Brand new holiday celebration coming to Ozark

OZARK, Mo. — A brand-new holiday experience is coming to the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex in Ozark next Friday, Nov. 22.

Jingle is bringing its Christmas celebration to southwest Missouri for the first time. Over the summer, the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex announced plans for the festivities. DeeDee Hunter is the event director for the complex and says the event is here to stay.

"This is not a one-and-done. I want families to know that we will be having this year after year," Hunter said "So, we want it to become a tradition for everyone."

Jingle-goers can ice skate, wander through the Christmas light maze, and even visit Mr. And Mrs. Claus. In the past, the festivities have been held in Kansas City, over a two-hour drive from Springfield.

Deer hunting firearm portion begins Saturday

"This is all about upping our economic economy here in this area in southwest Missouri." Hunter said. "We also wanted to make it cost-friendly for our families, our local families. And so, we have made that very cost-effective."

Jingle is an event that stems from Enchant — a Christmas show that began in the late 2000's. Chief Merriment Officer Mark McKee with Jingle says their goal is to continue bringing cheer during the holiday season.

"We're going to do something special this year called the 12 days of giving. We will highlight a local charity," McKee said, "We will help bring awareness to the charity, help them raise money."

While there are already many holiday celebrations in the Ozarks, like Silver Dollar City and Shepherd of The Hills, McKee says this experience will be unlike any other.

"We're adding ice skating, we've got this beautiful ice-skating trail and we're adding a snow tubing hill with real snow," McKee said. "I think it's real. It's family-friendly."

You can buy your tickets and add-ons here .