Lisle celebrates season with parade, cookies and Santa
Donna Sitts can tell you a lot about the Lights of Lisle.
As one of the key organizers of the event on Saturday, Dec. 5, she can talk to you about the parade and the hayrides and the caroling and the tree-lighting ceremony and the 2,000 luminarias that will line the village's downtown streets.
Ask her about her favorite part of the evening, though, and she kind of sighs because she knows it's not the answer they recommend in the gala holiday season public relations handbook.
"My favorite part is when we turn off the lights and things get quiet and I can just drive around town," she says.
But before that quiet comes the storm of the Lights celebration, which begins at 3 p.m. with the annual Santa Parade through downtown.
As the name suggests, Mr. C is the star of the show, making his grand entrance on a tractor-drawn hay wagon, quite possibly because the elves are still tuning up the sleigh for later in the month.
He'll ride the wagon right to the nearby Museums at Lisle Station Park, 921 School St., where he'll meet youngsters at the North Pole Depot as part of the two-day Once Upon a Christmas celebration sponsored by the Lisle Heritage Society and Lisle Park District.
While Santa's pulling up an extra-wide chair after the parade, several children's groups will be performing holiday songs in the board room at village hall, 925 Burlington Ave., where cookies and hot chocolate will be served.
Sitts says an ice carver will be at work behind village hall from 3 to 6 p.m., turning a giant block of frozen water into an artistic Christmas tree with presents, based on the picture featured in this year's village coloring contest.
At dusk, the luminarias put together by area Girl Scouts will begin to glow along Main Street and through much of downtown.
Then, at 6 p.m., Mayor Joseph Broda channels his inner Thomas Edison - or perhaps Clark Griswold - when he flips the switch to light Lisle's holiday tree, accompanied by music from the Lisle Community Band and community carolers.
Sitts says the downtown festival is always a popular event, but the size of the crowds often is determined by Mother Nature.
"Last year it snowed like a banshee," she said. "The year before that, it rained."
Organizers are undaunted, however, and the village is planning to have 1,500 cookie servings available - not including extras being supplied by four hotels in town.
"It's a fun event that attracts a lot of families," Sitts said. "A lot of hot chocolate and cookies are consumed."
The fest ends at 8 p.m. Saturday. But as Sitts is cruising the streets trying to come down from her cookie- and light-fueled high, others already will be gearing up for Sunday.
That's when the Polar Express pulls out of the Lisle Metra station for two runs - one at 9:45 a.m. and one at 1:45 p.m. - for its trip to the North Pole. Populated with costumed characters, the 75-minute ride transports the young and young at heart on a journey to the frozen north - which to the Scrooges among us closely resembles Chicago's Union Station - and culminates with a personal visit from the world's busiest fat man in a red suit.
You can't ride without reservations, though, and ticket information is available at (800) 733-9811 or (630) 769-1000.
Sunday also marks day two of the Once Upon a Christmas celebration.
After being open from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, the museum grounds will come to life again from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with hayrides, children's crafts, storytimes presented by Lisle Public Library, a model railroad display, blacksmithing demonstrations and - you guessed it - the man who by this point will be more pooped than Rudolph after all those reindeer games.
The good news for Santa is that if he's looking for a little peace and quiet after they finally douse the museum lights Sunday night, Donna Sitts should have some suggestions.
Lights of Lisle
What: Santa's arrival, tree-lighting and luminaria display
When: Santa Parade at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5; luminarias lit at dusk; tree-lighting at 6 p.m.
Where: Parade through downtown Lisle to Museums at Lisle Station Park, 921 School St.; tree-lighting at village hall, 925 Burlington Ave.
Cost: Free
Info: www.villageoflisle.org or lisleparkdistrict.org
Once upon a Christmas
When: 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6
Where: Museums at Lisle Station Park, 921 School St.
Cost: Free
Info: lisleparkdistrict.org