Mark your calendars for Illinois Valley Christmas events

Some may shy away from celebrating Christmas, or even thinking about Christmas before Thanksgiving, but there’s no harm in marking your calendars early for holiday events.

And there’s no shortage of communitywide Christmas events throughout the La Salle, Bureau, Putnam and Marshall counties area.

Amboy

The Hometown Christmas Walk is scheduled 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. Several businesses are participating across town. A Santa’s Village will be set up downtown from 4 to 6 p.m. where children can get their picture taken with Santa, hot coca will be for sale, there will be carriage rides, a food truck and live performances.

Cornell

The village of Cornell will host its Christmas celebration at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. A lighted vehicle parade will begin at 6 at the grade school and finishing at the grade school. Also there will be a visit from Santa, hot chocolate and cookies at the grade school foyer, and the “stuff the cube” non-perishable food drive.

Earlville

Holiday Treasures will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Earlville High School, 415 W. Union St. The event features holiday crafters and vendors. There also are raffles throughout the day and refreshments.

A Country Christmas light show, 3130 E. Paw Paw Road, has been an ongoing popular display just outside of Earlville.

Flanagan

Light Up Flanagan is planned 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, to coincide with the village’s annual Christmas celebration.

Ladd

“There’s Snow Place Like Ladd” 2021 Christmas Walk is scheduled 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. The afternoon includes trolley rides, kids’ crafts and activities at various businesses, plus a chance to visit with Santa.

Visitors can enjoy a horse and wagon ride around town, the Elm City Bell ringers, a scavenger hunt and plenty of food throughout the afternoon. Attendees can buy holiday cookies and goodies the Ladd Fire Department Auxiliary bake sale, then mail a letter to Santa.

The vendor show at the Ladd Grade School, 232 E. Cleveland St., from noon to 5 p.m. The lighted snowman parade starts at 5 p.m. The lighting of the village Christmas tree will occur immediately after the parade. The Ladd Moose Lodge, 1528 E. Cleveland St., also will be serving soup, sandwich and dessert from 6 to 8 p.m.

For more information call 815-894-2092 or 815-894-2440 or email info@villageofladd.com.

LaMoille

Christmas in the Park is scheduled 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at LaMoille Park, 206 Gurney St. Along with the annual tree lighting, there will be pictures with Santa, a live Nativity scene, caroling, a fire pit and s’mores, among other activities.

La Salle

The Celebration of Lights at Rotary Park opened Monday. With nearly 400 lighted displays, it will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays as well as from 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and the week of Christmas, and through New Year’s Day.

Miracle on First Street features a full day of family activities Saturday, Dec. 4, in downtown La Salle, including a the tree lighting, visits with Santa and other holiday activities.

Leland

Christmas in the Village is scheduled Friday, Dec. 10, Saturday, Dec. 11, Sunday, Dec. 12, featuring a visit from Santa and family activities.

Marseilles

The Holiday Magic Lighted Santa Parade and Light Up Knudson Park event begins 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, when the parade leaves IV Cellular, 200 Riverfront Dr.

The parade route will include Main, Clark, Sycamore, Commercial, Broadway, Chicago and Lincoln streets as it makes its way to Knudson Park for the park lighting ceremony and photos with Santa.

Visiting and pictures with Santa will take place in the park under the bandstand.

Mendota

A Mendota Christmas is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 4, in downtown Mendota. A holiday craft and vendor show is set 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mendota Elks, 707 Indiana Ave. Santa will visit Illinois Avenue from noon to 3 p.m. Hot dogs and hot chocolate will be provided by the Lions Club from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There also will be horse drawn carriage rides, reindeer, the Boy Scout wreath sales, a touch-a-truck and De Colores will perform.

Naplate

Santa will arrive in the village Saturday, Nov. 27. Santa and Mrs. Claus will drive through the village on the fire truck with a police escort. They will finish at Vittone Park for a tree lighting, treats and a visit with children.

Oglesby

A Christmas celebration is planned 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, with more details on activties expected to be announced. Go to https://www.facebook.com/Oglesby for more information.

Ottawa

The Chris Kringle Market, featuring dozens of vendors, begins Friday, Nov. 26, in downtown Ottawa, and will be held for the next four Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

A fireworks display will return Friday, Nov. 26, to Ottawa, following the annual Festival of Lights parade and lighting of Washington Square and others as part of the city’s Deck the Parks. The Christmas tree and all the lights through the Jordan block and downtown will turn on after the 6 p.m. parade, succeeded by the fireworks display. The Ottawa Sunrise Rotary will be accepting donations for its toy float along Court Street following the parade until 8 p.m.

Peru

The city of Peru will host its lighted parade 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. The parade line up begins at 4:30 p.m. at Centennial Park (13th Street). The parade ends at Washington Park.

Princeton

Beginning Friday, Nov. 19, Princeton will be transformed into a Christmas village. All weekend long the Princeton Christmas Walk will take place with holiday music, hot chocolate, Santa visits, a horse-drawn carriage ride and old-time trolley rides between the North and South Shopping Districts.

Additionally, the 12th Christkindl Markt (Christ Child Market) will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Open Prairie United Church of Christ, 25 E. Marion St. in Princeton (behind the Apollo Theater). Christkindl Markt is a popular feature of the Princeton Main Street Christmas Walk. The 13th annual Model Train Fair and Farm Toy Show will also be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St., Princeton.

The 30th annual Princeton Lions Club Christmas parade is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. The parade will start at the corner of Marquette and North Main streets and march south on Main Street in Princeton.

Seneca

Christmas at Crotty Park features a full day of holiday activities Sunday, Nov. 21, culminating in the tree lighting sponsored by the Lions Club at 5:30 p.m. A holiday market sip and shop is scheduled 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring a holiday market along with food and speciality drinks.

Santa will arrive at 4 p.m. A sled drawing will take place at 5:30 p.m. There will be holiday photos and horse drawn carriage rides from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Auntie Anne’s pretzel will be at the park from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and hot chocolate and cookies will be provided 4 to 7:30 p.m. by the Village Christian Church.

A holiday cash 50/50 raffle will be drawn at 7 p.m.

Sheridan

Sheridan will host its Hometown Holiday on Friday, Dec. 3. A Christmas construction themed parade, storytelling, lighting of the village tree and pictures with Santa are part of the festivities. A special holiday dinner will be available at the American Legion, 300 E. Si Johnson Ave., from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Spring Valley

A lighted Whoville-themed parade begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Hall High School and travels east to St. Paul and then to Power Street, followed by the Christmas tree lighting. Earlier in the day, the Santas on the Run 5K and Shop Small Saturday activities will take place.

Utica

Christmas in the Village is planned Saturday, Nov. 27, and Sunday, Nov. 28, will kick off with businesses participating in Small Business Saturday. Carriage rides and an indoor canal market will be featured both days. Children’s activities and a visit from Santa will take place Sunday at the village’s community center. The lighting of Utica’s Christmas tree will be staged at the corner of Mill and Church streets.

Streator

Keeping Christmas Close to Home and Light Up Streator will be an all-day event Saturday, Nov. 27, kicking off with a model train show at 10 a.m. at the Streator Incubator, 401 W. Bridge St.

There will be markets open at the Incubator, as well as at Park Place, 406 E. Hickory St., and the Bruce Township building, 216 N. Sterling St. Food trucks will be on location at the Incubator and also at the City Park at 5 p.m.

The City Park will be lit with thousands of lights at 6:30 p.m. by Light Up Streator volunteers. Hot cocoa will be served. The Christmas parade will begin at 7 p.m., running down Main Street toward the City Park.

Before that, however, will be the Lamplight Carolers walking downtown starting at 5 p.m., and after will be carriage rides in the City Park starting at 8 p.m.

Walnut

The Christmas Open House is scheduled 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, in Walnut. There will be a pancake and sausage breakfast for a Washington D.C. fundraiser at the senior center. The Christmas for Kids toy drive will take place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Liberty Square. The vendor show will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. at the Community Building. Santa is expected to be at the Community Building at 11. Konz Restaurant and Lounge will host both a build a Christmas ornament and candy cane snowman event, as well as lunch with Santa’s Elves from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wenona

Wenona’s Light Up Wenona will be scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, following a Polar Express theme with several family and children’s activities. Go to https://www.facebook.com/wenonachamber for further details as they are announced.

• If there is a community-wide event in your community you do not see on the list, email Derek Barichello at dbarichello@shawmedia.com and he will add it to the list, which will be republished at a later date.