‘A big logistical undertaking’: Naperville Rotary Club cancels holiday parade

The Rotary Club of Naperville won’t flip the switch on a holiday lights parade this year.

The club has decided to cancel the 2026 Holiday Parade of Lights, with its leader citing logistics and funding reasons.

“We are hopeful that another organization will have a renewed interest in it and take it over. We just haven't identified anyone to do that yet,” club President Mike Calabrese said.

The event — a procession of elaborate floats, cars fully decked out in lights and dignitaries, capped off by an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus and broadcast live by NCTV17 — traditionally marked the start of holiday festivities in downtown Naperville the night after Thanksgiving.

“We have to have between 200 and 250 volunteers, folks from our club, the local performing groups, folks to run the sound and film it and drive the vehicles. So it's a big logistical undertaking,” Calabrese said.

The parade was previously hosted by Little Friends, a service provider for people with autism or developmental disabilities. The Rotary Club brought the parade back in 2021 after it took a year off because of the pandemic.

Calabrese said the parade cancellation was due to “having a tough time getting enough people to staff it, and then combined with sort of declining participation from the folks who sponsor it.”

Dubbed “Naperville’s Parade with a Purpose,” the event served as a major fundraiser. Proceeds over the years have supported various Naperville-area nonprofit organizations, especially those focused on children.

“Costs go up every year, and the amount of funds folks are willing to dedicate don't necessarily go up every year,” Calabrese said. “So we decided we could probably get more bang for our buck raising our funds in a different way.”

The club has been kicking around multiple ideas, including resurrecting past fundraisers, such as “Soup's On!”

“I think the idea is going to be to do something new, different, fun, that's also going to have a big community impact,” Calabrese said.

Chartered in 1941, the club is also celebrating its 85th year. Club meetings are generally on Thursdays.

“You get to a point in your life where you realize you're just blessed with everything that you have, and you want to share it,” Calabrese said of “the spirit of Rotary.”