Lights Of Lisle Festival To Return Downtown: Festive Fun Guide

LISLE, IL — The Village of Lisle invites all community members to join together for the 2018 Lights of Lisle Festival on Dec. 1 and 2 in Downtown Lisle. According to the Village, the weekend full of free, festive fun will include thousands of glowing luminaries, storefront decorations, tree lights, Once Upon a Christmas, Santa Parade, Tree Lighting Ceremony and much more.

Entries for this year's Pre-K through 5th Grade Coloring Contest" should be returned to Village Hall or the Lisle Chamber offices by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26. The Village said contest winners will receive a prize and get to ride in the Santa Parade on the Holiday Trolley.

Lights of Lisle Dec. 1 and 2 schedule of events:

Saturday, Dec. 1:

• 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Once Upon a Christmas: Celebrate with the Lisle Park District and the Lisle Heritage Society at The Museums at Lisle Station Park, while enjoying brick-oven baking, holiday wagon rides, blacksmithing, model railroad, trains, crafts, music and more. The Village said Santa will be at the Depot Museum after the parade until 8 p.m.
• 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Villa St. Benedict’s, “Let Your Love Shine On”: Enjoy the 3rd Annual Memorial Luminary Illumination display at the Villa St. Benedict Campus, 1920 Maple Avenue.
• 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Food Trucks and Christmas Karaoke: Purchase food and sing a Christmas Classic at Burlington Square, located southeast corner of Main and Burlington.
• 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Merry on Main: Hop off the trolley and join the downtown businesses and the Downtown Business and Retail Association for family fun, and holiday cheer as Main Street businesses will feature in-store events, holiday specials, a fun family-friendly game, and a best dressed “Christmas Story” window display contest.
• 4:30 p.m. – Santa Light Parade: Watch as Santa arrives downtown accompanied by the Lisle Junior High School Band amid twinkling lights. Parade participants are encouraged to “light up” their entry. The parade travels south on Main Street from Ogden Avenue, along Burlington Avenue to Village Hall and then Santa continues to the Museums at Lisle Station Park to visit with children.
• 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Live Holiday Entertainment: Enjoy performances in the Lisle Village Hall Board Room by Paryl Music Studio and the St. Joan of Arc Elementary Choir.
• 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Ice Carving Demonstration: See ice transform into a beautiful sculpture at The Museums at Lisle Station Park.
• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Holiday Trolley: Travel through Downtown Lisle to view the festive shops and decorations and PrairieWalk Pond to view the luminarias.
• Dusk - Lights of Lisle: Thousands of luminarias will line the Downtown streets and PrairieWalk Pond.
• 6 p.m. - Tree Lighting Ceremony: Kick off the holiday season with the lighting of the spruce tree, planted in 2016 at Village Hall and watch it grow each season. Caroling and music will follow in the Board Room performed by the Lisle Community Band. Enjoy cookies and hot chocolate in the Village Hall lobby served by volunteers from the Lisle Infant Welfare League.

Sunday, Dec. 2:

• 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. – Lisle Santa Train: Join Santa and costumed characters for a 75- minute holiday train ride to Chicago and back to Lisle. Advance tickets are required, call 630-769-1000.
• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Once Upon a Christmas: Ride a holiday wagon from the Lisle Santa Train to The Museums at Lisle Station Park to celebrate the holidays with museum tours, blacksmithing, pie baking, crafts and a gift shop. Join Stephanie Boesso and piano students of “Piano Frontiers Ensemble” from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. as they perform holiday music and interactive sing-alongs. Meet Santa at the historic Lisle Depot and visit live reindeer.

More information, including a Lisle Santa Parade entry form for those looking to participate, can be found at villageoflisle.org/271/Lights-of-Lisle-Festival.

Image via Village of Lisle