The Spirit of the Holidays Shines in Claremore!

Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23, visitors can drive through Claremore Lake Lights from 5 to 10 p.m.

Rogers County residents will not want for anything when it comes to fun holiday activities to do in and around Claremore. One of the newest holiday attractions that is a must see is Claremore Lake Lights. “We’re in our second year,” Tanya Andrews said, Director of Visit Claremore. “So it’s fairly new, but it took off really well last year.”

For those unfamiliar with Claremore Lake Lights, the lake and park is decorated with Christmas lights for residents to drive through and enjoy. And the best part? It’s completely free.

“We had a lot of visitors go through last year,” Andrews said. “Like people from Catoosa, Tulsa, and Bartlesville, which was wonderful. And when you have family in for the holidays it’s very inexpensive. Grab a burger, go out there, and drive through.”

Park and Recreation and Public Works are the departments that work hard to make this light display possible. And with their new partnership with Grand River Dam Authority, they’re able to purchase additional lights for this year’s display. “Their goal is to add new sections to it every year,” Andrews said.

Visitors can enjoy the light display beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23. Lights come on at 5 p.m. and go off when the park closes at 10 p.m. Lights will remain up until the first of January. “This is a way the city can give back to the residents and to the community,” Andrews said.

A brand new holiday event people of Rogers County may want to check out is 12 Nights of Lights at Oologah Lake. “You, or a business, can go in [to Hawthorne Bluff Campground] free of charge and decorate one of the RV campsites,” Andrews said. The holiday light display is a free drive-thru and people can enjoy the displays every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in December from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A new, and not-so new, holiday tradition that’s become a Claremore favorite is the ceremonial Christmas Tree Lighting held in the parking lot of the Ne-Mar Shopping Center. “[The Neelys] have been providing a very large Christmas tree to the community for the last 40 years,” Andrews said. “And so a few years ago we started doing a community tree lighting ceremony where we have hot cocoa, cookies, music, and pictures with Santa.” Local ministers lead the tree lighting with a prayer to bless the Christmas season, and those who want to join in the prayer can. The City of Claremore and United Way sponsor the event so that residents can enjoy the festivities for free. The lighting ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17.

And last, but certainly not least, is the longtime favorite Dickens on the Boulevard. A Vicotrian-style festival, Dickens returns to Main Street, also known as the Lilac District. The two-day event kicks off at 6 p.m. with Tales from the Top Tours, with the cost being $12/person and live music. A costume contest will take place at 7 p.m., the free-to-view Territorial Marshals re-enactment will be at 7:45 p.m., and the Victorian stroll and street dance will be at 8:30 p.m. Both horse-and-carriage rides and pictures with Santa are available for $5. For a full schedule and other free amenities available at businesses along Main Street, go to downtownclaremore.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• NOV. - DEC. - Christmas at the Belvidere Mansion

• DEC. 3 - 12 Nights of Lights at Hawthorne Bluff Campground in Oologah, at 5-9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in December

• DEC. 3 & 4 - Will’s Country Christmas at Will Rogers Birthplace in Oologah at 5-9 p.m.

• DEC. 3 - Pictures with Santa at Will Rogers Memorial Museum at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• DEC. 4 - Claremore Christmas Parade starting at Historic Downtown and ending at Claremore Expo at 6 p.m.

• DEC. 8-10 & 15-17 - Shepherd’s Cross Living Nativity at 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• DEC. 10 - Pictures with Santa at Will Rogers Memorial Museum at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• DEC. 12-23 - 12 Days of Christmas at Historic Downtown, daily shopping specials