When downtown Naperville lights up for holidays

As the evenings get darker earlier and earlier, downtown Naperville is about to light up.

At 5 p.m. Friday, the Downtown Naperville Alliance will flip the switch on thousands of treetop and rooftop lights to illuminate the area around Washington and Main streets and Chicago, Jackson, Jefferson and Van Buren avenues.

The early lighting is in time for several seasonal events this fall and holiday events this winter, said Katie Wood, the alliance's executive director.

The first of those events also begins Friday, as the Healing Field of Honor opens at Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora Ave. The second comes as runners step off at 7 a.m. Sunday in the third annual Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon.

"We have all the downtown tree and roof lights ready to go, not only for the holidays, but they're welcoming lights for people who will be in town for the marathon and the Healing Field and Thanksgiving," Wood said. "It's nice to have the downtown all beautifully lit up as a welcoming gesture for all these wonderful events happening in November and December."