5 weekend ideas to usher in the holidays
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the suburbs. This weekend offers the chance to kick off the season with local parades, a lights festival and a couple of holiday theater classics.
Here are five ideas to help you get in on the fun. You can find more at dailyherald.com/calendar.
Let there be light: Cosley Zoo, at 1356 N Gary Ave., Wheaton, launches its annual Festival of Lights this weekend with more than 20,000 twinkling holiday lights and displays. Other highlights include Christmas trees for purchase, hot chocolate, gifts and more. Admission is free; donations welcome. cosleyzoo.org. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily; lights turned on at 3 p.m.
Christmas parade: Head to Fox Lake and Korpan's Landing Saturday for the 58th Annual Holiday Parade. This year's theme is “A Musical Christmas.” The parade kick offs at 11 a.m. from Grant Community High School, 285 E. Grand Ave., goes west down Grand, turns left on Rollins and ends at Towne Center Plaza. Free. A children's holiday party follows at the Lakefront Park Building, 71 Nippersink Blvd. (847) 587-3944. 11 a.m. Saturday.
Christmas parade, 2: Cap off the Fox Lake parade with yet another — St. Charles' annual Electric Christmas Parade, on Main Street between 6th Street and 4th Avenue. The city's lights are turned off and the illuminated floats make their way along the backdrop of downtown St. Charles. (630) 443-3967 or downtownstcharles.org. 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Bah humbug: See the ultimate holiday classic — Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol,” adapted by resident playwright Scott Woldman — at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights. Tickets $30 for adults, $15 for children. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 6 p.m. Friday, 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.
‘Every time a bell rings': BrightSide Theatre starts the holidays, and its fourth season, with Joe Landry's adaptation of the holiday classic tale “It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.” See it at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Avenue, Naperville. Tickets $22-$25. (630) 637-7469 or brightsidetheatre.com. 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.