Christmas in July events are scheduled this month to raise money for different causes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Ho Ho Ho and a Merry Christmas in July.

Get out your mistletoe and chestnuts and get ready to celebrate at some local events.

Santa Clause is coming to town.

On July 17, the Cave City Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Christmas in July Carnival.

The event will be geared toward kids but fun for all ages with inflatables, arts and crafts vendors, games and an ugly Christmas T-shirt contest.

The event will go from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and the money raised will go toward Christmas decorations for the city for December, according to Amanda Abell, the chair of Christmas decorations committee in Cave City.

“Communities want to establish that feeling of being inviting and welcoming and just have an atmosphere to welcome families and create that Christmas magic that kids and parents enjoy. So that is what we kind of envision. We want to redecorate, put up more lights and Christmas wreathes and some fun things for kids but you know, we think about families strolling down main street and browsing in and out of shops and just enjoying the Christmas magic,” said Abell.

Another Christmas in July event will be hosted to raise money and collect toys for Toys for Tots.

“At Christmas time its amazing. Especially at our North Pole where we pass out to the kids in Warren County. You can just see the glow on them, the smiles on their faces. And you can also see the gratitude and appreciation from their parents which is also important. None of that would be possible if it wasn’t for the people that support Toys for Tots with toy and monetary donations and, of course, our big batch of volunteers. We couldn’t do it without them,” said Janell Doyle, the coordinator for the local Toys for Tots.

The Toys for Tots event will take place at WKU’s South Campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature food vendors and the Flip’n Axe trailer.

Unlimited access to the Cave City Carnival costs $10.

The Toys for Tots event will be followed by an after party at Richpond Market and Deli from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.