Aurora Festival of Lights now open

The 18TH ANNUAL AURORA FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS returns for the 2024 season on Friday, Nov. 29 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 29 at Philips Park.

The display is open from 5 to 9 p.m. at the park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive, Aurora. Drivers should enter the park on Smith Boulevard at Fifth Avenue.

According to a news release from the city of Aurora, this is the largest free outdoor drive thru holiday light display in the region, featuring dazzling displays and merry music that will delight children and adults.

Visitors will enjoy a mile of spectacular lighted displays from the comfort of the car while listening to holiday songs on a closed-circuit radio station.

This popular free holiday drive-thru features crowd-favorite displays like jumping reindeer, ice skating bears, old man winter, howling wolves, the holiday golfer, Santa’s toy factory and fields of gigantic snowflakes, along with new displays, according to the release.

Volunteers staff the event every night and collect free-will donations at the end of the route.  Donations fund the Light the Way Grant Program that supports youth and mental health initiatives in Aurora.  Last year, just over $80,000 was collected, according to the release.

Admission is free, but visitors should register for an entry ticket at www.aurora-il.org/FestivalofLights.