JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — With discussion of special session to be scheduled for anywhere between Wednesday and Monday and the arrival of the Ferguson march for Friday, Jefferson Citians are concerned that planned holiday events will be disrupted.
“At this time, we are in touch with JCPD and are waiting on more information about when and where different events are occurring before making any decisions about whether to reschedule any of the planned holiday events,” said Downtown Association President Stephanie Bell.
Quinn Chapel AME, located on the 500 Block of Lafayette and less than a 15 minute walk from downtown, will serve as the anchor from Wednesday to Friday for the march. Shuttle buses will be taking marchers from “anchor” points to legs of the march each morning and evening. The march intends “to raise awareness of the urgent need for change to end police brutality and racial profiling” and is being coordinated by the NAACP.
Candlelight tours of the Governor’s Mansion were scheduled for both Friday and Saturday and have been cancelled.
Special events start Thursday evening with the Monticello Singers performing at the First United Methodist Church on Madison. The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting will also occur at Rotary Park, which is at the corner of Water and Bolivar Streets near several Capitol hangouts.
Friday, the long awaited annual Downtown Living Windows are scheduled from 6:00-9:00 p.m. with the performance of the live manger scene at First Presbyterian Church. Santa will also be present downtown. Businesses participating in the living windows events are looking forward to thousands of guests and incorporating special guests, such as local animal shelters.
The annual Jaycees Christmas Parade is to start at 4:30 p.m. downtown on Saturday. The parade is routed to go past the Governor’s Mansion and also through downtown via High St.
The date and time of special session, called by the governor to address funding issues related to security needs in Ferguson, is expected soon.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
