12 local light displays to get you in the holiday spirit
Twinkling holiday light displays are big draws this time of year, and there are plenty of options in the suburbs. Here's a look at a dozen displays close to home.
Aurora
Aurora Festival of Lights, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, through Monday, Dec. 26, at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Outdoor drive-through holiday light display features more than a mile of lights, animated displays and winter scenes. Presented by the Rotary Club of Aurora and the City of Aurora. Free. Donations welcome to benefit local charities. aurorafestivaloflights.com.
Bolingbrook
The Festival of Lights Holiday Tree Light Show runs on the hour from 5 to 9 p.m. daily, through Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road. The show features 250,000 LED lights set to music. Free. (630) 296-8350 or shoppingpromenade.com/events/festival-lights.
Brookfield
Holiday Magic runs on Saturday and Sunday through December, and then Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 26-31, at Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road. The event features more than 1 million twinkling LED lights, a 41-foot talking tree, train display and more. Regular zoo admission and parking fees apply. (708) 688-8000 or czs.org/magic.
Chicago
• Lincoln Park Zoo's Zoo Lights runs from 4:30 to 9 p.m. nightly through Friday, Dec. 23, and again from Dec. 26-Jan. 7. Features musical, animal-themed light shows and holiday activities throughout the zoo grounds. 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago. Free. lpzoo.org
• Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light runs through Jan. 5 at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street at Lake Shore Drive. See more than 50 trees decorated with traditions from across the globe and thousands of lights. Regular museum admission prices apply. (773) 684-1414 or msichicago.org.
Elburn
Larsen's Light Show runs from 5 to 11:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 1, at 42W891 Beith Road. The 25-minute, musical light show features more than 1 million LED lights, 2,400 strobes, lasers, shooting stars, large and small decorated trees, dancing hoops and poles, life-size nutcrackers and more. Free. (630) 365-3412 or larsenlightshow.com.
Lisle
"Illumination" runs through Jan. 1 at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, in Lisle. The lights exhibit features scenes, attractions and pendants for an additional $10 that interact with the lights. Tickets are $18-$22 for adults and $12-$14 for children, with discounts for members. Tickets are timed, starting at 4:30 p.m. each day. Once admitted, you can stay until the exhibit closes at 9:30 p.m. "Illumination" is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Mondays, except for Jan. 1. For tickets and more information, see mortonarb.org.
Lombard
Lights in Lilacia Park runs every night through Jan. 1 at 150 S. Park Ave., Lombard. Special events from 6 to 8 p.m. on weekends, including Santa visits and train rides. The event features colorful holiday lights and music. Free. (630) 620-7322 or lombardparks.com.
Mooseheart
The Mooseheart Holiday Lights display runs from 5 to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 31 on Route 31, two miles north of I-88, on the grounds of Mooseheart Child City and School. The drive-through lighted route is approximately 1.8 miles and has more than 80 displays. $10 per car. Visit mooseheart.org.
Naperville
Naper Lights runs Thursday through Sunday through Dec. 23 at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Hours are 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, 4 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 to 6 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 23. Special holiday hours are Monday through Thursday, Dec. 18-21, from 4 to 8 p.m. Includes thousands of holiday lights and animated displays, with music broadcast over "SantaFM," 88.5 FM. The Christkindlmarket is also at Naper Settlement. Free; donations are welcome. (630) 420-6010 or naperlights.com.
St. Charles
The Christmas Light Spectacular runs daily every half-hour, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., on Bourbon Street at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Presented by iPanic Escape Rooms, it includes a computerized light show with different holiday songs each week. Free. pheasantrun.com/christmas-light-spectacular.aspx#gref
Wheaton
Cosley Zoo's Festival of Lights runs from 3 to 9 p.m. nightly through Dec. 30 at the zoo, 1356 North Ave. Festival features more than 20,000 twinkling lights. Visitors can purchase Christmas trees, which helps support the zoo, plus hot chocolate and holiday gifts. Free admission during the festival, but donations are welcome. (630) 665-5534 or cosleyzoo.org.