The holiday season is a time filled with joy and wonder, where we can all come together to revel in a shared sense of warmth and community. There are few things that manage to encapsulate this spirit as brilliantly as the light shows put on across our various towns and cities.
Chicago residents are incredibly blessed in this regard, as there are plenty of exceptional festivals taking place in the city and its surrounding suburbs that are sure to delight all who get the chance to experience them.
Wherever you are in the wider Chicago area, you’re sure to be within distance of an event worth visiting or passing through. To help you figure out where you and your loved ones should make your next stop on your itinerary this holiday season, here’s a short list of some of the best holiday light festivals to visit in the area.
Let’s get right into it.
Rosemont’s Sparkle Light Festival
Address: 9850 Balmoral Ave, Rosemont, IL 60018
Rosemont’s Light Festival burst onto the scene with a stunning display of holiday lighting extravagance that has stuck in the minds and hearts of all who were lucky enough to witness it. This year, they seem set on surpassing last year’s performance with their new exhibition. Visitors can expect the best in holiday-themed light exhibits, holiday shopping, photo opportunities, and more.
Once you have your ticket in hand, you’ll have unfettered access to all the food and beverage areas, light show areas (there are five in total), and shops that offer excellent gifts and souvenirs. If you’re looking for extra holiday cheer, you can also opt for add-ons such as the exhilarating Arctic Express Train or a tubing hill where revelers of all ages can enjoy some added holiday fun.
The ZooLights Festival
Address: 2200 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614
If you’re the type that believes that the bigger a light show is, then the better, you’ll want to visit the ZooLights Festival held in Lincoln Park. Here, millions of LED lights glitter in the night, offering you one of the most overwhelming displays to be found in our little corner of the Milky Way. You won’t need to worry about the animals that typically inhabit the park premises, as they’ll be safely tucked in for the night, allowing you the freedom to roam through the gardens as you please.
Should you manage to make it here, be sure to bring your camera in tow, as you won’t want to miss out on the unmatched photo opportunities available here. This year’s festivities will incorporate a massive Ferris Wheel, which will give you a bird’s-eye view of the light installations. You’ll have the chance to enjoy all this in addition to the myriad food, beverage, and shopping stalls that are typical of any festival. Lincoln Park will even offer visitors free entry on Mondays (admission is $5 every other day of the week), granting everyone the chance to take in the spectacle free of charge. That’s what the holidays are all about.
The Christmas Around the World Exhibition
Address: 5700 S Dusable Lk Shr Dr, Chicago, IL 60637
The Museum of Science and Industry has a reputation for putting on a good show when it takes a mind to do so, and it never fails to live up to everyone’s expectations whenever the Christmas season comes around with its ‘Christmas Around the World’ exhibition. Each year, the museum treats Chicago residents and visitors to the sight of its 4-story-high Christmas tree, which comes elaborately festooned with dazzling lights cascading down all around it.
Aside from the main attraction, which is the fifty-foot pine tree in the middle of the exhibit, the museum’s organizing committee goes much further and sets up fifty additional trees around it – each one representing one of the communities that make up Chicago’s multi-ethnic makeup and their respective holiday traditions.
These communities will find further acknowledgment in the exhibition’s ‘Holidays of Light’ installation, which respectfully and tastefully acknowledges the holidays of ethnicities from around the world that have found a home-away-from-home in Chicago, including Diwali, Ramadan, Visakha Puja Day, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah, and more. To access all these delights, all you’ll need to purchase is a regular pass to the museum, and you’ll be free to wander as your heart desires.
The City of Chicago Christmas Tree Exhibition
Address: 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602
The quintessential Chicago-style exhibit for the festive season is to be found at Millenium Park every year when the city puts up a massive Christmas tree that’s sure to fill you with awe. Head out to the park and view the tree, located between Michigan Avenue and Washington Street, to witness the stunningly outsize tree and the brightly illuminated star that stands majestically at its top.
Even though the tree will stand in pride of place here until the 8th of January, you can treat yourself and your loved ones to a special treat by attending the official lighting ceremony, where its LED lights are switched on for the first time, which will take place on the evening of 18th November, starting at 6 pm. For sheer awesomeness, communal spirit, and memorability this holiday season, few sights match this sight.
The Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum Festival
Address: 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532
For those of you who wish to stay close to nature even as you enjoy the festivities this holiday season, the Morton Arboretum Festival should be at the top of your list of places to head out to. Set amid 50 acres of lush forestry, this festival, which is in its 10th year of operation, offers visitors a stunning mix of the old and new.
As you take the one-mile-long, tree-lined stroll through the green space, you’ll be basking in the glow of the brilliant LED lights set among the trees, even as you listen to an exciting blend of music to set the mood. This year, they’ve arranged to have an eclectic mix of DJ-curated music playing, featuring synchronized progressive and trance music, making this a truly immersive and fun-filled escapade. The festival’s main attraction will be its Grand Garden exhibit, ‘The Illumination: Tree Lights,’ which is sure to fill you with wonder and delight.
Final Thoughts
As we mentioned at the top of this article, the holiday season is about sharing love and warmth with family, friends, your community, and the world. Part of spreading holiday cheer is coming together to enjoy sights and sounds that take you beyond your daily routine. There are few better ways to instill a sense of wonder and joy into your holidays than by visiting light festivals as impressive as the ones we’ve highlighted here.
If you’re living in or visiting Chicago over the holiday season, be sure to pay some of these places a visit for an unforgettable holiday experience – you’ll be glad that you did!
