Holiday Walk 2012: Tree Lighting, Santa Sightings and Carriage Riding

Downtown Glen Ellyn will feel like a Currier & Ives painting – minus the snow – Friday, as the annual Holiday Walk kicks off the holiday season.

From free horse and trolley rides to the lighting of the Christmas tree, downtown Glen Ellyn will be filled with festivities.

The annual Holiday Walk will be held Nov. 23 and the theme this year is “Winter Wonderland,” according to the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. Shops and restaurants throughout the downtown will be open late and offering all the good girls, boys and adults special holiday treats.

The main event of the Holiday Walk will be the arrival of Santa Claus and the lighting of the Christmas tree.

Everyone is welcome to join Santa at 6 p.m. at Main Street and Crescent Boulevard to watch him light the tree. Then Santa will make a visit at Glen Ellyn's Fire Station No. 1 at Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue where he will greet the children until 8:30 p.m.

During the day, the chamber and the Glen Ellyn Public Library are offering horse-drawn wagon rides between the library and downtown Glen Ellyn.

“The Holiday Walk has become one our library’s most popular events,” Library Director Dawn Bussey said in a news release. “The Glen Ellyn Public Library strives to produce high quality family entertainment and our Holiday Walk is a perfect event to unite our community and celebrate the spirit of the season together.”

The Glen Ellyn Public Library will host its annual Holiday Walk from 1:30 to 5 p.m. The event will include three floors of entertainment, arts and crafts and refreshments, leading up to the downtown tree lighting, according to the library.

The library event will include interactive arts and crafts stations, balloon creations, a magic show, and live musical performances from the Vivaldi Strings, Anima, One Voice Choir, and The Glenbard South Madrigal Singers.

From noon to 4:30 p.m. the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Library will hold a used book sale in the library’s basement.

The Chamber will also be holding an open house from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at 476 Main Street. Shoppers and event goers are encouraged to stop for refreshments and enjoy special performances from the Glenbard South Madrigal Singers and Elite Feet Dance Studio.

In addition, The Glen Art Theatre and the chamber will be showing free children's holiday movies beginning at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 24 and continuing Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. through December, according to the chamber.

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