Events Calendar

Join us for Santa Cares, a sensory-friendly Santa Experience on Sunday, December 3. We'll turn down the music and provide some snacks so that your child can make holiday memories with Santa in a soothing environment. Santa Cares is reservation only. Please select a timeslot that works best for your family. One timeslot reservation per...

CARING SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN Caring Santa is back! Make your reservation for a private photo experience for chidren with special nees by Clicking Here! Woodfield Mall will be hosting 2 Caring Santa events this year. To make your reservation for this private event for children with special needs, go to the Reservation Page, scroll...

Fashion Outlets of Chicago invites children with special needs and their families to enjoy a Sensory-Friendly Santa Experience on Sunday, December 3 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Registration is required for this private photo experience.   For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Places to See Santa.

Help your child experience Jewish holidays each month for the first (or second) time! Join Rabbi Adam Chalom and Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation for music, stories and fun. Parents can schmooze while their kids snack and play, and each family will take home something they’ve made to make their holiday more meaningful. Kol Hadash Humanistic...

Carriage rides are one of our most beloved activities during our Vintage Holidays season. Passengers are invited to sit back and take in the nostalgia of our historic downtown as the clattering of horse hooves lead the way. Ride Dates November 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23...

Thanks to our friends at Two Bostons we will be hosting Photos with Santa Paws for your two, three, and four legged furry family members at their NEW Market Meadows Shopping Center location. We will have a photographer on-site taking FREE photos with assistance from our NAHS elves to help answer any questions you may...

Enjoy the sounds of strolling carolers in downtown Downers Grove. Confirm times as schedule varies daily. 

Our popular Holiday Family Photos event is back! Join us to take free family photos you can use on cards or share with your friends and family on social media.

Enjoy a delightful hour of holiday music, presented by Downers Grove Music Club musicians. The Downers Grove Music Club (DGMC) was founded in 1927 with the mission to enrich our community through the musical arts. DGMC engages local music lovers and musicians through quality musical performances and educational opportunities. Based in Downers Grove, Illinois, our...

Start your “Christmas at Cantigny” experience inside the Visitors Center and get a photo with Santa! The jolly old elf will be waiting for you in Le Jardin. Be sure to bring a camera and we’ll have a staff member on hand to snap a pic if needed. Mrs. Claus will be here, too, reading...

Calling all dog lovers! Get ready for some tail-wagging fun. Starting on June 5, we’re thrilled to announce that Mondays will be designated as “Paws in the Park Days” (excluding holidays like Labor Day and Indigenous People’s Day). So, grab your four-legged companion, hop in the car, and get ready for some Barks and Recreation...

Come enjoy activities with everyone's favorite pups and your little one.

A paws-itively good time! Get your furry friends together to capture paw-fect pics with St. Nick!   For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Pet Photos with Santa.

A paws-itively good time! Get your furry friends together to capture paw-fect pics with St. Nick!   For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Pet Photos with Santa.

Sensory-Friendly ZooLights is an evening in which guests with disabilities, sensitivities, autism, dementia, or chronic illness, as well as members of the Deaf community, can experience the zoo grounds, animal buildings, and holiday lights in a comfortable and inclusive environment. Sensory-Friendly ZooLights is for all people who benefit from visiting the zoo without crowds and...

Celebrate the season and experience all that Aurora has to offer when visiting the Christkindlmarket. The Aurora Regional Fire Museum will offer FREE admission on Thursday evenings from 4-7pm as part of our extended hours November 17 - December 23.   For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Museum Free...

Join us for an evening of fun and upbeat jazz with the Switch Time Jazz Group. Sit and listen with the crowd, or move to the music on the dance floor at Garden Terrace located in the Pavilion. This event benefits Sheila Ray Adult Center. Light refreshments and pastries provided by Jarosch Bakery.    For...

Free, perfect for photo ops and making holiday memories! Meet and greet with costumed character look-a-likes, the Grinch & Cindy-Lou Who at Blick from 4-4:30pm; JCrew Factory Outlet from 4:30-5pm; My Gym at 5-5:30pm and Great Clips from 5:30- 6pm. Santa's at Sierra from 4-4:30 pm; Noodles & Company from 4:30-5pm, My Gym from 5-5:30pm...

This 60-minute presentation offers a space for parents and caregivers in the community to learn about the importance of early childhood mental health.  According to Zero to Three, “Infant and early childhood mental health is the developing capacity of the infant/young child to form close and secure relationships; experience, manage, and express a full range...

'Tis the Season to be jolly and of course; to join the park district for our 'Tis the Season holiday event! Get into the holiday spirit by decorating cookies, making hot cocoa, writing a letter to Santa, and playing 'reindeer games. Come dressed in your favorite holiday pajamas, as you can enter our pajama contest...

Join us as we present North Pole Radio Hour (Kids On Stage) and Snoozy Snowflake (Kids On Stage Jr)! We will be joined by the Ballet Expressions and Impulse Dance Ensemble dance companies for a full Performing Arts production. Ticket info. will be available in mid-November.

Get your holiday shopping done and support local artists.

Crafters, DYIers and Small Business Owners will display their talents at our Holiday Gift Show. Shop up to 30 vendors showcasing items for home decor, jewelry, accessories and dozens of unique one-of-a-kind gifts. Vendors must register by Fri, November 17 to secure a space. Contact sclift@elkgroveparks.org for a Vendor Application. Admission is FREE!

It’s a family favorite! Celebrate the season at a fun event that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Bundle up and join us for a very special winter event! Awesome family photo opportunities! Ice-less skating, Smore making, Festival of Fun, Gingerbread House Making contest (preregistration required), Sled Dogs, Carnival Games, and more!!!

Please join us for a community resource fair, attendees will be able to receive new coats (youth sizes only, while supplies last) and other items such as hats, gloves, etc. Available for anyone.

Join the Grinch and Cindy Lou for cocoa & cookies, singing and story time, crafts, and Whoville Bingo! Fun for the whole family at the Vaughan Center.   For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Places to See Santa.

We’re going to craft like yesteryear! Kids and kids at heart will have the opportunity to add to our paper chain decoration, make two different crafts and challenge each other to clothespin bowling, all based on the “Kiddy Korner” section of Wireco Life, the Joliet Iron Works company magazine from the 1950s. After crafting, view...

Deck the halls with nature-inspired trim. For one day only, our craft room will be transformed into a holiday workshop. Drop in any time during business hours to enjoy holiday tunes and quality family time while creating personalized woodland decorations. This is a self-guided crafting session. Example crafts will be provided for inspiration, or you...

Let's hear a story and enjoy the live violin soundtrack that comes with it, courtesy of the musicians at Anderson Music Studio. All ages with caregiver.

Shop for quality artisan holiday gifts for family and friends. All ages; under 18 with an adult. Free admission. No registration.

Carriage rides are one of our most beloved activities during our Vintage Holidays season. Passengers are invited to sit back and take in the nostalgia of our historic downtown as the clattering of horse hooves lead the way. Ride Dates November 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23...

Join a fun filled day of supporting local businesses and sampling cocoa beverages -- some hot, some cold and even some for those 21 years and older. Get $10 tickets at business.bartlettareachamber.com/events; ticket includes keepsake passport that lists participating businesses, a souvenir mug (while supplies last) and a raffle entry page. Free for 16 and younger. Drop...

Enjoy the sounds of strolling carolers in downtown Downers Grove. Confirm times as schedule varies daily. 

Try a virtual reality headset, send robots on a mission, and explore other gadgets in this zoo of wild technology. No registration required. For all ages. This in-person program will be held at South Branch.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Join us Saturday, December 9th from 1-3pm for some holiday fun! Enjoy face painting, balloon sculptures, holiday crafts for kids and a special meet and greet with some frozen guests! Activities will take place in the glass pavilion across from Starbucks.

Calling all Swifties! School-aged students through adult Taylor Swift fans are welcome to drop by and make Taylor Swift-inspired crafts including friendship bracelets, wearable buttons, and bookmarks just in time to celebrate Taylor’s birthday on 12/13.

Join the Silvertones as they take you on a walk down memory lane, reminiscing of Christmases past. Holiday carols and heartwarming classics will be beautifully presented, highlighting the many reasons why Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. 

Please Join us for a Winter Fest at Guidepost Montessori at Oak Brook! Enjoy the simple pleasures of the holiday season with your child. Event will include a Cookie Decorating Station, Storytelling Corner, and a holiday photo booth for families!

Join us as we present North Pole Radio Hour (Kids On Stage) and Snoozy Snowflake (Kids On Stage Jr)! We will be joined by the Ballet Expressions and Impulse Dance Ensemble dance companies for a full Performing Arts production. Ticket info. will be available in mid-November.

Make your own Tower of Hanoi puzzle, then work with others to try to solve it.

You are invited to sing, dance, and celebrate Chanukah at Music & Memories with JUF Young Families! We look forward to making new friends with a concert and song session. Kiddos 5 and under with adult guardian are welcome to attend! This program is coordinated by JUF's TOV Volunteer network.   For information on more...

Join the Glen Ellyn Historical Society as we host our annual Victorian holiday celebration. Guests will start out at the history center by crafting Victorian themed ornaments and enjoying some snacks and hot chocolate while viewing the entries in our annual gingerbread house contest. The Glen Ellyn Historical Society is proud to again have Twig...