Lisle kicks off holidays with weekend of events
Lisle's holiday celebration will kick into high gear Saturday, Dec. 1, with the Santa Light Parade, Merry on Main open houses and the village's tree-lighting ceremony.
Sponsored by the village, park district, heritage society and convention & visitors bureau, the party starts at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 1 when the Santa Light Parade steps off from Ogden Avenue and Main Street and works its way south through downtown before ending at the village hall. The parade welcomes the Jolly Old Elf, who will spend time afterward taking photos at Lisle Station Park.
Downtown businesses will get into the spirit with "Merry on Main," a day of holiday open houses, treats, giveaways and more. Visitors can stroll down Main Street and view the decorated windows - and vote for their favorite - before the tree-lighting and the Lights of Lisle Festival.
Lights of Lisle begins at dusk when roughly 2,000 luminarias line the streets, and continues at 6 p.m. when the official tree-lighting ceremony begins at the village hall. The Lisle Community Band will perform and cookies and hot chocolate will be served. Holiday song books will be available for those who want to join in community caroling.
A festively-decorated Holiday Trolley, complete with holiday music, will be available from 5 to 7 p.m. for free rides to view the holiday decorations. Riders can get on and off at the village hall, where there will be an ice-carving demonstration, refreshments and an opportunity to visit with Santa at the Depot Museum.
Free wagon rides also will be available from 5 to 8 p.m. and run between the village hall and the Museums at Lisle Station Park.
The annual Heritage Society Holiday celebration, "Once Upon a Christmas," is from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Museums at Lisle Station Park. Highlighting this year's event will be an 1800s-era celebration, complete with period costumes, demonstrations, children's crafts, music, brick-oven baking, model train displays, hay rides, blacksmithing and, of course, Santa.
The Lisle Santa Train is celebrating its 25th year on Sunday, Dec. 2, with runs from the Lisle Metra station to Chicago's Union Station and back for a 75-minute ride with Santa and his helpers, reminiscent of the Caldecott award-winning children's book and movie "The Polar Express."
Advanced "golden" tickets are required for either the 9:45 a.m. or 1:45 p.m. rides. Tickets are $18.
For details, call the Lisle Convention & Visitors Bureau at (630) 769-1000 or visit StayInLisle.com/events.