The Leader’s “shop local” Christmas event on Sunday, Dec. 4, will feature a demonstration of robots used by Sunrise R-9 students and give preview guests a chance to try out the robots, too.
The Christmas Preview will be held from 1-4 p.m. at Quality Inn, 1200 W. Gannon Drive, in Festus (formerly the Lexington Inn). Admission is free and everyone is invited.
At the event, shoppers will have a chance to buy and order Christmas gifts from a variety of local vendors. In addition, lots of activities will be held, including the robot exhibition.
Tracy Brosch, who teaches Sunrise’s gifted students and helps with the district’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, said student volunteers will be on hand during the Christmas Preview to make sure everyone has fun using and learning about the robots.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to show what students can do,” Brosch said.
Students will help the youngest visitors make simple Lego robots from kits that Sunrise kindergarteners and first-graders use.
Youngsters also will have a chance to use iPads to program more sophisticated Lego robots.
In addition, visitors may use the Ozobot, which follows a color-coded path that can be drawn by those who visit the table.
The much larger DASH robot will demonstrate how precise, challenging and fun it can be to program a robot to travel through a big cardboard maze (think PacMan).
Sunrise students will also help visitors think outside the box with the “Makey Makey” invention kit. With the kit, everyday objects can be transformed into technology tools to control computer programs and online games.
“I think we will bring bananas and make a piano,” Brosch said. “That should be fun.”
■ Music, more
The Christmas Preview also has some less technical activities for guests, including musical entertainment from the award-winning choir at Faith Baptist Church in Festus, carolers from the Junior Optimist Club and a Macy’s parade-like performance of a musical number from Crystal City High School’s upcoming production of “Elf.”
■ Santa
Guests at the Christmas Preview will have a chance to deliver Christmas wish lists directly to Santa Claus. He will spend the afternoon at the preview.
If the weather cooperates, Santa Claus will arrive on his red Goldwing trike, which has become a common sight for some Jefferson County commuters.
“I ride around all the time in my Santa Claus suit,” said Danny Wall of Fenton. “I love to see the look on people’s faces when Santa drives right past.”
Wall said his Santa disguise is believable.
“I walked into my father’s house and he asked, ‘Who are you?’ I’ve been to schools and church and everything. People didn’t know me until I told them.”
Wall has been working as Santa Claus for the past 12 years. He started as a way to entertain his grandchildren and had so much fun he expanded his reach.
“I go around to different malls and places handing out candy canes,” he said. “I love it.”
■ Cooking demonstrations
Students with the Jefferson College Culinary Arts Program will provide cooking demonstrations and sell their infused vinaigrettes.
As part of the college’s cooking program, students make all-natural, low-calorie, zesty vinaigrettes, infused with the flavor of natural ingredients, like roasted bell peppers, blackberries, cilantro, lime, onions, cranberries, sun-dried tomatoes and many more.
“We are bringing a wide selection of our infused vinaigrette,” said chef Steve Berkel with the college. “We will have 41 flavors.”
To help shoppers decide, students will have some lettuce and will allow tasting.
“In addition, we will cook various dishes to demonstrate how the vinaigrette is used in sauces or marinades,” Berkel said. “You can taste these dishes, too.”
Plus, student chefs will be available to answer questions and give advice. “We have tons of suggestions about how to use the vinaigrette,” he said.
■ Rock hounds
Rock, mineral and crystal experts from Prospectors shop will be on hand to answer questions about rocks. Visitors can purchase geodes, unassuming spherical rocks that reveal a crystal lining when opened. Geodes will be for sale for $5, $15 and $20, depending on size, and can be cracked open during the Christmas Preview.
In addition, the shop will sell “treasure rocks,” made of plaster and filled with treasures like shark teeth, fossils, geodes or crystals. Children can open their treasure rocks at home.
■ First responders
First responders with Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District will provide children with a craft project to color and then fold into a 3D paper ambulance. In addition, JPAD will have some emergency equipment on display, including power cots, battery-powered hydraulic cots that raise and lower a patient with the touch of a button.
■ Pinball wizards
Children of all ages will have a chance to play arcade machines (set to free play) during the Christmas Preview. Troy North with Top Score Gamerooms said he will bring a selection of games including old-school pinball machines and at least one “multicade” machine with up to 60 games like Pac Man and Donkey Kong programmed for play.
Machines on display will also be for sale and the company takes orders.
“We always have a lot of inventory,” North said. “I hoped to bring skeeball and shuffleboard bowling, but those just sold.”
North said experts will be on hand to answer questions about the games, how they are built and restored and what it takes to own and maintain one of the machines.
■ And a chance to win
During the Christmas Preview, 20 lucky visitors will win free passes to Santa’s Magical Kingdom at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Eureka. The passes, valued at $22, admits a car or family van full of visitors to the park, where holiday lights and activities abound.