Lake County Illuminates the Night Through the Holiday Season 2021
By: Jonathan Jones 11/15/2021
“Turn up the lights in here, baby. Extra bright, I want y’all to see this. Turn up the lights in here, baby. You know what I need, want you to see everything want you to see all of the lights.” – Rihanna.
There is no way around it, Lake County is lit. From public light displays to motion twinkling shows to village and city Christmas tree and menorah lightings, Lake County illuminates the night through the holiday season.
Until then, the holiday season is right around the corner. So like Madonna, we’ll shed a “Ray of Light” as Lake County illuminates the night through the holiday season. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Holiday Light Displays in Lake County
“Turn up the lights in here, baby, extra bright, I want y’all to see this…cop lights, flashlights, spotlights, strobe lights, street lights…all of the lights!” Meander in the illuminated world of wonder and light at Chicago Bo’s Lightscape. As you enter you walk through a cathedral-esque threshold, you enter a world of the Glencoe sanctuary that’s as luminous as it’s ever been. This is a must-experience event for your eyes and your feels. The bright bulbs twinkle and shine through January 2. Make your reservations early, as this event sells out annually.
Get a glimpse of Santa’s Rock N Lights at the Lake County Fairgrounds and Event Center this holiday season. The Grayslake grounds showcase a superbly illuminated show in a drive-thru format. The lights have doubled since 2019. The route is nearly a mile of 1,000 programmable and over 100,000 animated lights synced to holiday music. There are over 700 feet of tunnels and a reimagined layout with themed worlds of lights, including the dinosaur world. The “lit” experience is socially distanced and touch-free.
Kringle’s Christmas Village illuminates the holiday spirit. After Dickens’ Holiday Village’s spirits of three shall strive within you on Main and Lake Streets. Mosey on over to Piggly Wiggly’s Plaza, a few blocks away in downtown Antioch to experience more of the Christmas spirit. As the night falls in the afternoon, visitors can browse the magnificent illuminated shadowboxes. Many of these beautiful art displays provide that same nostalgia when enjoying Chicago’s Marshall Fields’ windows. Both are on display during the holiday season.
Six Flags Great America kicks off their third installment of the Holiday in the Park Lights! event this year. This festival runs from November 26-December 30 on select days. The new holiday party will transform the park into a winter wonderland featuring millions of dazzling lights, a beautiful Christmas tree (5 p.m. lighting every night), a meet and greet with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, festive entertainment and of course, rides on a world-class roller coaster. When it gets a tad nippier outside, Six Flags Great America will run the
Holiday in the Park Lights! Drive-Thru Experience through January. See the same flashing lights, except in your whip with the heat on high.
"I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights. No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch." - The Weeknd. Throughout December, Antioch intention is to make the season bright. From the shadowboxes at
Kringle's Christmas Village, to the wax statues of Dickens Holiday Village and now the Christ Musical Light Shows at the Antioch Bandshell. This drive-up light show located on Skidmore Drive will have signage as the shining bulbs will be keyed up to tunes that highlight the holiday season.
After launching for the first time last year, the land of lakes amusement park launches its new Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience. See the dazzling display of illuminants, seasonal sights and holly jolly sounds from the warmth of your car on select days in December and January. As one of the largest holiday drive-thru events in the Midwest and the only one inside a theme park, the Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience will include 11 immersive, themed areas throughout the 300-acre theme park which will be embellished with millions of twinkling lights, live entertainment and festive music. Guests will enjoy distanced greetings from beloved holiday characters, iconic holiday decorations, a drive-by featuring Santa, Mrs. Claus and their jolly elves and much more.
Every holiday season, the Lake Zurich church throws an unbelievable Christmas pageant with a cast of 300, live animals, dramatic lighting and more highlighting the birth story of Jesus Christ. However, with the pandemic’s effects, Quentin Road Baptist Church will hold off on re-upping the pageant one more year and host the second installment of its illuminating adventure, and you can travel through “Bethlehem” like the three magi. On your trek, hikers will interact with townspeople, shepherds, angels and wise men as you hear the story of Christmas. The hikes will run on two weekends, December 10-12, as well as the 17-19.
"Christmas eve will find me. Where the love light gleams, I'll be home for Christmas; If only in my dreams." The city of Zion's Shiloh Park will be dressed all spiffy in its irradiated garb late in the holiday season. Feel the warmth of your holiday season in your automobile and see a display jam-packed with over 100,000 lights on over 50 displays. Santa will make his appearance on opening night as the man in the red suit will wave hell0 (while checking his list twice).
City and Village Tree Lightings and Other Illuminated Spots
Tarkowski Family Light Show in Antioch November 14-December 25; Sun.-Thurs. 6-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 6-9:30 Tarkowski Family Light Show, 1256 Bradford Ln., Antioch
Learn More »
Downtown Deerfield Lighting Ceremony Wednesday, November 26; 4-5 p.m. Deerfield Village Centre Plaza, 625 Deerfield Rd., Deerfield Learn More »
Libertyville Tree Lighting and Downtown Holiday Walk Friday, November 26; 6:30-8 p.m. Cook Memorial Park, Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville Learn More »
Grayslake Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival Friday, November 26; 3-8 p.m. Downtown Grayslake, Center and Whitney Streets Learn More »
Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting in Antioch Friday, November 26; 6:30 p.m. Downtown Antioch Learn More »
Village of Round Lake Beach Tree Lighting Friday, November 26; 5:30 p.m. Cultural & Civic Center of Round Lake Beach, 2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach Learn More »
Light Up The Season! Vernon Hills' Tree and Menorah Lighting Saturday, November 27; 4:30 p.m. Vernon Hills Golf Course, 291 Evergreen Dr., Vernon Hills Learn More »
Lake Forest's Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony Friday, November 27; 3-5:30 p.m. City of Lake Forest, 220 E. Deerpath Learn More »
Fox Lake Festival of Lights Saturday, November 27; 2-8 p.m. Millennium Park Fox Lake, Grand Avenue and Illinois Route 59, Fox Lake Learn More »
Holiday Lights in Gurnee Thursday, December 2; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Village of Gurnee, 325 N. O'Plaine Rd., Gurnee Learn More »
Lincolnshire Lights Friday, December 3; 5:30-6:30 p.m. Village Green Center 1 Old Half Day Rd., Lincolnshire Learn More »
Miracle on Main Street in Lake Zurich Friday, December 4; 3-6:30 p.m. Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce Learn More »
Mundelein Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony Friday, December 3; 5:30-6:30 p.m. Village Plaza, 300 Plaza Circle, Mundelein Learn More »
Tree Lighting Ceremony in Downtown Waukegan Saturday, December 4; TBA Waukegan Main Street, 100 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan Learn More »
Holiday Walk on Main Parade Kickoff and Tree Lighting at Wauconda Saturday, December 4; 5-6 p.m. Wauconda Chamber of Commerce, 600 N. Main St., Wauconda Learn More »
For more ways to view how Lake County illuminates the night through the holiday season, continue here.
