Santa to make special appearances at McHenry Outdoor Theatre

Santa will pay two visits to the McHenry Outdoor Theater Friday and Saturday Dec. 6-7, and next Friday and Saturday Dec. 13-14.

”We are thrilled to be expecting visits from Santa the next two weekends this month,” Scott Dehn, owner of the theater, said in a news release. “When he told us he could make it, we cheered. It turns out, even Santa enjoys some great holiday classics under the stars.”

Late season pricing is $15 per carload. The box office opens at 5:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and movies start about 7 p.m.

”We hope to greet lots of visitors who will enjoy not only some terrific movies and perhaps some hot cocoa and other treats, but also the chance to visit with Santa, take some photos and create some great, lasting family memories,” Dehn said.

Showing Dec. 6-7 will be “The Polar Express” followed by “Santa Claus: The Movie,” a 1985 film featuring Dudley Moore, John Lithgow and David Huddleston.

The winner of the Movies Make Memories family trip contest are invited to attend for free, with the winner to be named that night. Co-sponsors The Bremer Team - Keller Williams Success Realty, the McHenry Outdoor Theater and Worldwide Traveler are awarding the winning family an all-expenses-paid trip to Universal Studios Florida. Qualifiers, who have been notified, must be present to win. The contest is no longer open to enter.

”We can’t wait to celebrate with all of the qualifiers, and to find out who will claim this amazing prize,” Dehn said. “I can’t thank our co-sponsors enough for this added late-season excitement.”

On the big screen Dec. 13-14 will be Will Ferrell in “Elf,” followed by 2006′s “The Nativity Story.”

The theater’s final weekend of the 2024 season will be Dec. 20-21, when audiences will have the chance to catch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” followed by Bill Murray in “Scrooged.”

For more information, visit goldenagecinemas.com, or find the McHenry Outdoor Theater on Facebook. The theater is located at 1510 N. Chapel Hill Road, McHenry.