Weekend Windup {Family Holiday Fun in the Chicago Suburbs December 6-8, 2024}

 

Family Holiday Fun in the Chicago Suburbs December 6-8, 2024

This weekend will sparkle! Here are my picks for local holiday fun in the Chicago suburbs:

Ongoing

February 10 - December 21 Saving the Fabyan's Legacy: The Darlene Larson Story, Geneva History Museum, learn how the Fabyan estate and Japanese garden were saved, see website for admission information and times.

September 6 - January 5, 2025 Chicagoland Movie Palaces: A Century of Follies & Film, Elmhurst History Museum, see website for dates and times

November 15 - January 5 Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden, this year's is bigger, brighter, and better than ever! Be sure to get your tix and enjoy a magical evening: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/ I recently visited and will be discussing this year's event in a post soon. Enjoy outstanding light displays that both highlight nature and embody the season.

November 16-January 4 Illumination: Tree Lights, The Morton Arboretum, enjoy 50 acres of trees during a special holiday show combining lights, sound and movement. See website for tickets and special events.

November 22-January 5 Willow Hill Lights, Northbrook

November 22-December 24 Christkindlmarket Aurora, see website for times

November 27 - January 5 Christmas at Cantigny Park features dazzling light displays throughout the garden and the historic McCormick Mansion will be adorned with holiday trimmings. A hot cocoa hut will be for rent and there will be a special holiday bar in the McCormick Mansion. $10 parking, $15 per adult, $10 per child in advance. $20 and $15 day of. Additional pricing for bar and cabana. See website for more details and to reserve tickets.

November 29 - December 28 Christmas in Woodstock features a collection of nostalgic holiday activities including horse drawn carriage rides, a gingerbread walk, Christmas tree walk, and performances of The Nutcracker Ballet at the Opera House. See schedule.

Friday, December 6

December 6-8 Holly Jolly Days, Naper Settlement, Naperville, 3-7PM Fri, 1PM-7PM Sat & Sun, learn from a blacksmith how reindeer shoes are made, create crafts, listen to stories about Christmas in a one-room schoolhouse and more, $5 pp

December 6 Deerfield Winter Celebration, 5PM-8PM, ice sculpting, live entertainment, wagon rides, roasted chestnuts

December 6 Dickens in East and West Dundee, 5:30PM-9PM, living windows, horse drawn carriage rides, live music, tree lighting, and more

December 6 Geneva Christmas Walk, 6PM

Saturday, December 7

December 7 Dickens of a Holiday, Libertyville, 10AM-3PM

December 7-8 Creating Glass Ornaments: At Mundelein's Patterson Glassworks, now is the time to craft glass ornaments! The experience is $50-$75 depending on size and type of ornament. The Open House runs 11AM-4PM each day. Call 847-949-0013 to book your time. 

December 7 Cookie and Cocoa Crawl, Ravinia District, Highland Park, 11:30AM-1PM

December 7 Owl Program, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington, 1PM, indoor program, learn about the skilled nocturnal hunters

December 7 Santa Parade, Libertyville, 2PM

December 7 Roselle Winterfest, 2PM-6PM

December 7 Miracle on Main Street, Lake Zurich, 3PM-6:30PM

December 7 Winter Bonfire, Camp Dan Beard, Northbrook, 4PM