Communities will be bright with beginnings of the next holiday season.
Tree lighting ceremonies, light parades and more abound.
Alsip
The annual Holiday on Pulaski from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8 will feature a tree lighting, parade, carriage rides, a laser show and business giveaways.
Details at 708-385-6902 or villageofalsip.org.
Beverly/Morgan Park
A tree lighting ceremony hosted by the Beverly Area Planning Association and Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association will be at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 25 at King-Lockhart Memorial Park, 10609 S. Western Ave. in Chicago.
Details at www.mpbhba.org.
Blue Island
The annual Light Parade will be at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 starting at Western Avenue and Union Street and followed by the tree lighting and photos with Santa.
Kris Krindle Mart will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 at Union and Western.
Details at 708-597-8603 or blueisland.org
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.Crete
The 26th annual Crete Country Christmas Dec. 1 to 3 in downtown Crete at Main and Exchange streets will feature Kris Kringle Market, a chili cook-off, vintage snowmobile show, a 5k and gingerbread house, house decorating and reindog contests.
The Parade of Lights will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 2 from Crete Boulevard to Crete Park.
Details at 708-672-9216 or cretechamber.com.
Dolton
The tree lighting will be at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 25 at Village Hall, 14014 Park Ave.
Details at 708-849-4000 or vodolton.org.
Evergreen Park
A Dickens Christmas from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at Klein Park, 97th and Homan, will feature train and sleigh rides, Santa and his reindeer and Those Funny Little People.
The tree lighting will be at 6 p.m.
Details at 708-229-3373 or evergreenpark-ill.com.
Frankfort
The Village of Frankfort’s annual tree lighting ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Breidert Green at Kansas and Oak streets.
“Bring the family to downtown Frankfort and experience our tree lighting event complete with refreshments and enjoy the holiday music of the Hickory Creek Middle School,” Mayor Jim Holland said in a press release. “In addition, volunteers from the Lincoln-Way Interact Club will serve refreshments. Of course, as usual, Santa will be arriving to greet the youngsters.”
Other events include Christkindl Dec. 2 and 3 and the Cookie Walk Dec. 9 and 10, both sponsored by the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce and Frankfort Historic Business Alliance; and the chamber’s Midnight Madness shopping spree Dec. 15.
Details at 815-469-6542 or 815-469-2177 or http://www.villageoffrankfort.com or www.shophistoricfrankfort.com.
The Frankfort Historical Society’s annual House Walk will be Dec. 1.
Details at 815-469-6541 or frankforthistoricalsociety.org.
Hazel Crest
The annual tree lighting ceremony will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Fire Station, 2903 175th St.
Details at 708-335-9600 or www.villageofhazelcrest.org.
Homewood
Holiday in Lights from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1 at Martin Avenue and Hickory Road will feature a tree lighting, visits with Santa, musical trolley rides, an antique car parade, reindeer, caroling, a brass band, outdoor marketplace and ice carving demonstrations.
Christmas trees and wreaths will be for sale, too.
Details at 708-798-3000 or village.homewood.il.us.
Joliet
The city’s 20th annual Light Up the Holidays Parade and Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 24 along Chicago Street in downtown Joliet.
The tree lighting will be at 5:15 p.m. in Van Buren Plaza, with the parade following.
Activities will be offered throughout the downtown area, including the Joliet Area Historical Museum, Joliet Public Library, Gji’s Sweet Shoppe, Jitters Coffeehouse, Chicken-n-Spice, Chevere Latin Café and Joliet Junior College City Center Campus.
Details at 815-744-6066 or jolietdowntown.com.
Also Nov. 24, Home for the Holidays at the Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., will include annual favorites such as the Teddy Bear Tea at 9:30 a.m. and noon ($22.50 and $25 with reservations required) and a screening of “Home Alone” at 3 p.m. ($5).
The Rialto also will host Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” at 2 p.m. Nov. 26 and screen “The Santa Clause” at 1 p.m. Dec. 2 and “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at 1 p.m. Dec. 16.
Other Rialto holiday events include a luncheon with music played on the Barton Grand Theatre Pipe Organ at 11 a.m. Dec. 6; “A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8; “It’s A Wonderful Life – Live Radio Broadcast” at 7 p.m. Dec. 9; a concert by the Joliet American Legion Band at 2 p.m. Dec. 10; and Cirque Dreams Holidaze at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13.
Details at 815-726-7171 or rialtosquare.com.
Lemont
Hometown Holidays from 3 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 in downtown Lemont will feature a tree lighting, Santa, kids’ activities, sleigh rides and a Kris Kringle Market.
Details at 630-257-5997 or www.lemontchamber.com More Top Picks Eufy Indoor Cam E220
Lansing
Taste of the Holidays Dec. 1 to 3 will include a tree lighting, Parade of Lights, carriage rides and more.
Details at 708-895-7200 or www.villageoflansing.org.
Matteson
The annual Breakfast with Santa Holiday Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Community Center, 20642 Matteson Ave., will include a tree lighting, entertainment, raffles and an ugly sweater contacts. Tickets are $5.
Details at 708-283-4777 or villageofmatteson.org.
New Lenox
Check out the country’s “largest illuminated Santa Claus” during Christmas in the Commons at 101 Veterans Parkway (off Route 30), kicking off Dec. 3 and featuring a sprawling light display visible at dusk daily to Jan. 7, 2018, plus a new holiday market and synthetic ice skating rink.
Details at 815-462-6400 or newlenox.net.
Oak Forest
The annual parade will be at 11 a.m. Dec. 2 along Central Avenue from Oak Forest High School to City Hall. The tree lighting will follow.
Details at 708-687-4050 or oak-forest.org.
Orland Park
The Mayor’s Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting Ceremony from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26 at Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 Ravinia Ave., will feature the arrival of Santa and reindeer, new lighted sculptures, kiddie train rides ($1), free sleigh rides, indoor crafts, music and dance performances and concessions.
“This is always a festive event and we’re excited to expand it with the many outdoor activities,” Trustee Pat Gira, chair of the village’s Recreation and Parks Committee, said in a press release.
Details at 708-403-7275 or orlandpark.org.
Palos Heights
A tree lighting ceremony with Santa and his reindeer will be Nov. 24 at Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, 7402 Lake Katherine Drive.
Holidays in the Heights Dec. 1 and 2 will include a tree lighting and Kris Kringle Market at the municipal parking lot.
The Palos Heights Woman’s Club will host a House Walk and Christmas Breakfast Dec. 9.
Details at 708-361-1800 or www.palosheights.org.
Palos Park
The tree lighting will be at 5 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Recreation Center, 8901 W. 123rd St.
Details at 708-671-3760 or palospark.org.
Tinley Park
The tree lighting ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at Zabrocki Plaza, 17375 Oak Park Ave., with a singalong at 5:30 p.m.
The Holiday Market inside a heated tent will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1, noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 2 and noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 3.
Tinley’s Toyland Parade will be at 11:45 a.m. Dec. 2. Parade attendees are asked to bring unwrapped toys to donate to a local charity.
The Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce will present the Parade of Lights at 5 p.m. Dec. 3 along Oak Park Avenue.
On Dec. 2 and 3, festivities also include carriage and carousel rides and campfires.
Details at 708-444-5678 or tinleypark.org.
Worth
The tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Veterans Memorial, 111th and Harlem Avenue, will be followed by photos with Santa at Marrs Meyer American Legion.
Details at 708-448-7080 or www.villageofworth.com.
Vickie Snow Jurkowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.