5 things to do in McHenry County

The village of Lake in the Hills is decorated Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, for its Grinchmas Flurry Fest event in Lake in the Hills. The event was originally scheduled for Friday, but was postponed to Sunday.

1. Create some holiday crafts while watching a winter movie as part of a Santa’s Workshop event Friday, Dec. 10, put on by the Huntley Park District.

A photo opportunity with Santa himself will be provided.

The cost is $10 for Huntley Park District residents, and $15 for nonresidents.

The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in the theater at the REC Center, 12015 Mill St.

To register, go to huntleyparks.org.

2. The McHenry Downtown Theater will host The Polar Express Experience, where families can come in their pajamas and enjoy Christmas carols, the movie and a visit with Santa.

The event is being offered at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets cost $40, and each ticket includes: a souvenir golden ticket, a jingle bell, a cup of hot chocolate, popcorn bucket and picture opportunity with Santa. Attendees should bring their cameras.

For information or to purchase tickets, go to mchenrytheatergiftcard.com.

3. The Holiday Magic Parade will kick off Johnsburg’s holiday festivities Saturday.

The parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. at Angelo’s Fresh Market, 4000 N. Johnsburg Road.

The route will briefly head north along Johnsburg Road before turning onto Hilltop Lane, zigzagging down May Drive, Florence Drive, Lakeview Street and Channel Beach Avenue to Fremont Lane and Shiloh Drive. The route then heads down Johnsburg Road to Church Street, ending at the Johnsburg Community Club, 2315 W. Church St.

A tree-lighting ceremony will take place immediately following the parade. The event will include music, refreshments and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The event is free to residents of Johnsburg, but attendees are asked to bring a new toy or an item for the food pantry for those in need.

Information can be found at johnsburg.org.

The village of Lake in the Hills is decorated Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, for its Grinchmas Flurry Fest event in Lake in the Hills. The event was originally scheduled for Friday, but was postponed to Sunday.

4. The Grinchmas Flurry Fest in Lake in the Hills, a self-guided holiday walk that culminates in a meeting with Santa and the Grinch, will take place Sunday.

This year, ticketed time slots are being offered so that visitors can enjoy the lights and meet Santa and the Grinch without crowds or long wait times, organizers said.

The event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Lake in the Hills Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate. Tickets could be reserved for 5 to 7 p.m. The deadline has passed for reserved spots at bit.ly/FlurryFest. Drop-in tickets for 7 to 8 p.m. cost $2 for Lake in the Hills residents or $5 for nonresidents.

The walk originally was scheduled for Friday, but was rescheduled due to the weather, the village announced Wednesday. All ticketed time slots remain the same, and nonresidents who paid for a ticket but cannot attend on Sunday may request a refund by emailing recreation@lith.org.

The lights and decorations will remain up until the new year.

5. A sing-along to the classic film “White Christmas” will be offered three evenings next week at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St.

The lyrics will be on the screen so viewers can sing along with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney as they watch the 1954 film.

The screenings will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 14 through 16.

Tickets cost $8 and can be bought at woodstockoperahouse.com.

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