Naperville's holiday season opens with music, parade, Santa
Gina Glocksen is going to be home for the holidays, and she's bringing her Little Friends with her.
The “American Idol” performer will open the city's annual Hometown Holidays celebration tonight and the Downtown Naperville Alliance will keep it rocking throughout December.
“It's the official kickoff to the holiday season when Santa arrives and the whole community can come together to celebrate, shop, share hot chocolate and enjoy the surroundings,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. “And we're turning on the merriment.”
The festivities begin with tonight's Friends of Little Friends Electric Parade and Grand Illumination.
The School of Performing Arts will provide pre-parade entertainment at 4 p.m. at Webster Street and Jefferson Avenue in preparation for the start of the parade at 4:30 p.m.
Hosted by CBS-TV's Mary Kay Kleist and 95.9-FM the River's Scott Mackay, the parade will feature about 40 illuminated floats and music and will step off at 4:30 p.m. from Centennial Beach. It will head east on Jackson and north on Webster to Van Buren, ending at Naper School, with Glocksen singing several songs along the way.
Following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will flip the switch, turning on 300,000 lights simultaneously throughout downtown.
“It is such a tradition for so many people that we try to keep it pretty much the same every year,” Wood said. “That's important to people.”
Immediately following the tree-lighting, Glocksen will perform several more holiday songs as Santa works his way through the Main Street Promenade.
“Gina really belts out the tunes,” Wood said. “She rocks. Nobody's going to want to miss her.”
Anyone who misses Santa on Friday will get a few more chances throughout the weekend. His schedule hasn't been determined yet, but Wood said he will be popping in and out of downtown stores leading up to Christmas.
“So many stores have invited him, it's just a matter of figuring out his schedule and seeing what works for him,” Wood said. “But he wants to get in and see the bargains and holiday sales going on, too, so he'll get there.”
Other Hometown Holidays events include:
Ÿ Complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides begin and end at the Main Street Promenade, 55 S. Main St., from 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 19. Carriages hold up to 14 people. Rides are compliments of the Shoppes at Main Street Promenade.
Ÿ From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 27 and 28, you can get a professional holiday family photo taken in a scenic setting in the archway of the Shoppes at Main Street Promenade.
Ÿ Visitors can enjoy the final day of 2010 shopping, dining and celebrating in the downtown leading up to an early countdown to ring in the New Year at the base of the Carillon at Rotary Hill.
Ÿ Little Friends will be selling Max the Moose dolls for $10 to benefit children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. The moose are available along the parade route and at a variety of stores, including Artistic Creations Salon, The Canterbury Shoppe, Little Friends and the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
<p><b>Downtown Naperville's Hometown Holidays celebration</b></p>
<p>Featuring: Electric Light Parade and Grand Illumination of Downtown Naperville</p>
<p>When: Parade steps off at 4 p.m. today; Santa and Mrs. Claus light the city tree at 5:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Where: Main Street Promenade, 55 S. Main St.</p>
<p>Cost: Many scheduled events are free</p>
<p>Info: downtownnaperville.com</p>