In 2024, St. Louis Magazine listed the 40th Thanks-For-Giving Parade the way it had run for years, on Thanksgiving morning with a 9 a.m. step-off. This year, the 42nd parade steps off at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, five days before Thanksgiving. Celebrate St. Louis is running it with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the group that produces Winterfest.
This is the second year of the Saturday format. In 2025, First Alert 4 reported that the 41st parade would run along Market Street and end at Kiener Plaza, where Winterfest would open for the season. So downtown's holiday kickoff is now one long Saturday, and Thanksgiving Day itself is quiet. FOX 2 reports that Kiener Plaza will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
The weekend pattern holds until Dec. 26, when the plaza starts opening every day for the final week. To get the most out of Winterfest's 11th season, plan around which day you go.
Saturday, Nov. 21, From First Light to Fireworks
Opening day fills almost 12 hours, and each piece has a set time:
- 7:30 a.m., Winterfest 5K. The sixth annual race starts at Kiener Plaza and runs through Gateway Arch National Park. There's also a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk that loops around the Arch.
- 8 a.m., the rink opens. Skating is free all day on opening day, courtesy of Ameren, and the ice stays open until 8 p.m.
- 2 p.m., Thanks-For-Giving Parade. Expect marching bands, floats, drumlines, dance groups and an appearance by Santa Claus. Last year's route ran along Market Street and finished at Kiener Plaza. This year's route map is on the Celebrate St. Louis site.
- 5:30 p.m., Ameren Missouri Festival of Lights ceremony. The Salvation Army tree of lights is lit at 5:45 p.m.
- 6:30 p.m., drone show. 7 p.m., fireworks.
The tree lighting is earlier than last year's 6:30 p.m., and the drone show now has that slot. If you only want the evening, arrive by 5:30 p.m. to see everything from the ceremony through the fireworks in about 90 minutes. If you want to skate for free before the crowds come for the lights, go in the morning.
The kickoff also ties into a fundraiser. Ameren is matching donations to the St. Louis Area Foodbank dollar for dollar, up to $300,000, for gifts made between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30, 2026.
Sunday morning has a smaller event. The St. Louis Blues are holding a free Try Hockey session for kids at the Winterfest rink on Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon, and again on Jan. 3. Registration is required.
A Festival That Opens Four Days a Week
After opening weekend, Winterfest runs on a schedule that's easy to get wrong.
| Dates | Thursday & Friday | Saturday & Sunday | Monday–Wednesday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening day, Sat., Nov. 21 | Rink 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | ||
| Nov. 22 – Dec. 23 | 4–8 p.m. | Noon–8 p.m. | Closed to the public |
| Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 | Closed | ||
| Christmas Day, Dec. 25 | Closed | ||
| Dec. 26 – Jan. 3 | Noon–8 p.m. daily | Noon–8 p.m. daily | Noon–8 p.m. daily |
Monday through Wednesday, from Nov. 23 to Dec. 23, the foundation rents out the whole rink for private events. Those bookings cost $1,500 an hour with a two-hour minimum. If your office is downtown, a weeknight skate after work only works on Thursday or Friday.
There are two exceptions. Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, so the festival's first full week loses a day. Then the week between Christmas and New Year's is the only stretch when the plaza opens every afternoon, including a Monday-through-Wednesday run. If your kids are home from school that week and your weekdays are open, that's the easiest time to go.
What Is New on the Plaza This Year
The organizers changed the space itself this year. FOX 2 reports that Winterfest's new layout uses all of Kiener Plaza, with new interactive light displays, four new igloo themes, a curling cafe and Winterfest trivia nights. In the same report, Ryan McClure, executive director of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, described the plan this way:
"This year's programming gives guests even more reasons to make Winterfest part of their holiday traditions, whether they're visiting for an afternoon skate, a special event, or simply to spend time together with the iconic backdrop of the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse."
The Curling Cafe is the biggest addition. It has two curling bays, each under a tent with seating along the lane. The surface is synthetic ice for "street curling," an easier take on the sport. A 90-minute session is $65 for up to four people per lane. With only two lanes and Thursday-to-Sunday hours, there aren't many sessions in a week, and the organizers recommend booking ahead.
Here's what everything else costs:
- Entry: free.
- Skate rental: $15 for adults and $10 for ages 3 to 15. If you bring your own skates, you skate for free. Kids 3 to 15 also skate free every Friday, courtesy of the St. Louis Blues.
- Heated igloos: from $100 for a 90-minute booking, with seating for up to six. The organizers suggest booking your igloo after your skate session so you get the full time inside.
- S'mores kits: $18 for enough to make four s'mores, plus access to one of four fire pits.
- Food: Ed's Food Shop and Pour Decisions are back at the Winterfest Cafe for an 11th season, serving fresh-cut fries, chicken strips, crab Rangoon and egg rolls.
Taken together, a family that brings its own skates on a Friday can spend the evening on the ice and pay only for food and parking.
The Dated Events Worth Building a Visit Around
Recurring activities run every open day. The special events are what make one Saturday different from the next. Space is limited, and some events need a free RSVP through the foundation's Eventbrite page.
- Fri., Nov. 27, 5–7 p.m.: KMOV Great Day host Paige Hulsey reads her new holiday book, "Not-So-Ordinary Ornaments," and signs copies afterward.
- Sat., Nov. 28, 2–6 p.m.: Frizz Fest Winter Market.
- Fri., Dec. 4, 5:30–8 p.m.: Fashion Mixer and Fashion Insiders panel. Sat., Dec. 5, 2–4 p.m.: Winter Fashion Show.
- Sun., Dec. 6, 3–5 p.m.: a free journaling gathering for all ages, hosted by STL Journal Collective.
- Thu., Dec. 10, 4–8 p.m.: Chanukah @ The Arch.
- Sat., Dec. 12, 3–5 p.m.: ice carving, plus a holiday market with local vendors.
- Sat., Dec. 19, 2–7 p.m.: Art Gallery, supported in part by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis.
- Sat., Dec. 26, 2–7 p.m.: Holiday Spirits Tasting. It's 21+ and the only event that needs a paid ticket.
- Thu., Dec. 31, 4–8 p.m.: "Neon Nights" New Year's Eve, with characters from 4 to 6 p.m., a DJ from Sophie's Artist Lounge, The Dirty Muggz playing from 6 to 8 p.m., fire dancers, and fireworks at 8 p.m.
The New Year's Eve fireworks go off at 8 p.m., the festival's regular closing time. That makes it an early night that works for kids and still has the Arch behind it.
Where Winterfest Fits Among the City's Other Light Shows
Winterfest is one of four major holiday attractions in the city, and the other three open on staggered dates.
| Attraction | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Glow | Missouri Botanical Garden | Nov. 14 – Jan. 2 | $6–$25, by date |
| Elfie Express | St. Louis Union Station | Nov. 14 – Dec. 30 | See venue |
| Winterfest | Kiener Plaza | Nov. 21 – Jan. 3 | Free entry |
| Wild Lights | Saint Louis Zoo, Forest Park | Select nights, Nov. 27 – Dec. 30 | $16 members, $19 general |
Garden Glow and Union Station's Elfie Express both open on Saturday, Nov. 14, a week before the downtown kickoff. Union Station describes Elfie Express as its Selfie Express taken over by elves for the holidays. Garden Glow is bringing back two special nights. Jingle & Mingle, for ages 21 and up, is Friday, Nov. 20. Sensory Night, a quieter and less crowded evening, is Monday, Nov. 30, with $6 tickets for children 3 to 12. The Garden says Jingle & Mingle sold out quickly last year.
The Zoo's Wild Lights opens the day after Thanksgiving, the same Friday as the Paige Hulsey reading at Kiener Plaza. Wild Lights covers more of Historic Hill this year. Three buildings are included for the first time: the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium, Dinoroarus and the Primate House, which closes at 7:30 p.m. Hours are 5 to 8:30 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m. Santa is there nightly through Dec. 23, and the Sensory-Friendly Night is Dec. 7.
Friday, Nov. 27, is the first date that falls inside all four seasons. Before then, the Garden and Union Station have the holidays to themselves for a week.
Getting There
Street parking is available around Kiener Plaza. The closest garages are Kiener West and Kiener East, and Stadium is the nearest MetroLink station. Bike racks are on site. Gateway Arch Park Foundation members at the Supporter level and above get free and discounted parking in the Kiener East Garage. Membership packets take two to three weeks to process, so a membership started now may not arrive in time for opening day.
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