Community groups, businesses, schools and churches are planning numerous holiday events for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year in Hopkinsville.
Here’s the place to keep tabs on all the events offered through the holidays.
- RELATED: Hopkinsville Christmas parade pushed back to Dec. 16
- RELATED: Tales from the Thanksgiving Table
Do you know of a holiday event not listed here? Email us at editor@hoptownchronicle.org.
Salvation Army Food Drive
- When: Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 2-4
- Where: J Schrecker Jewelry, 909 S. Main St.
J. Schrecker Jewelry’s fourth annual food drive benefits the Salvation Army of Hopkinsville. Donors who bring at least 5 canned goods to the store during the food drive will receive 20% off a store purchase.
Holiday Paint n’ Sip
- When: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3
- Where: Hopkinsville Brewing Company, 102 E. Fifth St.
Dabbling DaVinci is hosting several holiday-themed Paint n’ Sip events at the brewery. You can create custom ornaments on Friday, Nov. 3 ($30), a holiday porch leaner on Friday, Nov. 17 ($55), or a teacher’s gift on Friday, Dec. 1 ($40). Tickets include a brew and everything you need to create your holiday craft. Seating is limited. Text 720-498-7972 to reserve your spot.
Thrifty Christmas
- When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4
- Where: Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store, 802 E. Ninth St.
Holiday shoppers can get a jump on the season at the Thrifty Christmas open house. The store features housewares, clothing, decorations and more. Proceeds benefit families who need assistance with utility bills. Donated items can be delivered to the store during regular hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The store is also open on the second Saturday of each month.
HCC Christmas Jam
- When: noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 14
- Where: Hopkinsville Community College’s Auditorium Building, Riley Lecture Hall
Hopkinsville Community College will kick off the holiday season with a Christmas Jam entertainment event. HCC music instructor Shari Thompson invites singers, dancers, instrumentalists, poets and painters to participate. Email sthompson0406@kctcs.edu to register to participate or for more information. It’s a free event open to the community. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served.
Art Guild Christmas Bazaar
- When: 10 a.m-4 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Nov. 17-19
- Where: Carnegie Library, 708 Liberty St.
The Hopkinsville Art Guild’s Christmas Bazaar will feature ceramics, hand-made Christmas cards, woodwork, paintings, photographs, fabric gifts, local books, ornaments and more from 22 participants. Food trucks will be present — Taste of Florida from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Palate Junkies from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Wreath Workshop
- When: 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20
- Where: Hopkinsville Brewing Co., 102 E. Fifth St.
Make-A-Wreath Workshop at Hopkinsville Brewing. Cost, $40, includes materials and one beer. RSVP by calling 270-498-3764.
Turkey Trot
- When: 8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day
- Where: Starting downtown on South Main Street near Founders Square
Turkey Trot, the annual Thanksgiving Day 5K run or walk, attracts hundreds of participants. Preregister online by Nov. 9 is encouraged but not required. The route goes through downtown and portions of the Hopkinsville Greenway. It’s a free event.
Small Business Saturday Craft Fair
- When: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25
- Where: 102 E. Fifth St. and 115 E. Seventh St.
Hopkinsville Brewing Co. partners with Underground Hoptown Art Experience for the Small Business Saturday Craft Fair and Pop-Up Art Crawl featuring crafters, artisans and others with a variety of wares. The event will happen at two locations — HBC and the Underground Hoptown Art venue.
Hoptown Holiday Hopfest
- When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25
- Where: Alhambra Theatre, 507 S. Main St.
Lonestar, the country music band known for hits like “What About Now,” “My Front Porch Looking In,” and “Come Cryin’ to Me,” will play for Hoptown Holiday Hopfest. This annual event raises money for the Alhambra Theatre. Tickets are available online.
‘The Nutcracker’ ballet
- When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3
- Where: Alhambra Theatre, 507 S. Main St.
Brooke Bailey Dance Addiction and Gymnastics presents “The Nutcracker” ballet at the Alhambra Theatre. Tickets range from $10 to $20, and are available online from the Pennyroyal Arts Council.
Christmas at the Bend
- When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2
- Where: Jeffers Bend, 1170 Metcalfe Lane
Christmas at the Bend features indoor activities, storytelling, crafts, refreshments and photos with Santa Claus. Pennyrile RC&D, the Jeffers Bend Steering Committee, Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority and other sponsor organize the popular family event. A drawing for a four-burner gas grill is planned at 12:45 p.m. Admission is $5 per car and $10 per bus. Military and first-responders admitted free of charge.
Black Market Hoptown
- When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2
- Where: Hopkinsville Brewing Co., 102 E. Fifth St.
Black Market Hoptown: Holiday Sweets-n-Treats Edition, an event in support of Black-owned businesses, will feature holiday sweets and other items suitable for gifts. Vansauwa’s Tacos will host. Music by D.J. Postman.
The Christmas Village on Main
- When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2
- Where: The Venue on Main, 801 Main St.
The Venue on Main is hosting a Christmas Village shopping experience in downtown Hopkinsville. There will be boutique and specialty shop vendors and food trucks.
Holidaze Community Festival
- When: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4
- Where: The Bruce, 303 Conference Center Drive
This open house event is free to the public. There will be holiday activities, storytime, pictures with Santa, food, door prizes and more. Open to all ages, but especially geared toward pre-K to sixth-graders.
Pennyrile Community Band Concert
- When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5
- Where: Christian County Middle School Performing Arts Center, 215 Glass Ave.
The Pennyrile Area Community Band presents a Christmas Concert, featuring a horn choir, a clarinet choice and vocalist Julie Davis. Admission is free. Donations to support the band will be accepted.
Festival of Trees
- When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9
- Where: Venue on Main, 801 S. Main St.
The Pennyroyal Center’s Festival of Trees is reimagined this year with a new location, Venue on Main, in downtown Hopkinsville. Raffle tickets will be sold for a chance to win a tree with the drawing at 4 p.m. Saturday. (Details to come about plans for a Santa visit Friday evening.)
Tree Lighting
- When: 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8
- Where: Founders Square at Ninth and Main streets
Hopkinsville’s Community Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Founders Square.
Movies at the Alhambra
- When: Saturday, Dec. 16, to Wednesday, Dec. 20
- Where: Alhambra Theatre, 507 S. Main St.
The Pennyroyal Arts Council has slated five classic Christmas movies at the Alhambra Theater, 507 S. Main St., starting with a free showing of “The Polar Express” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9.
Hopkinsville Christmas Parade
- When: 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16
- Where: Downtown
The Hopkinsville Christmas Parade, originally planned for Dec. 9, was pushed to Dec. 16 due to forecasted thunderstorms and high winds. The parade — sponsored by Hopkinsville Electric System and coordinated by Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation — will make its way up Main Street from Glass Avenue to 14th Street.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- When: Beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17
- Where: Across Hopkinsville
Santa Claus, transported by the Hopkinsville Fire Department, makes his way through every residential street in the city. The tradition began during coronavirus pandemic in 2020 when children and families had limited ways to celebrate the holidays with public events.
A Christmas Night of Worship
- When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17
- Where: James E. Bruce Convention Center
The concert will feature the Christian County Baptist Association’s mass choir, a group comprised of worshippers from several churches affiliated with the association. Free cookies and cocoa will be served at 4:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Grace Episcopal Lessons and Carols
- When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17
- Where: Grace Episcopal Church, 216 E. Sixth St.
The community is invited to Lessons and Carols at Grace Episcopal Church, a service of Christmas songs and readings by members of the church and community. A reception will follow.
The listing was updated to correct details about the Festival of Trees.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
