Make your holidays bright
Suburbs offer plenty to do, despite unusual circumstances
Guests at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle won’t be able to stroll the mile-long path of trees bedecked with dazzling holiday lights this year.
Instead, they can enjoy a 2-mile path in the warmth and coziness of their cars as the Morton Arboretum presents Illumination: Tree Lights at the Morton Arbore tum Nov. 20 to Jan. 3. The eighth annual holiday event is re-imagined for socially distant times as a driving experience featuring new displays aswell as returning favorites set to customized music that guests will listen to on their car radios.
Preston Bautista, vice president of learning and engagement at the Morton Arboretum, said guests have asked for a driving experience in the past because of the cold and accessibility issues, he said.
Many of the familiar favorite scenes will return, with some tweaks.
“For example, Crystal Promenade, the feature with the chandeliers hanging fromthe trees, we had to re-think that one because people are going to be seeing that fromtheir cars,” he said.“We had to think about howto lower those so they’re flanking the road so people driving by can see them.”
Symphony Woods will have double the number of lights and will be on two sides, he said.
“So when you’re driving through, you’ll be immersed in it,” he said.
Anew thing he is excited about is a new tunnel of lights. It’s the first thing guests will see and experience when they arrive.
“Your car is going to go through this enclosure that will be covered in lights,” he said.
“And as you’re going through, the lights will be in motion, the lights will be changing color. This is also the first year we’re going to introduce laser technology into the experience. There are a couple to them that will project laser lights out into the trees and out into the sky and one that will be like a plane of light and will bath parts of the Arboretum in different colors.”
The road will pass by annual Illumination favorites such as Symphony Woods and Woodland Wonder, as well as five new visual exhibits enhanced by beautiful woodland lighting among the trees.
There will be a drive-thru concession stand upon entering aswell, he said.
Other changes this year include extended hours: the exhibition will stay open until 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Also new this year, the Arboretum will be open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in addition to New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as in previous years.
He hopes guests love it, he said.
Ticket prices range from$29 to $49 per vehicle depending on the time; 15-passenger vans are $54 to $64. Timed tickets must be purchased online at mortonarb.org or in person at the Arboretum Visitor Center in advance of arrival at Illumination. Tickets will not be sold on-site during the event.
Here are some holiday events this month to put on your calendar.
Since mitigations are changing frequently, check websites for the most current information.
Aurora
Phillips Park Festival of Lights. 5-9 p.m. MondayThursday and 5-10 p.m. FridaySunday Nov. 27-Dec. 27 at 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Free; goodwill offering requested. 630820-2200; aurora festival of lights.com. There is more than amile of lighted displays, including an ice rink, Santa’s toy
factory, Old Man Winter, elves, reindeer, holiday trains and gigantic snowflakes.
Beecher
Holiday Owl Hike. 4-6 p.m. Dec. 29 and 7-9 p.m. Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 at Goodenow Grove, 27064 S. Dutton Road. Free; pre-registration required. 708-946-2216; reconnect with nature.org. Join Plum Creek
Nature Center staff to find out which owls call Illinois home aswell as the ones you are likely to find in the preserves and in your neighborhood.
Bolingbrook
Holiday Lights Show. 5-9 p.m. Nov. 8 to Dec. 31 at the Promenade, 631 E. Boughton
Road. Free. 630-296-8350; shoppingpromenade.com/events/ holiday-lights-show. The 60-foot holiday treewill play three songs at the top of each hour and more than 250,000LEDlights will dance.
Brookfield
HolidayMagic. 3-9 p.m. Nov. 27-29, Dec. 2-6, Dec. 9-13, Dec. 16-20 and Dec. 26-31 at Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road. $17.95$24.95; parking $15. 708-6888000; czs.org/Holiday Magic. Advance admission and parking tickets are required. Reservation times will be available in 20-minute increments. The many pathways will be lit with more than one million LED lights, including one through a 600-foot-long tunnel featuring thousands of colored lights all synchronized to music. Santa will not be on hand this year, though guests can take a photo with a life-size cutout. All indoor spaces are temporarily closed.
Frankfort
Lighting of the Green. 6:308:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Breidert Green, Kansas and White streets. Free. 815-469-2177; frankfortil.org.
Reindeer on the Green. 12-2 p.m. Dec. 12 at Breidert Green, Kansas and White streets. Free. 815-469-2177; frankfortil.org. Experience an up-close encounter with two Alaskan reindeer.
Geneva
Christmas Walk. Weekends Dec. 4-20 in the downtown. Free. 630-232-6060; geneva chamber.com/festivals-events/ christmas-walk. See schedule for complete list of weekend holiday activities.
Glen Ellyn
Virtual “AChristmas Carol.”
7 p.m. Nov. 27 and 3 and 7 p.m. Nov. 28-29. $16 per household. Atthemac.org/events/a-christmascarol/. The College of DuPage Theatre Department ushers in the season with this Dickens classic. Ticketholders will receive an email before the showwith a link to access the performance online.
NewPhilharmonicHoliday Sing-Along with the Symphony. 7 p.m. Dec. 12 and 3 and 7 p.m.
Dec. 13. $40 per household. Atthemac.org/events/sing-along/. This virtual concert will feature festive carols, aHanukkah medley and orchestral seasonal favorites. Ticketholders will receive an email before the showwith a link to access the performance online.
Million Dollar Christmas.
7:30 p.m. Dec. 19. $50 per household. Atthemac.org/events/ million-dollar-christmas-2/. Enjoy the catalog of classic rock ’n’ roll hits, plus a special selection of heartwarming holiday tunes, in the stylings of Presley, Lewis, Cash and Perkins. Ticketholders will receive an email before the show with a link to access the performance online.
HomerGlen
The Irony of Festivus. 7-8p.m. Dec. 2. Virtual. Free. 708-301-7908; homerlibrary.org/homer-liveirony-festivus. Learn about the holiday that originated on theTV comedy “Seinfeld” and is celebrated annually Dec. 23.
Joliet
“It’s a Wonderful Life” virtual radio show. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-21 and 2 p.m. Nov. 22. Free. 815-2802223; facebook and search events. This prerecorded production of the classic holiday tale will be streamed via Zoom and is an audio-only production, just like a 1940s radio show.
Lockport
Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees. Daily Nov. 28-Dec. 13 at Central Square Lawn, 222 E. 9th St. 815-838-1183; lockportpark.org/ mc-events/winter-wonderlandfestival-of-trees-christmas-treedecorating-contest. Businesses and organizations will decorate trees for viewing.
Manteno
Lighting Ceremony and
Santa SleighsDownMain. 5p.m. Dec. 5 at LeoHassett Community Center, 211N. Main St. Free. 815929-4800; facebook.com/Villageof Manteno and search events. Santa arrives and lights theVillage tree.
Mooseheart
MooseheartHoliday Lights. 5-9 p.m. dailyNov. 27-Dec. 31 at Mooseheart Child City and
School, 240W. James J. Davis Drive. $20. 630-859-2000; mooseheart.org/event/ holiday-lights. TheMooseheart Holiday Lights is a fundraiser for the children’s school and village. The lighted route is approximately two miles and has more than 80 lighted displays to view.
Naperville
NaperLights. 4-9 p.m. daily Nov. 26 to Jan. 1, 2021, onWater Street overlooking the south side of the Riverwalk. Free. Naperlights.com. There will be holiday displays set to music.
NewLenox
Christmas in theCommons. 4-8 p.m. Dec. 5-6, Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 19-20 at theNewLenox Commons, 1Veterans Parkway. Free. 815-462-6400; newlenox.net . The event returns with lighted displays; including the largest illuminated Santa Claus in the United States, who stands nearly 40 feet tall and is covered in 18,500 LEDlights. There’s also an outdoor holiday market, horsedrawnwagon rides, distanced visits with Santa, ice skating, hot cocoa and more.
Oak Lawn
Tree lighting ceremony. 5p.m. Dec. 4 atCalvary Church of Oak Lawn, 10056 CentralAve. Free, preregister atwebsite. 708-4292200; thisiscalvary.org/OakLawn. Celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with the lighting up of the 40-foot tree with thousands of lights.
Plano
Mod andMerry— an Edith FarnsworthHouseHoliday. 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Nov. 20-Dec. 20 at the FarnsworthHouse, 14520 River Road. $30. 630-552-0052; farnsworthhouse.org/mod-merry. For the third year, the historic FarnsworthHouse will be decorated for the holidays. This season, in homage to Edith Farnsworth and the current 1955 refurnishing, the house will be decorated in classicMCMstyle. Guests should arrive 15 minutes early to check in and should dress for theweather as part of this tour is outdoors.
Romeoville
Holiday Lights Festival. Dec. 4-Jan. 15, 2021, atVillageHall, 1050W. RomeoRoad. 815-8867200; romeoville.org/1146/ Holiday-Lights-Festival. The grounds ofVillageHall and the Police Department will be decked out with lighted displays. Pictures with Santa on Dec. 4-5 and Dec. 11-12 for $10 per family for Romeoville residents.
Tinley Park
Hooked on theHolidays improv comedy show. 7-9 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center, 16801 S. 80th Ave. $9. 708-342-4200; tinleypark district.org/calendar-of-events/ ?mc_id=1152.
Wheaton
Nights of Lights. 5-10 p.m. Nov. 20-Jan. 10, 2021, atAdams Park, Main andWesley streets. Free. 630-682-0633; downtown wheaton.com/event/nights-oflights.
Festival of Lights and ChristmasTree Sale. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily Nov. 27-Dec. 30 at Cosley Zoo, 1356North GaryAve. Free. 630665-5534; wheatonpark district.com/events/festival-oflights-and-tree-sale. Lights come on at 3 p.m.
Celebrate the SeasonHoliday Festival. 1-7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Cantigny Park, 1S151WinfieldRoad. Free admission; $5 parking. 630668-5161; cantigny.org/event/ celebrate-the-season-holidayfestival. The park will be decorated for the holidays and there are plans for safe family activities. Bring a new and unwrapped toy for theMarineToys forTots drive a receive free parking.
Yorkville
ChristmasTree Lighting Ceremony. 7:15-7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Riverfront Park, 131 E. HydraulicAve. Free. 630-553-4357; yorkville.il.us/490/HolidayCelebration-Weekend.
Drive-by visits with Santa. 3-6 p.m. Nov. 20-21 at Santa’s Workshop at Riverfront Park, 131 E. HydraulicAve. Free. 630-5534357; yorkville.il.us/490/HolidayCelebration-Weekend. Families can drive by for a socially distanced photo with Santa.
Fireworks show. 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21 atRoute 47 and Countryside Parkway. Free. 630-553-4357; yorkville.il.us/490/HolidayCelebration-Weekend. Annual fireworks show.