For nine years now, the Henryetta Community- Wide Christmas Dinner has stood as one of the city’s most heartfelt and unifying holiday traditions – a simple idea that grew into something extraordinary because an entire community embraced it with love.

This year’s dinner will once again fill the Henryetta Civic Center, located at 104 S.

4th Street, with warmth, conversation, and holiday cheer on Thursday, Dec. 18. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and a full, home-cooked Christmas meal will begin serving at 6 p.m. All are welcome.

What makes this event remarkable is not just the menu or the decorations, but its spirit. The dinner isn’t organized by any single club, group or church. It’s powered entirely by the generosity and goodwill of Henryetta itself. Volunteers, businesses, donors, families and everyday neighbors join together each year to make sure every plate is full, every visitor is welcomed and no one spends the evening alone.

One of the founders, Tristan Demmitt, expressed what has long made this event meaningful to so many. “Without the community giving the way it does, this dinner would never happen. Each year volunteers, donors, individuals and businesses, come together to give to ensure this dinner happens. It truly is amazing and shows what Henryetta can do for its fellow citizens.”

What started as a quiet idea – the very first year “a whisper,” as organizers described it – has grown into a celebration that now welcomes 250 to 350 people annually. In past years, Santa and Mrs. Claus have delighted children, local artists have filled the room with Christmas carols, and evangelists have offered messages of hope. Families and friends old and new gather around the tables, sharing stories, laughter and the warmth of community.

And most importantly, it is completely free. No reservations, no requirements, no expectations. Whether someone comes with plenty or comes in need of a place to feel welcome, the doors are open and the tables are full. This is a dinner where the phrase “the more, the merrier” truly comes to life.

As Henryetta prepares for another holiday season, the Community-Wide Christmas Dinner continues to shine as a reminder of what is possible when people give, care, and show up for one another. On Dec. 18, the Civic Center will once again glow with joyful voices, shared meals and the comforting assurance that no one has to celebrate alone.

Everyone is invited. Everyone is welcome. And everyone is family at the Henryetta Community- Wide Christmas Dinner.