Letters to Santa

We’re keeping the magic of Merry & Bright alive all season long with KWCH’s Letters to Santa, benefiting the Wichita Children’s Home!

📍 How to Participate:
Mail your letter to Santa, Care of Union Station, at:
701 E. Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67202
or drop it off in person at Simmons Bank inside Union Station.

🎅 Watch Santa Read Your Letters:
Tune in Friday, December 19 during KWCH’s 4PM, 5PM, and 6PM newscasts as Santa—joined by KWCH Anchor Rachel Hackbarth—reads letters from area children live on-air.

✨ Missed the broadcast?
You can also watch Letters to Santa streaming Christmas Eve via the 12 News Connected App (Roku and more) — with a special QR code to continue donating to the Wichita Children’s Home.

4th Annual Merry & Bright Union Station Lighting Event & Toy Drive

4th Annual Merry & Bright Union Station Lighting Event & Toy Drive

An event to benefit the Wichita Children’s Home

Thursday, November 20
5:30-7:00 pm
Union Station Plaza

Be a Part of the Holiday Magic!

Merry & Bright is a free, family-friendly event open to the public. This year’s event will once again feature the lighting of the Union Station building, photos with Santa, carriage rides, hot cocoa and cookies, a kids’ activity station, and special performances, as well as a TV partnership with KWCH Channel 12 and Summit Media.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy or new coats and/or shoes to donate to the Wichita Children’s Home.

Event Activities:

The evening will be filled with holiday activities, music and more!

  • Toy drive to benefit the Wichita Children’s Home
  • Lighting of the Great Plains Transportation Museum train
  • KWCH Channel 12 will cover the event live with co-sponsor SummitMedia (KFDI-FM 101.3)
  • Pat Strathman of ESPN will Emcee
  • KWCH, Summit Media, ESPN & KMUW are broadcast sponsors
  • Photos with Santa
  • Carriage rides with Brower Carriages
  • Interactive Kids’ Station with Envision Arts Gallery
  • Learning Lab Chriskindlmarket table
  • Live performance by Ballet Wichita
  • Live performance by Wichita Chorus Sweet Adelines, Wichita Children’s Theater & Dance, and Knocknasheega – Traditional Celtic Band
  • Cocoa and cookies with Insomnia Cookies
  • Fireworks with Victory Pyrotechnics
  • The Wichita Police Department Mounted Unit
  • Facepainting by SamJQW
  • Party Rockerz Snow Sisters
Ballet Wichita performing at 2023 Merry & Bright event

Thank You Sponsors & Event Partners

Thank you to our generous sponsors and partners who are helping make this year’s event possible!

4th Annual Merry & Bright Union Station Lighting Event & Toy Drive

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