Author: Fox Valley Magazine

The Village of Oswego Christmas Walk kicks off the holiday season in downtown Oswego from 4:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday, December 6.   This free event features performances by local choirs, visits with Santa’s reindeer, ice sculpting, an inflatable sled hill, the Village’s annual tree lighting performance and an emergency vehicle light parade. People of all ages can enjoy games, crafts and giveaways. Downtown stores will open their doors to showcase holiday décor and gifts for all ages. “Christmas Walk is a wonderful holiday tradition for families in downtown Oswego,” Village President Ryan Kauffman said. “Let’s come together as a…

The more, the merrier! Montgomery Merry & Bright lights up the night starting Sunday, December 8 with the annual Tree Lighting and visit with Santa at 5:00pm in front of Village Hall (200 North River Street). The event will feature Santa, giveaways, musical performances, and the opening of the Festival of Trees, which will run through December 26 at Village Hall and along River Street. Together with the Greater Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Montgomery has hosted this event for twenty-seven years. It begins with Santa and Mrs. Claus’s grand arrival on the Montgomery-Countryside Fire District fire…

Get ready to sip, stroll, and celebrate Small Business Saturday with the Downtown Elgin Holiday Cheers Beverage Crawl. On Saturday, November 30, over 20 local businesses in Downtown Elgin will each offer a unique holiday-inspired beverage between 10am and 6pm – the perfect way to support small businesses while indulging in the festive spirit. Participants will find an array of holiday drinks, including Hot Cocoa topped with festiveadditions, Holiday Cold Brew, Ponche Navideño, Non-Alcoholic Coquito, and more. Somelocations will offer optional beverage add-ins, such as a shot of alcohol or other unique treats,for a small additional charge. Tickets for this…

Tradition and surprise. It wouldn’t be Christmas without them, and Geneva’s Christmas Walk and House Tour offer both. Friday evening, December 6 begins at 6pm with Bob’s Candy Cane Parade and Graham’s Chocolates first candy cane of the season being presented with great fanfare. Santa Lucia, the Swedish symbol of the season, follows, offering Swedish cookies to merry makers. The Christmas Tree is lit, and the Courthouse lawn becomes aglow. The young and young at heart will wait with anticipation as Santa Claus arrives. Santa will open his home for visits from excited children while All Chocolate Kitchen recreates their…

According to the National Weather Service, the first significant snowfall of the year is coming to the entire Fox Valley region this morning and will last into the afternoon hours. Snowfall will be heavy at times, with wind gusts of 30-40mph making travel difficult. Expected accumulations range from 2-3″. We’re honestly not ready for this.

This year’s Dickens In Dundee will take place in East Dundee and West Dundee on Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7. Dickens in Dundee was formed in 1988. It began as a small community gathering, with caroling and the search for Tiny Tim’s crutch in local stores. With the support of local businesses, this event has grown significantly and attracts people from all over the Dundee area. The Village of East Dundee hosts a variety of activities during Dickens in Dundee such as Living Windows, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Visits with Santa, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Musical Acts, Holiday Characters…

St. Charles Holiday Homecoming is taking place in downtown St. Charles on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30. This two-day community event will feature an array of family-friendly activities to commence the holiday season. The Lighting of the Lights Ceremony will kick-off Holiday Homecoming on Friday, starting at 5:00pm on the 1st Street Plaza. Enjoy complimentary roasted nuts, hear the sounds of holiday carols being sung by the St. Charles East and North High School Choirs, and witness the downtown become illuminated with the dazzling holiday lights. On Saturday, there will be a free showing of The Grinch at…

The City of Naperville will once again shine during the holidays this year with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s events and activities. Here’s a run-down of all the fun. Letters to Santa MailboxMONDAY, NOVEMBER 25–FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Kids can drop off holiday wish lists at Santa’s Mailbox at the corner of Main and Jefferson. Santa and his magic elves will send a personalized reply! (Include child’s name and return address.) Holiday Painted WindowsTHANKSGIVING–NEW YEAR’S Discover winter-themed artwork in downtown windows. Check downtownnaperville.com/events for a complete list. Naper Lights on Water Street!THANKSGIVING–NEW YEAR’S Enjoy a Winter Wonderland with giant displays and…

The Village of South Elgin Parks and Recreation will host “An Almost Winter Day” festival on Saturday, November 23 from 2-5pm at Seba Park in South Elgin. Make s’mores, decorate cookies, enjoy craft projects, get a balloon animal, drop-off a letter to Santa (and get a reply from the North Pole). The afternoon includes an ice sculptor, bonfire, a tree decorating contest and snowball sling shot fun. New this year: dog sled demos by Free Spirit Siberian Rescue. Plus…Santa arrives at 2pm and will stay until 4:45pm for pictures (bring your camera). At 5pm, the event shifts to Panton Mill…

Paramount Theatre in Aurora has release sneak peeks of its holiday production of the smash Broadway musical Frozen, featuring Kristen Morris as Elsa, based on the enormously successful Disney animated movie. The production runs through January 19, 2025, and tickets are available here. And listen to the Justa Coupla Guys podcast with Paramount’s extraordinary Artistic Director Jim Corti.