Holiday Events Near Crystal Lake, Cary: Parades, Tree Lightings, More

CRYSTAL LAKE AND CARY, IL — There is no shortage of things to do in and around Crystal Lake and Cary to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Tree and menorah lightings in and around Crystal Lake and Cary are:

• Depot Park in Crystal Lake will feature 40 decorated Christmas trees, which will officially light up for the holiday season on Friday. Christmas Tree lane remain lit up through Dec. 31.
• The official lighting of Crystal Lake's Christmas tree will be held in the Brink Street Market courtyard following the city's Festival of Lights parade. More information on the parade and festivities can be found online.
• The village of Algonquin will host its tree lighting ceremony after Santa arrives on Dec. 4 during its Miracle on Main festival. Santa will be arriving between 5 and 5:15 p.m. More information on the plaza can be found here.

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland; the Target.

Parades in and around Crystal Lake and Cary may not be able to match those in size, but the heart behind them is just as big. Parades to catch near Crystal Lake and Cary:

• The festival of lights parade will step off in downtown Crystal Lake at 7 p.m. on Friday. The official lighting of the Christmas Tree in the Brink Street Market courtyard will follow the parade. More information on the parade and festivities can be found online.
• The Merry Cary Parade will step off at 1 p.m. in downtown Cary. The Merry Cary Festival will run from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. More information can be found online.