Osage Beach Christmas Lights Are Back! City Drops $50k To Reboot Beloved Display

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — Good tidings of great joy: the Christmas lights display is returning to Osage Beach City Park.

The City’s popular lights display had for years been set up annually at City Park as a short drive-through during the Christmas season, but it came to an end in 2024 due to budgetary and technical issues.

But the lights are back, and at their Thursday, Aug. 6 meeting, City aldermen approved spending $49,972 in new equipment to reboot the experience. The LED displays are made-to-order, with an 8-to-12-week lead time, hence the City’s eagerness to get the matter approved and the order placed. Aldermen noted the display theme includes the 12 Days of Christmas, and in addition to the drive-through light display, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be making appearances for visits and photos at City Park on select nights throughout the Christmas season.

City officials said the intent had always been to reboot the lights display at the park, noting electrical upgrades were also needed: those will be performed over the next couple of months. Alderman Justin Hoffman noted the old lights had been failing, calling them “completely junk.” “So the plan was not to get rid of Christmas forever,” he said. “It was to put it on hold until we could fix it and fix it properly.” Parks and Recreation Director Eric Gregory added, “Basically every time it rained, most of the lights didn't work and there was absolutely nothing we can do about it.”

Mayor Richard Ross said he had heard from constituents about the Christmas lights during his mayoral campaign earlier this year. Alderman Stephen George added, “I can tell you that my kids were very sad when this disappeared. So, hearing it’s coming back is phenomenal.”