per instructions listed on the form. Feel free to contact Shanda Koett at 620-560-5132 with any questions.

Traditional lighted parade

The committee is working diligently to have a parade to remember. All individuals and groups are welcome to participate including individual floats, decorated golf carts, ATVs (age 17 or older required for golf carts and ATVs), marching bands, emergency service vehicles, cars, trucks, tractors. There will be prize money for float entries, decorated golf carts and ATVs. Prize money for float entries will be 1st-$125; 2nd-$100; 3rd-$75; 4th-$50. Prize money for golf carts/ATVs will be 1st-$30; 2nd-$20; 3rd-$10. Prize money for the horse entries will be $50 for Most Creative Horse and Cart and $50 for Most Creative Horse and Rider. The parade starts at 6 p.m., judging for floats, golf carts and ATVs is at 5 p.m., lining up at the west end of Market Street. For registration, contact Adam Burnett at 785-760-0621. The theme this year is “I’ll Be Home For The Holidays”.

“Are you the Osage City Home Town Santa?”

Shop in your hometown, ask anyone that you meet on the street or in businesses, “Are you the Osage City Home Town Santa?” If you are lucky and the person you ask is the Osage City Home Town Santa, you will receive a $20 Chamber Buck Certificate to be used at the participating business. The event will start Nov. 11, the same day as Christmas on Market.

Information thanks to Osage City Chamber of Commerce.