Warrenville ready to welcome Santa — with bagpipes
Think about music for the holidays and your first thought usually doesn't drift toward bagpipes.
Bells? Yes. Maybe some soft strings? Yep. But bagpipes?
Well, yeah, at least in Warrenville, where the Tunes of Glory, a local bagpipe band, will lead the city's annual Holly Days parade Friday night.
The short procession, which also will feature dancers and carolers from area schools, will step off at 6 p.m. from the corner of Tracy Place and Warren Avenue.
And while the bagpipes will surely be a highlight, those in attendance probably will be most excited to see the star of the show: Santa.
It's probably a safe bet that Santa's elves aren't filing a lot of requests for bagpipes up at the North Pole, but the Tunes of Glory have been around since 1980 and have been participating in local parades for more than 10 years.
Band Manager Janet Fitchuk says the players know their holiday songs so well, they only need to quickly review for events.
“We have quite a few new members right now, so they had to learn the songs,” Fitchuk said. “But we have a set of tunes prepared. We usually just review them a couple times.”
Since bagpipes only have nine notes, players must be selective when choosing songs. Certain ones, like “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” suit the instrument well. Others, not so much.
The group will feature roughly 10 bagpipers and three drummers in the Warrenville parade.
Fitchuk said the band gets a wide variety of reactions from the crowd.
“People usually like it, but some cover their ears,” she said. “It's an instrument you either love or hate.”
After the parade, children can line up to chat with Santa. Mayor Dave Brummel will light the city's holiday tree, creating a festive scene along Butterfield Road.
Residents can enjoy the holiday atmosphere by warming up at fire pits or indulging in cookies and hot chocolate. Families can even partake in free horse-drawn carriage rides.
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Warrenville Holly Days
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
Where: Tracy Place and Warren Avenue
Admission: Free
Info: warrenvilleparks.org