My favorite part of the season -- checking out light displays! I have put together a list of Holiday Light Parads, Light Displays and Home Holiday Light Displays to check out. I will update as a more information becomes available. A lot of lights happening this weekend, so get a jump on the season!
Holiday Light Parades
Festival of Lights Parade Crystal Lake; November 25 7PM-8PM; kick off the holiday season with a light parade; free
Electric Christmas Parade St. Charles; November 25 at 5:30PM, free
Village of Fox Lake Holiday Illuminated Parade; November 26; 5PM-9PM; free
Little Friends Parade of Lights in Naperville, November 27 at 6PM, free
Light Displays
- Illumination at Morton Arboretum in Lisle, November 18-January 2, an interactive light experience in the trees, check website for ticketing and times
- Holiday Magic, Brookfield Zoo, Saturdays & Sundays in Dec, also Dec 26-31, check website for times and prices
- Festival of Lights Cosley Zoo Wheaton; November 25-December 31 3PM-9PM, 20,000 twinkling lights transform the zoo with displays; Christmas tree sale as well; free; closed Christmas Eve and Christmascheck website for specific times (closed days), free but donations appreciated
- Holiday Festival of Lights, Phillip's Park Zoo, Aurora, drive-thru display, November 25-December 26, Sun-Thurs 5PM-9PM, Fri-Sat 5PM-10PM, free!
- Holiday Lights Lilacia Park, Lombard, December 3-28, check for special events like train rides, etc., lighting ceremony is Dec 3 5:30PM, Dec 4-18 6PM-8PM, Santa visits on weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun)
- Incredible Light Show, Randhurst Village, Mt. Prospect, starts December 3--17, free, animated projection light show, runs every half hour 6PM-8PM, Holiday Festival December 3, see website for more special events
- North School Park, Arlington Heights, November 25-early January (per Village), free!
- Naper Lights, Naper Settlement, November 25-December 24, Thursdays-Sundays, 5PM-9PM, Thursday-Saturday, 5PM-7PM Sundays, December 19-24 every day 5PM-9PM, free!
- Rosemont Holiday Lights: Holiday Light Displays in different parks in Rosemont, 4PM-1AM daily, free, plus enjoy free ice skating at Frozemont (fee for rental), free! Light Up the Park special festival November 25.
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Enormous holiday light display in Medinah Woods Club in Itasca |
Impressive Home Displays
- South Barrington Lights--Thanksgiving-New Year's 5PM-10PM each evening.
- Lights on Magnolia, Rolling Meadows, November 25(-December 3, free but collecting non-perishable food items for donation, 4:30PM-midnight
- Christmas on Tiffany, Schaumburg, November 26-December 31, 3 different synchronized shows, check show times on website, free
- Magical House on Hunter Circle, Naperville, light show to music, starts on November 25
- Christmas Lights on Cleveland Street, Wilmette, keep checking site--estimated start date of November 25
- Glenview Lights, follow Facebook for start date, free
- Schaumburg Holiday House Decorating Contest & Tour, Tours December 13 leaving from Recreation Center, 6:30PM-8:30PM, $10 per resident, $15 per non, must register by Dec 9 or earlier -- may fill up!
- Twas The Night House, Geneva, expected to be up November 26, follow on Facebook to keep up to date
- Road Rallye Christmas Lights Tour December 10 in Schaumburg; by the Wheels Rallye Team in Schaumburg, registration starts at 6PM at Woodfield near Firestone (see website for deets), $10 per car & unwrapped new toy worth $15 or more for Toys For Tots or $25 cash, course will take you through some of the best home and municipal light displays in the suburbs, cars head out at 7PM *cars can be in sightseeing mode!* beginner school at 6:45PM
- Westfield Gardens area Des Plaines, a sizable cluster of festively decorated homes, between Mt. Prospect Road, Wolf Road and Dempster Street, free!
- Sauganash and Edgebrook Homes in Chicago (map link)
- In Palatine, check out the house on Eagle Lane just off of Northwest Highway. Lots of inflatables!
- In Arlington Heights--311 N. Haddow set to music and 1019 S Belmont -- not sure if these are running this year but check!
- Lenhertz Ave Christmas Display in Aurora starting December 11; large nativity scene and the story of Christmas; see Facebook for updates
- Grusecki House Park Ridge at Engel Boulevard and Belle Plaine Ave, lights set to music in a Prince tribute, will be collecting donations for Misericordia and Salute Veterans Fund, 5PM-8:55PM Sundays-Thurdays; 5PM-9:55PM Fridays-Saturdays
- Medinah Woods Club subdivision in Itasca on Rt 53 and Medinah Dr. There is a HUGE display and many of the houses around have nice displays as well.
- Schaumburg Christmas Lights at 503 Dartmouth, 4:30PM-10PM Sun-Thurs, Fri-Sat 4:30PM-10:30PM through January 1.
- The Believe House in Naperville at 630 Vicksburg Court 4:30PM-11PM.
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