Your Guide to Holiday Festivals, Parades, Spots to Visit Santa in Glen Ellyn Area

It’s the holiday season — a perfect time to get out and about to enjoy the sights and sounds of area festivals and parades.

It’s also a great time for kids to get their wish lists together and prepare for their visit with old St. Nick.

Here’s a roundup of area events and places where you can stop by for some holiday fun and a photo with Santa:

Glen Ellyn

Thousands are expected to gather on Nov. 28 in downtown Glen Ellyn for the arrival of Santa and the lighting of the Christmas Tree. Santa is expected to light the tree at Main Street and Crescent Boulevard at 6 p.m. Santa will then travel to fire station 1, at Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, to greet children until 8:30 p.m. Glen Ellyn’s Annual holiday walk will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. The window-decorating contest theme is ”holiday stories.” Shops and restaurants throughout downtown Glen Ellyn will be open late and will be offering treats for holiday shoppers. Click here for more details.

Wheaton

The Dickens of a Christmas Celebration will be held from Nov. 28 to Nov. 30 in downtown Wheaton and will include:

• Tree Lighting Ceremony and Lighted Holiday Parade: 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 on Front Street
• Carriage rides: Noon-3 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29 through Dec. 20. Rides begin from Martin Memorial Plaza (Front and Main Streets)
• A Visit with Santa: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29 through Dec. 20; located at Martin Memorial Plaza (Front Street and Main Street)
• Dickens of a Christmas Holiday Stroll: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at all downtown Wheaton stores. Enjoy holiday treats at all stores, plus special events

Naperville

Naperville Little Fridays Holiday Parade of Lights, 4:30 pm. Sunday, Nov. 30 in downtown Naperville (parade starts at Centennial Beach). Free. The parade features more than 35 marching units, followed by the grand illumination of downtown Naperville. Live reindeer, holiday characters and musical groups, plus free trolley rides in downtown Naperville. Starting Saturday, Dec. 6, kids will be able to visit Santa at the Santa House on the Riverwalk.

Skate With Santa: Check-in begins at 11 a.m. for this Skate with Santa session, which is open to all registered Naperville Park District participants, at Rocket Ice Arena in Bolingbrook. Registered participants can enjoy private ice time, holiday music, hot chocolate and a cookie. A skating ‘trainer’ is available for children new to skating. Registration is required for each participant and the cost is $11. Fee includes skate rental. Get more details and register here.

Batavia

The Celebration of Lights Festival in Batavia will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 on the Batavia Riverwalk at Houston Street and Island Avenue in Batavia. There will be a community sing-a-long, roasted chestnuts, tree lighting ceremony, free hayrides through Christmas Tree Lane and visits with Santa, who arrives at 6 p.m. At 6:15 p.m., Santa can be found in the warming house of the Peg Bond Center where children can visit with him and receive a free treat. Click here for more details.

Geneva

Christmas House Walk: The festivities begin Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. with the arrival of Santa Lucia, the first candy cane of the season, and Santa lighting the great tree – and continue with roasted chestnuts, strolling carolers, a live nativity, visits with Santa and free carriage rides on Saturday and Sunday. On Dec. 5 and 6, you can tour five spectacular homes decked with boughs of holly and festive Christmas décor. Click here for more details.

Geneva Commons Light Up the Night: The Light Up the Night event will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 with a tree lighting ceremony. Santa visits will be available from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. And free carriage rides will be offered from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.

St. Charles

Holiday Homecoming will get underway in St. Charles on the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, and will include the official lighting of the display on the First Street Plaza and an appearance by, and visits with, Santa Claus. The Electric Christmas Parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 29. There will also be free carriage rides and holiday movies at the Arcada Theatre. Click here for more details.

Bolingbrook

Pajama Party with Santa, 6 to 7 and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at the Annerino Community Center, 201 Recreation Dr. Children may dress in their favorite Christmas pajamas and celebrate with Santa. Each child will receive a printed picture taken with Santa, tell him their wishes and receive a special gift. The event will include stories, crafts, games and cookies and milk. Fee is $18 for the first child and $10 for each additional child. With your resident ID, the fee is $12 for the 1st child and $8 for each additional child.

Letters from Santa: Starting Friday, Nov. 28, kids can drop off letters in Santa’s mailbox at the Bolingbrook Recreation & Aquatic Complex, 200 Lindsey Lane. Santa will personally write to each and every child who writes him a letter, provided that all letters are received by 10 pm on Thursday, Dec. 11. Click for details.

Oswego

Oswego Christmas Walk, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6; and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, throughout downtown Oswego. The tree lighting is at 5 p.m. Friday on Main Street. Weekend events include Toyland train rides, sledding hill strolling carolers, crafts and games, food vendors and pictures with Santa, plus a pancake breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning and the annual Cookie Walk.

Plainfield

Candlelight Christmas,10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, in downtown Plainfield. Pictures with Santa from 4 to 9 p.m. at Gourmet Junction; 5 to 7 p.m. Letters to Santa at Barvian Realty. Plus carriage rides, crafts, a performance by the Plainfield North Madrigals , a free screening of “Frozen,” a 7 p.m. crèche lighting and more. Click here for details.

Santa’s Workshop hosted by the Plainfield Park District, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Heritage Grove Middle School, 12412 S. Van Dyke Road. Bring your wish list to share with Santa and get your picture taken. The rest of the evening will be filled with crafts, yummy snacks and fun games. Pictures are from 6:30 to 7:15 (each child will receive one photo with Santa, and parents may bring cameras). Cost is $12 for residents and $18 for non-residents.

Romeoville

Winter Wonderland and Parade of Lights/Tree Lighting, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Romeoville Recreation Center, 900 W. Romeo Road. Free. Events include pictures with Santa, sleigh rides, cookies and cocoa, holiday crafts and music, and a tree-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Hope for the Holidays care package program.