2023 Holiday Lights in and around Naperville

The holidays are here!  So, pack the kids in the car, let them wear their p.j.'s, pack a hot chocolate for all, and thoroughly enjoy the wonder of the holiday season with your family and loved ones! 

These events are current as of 11/15/23. I will do my best to keep them up-to-date. But, remember, dates can be changed or canceled at any time. Have a great time!!

Dates: November 24, 2023, thru December 25, 2023

Time: 5:00 pm-9:00 pm Daily. Reserve time required.

Cost: Free Reserved Tickets for the event can be selected through our website. 

Address: Phillips Park, Entrance is Smith Blvd. at 5th Ave., Aurora, IL 60505. 630.256.3750

Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-aurora-festival-of-lights-drive-thru-tickets-758811735327

A mile of sparking lights! A month of magical nights!
The Aurora Festival of Lights –the largest free outdoor drive-through holiday light display in the region - returns for its 17th year with dazzling displays and merry music that will delight children and adults. The Aurora Festival of Lights opens on Saturday, November 25, and runs through Monday, December 25, each night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Philips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Admission is free, but visitors must register for a vehicle entry ticket. Just one registration per vehicle is required.
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. Gather the family, bundle up, jump in the car, and make holiday memories. More than 50,000 vehicles visited the festival last year, and voluntary, free-will donations at the conclusion of the event provided support to dozens of non-profit and youth organizations in Aurora.

Dates: November 12, 2023, thru January 7, 2024

Time: Unknown

Cost: Free

Address: 631 E Boughton Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Website: https://www.shoppingpromenade.com/event/Holiday-Magic-in-Motion-An-Immersive-Holiday-Decor-Experience/2145577501/

The Promenade Bolingbrook debuts its immersive holiday decor experience, Holiday Magic in Motion, with a kick-off event for the whole family on Nov. 11. Sparkling lights and surprising augmented reality will deliver holiday wonder and an experience unlike any other. Interactive, themed elements will undoubtedly get visitors into the holiday spirit — and create photo opportunities full of surprise and holiday cheer.
Promenade visitors can stroll through a world of twinkling lights, magical candy canes, and an unexpected encounter with Santa. Eleven illuminated displays — ranging from a 10-foot-tall gift box and two nine-foot-tall candy canes to a walk-through bell and ornament — will be featured throughout the shopping center, along with a traditional Christmas tree in the Promenade roundabout. Each magical item includes a gift tag that allows visitors to scan a QR code and discover an augmented reality experience on their phones (no app required).

Date: November 24-26, 30 and December 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 21-23, 26-31, 2023.

Times: 3:00 - 9:00 pm

Cost: Admission to Holiday Magic is $29.95 for adults, $20.95 for children, and $24.95 for seniors 65 and older. Parking is $17-$20.

Address: 8400 W 31st St, Brookfield, IL 60513

Website: https://www.czs.org/holidaymagic

Bright Lights.  Magical Nights.  Holiday Magic.
Enjoy the festive season with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 41st annual Holiday Magic, presented by Meijer. Zoogoers can stroll along the walkways, lit with more than two million twinkling LED lights. Memorable photos are waiting to be taken.  

This holiday season, get ready to visit Chicagoland’s longest-running lights festival featuring over two million twinkling LED lights! In 2023, for NORTH GATE ENTRY, Holiday Magic advance tickets are not required; however, if you are not a member of Brookfield Zoo, you may choose to purchase these in advance. You do not need NORTH GATE ENTRY reservations as a member. Advance reservations ARE REQUIRED FOR SOUTH GATE ENTRY, and parking fees will be charged when you make your reservation. Holiday Magic admission is free for members of Brookfield Zoo.
Please select your reservation and/or ticket options at https://www.czs.org/holidaymagic.

Dates: November 10, 2023 - January 7, 2024

Times: Varies

Cost:
Adult $30-$33 member / $34-$37 nonmember
Child Ages (3-12) $17-$19 member / $19-$21 nonmember
Children 2 and under free
Flex Ticket $75 per person (includes parking)
VIP Pass$60 per person (President's Circle members only)
Tickets purchased the day of the event are an additional $2-$3 per ticket

Website: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/lightscape

The popular event that sells out each year!
Event Date: November 10, 2023, to January 7, 2024

The brightest spot for holiday cheer
Embrace the season’s beauty and make spirits bright at Lightscape, returning to transform new parts of the Garden—including Evening Island—into dazzling landscapes you’ve never seen before. From radiant first-time installations to beloved classics like the Winter Cathedral, this year’s reimagined trail takes our fifth annual holiday celebration to the next level. Bring your nearest and dearest, enjoy festive food and drink, and immerse yourself in a world of music, color, and light.
Visit chicagobotanic.org/lightscape for more information and to purchase tickets.

Dates: ZooLights runs from  Nov. 17, 2023, thru Jan. 7, 2024, except as follows:

Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving Day) (CLOSED)
Sunday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) (CLOSED)
Monday, December 25 (Christmas Day) (CLOSED)
Special Event Dates
*SEPARATE TICKET MAY BE REQUIRED
Friday, November 17 | ZooLights Opening Night
Wednesday, December 6 | Sensory-Friendly Night*
Thursday, December 14 | Adults Night Out: Holidaze*, 21+ after-hours event
Sunday, December 10 | The Chris White Trio Tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas* (multiple shows)
Sunday, December 31 | Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve with countdowns every hour

Times: Sunday–Thursday: 4:30–9:00 p.m. and Friday–Saturday: 4:30–10:00 p.m.

Cost: Tickets for ZooLights are $7-$10 per person (guests of all ages, including infants, require a ticket) and are now available for purchase at lpzoo.org/zoolights.

Website: https://www.lpzoo.org/pressroom/zoolights/

The most wonderful time of the year deserves the most wonderful event of the year! Celebrate the holidays with Zoolights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ. This festive, one-of-a-kind holiday experience offers a merry, family-oriented tradition in the heart of the city. Your visit helps keep Lincoln Park Zoo free and supports our animal care, community, and conservation work.

Date: November 18, 2023 – January 6, 2024

Time: Varies

Cost: Tickets range between $12.80-$35.20 for members, and $16-$44 for guests. Advance purchase is recommended as many nights will sell out.

Address: 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532

Website: https://mortonarb.org/explore/activities/family/illumination/#!

Celebrate the holidays and marvel at how light transforms a magnificent landscape at the 11th annual edition of Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum, November 18, 2023, through January 6, 2024. Exciting new features and immersive installations in this festive experience will delight all ages along a new path that is fully ADA-compliant for guests with limited mobility.
You’ll journey along a 1-mile paved walking path amid festive music and lighting effects that highlight the beauty of trees in winter. You will pass through a woodland that comes alive with sparkling colored lights in the crisp outdoor air. A grove of trees will come alive with color and seem to grow and change before your eyes. Music will be everywhere, lights will make trees dance, and hugs will make a tree light up.
Gather family and friends to explore 50 acres of the Arboretum’s majestic trees and sweeping vistas and experience one of the nation’s most well-known light displays. Warm up by a crackling fire and roast marshmallows for s’mores, or stop in one of the concession tents for a snack and beverage. Enjoy a delicious meal at the Ginkgo Restaurant in the Visitor Center while you view the display’s finale on Meadow Lake. The Arboretum Store will also be open for holiday shopping and seasonal decorating. A special temperature-activated, color-changing ceramic mug will be available for purchase during all Illumination dates.

Date: Thanksgiving November 23, 2023, through New Year’s Day January 1, 2024

Time: 4 PM – 10 PM

Cost: FREE but donations are welcome

Address: At Water Street Downtown Naperville

Website: https://naperlights.com/

At Water Street Downtown Naperville Through the Holiday Season!
A Free Winter Wonderland – Thanksgiving through New Year’s
Enjoy this free dazzling display of holiday lights and sound as you stroll down Water Street, Foyo Plaza, Jaycees Park, and the Riverwalk in Downtown Naperville!  This is our gift to the community from the Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise.
Visit Naper Lights to get your 3D Viewing glasses!
Donations Are Welcome!
Live Santa by the big tree on November 24, 25, 26, and Dec 23rd. 5:30-8:30

Date: November 24, 2023 - December 30, 2023

Time: 9:00 am-9:00 pm.  Lights turn on at 3:00 pm.  Closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Cosley Zoo is open from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Cost: Donations appreciated.

Address: 1356 N Gary Ave, Wheaton, IL

Website: https://cosleyzoo.org/event-calendar/festival-of-lights-and-tree-sales/

A winter visit to Cosley Zoo has become a favorite family tradition. Cosley Zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights, an amazing selection of Christmas trees, wreaths and greenery, hot chocolate, and a unique assortment of holiday gifts in the Wild Side Gift Shop.
Cosley Zoo has four varieties of trees ranging from 3’ to 12’! Wreaths, greens, and garlands are also available for purchase.
Hot Chocolate is available weekdays 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm; weekends 9:00 am-9:00 pm
No reservations/ticketing required.