Holidays

This two-day community event Nov. 29-30 will feature an array of family-friendly activities to kick off the holiday season.

Festivals happening in St. Charles, Woodstock, Elburn, Aurora and many more communities around northern Illinois.

FIT Foundation in Crest Hill is encouraging residents to visit Fitfoundation4u.com to help provide Thanksgiving dinners for first responders. Go to Donate a Meal to a Joliet Police officer.

The holiday season begins in downtown Downers Grove with Small Business Weekend from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1.

The Warehouse on Park in Genoa will host the festive event, featuring new cocktails each weekend, on three Saturdays during the holiday season.

The Friends of the Villa Park Library will host St. Nick’s Mart Dec. 7

The annual online auction items, featuring decorated trees, wreaths and centerpieces, as well as a Christmas Boutique and raffle prizes help set the holiday mood inside the Museum of the Grundy County Historical Society at 510 W. Illinois Ave. in Morris.

Legendary artist Kenny G will bring his holiday concert to the downtown St. Charles theatre Nov. 20. The theatre has many additional holiday performances and events scheduled through December.

The Joliet Symphony Orchestra will present “Pictures” on Saturday, Nov. 23, and Sunday, Nov. 24, at the University of St. Francis. Joliet Junior College instrumental and vocal ensembles will perform on several dates in December.

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel's Crest Hill office will serve as a location for the Toys for Tots collection for children across Will County through Dec. 12.

The Lockport Chamber of Commerce is offering a drawing for local business shoppers to win a PlayStation 5 or cash gift cards as part of Small Business Saturday and Christmas on the Square.

Oak Brook is filled with shopping, dining and outdoor adventures, perfect for a girls' weekend or family getaway.

“Sandwiches with Santa” is a free event from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the WCSC, 1207 W. Ninth St., Sterling. Executive Director Emily Hammer said this is the center’s first year hosting the event.

Read more on how to keep your wardrobe versatile and stylish during the cold weather months.

The Promenade Bolingbrook outdoor mall will celebrate the start of the holiday season with “Holiday Magic in Motion” on Saturday.

The Dec. 8 event takes place across four historic churches, each hosting a 20-minute musical performance.

Goodfellows of Lee County was presented a $3,000 donation Thursday morning to aid the charity in providing assistance to families during the holiday season.

This event transforms the traditional Santa meet and greet and Christmas light show into a "one-of-a-kind experience" that includes professional actors, photo opportunities, full-sized trolleys and trackless trains, audio-visual enhancements, parody songs and more.

This pet- and family-friendly event is Sunday, Dec. 1.

Explore unique vendors and special events at this holiday market at RiverEdge Park.

The Morton Arboretum in Lisle will host its breathtaking holiday light exhibit "Illumination" from Saturday, Nov. 16 through Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.

Start making your holiday season plans. The Rialto's "Home for the Holidays" lineup includes family-friendly holiday shows and films, concerts, social gatherings and a variety of special events.

Jarrett Payton, the son of Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton, and his family will be Grand Marshals for the St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov. 30.

Stores around downtown Batavia will be open from 5-8 p.m. to give shoppers a sneak peek of what they will have for the holiday season.

Glow Holiday Festival will be shown at Joliet Slammers Stadium from Nov. 27 through Jan. 5. Show owner says festival is an event for all ages and will be 'selfies galore."

The Mega Music Rummage Sale at the University of St. Francis in Joliet will include used and collectible music and memorability, including vinyl LPs and 45s, cassettes, 8-tracks, reel-to-reel tapes, VHS tapes, Blu Rays, 4Ks and DVDs, sheet music, music books and. comic books.

GLOW Holiday Festival coming to Joliet Slammers stadium starting Nov. 27. The light show combined with holiday activities will continue on selected evenings through Jan. 5.

Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois will host a Trunk or Treat on Sunday at Nikos Catering in Joliet.

The upcoming season of “Illumination” will feature a new tree-centric display in the arboretum’s Grand Garden and a new sensory-friendly night set for Dec. 3.

The Will County Center for Community Concerns will provide holiday food baskets for 125 income-eligible families with children 16 years of age and younger.

The one-of-a-kind advent calendar features 24 of Illinois’ finest craft breweries from across the state, and is available exclusively for pre-sale now until July 31.

Lieutenant Tom Clifton has been serving the Lockport community as a firefighter and paramedic for 15 years, but that's not the only way he's found to serve others in need.

The juried craft show will take place over Thanksgiving weekend

Since 1997, the Herald Angels campaign has made local residents’ lives a little better during the holiday season. Every dollar donated to Herald Angels supports the initiatives of United Way community partners.

Some Will County municipalities collect Christmas trees for recycling and composting as part of their curbside garbage collection services, while others offer drop-offs for trees.

During these last days of the year, additional law enforcement will be patrolling Illinois roads for impaired driving, seat belt, speeding, distracted driving and other traffic laws.

Don’t send your holiday tree to the landfill. Donate it to the Lake County Forest Preserves, and they’ll recycle it into wood chips for trails and landscaping in your forest preserves.

Whether those who have live Christmas trees take them down immediately after the holidays or like to enjoy them for weeks to come, the tree care experts at The Morton Arboretum recommend planning ahead for when it’s time to dispose of them.

If you're still looking for ideas to celebrate the New Year, check out one of these exciting events.

View houses in Joliet decorated for the holidays with the city of Joliet’s online map. A red Santa hat icon indicates participating homes.

There are daytime programs throughout the Joliet area for families, and adults to celebrate the new year and welcome in 2024.

For people experiencing too much stress this holiday season, the best way to unwind may be a breath of fresh air.

A look at people and places from events held this holiday season across the Grundy County area.

A look back scenes through a century of Christmases is Joliet.

The Illinois Conservation Foundation launched ornament sales whose proceeds will be directed to restoration at Illinois state parks.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a warning going into the holidays to take extra health precautions as COVID-19, flu, and RSV numbers continue to rise.

We asked Shaw Local News Network readers to send in photos of their special ornaments that are hung on their Christmas trees. Here are responses and photos we received from our readers.

Angie Caldwell, president of Pink Heals Joliet Area Chapter, said cancer plus the holidays sometimes often emotionally hits women particularly hard since they often feel responsible for everyone’s well-being.

Operation St. Nick sure has grown from raising $895 in 1983 from auctioning off Cabbage Patch Dolls: In 2023, the 41st annual radio auction raised $150,000, all of which goes towards making the best Christmas possible for 63 local families.

We asked Shaw Local News Network readers to send in photos of their special ornaments or collections that are hung on their trees every year during the Christmas holidays. Here are more stories to share with you.