Making spirits bright: Holiday light shows illuminate the suburbs
Holiday light shows across the suburbs are driving away the darkness, at least through the end of the year and into early January. Now’s the perfect time to explore a variety of light displays — outdoors on illuminated walking paths or from the warmth of your car.
Happy Holiday Railway: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, and Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 30-Dec. 22, at Illinois Railway Museum, 7000 Olson Road, Union. Aboard the train you’ll meet Santa, see the light and music show, and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. Trips at 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 4, 5 and 6 p.m. Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled trip. $25. Tickets: irm.org/event/happy-holiday-railway.
Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic: 3-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1; Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 5-8, 12-15 and 19-22; and Thursday through Tuesday, Dec. 26-31, at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Visit the Chicago area’s longest-running lights festival featuring over 2 million twinkling LED lights, themed lighting areas, Santa visits through Dec. 22, Holiday Market, treats and sips and seasonal attractions. Zoo admission and parking fees apply. Advance tickets are required. brookfieldzoo.org//HolidayMagic.
Christmas Musical Light Show: 4-9 p.m. daily, Dec. 1-25, at the Bandshell on Skidmore, Antioch. Stay in your car and watch the lights on the band shell synchronized to holiday music playing on your car radio. The 20-minute shows run continuously. Free. antiochchamber.org.
Naper Lights: 4-10 p.m. through Wednesday, Jan. 1, in downtown Naperville. Display of holiday lights and music along Water Street, Foyo Plaza, Jaycees Park and the Riverwalk. Free. naperlights.com.
Illumination: Tree Lights: 4:30-9:30 p.m. through Saturday, Jan. 4, at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. See 17 displays of lights set to music highlighting the beauty of trees in winter along a 1-mile, ADA-accessible, paved path. Roast marshmallows for s’mores and enjoy a hot seasonal beverage from the concession tents along the trail. New this year is an Illumination sensory evening Dec. 3. The exhibition is closed select Mondays and Tuesdays and on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Tickets: mortonarb.org.
Lightscape: 4:30-9:15 p.m. select dates through Jan. 5 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Take a nighttime stroll through illuminated displays. $32 for members, $34 for nonmembers for adults; $17/$19 for kids 3-12 in advance; $37/$39 for adults, $22/$24 for kids the day of. chicagobotanic.org/lightscape.
ZooLights: Time slots start at 4:30 p.m. select dates through Jan. 5 at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago. ZooLights will feature more than 3 million lights, including hundreds of luminous LED displays and festive experiences. $7-$10; free on select Mondays. lpzoo.org/event/zoolights.
Christmas at Cantigny: 5-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, now through Dec. 31; Wednesdays and Thursdays, Nov. 27 to Dec. 26, and Dec. 18, 22-23 and 30-31, at Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Stroll through a half-mile, fully ADA- and stroller-accessible path featuring music-orchestrated light shows, festive decorations, huge flower sculptures and a 28-foot Christmas tree. This year, the light show expands into upper and lower display gardens. Take a tour of the renovated McCormick House. Weekdays: $8-$12 in advance or $10-$15 at the door; weekends: $15-$20 or $19-$30; holiday peak (Dec. 20-23): $15-$25 or $24-$38. Tickets: cantigny.org.
Home for the Holidays Lighted Christmas Trail: 5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, through Jan. 2 in Shiloh Park, starting at Port Shiloh Pool parking lot, 1501 Shiloh Blvd., Zion. Drive through a lighted trail with over 50 displays and 100,000 lights. zionparkdistrict.com.
Santa’s Rock N Lights: Times start at 5 p.m., but vary by day, through Tuesday, Dec. 31, at the Kane County Cougars Northwestern Medicine Field, 34W002 Cherry Lane, Geneva. Drive-through animated lights show featuring dancing light tunnels, 3D light sculptures of dinosaurs, reindeer, polar bears, guitar-playing Santas and more synced to music. $29.99-$36.99. santasrocknlights.com/geneva.
Highwood Holiday Light Village: Daily through Thursday, Jan. 2, at Everts Park, 111 North Ave., Highwood. Free. chamberhp.com.
Electric Illumination: 8:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30 (2000s pop hits), Dec. 6-7 (Country Music Mashups) and Dec. 13-14 (Diva Anthems) at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. A special late-night experience when ages 18 and older can enjoy a curated playlist of music synchronized to the light displays. A DJ will be stationed in Arbor Court. Hot chocolate, snacks, alcoholic beverages and s’more kits can be purchased in the concession tents and enjoyed by the bonfires. Tickets start at $30 at mortonarb.org.