The Downtown Kirkwood Winter Fireworks Festival returns this year due to popular demand and is scheduled to be held on Saturday, December 28, in Downtown Kirkwood. Before the fireworks display, local musical group Project 324 will perform at 5:00 p.m., at Station Plaza.  At 6:00 p.m., the colorful Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe will make an appearance as a large Chinese dragon, accompanied by drummers, meandering from Argonne to Station Plaza.  At 6:30 p.m., the fireworks will begin, over the Downtown area and City Hall.  (Our apologies for leaving the time out of the bulletin on Monday!).

In the event of bad weather - ice, snow, or windy conditions:  The fireworks will be postponed.  There are several ways to find out.   Visit downtownkirkwood.com, for special event information.  Call their hotline at 314-822-0084, ext. 4.  Check the City's Website at kirkwoodmo.org.  And, of course, we will post the information on the City's Facebook page.  

The following streets will be closed for this event: Kirkwood Road, from Argonne to West Madison, West Madison, the 100 block of East Argonne, and a portion of the 100 block of West Argonne. Northbound traffic on Kirkwood Road will be diverted to Taylor Avenue.  Southbound traffic on Kirkwood Road will be diverted to Clay Avenue, until spectators have dispersed. Due to a private party, the Kirkwood Train Station will be closed to the public. Parking will be available in public lots and at the Station Plaza garage.

The Festival is hosted by the City of Kirkwood and the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District and is underwritten by private donations, including: Simmons First National Bank, Des Peres Hospital, Riggs Construction & Design, Hardy Washington Jr., State Farm Agent, Billy G's Kirkwood, Spencer's Grill, Kirkwood Station Restaurant and Brewing Company, Gaffner Realty, Barb & Jim Byerly, Barbara and Art McDonnell, Bert Forde, and Dave White.

If you are bringing home holiday plants, make sure they are protected from the cold weather.  Tropicals such as poinsettias are very susceptible to cold temperatures.  Take newspaper and paper bags with you when you purchase a plant.  Wrap them carefully and bag them for the trip home.  Once in the house, let them acclimate to the new temperature before sticking them in a sunny window.  Avoid placing them by a heat register.

Holiday evergreen trees do well if left in a garage in a bucket of water until it is time to bring indoors.  Again, let them acclimate before stringing lights and decorating.  Happy Holidays.

CITY OFFICES CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S 

~ City Hall and most City offices will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 24 & 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday.  Offices will also be closed on Wednesday, January 1, for New Year's. 

~ There will be no sanitation collection on Christmas Day or on New Year's Day, and all Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday routes will be delayed by one day both weeks. (Please see story below about sanitation changes coming in January.) 

~ The Kirkwood Community Center office will be closed on December 24 and 25 and on January 1. The Community Center will be open on December 26 and 30, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (reduced hours) and on December 31, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

~ `The Ice Rink will be closed on Christmas Day. There will be one public skating session on New Year's Eve and two sessions on New Year's Day.  Please visit the Website for skating session times and costs.

Kirkwood Sanitation will change some residential sanitation routes effective January 6, 2014.  Friday residential sanitation collection will be eliminated, moving the City back to a four-day-per-week collection schedule.  All Friday routes will be moved to other days, and some other routes will change as well. 

Affected residents should receive letters THIS WEEK.  They will also receive door hangers in late December as a reminder just before the change.  About a third of Kirkwood Sanitation's residential customers will be affected.  Residents who want to see if they are on the affected routes, can visit the Sanitation page of the Website here, to view maps and a list of addresses.

THE NUTCRACKER THIS WEEKEND! 

TEEN PROGRAMS:

~ Thursday, December 19, 7pm.  Teen Trivia Night.  Put your knowledge to the test!! Gather your friends for an epic night of queries.  Sign up requested.

YOUTH PROGRAMS: 

~ Holiday Reading Program runs through January 6, 2014.  Pre-readers through high school read to win prizes.  Sign up online or in the library.

For more information about these programs or for any other library information, visit the Library's Website at:  kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org. 

FOR KIDS / FAMILIES: 

~ Saturday, December 21, 2:00 p.m. Art @ Your Library: Foam Mosaics. The ancient Romans loved to use pieces of colored stone to form beautiful patterns. We'll us this technique with foam pieces of various shapes to craft a beautiful mosaic masterpiece to take home! Ages 6-11. Registration required.

Monday, December 30, 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Life-Size Candy Land. Drop in to play a round of Candy Land on our life-size game board and make a sweet craft. All ages.

~ Tuesday, December 31, 11:15 a.m. Ring in the New Year. Count down to 2014 at Oak Bend! We'll make our own party hats and noisemakers and dance until the clock strikes 12 (noon!). All ages.

~ Friday, December 27, 2:00 p.m. Cupcake Decorating for Teens. Learn decorating techniques from a professional decorator and snack on your creation. Ages 12-18. Registration required.