{"id":62219,"date":"2025-11-27T00:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T00:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/62219\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T00:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T00:59:08","slug":"james-museum-to-light-giant-cactus-at-festive-holiday-bash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/62219\/","title":{"rendered":"James Museum to light giant cactus at festive holiday bash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This holiday season, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in downtown St. Petersburg (150 Central Ave) is swapping pine needles for cactus needles in a uniquely festive celebration. The museum will host the 2nd annual lighting of its giant Yule Cactus during a special holiday bash<\/a> on Tuesday, December 2, from 6\u20138 p.m.<\/p>\n

The event will take place in The James Museum\u2019s beautiful Arroyo atrium and is free to attend, though space is limited so registration is recommended<\/a>. The annual cactus lighting is the official kickoff to a full month of holiday events at The James. Famed St. Pete artist Chad Mize will be on hand to perform the ceremonial lighting of the Yule Cactus.<\/p>\n

\"Children\"Children<\/p>\n

\"People\"People<\/p>\n

\"People\"People<\/p>\n

The holiday extravaganza will feature a range of activities for all ages, including:<\/p>\n

Lighting of the 12-foot Yule Cactus<\/p>\n

Art-making stations and activities<\/p>\n

Seasonal bites and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from The Canyon by Catering By The Family<\/p>\n

Photos with Cowboy Santa<\/p>\n

Meet mini horses from Honey\u2019s Mini Therapy Adventures<\/p>\n

The Yule Cactus, inspired by the towering saguaro cacti of the Southwest, will remain on display through early January. Its return is a marker of the start of the season at The James, which will host family-friendly events and activities throughout December.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time of year is about joy, connection and creativity,\u201d said Robin Nicholson, Executive Director of The James Museum. \u201cThe Yule Cactus is a fun and unexpected way to celebrate the season. It\u2019s become a symbol of the museum\u2019s unique spirit and the community that surrounds us.\u201d<\/p>\n

While you wait for the lighting of the Yule Cactus, be sure to take advantage of the incredible Black Friday deals at the museum. The James Museum\u2019s largest sale of the year runs November 28\u2013December 1, offering 50% off all new museum memberships (valid all weekend long with code MEMBER50) and 20% off general admission tickets for visits November 28\u2013December 1 (use code HOWDY20). Learn more and get tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Children\"Children<\/p>\n

A month of holiday fun at The James<\/p>\n

The Yule Cactus lighting is just the start of a jam-packed December calendar at The James Museum. Events include activities for all ages, from family-friendly artmaking to holiday parties. Check out these must-attend experiences at The James.<\/p>\n

Yule Cactus Lighting Ceremony<\/a>
December 2, 6\u20138 p.m.
Kick off the holiday season with their newest tradition \u2013 the annual lighting of The James Museum\u2019s 12-foot Yule Cactus! Free events throughout the evening include family-friendly art making and photos, with Cowboy Santa with a special guest turning on the lights at 7 p.m.
The event takes place on the first floor, and it is free to attend. Museum admission needed for gallery access.<\/p>\n

Trailblazer\u2019s Annual Winter Bar Crawl<\/a>
December 4, 7:30 p.m.
Grab a drink as The James teams up with Forward Hospitality Group for a bar crawl. Guests will be hitting up Glamper\/XMAS Bar, Hi-5, and Welcome to the Farm, connecting with fellow art lovers along the way. As a bonus, all participants will get a free shot at each stop\u2014cheers to that! Don\u2019t miss out\u2014grab your friends, bundle up and let\u2019s make some memories. Must be 21+ to participate.<\/p>\n

James Playdate: Winter Wildlife
December 5, 10:30\u201311:30 a.m.<\/a>
December 9, 10:30\u201311:30 a.m.<\/a>
The James welcomes their youngest<\/a> learners and their caregivers each month. Grab your stroller and come for a morning filled with art, touchable objects, stories, songs and a chance to connect with other adults. Ages 0-3 with an adult. Includes museum admission.<\/p>\n

Winter Wonderland Market<\/a>
December 9, 5\u20138 p.m.
Need that one special gift for the holidays? Shop a market full of unique goods from local businesses and artists and enjoy a playlist of holiday classics as you wander the galleries. A few lucky guests will go home with a gift.
The event will take place on the first floor, and it is free to attend. Museum admission needed for gallery access.<\/p>\n

Holiday Art Night with Harley Babst<\/a>
December 9, 6\u20138 p.m.
Join The James for a festive holiday art night with local artist and Trailblazer member Harley Babst, where you\u2019ll paint a western-themed holiday masterpiece and enjoy a drink with fellow artists. No experience needed\u2014just bring your holiday spirit and creativity! Hosted by The Trailblazers. Must be 21+ to participate. Fee includes an adult beverage, museum admission and materials. Space is limited; advance registration required.<\/p>\n

Family Matinee: Abominable (2019)<\/a>
December 13, 1\u20133 p.m.
Abominable is the story of an adventurous teen named Yi who encounters a young yeti on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai. She embarks on an epic journey to reunite the magical creature with his family. But to do so, they must stay one step ahead of a wealthy financier and determined zoologist who want to capture the beast for their own gain.1h 32m; Rated PG. Suitable for children 6 years and older with an adult. Museum admission sold separately.<\/p>\n

Family Artmaking: Holiday Break Open Studio
December 26\u2013 January 3
When school is out, family fun is IN at The James! Drop by the studio to create winter-inspired art \u2014experiment with icicle painting, snowflake gelli prints, puffy snow painting and more.
The studio will be open daily, December 26\u2013January 3 @ 1\u20134 p.m. Ages 4\u201312; children must be accompanied by an adult. Included with admission; free for members. Space is limited.<\/p>\n

The James Museum is embracing the holidays with creativity, community, and a touch of whimsy. For more information about these events or to register, visit thejamesmuseum.org\/events<\/a> and follow the museum on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This holiday season, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in downtown St. Petersburg (150 Central Ave)…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":62220,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-62219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62219\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}