"Grove needed a place like this. Because we just didn't have anything that our community could grow into." That's how Wolf Creek Expo Center Director Dana Able described the city's new venue to KOAM News Now when it opened. This is the building's first Christmas, and the calendar shows it. The Expo hosts its first holiday market at Wolf Creek Park on November 7, the day after the Chamber's holiday shopping promotion begins. That promotion is set to wrap up a month later on Grove Square. Between those two dates, the first Friday in December has more going on than any other night on this year's holiday calendar.
Here's how the holidays at Grand Lake play out this year, start to finish.
A $5.8 Million Room on Wolf Creek
Back in February 2025, Four States Homepage reported that Grove had approved a $5.8 million project. The city manager said the money would come from the final payment on the swimming pool, $2.5 million from the sale of the Grove Civic Center, and financing through Bank of Grand Lake, with 12 months of interest-only payments. The City of Grove celebrated the opening with a plaque dedication on May 8, 2026 at 1601 Sunrise Blvd.
KOAM put the building at 47,000 square feet indoors plus a 6,200-square-foot outdoor patio. The Grove Area Chamber of Commerce lists about 48,000 square feet of climate-controlled space made for trade shows, vendor markets, banquets and community events. That's room enough for a full holiday vendor market under one roof, right next to the lake.
The Expo has already filled its first year. The Chamber's 2026 calendar put the 28th Grove Home, Garden and Travel Show there in February, the Wolf Creek Vintage Market in July, the Grand Lake Boat Show from July 31 through August 2, and Grand Lake Fest on September 12. Able also told KOAM the city is "being particular" about bookings and wants family shows. She said ODOT money recently awarded to Grove would help the city study traffic around Wolf Creek. Anyone who has driven to Wolf Creek on a boat show weekend will remember that last part come November.
The Expo's Holiday Debut Lands on Open House Weekend
The first holiday event at the Expo is Sleigh Bells Market on Grand Lake, Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Chamber listing bills it as the market's debut at the Expo and its arrival in Green Country. Expect holiday, handmade, packaged-food and boutique vendors. Admission is free, and there's a cash bar. Revolve Productions runs the market, and Tobi Coleman is the contact for vendors.
The market falls on the second day of the season. November 6 kicks off Merchants' Christmas Open House Weekend in Grove and the 3rd annual Shop Grand Lake Holiday Experience. Last year the Chamber described open house weekend as more than 40 businesses with decorated shops, special promotions and door prizes. The 2026 roster hasn't been posted yet. So the first weekend of the season splits between a new market at the lake and the stores in town.
The Expo isn't done after that. The Wolf Creek Vintage Market, which brought its July show to the Expo, is back on the Chamber calendar for November 14 and 15 with antiques, clothing, collectibles and handmade crafts.
How a $20 Receipt Becomes a Ticket
Shop Grand Lake is the piece that ties the season together. The Chamber built it to keep holiday dollars in Grove and the Grand Lake region. The 2026 rules from the Chamber work like this:
- Shop at a participating business between November 6 and December 3.
- Get one ticket for every $20 you spend, counting up to $1,000 on a single purchase.
- Watch for the Sparkle & Shine weekly giveaways on November 10, 17 and 24 and December 1.
- Come to Lights on Grove on Friday, December 4, for the big drawings: one for $5,000 and two for $2,500 each.
More than $14,000 will go to ticket holders in all, with prizes from $100 up to $5,000. The Chamber posts participating merchants and drawing details on its Facebook page, and you can reach it at 918-786-9079.
The bar is lower this year. The first campaign in 2024 gave one ticket per $25 spent, and so did the 2025 version. At $20, a $100 gift earns five tickets instead of four. People already use these tickets plenty. A 2025 preview said the season before had put more than 42,000 tickets into the Grove market.
The drawing ends downtown. A month of shopping across the region all comes back to one evening on Grove Square.
December 4 Pulls It All Downtown
Friday, December 4, is when the season comes together. Lights on Grove is the city's Christmas tree lighting, and it runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grove Square, 104 W. 3rd Street. The Shop Grand Lake finale happens there the same night.
That same evening, Har-Ber Village Museum holds Sensory Night at Santa's Ozark Mountain Village. The Chamber's listing promises more than 800,000 lights, live music, cocoa and cookies, wine tasting, Santa, shopping and living history demonstrations, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Families who planned for Sensory Night have one date to choose, and it lands on the same Friday as the tree lighting and the $10,000 drawings.
Saturday stays busy. The Chamber calendar has the 4th Annual Jingle Bell Run, 5K and Fun Walk with the Grand Lake Family YMCA on December 5, followed by the Grand Lake Sail Boat Parade from 6 to 8 p.m. Har-Ber is open again that night, too.
Here's the whole season on one calendar:
| Date | Event | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri. Nov. 6 | Shop Grand Lake starts; Merchants' Christmas Open House Weekend | Participating businesses | Starts 10 a.m. |
| Sat. Nov. 7 | Sleigh Bells Market on Grand Lake | Wolf Creek Expo, 1601 Sunrise Blvd. | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Sat.–Sun. Nov. 14–15 | Wolf Creek Vintage Market | Wolf Creek | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Fri.–Sat. Nov. 27–28 | Santa's Ozark Mountain Village | Har-Ber Village | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Wed. Dec. 2 | Annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony | Jay | 5 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri. Dec. 4 | Lights on Grove and the Shop Grand Lake finale; Har-Ber Sensory Night | Grove Square; Har-Ber Village | 6 to 8 p.m.; 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Sat. Dec. 5 | Jingle Bell Run; Grand Lake Sail Boat Parade; Har-Ber evening | Various | Run in the morning; parade 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri. Dec. 11 | Santa's Ozark Mountain Village | Har-Ber Village | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Sat. Dec. 12 | Breakfast with Santa; Jay Christmas Parade; Grove Lighted Christmas Parade | Har-Ber Village; Jay; Grove | 9 to 11 a.m.; 2 to 4 p.m.; 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri.–Sat. Dec. 18–19 | Santa's Ozark Mountain Village, final nights | Har-Ber Village | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
After the Finale, Two Towns Share December 12
Jay starts its December with its own lighting ceremony on Wednesday, December 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. Then Saturday, December 12, gives Delaware County two parades on the same day. Jay's Christmas parade is listed from 2 to 4 p.m. Grove's Lighted Christmas Parade follows from 6 to 8 p.m. This year's theme for Grove's parade is "Christmas Americana." The Chamber lists entry registration at $20 through December 2 and $30 after that. Since the times don't overlap, you can catch both parades in one day.
That Saturday morning, Har-Ber Village also hosts Breakfast with Santa from 9 to 11 a.m. Santa's Ozark Mountain Village keeps going on select Friday and Saturday evenings through December 19, according to the Green Country holiday guide. Har-Ber Village's event page hasn't posted 2026 ticket prices yet, so check there before you go.
Our family at American Pride Realty loves how Grand Lake comes together this time of year, from lakeside markets to small-town parades. If your plans this season have you thinking about land, a lake place, or what your Delaware County property could become, we'd be glad to sit down over a cup of cocoa and talk it through. Contact Us.
