Top 10 Santa Events in Chicagoland and Northern Illinois
Aurora
Santa at the Holiday Festival of Lights
at Phillips Park in Aurora
1000 Ray Moses Drive
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 978-4774
www.AuroraFestivalofLights.com
Santa’s House is in the Visitors Center, located at 1000 Ray Moses Drive and is accessible from Parker, Howell off of Montgomery Road, or Wyeth Drive off of Smith Boulevard.
Santa House Days and Hours 2009:
Open Daily from Sunday, December 6th
through Thursday, December 24th 2009
Monday through Friday - 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday - 3 pm to 8:30 pm
Thursday, December 24th - Christmas Eve 5 pm to 12 midnight
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - Be sure and bring your camera, there is no photographer on site.
You can catch Santa Claus in Phillips Park in Aurora, and at the same time take in Aurora’s spectacular Holiday Festival of Lights, (runs from Friday, November 27th through Sunday, December 27th) on the mile long drive through the park. St. Nick will have goodies for the kids, be happy to pose for pictures and listen to what the little ones would like for Christmas.
Brookfield
Santa at Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
First Avenue between Ogden
& 31st Street
Brookfield, IL 60513
Chicago, IL 60614
(708) 688-8000
www.brookfieldzoo.org
Brookfield Zoo is located off First Avenue between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways.
Santa at Holiday Magic Days and Hours: 2009
Saturday & Sunday December 5th & 6th, 12th & 13th, 19th & 20th 4 pm to 9 pm
Please note Santa will not be at the Holiday Magic on weekends after Christmas.
Admission: Admission to Holiday Magic is $12 for adults and $8 for children 3-11 and seniors 65 and older. Children 2 and under are admitted free. Parking is $8. Photos are available for purchase or you can take your own pictures.
Brookfield Zoo is lit up in a blaze of close to a million beautiful lights during the Holiday Magic weekends when Santa Claus can be found there visiting with children. Besides the old guy , who will be at Candy Cane Corner, just some of the things to see and do include ice-carving demonstrations, live musical performances, the Elf Express mini train, storytellers, costumed characters and magicians. Also, remember you’ll be at the zoo so don’t forget to look for some of your favorite animals!
Please note on weekends in December there are Breakfasts with Santa at at the Brookfield Zoo for details see the separate Breakfasts with Santa listings.
Chicago
Santa House and Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza
in Chicago
50 W. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602
Santa House Days and Hours: 2009 November 26th - Dec. 24th
Mondays - Fridays 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday - December 24th 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - Photos are available for purchase in the Santa House or you can take your own pictures.
You’ll find jolly old St. Nick in the heart of downtown Chicago in the gaily decorated Santa House near the 85-foot tall Christmas tree in Daley Plaza. Santa’s house shares the Plaza with the authentic Christkindlmarket, a month long open air traditional German holiday market, where you can enjoy native foods, crafts and shopping from over forty vendors in timber booths. There’s plenty of holiday entertainment and cheer for both adults and children at this winter wonderland.
Santa House at Daley Plaza - photo courtesy Mayor's Office of Special EventsSanta at John Hancock Observatory
in Chicago
875 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(888) 875-VIEW
www.hancock-observatory.com
The Hancock building is located in downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue on what is known as the “Magnificent Mile”.
Santa Days and Hours: 2009
Open Weekends: November 7th through December 20th - plus December 24th - Noon to 5 pm
Admission: Tickets are$15 for adults kids free (terms & conditions apply)
At almost 1,000 feet over the city the John Hancock Observatory has one of the most spectacular views of Chicago, the surrounding area and Lake Michigan. During November and December, you’ll find the old man with the white beard and Mrs. Claus as well, at their Hancock perch high above the clouds. You’ll also find one of the best model railroad exhibits imaginable. Included in the display is a magical village decked out with beautifully decorated trees, snow covered mountains and numerous trains winding throughout.
Santa at Lincoln Park Zoo
in Chicago
2200 N. Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 742-2000
www.lpzoo.com
Lincoln Park Zoo is located off Lake Shore Drive at the Fullerton Parkway exit, just minutes north of downtown Chicago. From I-94, exit at either Fullerton Parkway or North Avenue and go east. In 2009 look for Santa in the Kovler Lion House.
Santa Days and Hours: 2009
• Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29: 5 pm to 9 pm
• Friday, December 4 to Sunday, December 6: 5 pm to 9 pm
• Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 13: 5 pm to 9 pm
• Friday, December 18 to Wednesday, December 23: 5 pm to 9 pm
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - admission to the Lincoln Park Zoo is always free, including visits with Santa, photos are available for purchase or you can take your own pictures.
Tell Santa your wish list as lions and tigers watch. Come see the jolly old guy at Lincoln Park Zoo which transforms into a dazzling wonderland with a series of free seasonal festivities. Enter a winter wonderland illuminated by more than two million lights at Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual ZooLights Presented by ComEd. This holiday classic has become one of the Windy City’s must-see seasonal events. Watch live ice carving then escape Jack Frost with an exotic trip past crocodiles, pygmy hippos and meerkats at the Regenstein African Journey. Animal exhibits stay open late as guests roam the beautiful grounds, prepare family crafts and enjoy the zoo’s incredible animals immersed in an atmosphere unlike any other.
Santa at Navy Pier in Chicago
Family Pavilion Stage
(West End of Pier close to Imax)
600 E. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 606011
(312) 595-7437
www.navypier.com
Santa Days and Hours 2009:
Saturday, November 28th. Guests are invited to Navy Pier’s Grand Staircase on Dock Street to welcome Santa Claus. Festivities get under way with a fireworks display at 5 p.m., marking Santa’s arrival by boat. Santa and Mrs. Claus will dock and join holiday characters on the Grand Staircase and will do a spectacular “lighting” of Navy Pier. This ceremony officially kicks off the holiday season at Navy Pier. The next stop for Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on the Family Pavillion Stage, where families will find them for photos and wish lists through Christmas Eve.
Santa will be available for photos and wish lists:
Saturday, November 28, 2009: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, November 29 to Tuesday, December 23, 2009: Daily from 11 am to 7 pm
Thursday, December 24, 2009 (Christmas Eve): 11 am to 3 pm
Admission: Admission to Navy Pier is free and this is a FREE SANTA EVENT.
There is a professional photographer at the event who charges for photos, however you are allowed to take your own pictures if you don’t wish to purchase photos.
Santa’s home at Navy Pier - photo courtesy
Mayor's Office of Special Events
Santa Claus on the CTA Holiday Train
Chicago Transit Authority
567 W. Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60661
1-888-968-7282
Note: For detailed schedule for the Holiday Train check the CTA website: www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/holidaytrain.aspx
Santa Schedule on the CTA 2009:
Saturday, November 21th through Wednesday, December 23rd 2009
Note: The hours shown are approximate:
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Red and Purple Lines |
| Sunday, Nov. 22 | 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Red and Purple Lines |
| Wednesday, Nov. 25 | 12 noon to 6 p.m. | Pink Line and Loop 'L' |
| Friday, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Blue Line |
| Sunday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Blue Line |
| Wednesday, Dec. 2 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Green Line |
| Thursday, Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Green Line |
| Friday, Dec. 4 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m | Green Line |
| Saturday, Dec. 5 | 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Green Line |
| Wednesday, Dec. 9 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Brown and Orange Lines |
| Thursday, Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Brown and Orange Lines |
| Friday, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Brown and Orange Lines |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Brown and Orange Lines |
| Wednesday, Dec. 16 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Red Line |
| Thursday, Dec. 17 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Purple Line |
| Friday, Dec. 18 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Red Line |
| Monday, Dec. 21 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Red Line |
| Tuesday, Dec. 22 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Purple Line |
| Wednesday, Dec. 23 | 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Yellow Line |
Admission: Normal fares apply—there is no premium to ride on the Holiday Train
- There is no photographer on the CTA trains so be sure and bring a camera.
Every Christmas season The Chicago Transit Authority gives the citizens of the windy city a marvelous gift—the CTA Holiday train. This spectacular and beautifully lit up train with Santa and his elves, runs on different CTA routes from Saturday, November 21st through Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009. The six car train can be seen coming from a long way off, with thousands of brightly colored lights festooning the cars. The interiors of the cars are gaily decorated with a plethora of multi-colored lights, garlands and red bows with poles wrapped to resemble candy canes. Santa arrives in dramatic fashion, on a sleigh in an open flatbed car in the middle of the train—which has been outfitted with reindeer, Christmas trees and luminous shining lights. As the train pulls into a station Santa can be seen greeting the children and boarding passengers and of course ho ho hoing!
Naperville
Santa at Riverwalk in Naperville
Naperville IL 60540
(630) 848-5000
www.napervilleparks.org
Santa House location
Jackson Ave. & Webster St.
(along the Riverwalk)
Santa House Days and Hours 2009:
Fridays December 4th, 11th & 18th - 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturdays December 5th, 12th & 19th - noon - 6 p.m.
Sundays December 6th, 13th & 20th - noon - 6 p.m.
Open Daily December 14th - 17th - 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - Photos are available for purchase in the Santa House or you can take your own pictures.
Naperville residents and families from surrounding communities flock to the little red, white and green house at the Riverwalk every December. This is they will find Santa ready to meet the little ones and listen to their Christmas wishes.
Every year two favorite events are Special Needs Nights and Pet Day. Special Needs Nights at Santa House, an evening for children with special needs and their families, will be held on Tuesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 3 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Visits are arranged by appointment to ensure a minimal wait time and an enjoyable experience for the entire family. Reservations, which are required, can be made by calling 630-848-3504. Please note that space is limited.
Pet Day at Santa House, presented by Naperville Animal Hospital, will be held on Wednesday, December 2 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. This is your chance to make your dog or cat part of the family holiday celebrations this year. Santa has a treat for each pet. Reservations also are required for this event. Please call 630-848-3504 to reserve your space.
Santa’s House in Naperville
Wheaton
Santa at the Annual Dickens of a
Christmas Celebration in Wheaton
Downtown Wheaton Association
Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 682-0633
www.downtownwhwaton.com
Santa Downtown Days and Hours 2009:
Open Saturday’s only starting November 28th
through December 12th, 2009.
Saturdays - 10 am - 1 pm
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - There is a photographer at the Santa site and there is a charge for photos. Please note, personal cameras and photos are permitted.
Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive in Wheaton on Friday, November 27th in grand style starting at 5 pm with Christmas Carols in Martin Plaza. At 5:45 the mayor throws the switch illuminating the great tree. Next there is a spectacular lighted holiday parade, with dazzling floats and storybook costumed characters. Kids can ride the Little Obie locomotive which can be found at the Wheaton Post Office. Many of the merchants will be offering goodies as well as plenty of holiday hospitality for both children and adults. After the parade, horse drawn carriage rides through downtown are available (for a fee) and again on Saturdays through December 13th. Children that want to meet with Santa will have to wait until the next day—visits with the old guy and Mrs. Clause start Saturday, November 28th and for the following two Saturdays.
Zion
Santa at “Kringles Kingdom” in Zion
at Emmaus Avenue & Shiloh Blvd.
(25th Street)
Zion, Illinois
(847) 746-4012
www.city ofzion.com
Santa House inside “Kringle's Kingdom” Days and Hours 2009 :
Daily from Friday, December 4th through Wednesday, December 23rd - 7 pm - 9 pm
Note: While Santa is there through the December 23rd the Festival of Lights runs through December 30th, 2009.
Admission: FREE SANTA EVENT - Be sure to bring a camera,
no photographer on site.
The city of Zion in the far northern corner of Lake County goes all out every year for the holiday season. During their annual Festival of Lights, you can ride the free Holly Trolley through the streets of downtown Zion and see many fabulous animated displays at Shiloh Park and Kringle's Kingdom interspersed among hundreds of lighted evergreen trees. The Santa House opens for the season immediately following “Santa’s Arrival” at the Zion Park District Senior Center, and the “Santa Walk” from the Senior Center to his house in “Kringle’s Kingdom,” on Friday, December 4th. From then until the end of the season, you’ll find the old guy in a big chair waiting to hear from the kids—and of course, he’ll have a treat for them.
Santa at “Kringle’s Kingdom” in Zion
Please note—all of the above events are subject to change without notice