Festivals: Winter Wonderfest, holiday lights shows and more
Ongoing
Holiday Flower Show: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through December and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in January, now through Jan. 7 at Wilder Park Conservatory, 225 S. Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. Get into the holiday spirit with Wilder Park Conservatory's festive holiday floral display. Free. (630) 993-8900 or epd.org.
Cosley Zoo Festival of Lights and Tree Sale: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 30 at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Lights go on at 3 p.m. Open from 9 a.m. to noon Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland with 20,000 twinkling lights, plus there's a selection of Christmas trees to purchase. Free. wheatonparkdistrict.com.
Illumination-Tree Lights: 4:30 to 9 p.m. daily (closed Mondays except for Jan. 1, closed Dec. 24-25) at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. One-mile outdoor walking tour. New this year, interactive pendants that glow in sync with the sights. Pendants cost $10, $9 for members. Tickets are for a specific date and time. $12-$30. For tickets, call (630) 725-2066 or see mortonarb.org.
Mooseheart Holiday Lights: 5 to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 31 along the Mooseheart campus, off Route 31, south of Batavia. The eighth annual event includes about 80 displays on a 1.8-mile route through the campus. Admission (cash only): $10 for cars; special rates for buses. Santa visits from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8-10 and 15-17 at the field house. Hot cocoa, cookies, crafts and more are free. Proceeds benefit Mooseheart Child City and School. (630) 906-3601 or mooseheart.org.
Christkindlmarket: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 17. Expanded hours Dec. 18 through Christmas Eve at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Christkindlmarket Naperville brings a cherished German and European tradition to Naperville with gifts, ornaments, food and more. Free admission. napersettlement.org.
Oakbrook Center Holiday Market: Noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 24, at Oakbrook Center, 22nd Street and Route 83, Oak Brook. Market features a variety of local artisans and one-of-a-kind food vendors. oakbrookcenter.com.
Aurora Festival of Lights: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday through Dec. 26 at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive, Aurora. Drive through more than a mile of animated displays. New this year are dancing arcs and a 20-foot sign proclaiming Weisner Ice Rink. Hosted by the Aurora Rotary Cub. Free, but donations are welcome. aurorafestivaloflights.com.
Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17, and Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 26-31, at 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. Guests can sing to the animals and enjoy professional ice-carving demonstrations, magic shows, a 41-foot talking tree, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus (the latter through Dec. 17) at the 36th annual event. The zoo will be lit with more than 1 million LED lights and select animal habitats will remain open, as will zoo restaurants and gift shops. A schedule of music and live entertainment, costumed characters, a model railroad display and more can be found at czs.org/magic.
Fifth Third Bank Winter WonderFest: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday (also Dec. 26-28), 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), through Jan. 7, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. An indoor winter playground, now in its 17th year. $19-$27. navypier.org/winter-wonderfest.
This weekend
ROZ Winter Fest: Noon to 7 p.m. Friday through Saturday, Dec. 15-17, at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Holiday lights, decorations, a bonfire, cookie decorating and more. Santa visits from noon to 5 p.m.; hayrides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; live reindeer on Sundays. All activities are included with zoo admission ($3.25 for residents, $4 for nonresidents, free for kids younger than 2) except hayrides, which cost $2. dtpd.org.
Holiday Express: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, and 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Meet Santa, seasonal storytelling, crafts (including making reindeer food), caroling hayride and train rides. $5. (630) 966-4527 or foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.
Holiday Trolley Express: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at Fountain View Recreation Center, 910 N. Gary Ave., Carol Stream. A trolley ride featuring caroling, games and storytelling. $18, but registration required before 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15. csparks.org.
Long Grove Vintage Holidays: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17, in downtown Long Grove. Free horse-drawn carriage rides, appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, strolling costumed carolers, Victorian buildings trimmed in lights and walkways lined in luminarias. Free. longgrove.org.