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Christmas Season in Branson, Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City, Branson Shine Bright for Holidays
By Bob Lindsey
Rolling into Branson early in the Christmas season we weren’t sure exactly what to expect. How has the pandemic affected the Ozark entertainment mecca?
Are all the necessary safeguards in place? Will it be as crowded as normal this time of year? It’s been three years since our last visit, which was also during the
Old Time Christmas event at Silver Dollar City held annually in November and December. It didn’t disappoint this year as the LED illumination was even bigger
and brighter than three years ago. It’s no wonder it was voted “Best Theme Ozark Holiday Event in America.”
Some things change slowly down there, but there always seems to be something new such as Chicago’s Navy Pier ferris wheel now on the Branson 76 strip
and a large new aquarium at the site of the Palace Theater where we had seen the Rockettes perform several years ago. Branson now has the two venues that
many larger cities consider must-haves these days.
Restaurants and theaters have been affected the most in Branson. A mandated indoor mask rule is in place at most places and the theaters have adjusted with
the social distancing requirements.
It was good to see many of the old favorite groups still performing. We attended two of the top traditional popular family entertainment groups, the Hughes
Brothers (really an extended family) and the Haygoods. Social-distancing was evident with three empty seats on each side of our small group and no one was
seated directly in front of or behind us. A large majoirty of the audience members wore masks.
The Haygoods and the Hughes troupe are the kind of Branson families that made the Ozark community a family destination for many years. The Christmas
shows are filled with holiday classics and colorful sets for the season. As with most shows in Branson, a few other surprises are added, such as the Haygoods
tap dancers and one brother tapping upside down with a floor above him.
When you see the Hughes Family, the number of family members expands with each song and dance until the show ends with three generations of brothers,
spouses, their children, and even a few grandchildren, getting into the act singing and dancing to Christmas classics. With a cast of 50 in colorful costumes, the
Hughes show has been called “the largest live on-stage performing family in the world.”
Up and down the 76 strip you’ll see billboards and marquees with familiar names like The Legends, Six, and Dublin’s Irish Tenors and The Celtic Ladies and many
others
Silver Dollar City has gone to great lengths to make the visit safe and rewarding. Of course the crowds are lighter this year, so social distancing is really not a
problem until closer to dark when larger crowds gather to see the 80-foot musical and video motion Christmas tree in Town Square. For viewing a small group has a
blocked square to stand, separated by the six-foot requirement. These efforts made it seem a lot less crowededf.
Nowhere else can you find Christmas lights as brilliant as the 1.5 million LED in the Midtown section of the park, a big portion of the 6.5 million lights and 1,000
decorated trees that illuminate Silver Dollar City. Each evening around 6 p.m., Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade winds through the hilly streets, a
delight for children and adults alike.
Christmas in Midtown’s elaborate display of light tunnels, wreath portals, flying angels, running reindeer, a moving train, stars, snowflakes and a giant turning globe,
all created at Silver Dollar City.
Also back this year is The Frisco Sing-Along steam train, plus 30 shows on various outdoor stages. While there are no large indoor shows this year, there are 30 smaller
shows on various outdoor stages. The Saloon Frontier Fa-La La Follies and a new ‘50s style show called Cool Yule are live musical entertainment performed on one of the
largest outdoor stages. The annual Living Nativity is back to remind us of the real reason for the season. Gospel groups are also performing and Dickens singers stroll
throughout the park.
Rivertown is a new section with LED lighting. It features Clara Belle’s Cinnamon Bread Bakery and the Rivertown Smokehouse, where we enjoyed a barbecue dinner
with fresh-smoked tender meats on the heated deck. The holiday dinner is still served at the Mine Restaurant.
An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City runs through Dec. 30, 2020 with a New Year’s Celebration, Dec. 31-Jan 2, 2021.
Visit: www.silverdollarcity.com for more information.
