Festival of Lights begins this weekend

Saturday’s festivities begin at noon with the free Candyland event at the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge.

The official kick-off event will start with a 5 p.m. Holiday Ice Show featuring the Jordan Valley Figure Skating Club at the west rink at Jordan Valley Ice Park. Admission is free.

At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Springfield Mayor Tom Carlson, with Miss Merrie Christmas, who will be named at 7:30 tonight at the Gillioz Theatre, will light a new 30-foot evergreen tree at the Jordan Valley Park East Plaza. Then, a children’s parade will lead the crowd to Hammons Field, where the Springfield Cardinals will welcome Santa Claus and provide music and refreshments, followed by fireworks at 6:45 p.m.

The Discovery Center at 6:30 p.m. Saturday will hold its annual Festival of Trees. Admission is $60; call (417) 862-9910 for more information.

The first of a series of free public skating sessions at the ice park will begin at 7:15 p.m. Saturday. Skate rental is $2.50.

Throughout the festival, a display will set up in the ice park’s east lobby that allows citizens to mark their preferences for future development of Jordan Valley’s Quarry area, East Meadows and West Meadows.

The celebration is presented by the Jordan Valley Marketing Council. A complete calendar of its events is available at www.itsalldowntown.com. Coupons for downtown retailers participating in the Festival of Lights also are available at the Web site.