The weather didn’t cooperate at all Friday evening when the annual Clarendon Hills Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Holiday Walk was held in the village’s downtown area.
In past years, when the weather has been decent, the event has attracted large crowds, including a year ago when good weather helped to bring out one of the most-attended holiday gatherings.
“As the rain slowed, many enjoyed the lights, watching ice sculptures take form, listening to a performance from a Clarendon Hills Music Academy Jazz Quartet, or sing carols while taking a horse-drawn wagon pulled by Jake and Rosie,” said Shannon McDonald, the Chamber’s event manager. “For those that braved the elements, it was a night to celebrate community with neighbors and local businesses.”
McDonald said the Holiday Walk may not have looked crowded outside, but people gathered inside Clarendon Hills Bank, Zabler Jewelers and other local businesses to escape the rain and enjoy refreshments from some local businesses.
The Holiday Walk was from 5 to 9 p.m. and kicked off with local merchant shopping at 5 p.m. and the traditional tree lighting at 6 p.m. in front of Village Hall.
Other features of the event included strolling carolers, horse drawn wagon rides, roasted chestnuts, the creation of an ice sculpture refreshments and the always popular visit from Santa.
This was the second year the event was called the Holiday Walk, after 65 years of being known as the Christmas Walk.
The updating of the name from Christmas Walk to Holiday Walk was necessary in order to comply with the bylaws of the Chamber of Commerce, which state that its activities shall be nonpartisan, nonsectional and nonsectarian, according to the Chamber. The event is regularly held on the first Friday of December.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Here are more photos from Friday:
