"Day of registration will not be taken." That line is in the City of Ballwin's listing for the Ignite: Holiday Pool Party. It describes the whole city calendar between now and New Year's better than any of the event names do.
The city's holiday programs this year are held in two places. One is the indoor pool and meeting rooms at The Pointe at Ballwin Commons, #1 Ballwin Commons Circle. The other is Ballwin Golf Course at 333 Holloway Road. The events cost little, many are capped, and several close registration days before they happen. For most households, the date that matters is the last day to sign up.
One Holiday Event Has Already Closed
The season technically started with the Ignite: Thanksgiving Pool Party at The Pointe on Friday, Nov. 13, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. It's for ages 6 to 13.99 and costs $15 for residents and $18 for nonresidents. Ignite parties require pre-registration at least four days ahead, so sign-ups for tomorrow's party closed on Monday, Nov. 9.
The first Santa date is already tight too. Pictures with Santa at The Pointe on Saturday, Nov. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. is free, and the city's registration system lists it as full. A second session is set for Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon. If you want the December slot, call The Pointe at (636) 227-8950 to ask how it works this year before you plan the morning around it.
The Cutoffs Between Now and New Year's
Here's the rest of the season in date order, with the planning detail for each event. Unless noted, prices are resident and nonresident.
| Date | Event | Where | Cost | What to plan around |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 26, 9 a.m.–noon | Gobble Golf Classic | Ballwin Golf Course | $60 per player | Thanksgiving-morning tee-off |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 3–5:30 p.m. | Reindeer Swim | The Pointe | $10 / $12 | Admission per person |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 10 a.m.–noon | Pictures with Santa | The Pointe | $0 | Call ahead |
| Tue., Dec. 15, 6–8 p.m. | The Creative Series: Christmas Tree Planters | The Pointe | $8 / $10 | All ages |
| Fri., Dec. 18, 6–8:30 p.m. | Ignite: Holiday Pool Party | The Pointe | $15 / $18 | Register by Mon., Dec. 14 |
| Sat., Dec. 19, two sessions | Santa and the Mean Green Grouch | Ballwin Golf Course | $45 / $55 per cart | Up to four riders per cart |
| Dec. 23, 28, 29, 30 and Jan. 4 | Winter Break Camp | The Pointe | $35 / $40 per day | Limited spots, sold by the day |
The Dec. 18 pool party is the only event on this list with a hard cutoff in its listing. The party is "NO PARENTS ALLOWED!!" in the city's words. Kids ages 6 to 13.99 get pizza, drinks, desserts and pool time, and they need to bring a swimsuit and towel. The four-day rule puts the last day to register on Monday, Dec. 14, online or at The Pointe's front desk. That makes it a good pick for parents who'd like a Friday evening free the week before school lets out.
The Golf Cart Changes the Math
The two family events in December are priced in different ways, and the difference grows with the size of your group.
Reindeer Swim on Saturday, Dec. 5 charges $10 per resident admission and $12 per nonresident admission. You get reindeer-costumed lifeguards, a candy cane hunt, holiday cookies and possibly a visit from Mikey the Elf, all in the indoor pool. Four resident admissions come to $40.
Santa and the Mean Green Grouch on Saturday, Dec. 19 charges by the golf cart. Each cart holds three or four riders and costs $45 for residents or $55 for nonresidents. The city lists the riders that fit: two adults and two small kids, one adult and three kids, or two adults and one kid. A full resident cart works out to $11.25 a person, close to the price of a Reindeer Swim admission. A cart with three people works out to $15 each. If your group is larger than four, everyone has to fit on one cart or you buy a second one, so a party of five pays for two.
What the cart gets you is an outdoor ride on the cart path of Ballwin Golf Course to Santa's spot on the course, with hot chocolate and pictures when you arrive. On the way, kids count candy canes, and a correct count earns a prize at Santa's location. The Mean Green Grouch does what he can to throw off the count. The listing says to bundle up. Sessions run from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
On a Saturday in December, a family that picks the cart ride is paying for an outdoor morning and photos with Santa. A family that picks Reindeer Swim is paying for a warm pool. For a group of exactly four residents, the price is nearly the same.
The craft option between those two Saturdays is the cheapest. The Creative Series: Christmas Tree Planters at The Pointe on Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. is a hands-on seasonal project for all ages, at $8 for residents and $10 for nonresidents.
Thanksgiving Morning Moves to Holloway Road
On Thanksgiving, the city's programs move from The Pointe to the golf course, because The Pointe is closed. Its policy manual lists Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as full closures.
Ballwin Golf Course has the Gobble Golf Classic on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. It's a nine-hole scramble open to every skill level, at $60 per player with continental breakfast and hot coffee. In a scramble, a group can carry a golfer who rarely plays, which suits a mixed group of relatives. A noon finish leaves time to get home before an afternoon meal.
Winter Break Is Sold One Day at a Time
Winter Break Camp at The Pointe is set up around the calendar. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve both fall on Thursdays this year, which splits each holiday week in two, so the city sells camp by the day.
Camp days:
- Wednesday, Dec. 23
- Monday, Dec. 28
- Tuesday, Dec. 29
- Wednesday, Dec. 30
- Monday, Jan. 4, 2027
No camp on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
Each day runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a craft, swimming and a movie. Days cost $35 for residents and $40 for nonresidents. Campers must be at least 5 and in kindergarten or above, and the age range tops out at 11.99. All five days cost $175 for a resident child. Two details matter for working parents. The city offers no morning care or aftercare for this camp, so the day ends at 4 p.m. And spots are limited, with no guarantee that one child gets every date. If your work schedule depends on particular days, register for those first.
The building's own hours are on a similar schedule. The Pointe normally opens Monday through Friday from 5:15 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. It keeps amended hours on Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, and holiday hours and closures are posted at the front desk. Over winter break, your best chance at a regular lap swim or workout is on the same days camp runs.
Holiday planning in Ballwin depends a lot on knowing the calendar early, and buying or selling a home here works the same way. If you're thinking ahead to a move in the new year, The Jeff Lottmann Group can go through Ballwin's timing with you before the spring rush. Schedule a market consultation.
