Holiday Lights: Best 2017 Displays In Chicagoland

The holidays can be a time of wonder, filled with twinkling lights and beautiful displays intended to heighten the magic of the season. And there's no shortage of holiday happenings, including free light displays, throughout the city and suburbs. Here's a look at this year's events throughout Chicagoland.

Aurora

Aurora Festival of Lights: A free (donations welcome), drive-through outdoor holiday display with more than a mile of lights. Presented by the Rotary Club of Aurora and the City of Aurora at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday through Monday, Dec. 26.

Bolingbrook

Festival of Lights: Free light show featuring 250,000 LED lights set to music at the Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road. Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 31. See a different show every hour on the hour starting at 5 p.m. daily.

Brookfield

Holiday Magic at the Brookfield Zoo: Free for members, regular admission and parking fees apply for non-members during the 36th annual event featuring more than 1 million twinkling LED lights, a 41-foot talking tree, train display, carolers, ice carvers and more at the zoo, 3300 Golf Road. Hours: Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily; Holiday Magic festivities start at 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Dec. 9-10 and 16-17, then Tuesday through Sunday through Dec. 31.

Chicago

ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo: Free light display nightly plus festive activities like photos with Santa, 3D displays, holiday gift shopping, live ice-sculpture carving and free crafts for kids on certain nights at the Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St. Presented by ComEd and PowerShares QQQ By Invesco. Hours: 4:30 to 9 p.m. every night through Saturday, Dec. 23, and again from Dec. 26 to Jan. 7. Check the website for a full list of ZooLights events.

Lisle

Illumination: Tree Lights at the Morton Arboretum: Tickets are $18-$22 for adults and $12-$14 for children (discounts for members) for timed entry at the arboretum, 4100 Route 53. See trees in a different light as you enjoy an award-winning, one-mile walking tour of the arboretum with seating, fire pits and concessions/warming tents along the way. Hours: The first timed entry is at 4:30 p.m. daily; once admitted, guests can stay until closing at 9:30 p.m.; daily through Jan. 1 but closed Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Naperville

Naper Lights: Free (donations welcome) display with thousands of holiday lights and animated displays with music broadcast over "SantaFM", plus the famous Christkindlmarket at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, 4 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 to 6 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 23, with special holiday hours of 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Dec. 18 to 21.

St. Charles

Christmas Light Spectacular: Free computerized light show featuring more than 20,000 pixel lights and new holiday songs each week on Bourbon Street at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St. Presented by iPanic Escape Rooms. Hours: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily with a light show beginning every half hour.

Wheaton

Festival of Lights at Cosley Zoo: Free (donations welcome) admission during the Festival of Lights and tree sales, as the zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland of 20,000 twinkling lights plus holiday shopping and hot chocolate sales at 1356 North Ave. Hours: 3 to 9 p.m. nightly through Dec. 30.

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What's your favorite holiday display in Chicago or the suburbs? Let us know in the comments!

Main images: ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo/via Lincoln Park Zoo/Illumination via the Morton Arboretum.