The village of Homer Glen started its holiday season Dec. 4 by combining its tree-lighting celebration with its Christkindlmarket.
The free Heritage Park light display continues at dusk daily to Jan. 3, 2023, outdoors.
“We have about 30 large light displays,” said Jacquelyn Huff, who began as community events coordinator for the village of Homer Glen in November.
“There’s a large hot cocoa mug that you can walk through and take pictures with. We have a light-up mailbox (for) Letters to Santa. We have a giant Christmas tree, giant ornaments, a light-up present. There’s an ornament that you can sit in, a light-up sleigh.
“Then we have our snowmen on display as well.”
Individuals, families, organizations, schools and businesses were invited to decorate approximately 50 wooden snowmen, which are each 5 feet tall, as part of the village’s snowman decorating contest.
“The snowmen are made out of plywood. We cut it out into a snowman shape. Residents signed up for one. They came and picked it up from us and they returned it before the Homer for the Holidays (kickoff). Then we got it in the park for the tree lighting.”
Three prizes will be given: the Homer Glen Junior Woman’s Club Award chosen by the namesake organization, the People’s Choice Award for a business or organization and a People’s Choice Award for an individual or family.
Homer for the Holidays, which Huff said has been an annual tradition since at least 2008, marked her first event with the village.
“It’s huge. There are so many lights. Our Parks & Recreation department set up all the large displays so they’re really instrumental in getting all that stuff up. It’s a pretty big spread throughout the park. We have about 330 strands of lights that have 100 bulbs so it’s about 33,000 lights,” Huff said.
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Huff noted that the 103-acre Heritage Park, which is behind Homer Glen Village Hall, has been the location for Homer for the Holidays year after year.
Huff said the village of Homer Glen is just starting to come up with its 2023 events schedule.
“We really focus on the residents and getting them involved. We try to do a variety of events that include everybody. We really get our businesses involved in it. We try to make it a whole community event,” she said.
Homer for the Holidays
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When: approximately 4:45-11 p.m. daily to Jan. 3, 2023
Where: Heritage Park, 14240 W. 151st St., Homer Glen
Tickets: free
Information: 708-301-0632, Option 5; facebook.com/homerglenrec
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.