Illinois is an often overlooked “Fly over” state that would be forgotten by most if it wasn’t for Chicago. To locals, however, it has several comfortable cutouts of Christmas cheer where you can warm yourself up from the unforgiving Midwestern winter.

Whether you are in the Windy City on holiday, visiting family in the area, or have other obligations leaving you locked into the Prairie State – there are a handful of notable locations worth checking out come December.

Winter holidays in Illinois are a favorite pastime of most residents, though people not from the area may be surprised at just how brutal the winter can be. Illinois is a long stretch of flat land with snowfall in the colder months that can keep you sequestered inside for days. For this reason, it is wise to check the weather before you accidentally drive into the great snowstorm of that particular year.

Like all good holiday villages, Galena doesn’t fret about dressing up their town in jolly Christmas decor as the season begins with the inaugural tree lighting ceremony in the heart of the village. This is followed by numerous festivals, events, food, and celebration sprinkled liberally throughout the month.

The first is the Galena Holidaze Festival which is a large gathering of local residents and folks in the surrounding counties meeting in Galena to celebrate. The festival is filled with live performances, hearty Midwestern grub, soothing beverages, and plenty of activities for all ages. The entire night is capped off with an impressive firework display in the local park, which can be viewed from most parts of central Galena.

For those select few that find the flare of multi-colored Christmas lights off-putting and gaudy, Galena has a (free) Night of Luminaria & Living Windows which feature dreamy, ambient candlelit alternatives to the blinding lights of dollar store decorations. Take time to peruse the many different shops in the area, which will all feature heavily decorated windows and open later than usual to accommodate the heavy influx of wandering patrons.

 The food in Galena is great and they take advantage of the many delicious sweets and pastries in the area with the Snowflakes & Sweets Stroll, which takes place through the Main Street. The event, which features a cover charge that’s worth every penny, is typically on the 3rd Saturday of December and is a great way to wrap up your visit in the idyllic winter town nestled at the roof of the state.

One of the four Quad Cities, Moline is a mid-sized city of 42,000 with plenty of activities and nearby amenities to escape the light noise of the inner city. Across the Mississippi river sits Bettendorf and Davenport, with Rock island just west of the city. East Moline is also stacked nearby though the Quint Cities doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Due to the close proximity of the other towns, we will be featuring events from all five, as the only thing separating them are city limits and a few bridges.

The Quad City Botanical Garden will have a winter lights walkthrough that features over 150,000 lights and luminaries strewn throughout the greenery. The event is around $10 for each adult, with kids having to scrounge up $6. The light show is open daily past the 14th and is a great way to wind down from a long, chilly day spent shopping around the cities.

While Illinois may not be renowned for its endless ski slopes (it’s a pretty flat state), visitors to the Quad Cities can enjoy plenty of winter sports at Snowstar. Just twenty minutes west of Moline along the Mississippi, Snowstar is a winter resort that allows you to rent snowboards and skis so you can race down over a dozen different slopes at lethal speeds. While there, stop at any four of the restaurants which offer food, adult beverages, warm drinks, and fried desserts.

 For fans of tradition, 19th Century Christmas is a step into the past at the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House. The affair is a walk into a different time with several holiday decorations that would have been around a century ago. The event has live music, several activities, and hobbies for kids. The tour is a nice, relaxing stroll to break up the hectic nature of most vacations and one of the better exhibits in the area.

 If you are looking to shop through crafts, food, and cultural curiosities, there are a couple of good options in the Quad. Two of the most celebrated are Julmarknad, a Christmas market that is dripping with Swedish heritage. The second is Christkindlmarkt, which leans more south in Europe for a celebration of German tradition with dozens of vendors and artisan goods to peer through. Anyone who has spent any time in Illinois will eventually venture into the Quad Cities and for good reason – it is an exceptional place to waste a few days.

If you plan to visit Carlinville, make sure to do so in the early days of December as Christmas in Carlinville – the town’s premier event – takes place during the first full weekend of December. The event regularly has hundreds to thousands of people streaming in from all over the state, so they accommodate the lack of parking in the heart of town with several trolleys and buses to transport wandering patrons.

With that being said, the event doesn’t take place in any specific part of Carlinville but throughout the city limits itself. The town will be overrun with food trucks, crafts underneath pop-up pavilions, several different merchants peddling a myriad of different goods, and plenty of holiday decor around and above the streets to capture the majesty of the affair.

When it comes to where you want to find yourself, there are three big hubs where most of the action takes place. The first and perhaps most notable is the Downtown Square, which is a comely span of historic architecture resplendent in ivy, wreaths, lights, and luminaries.

The second is Cross Church, which has several activities for children as well as storytelling by gifted orators. If you want to keep the little ones occupied, you have the option of ornament decorating, gingerbread cookie crafts, and more. While young professionals may not have much desire to visit the church, it is ideal for families and restless children.

Last, you can check out the Macoupin County Historical Society, which has a number of shops for gifts, souvenirs, and more. While there, you can check out various craftsmen working on vintage equipment and utilizing long-forgotten skills. Don’t forget to try out some of the local cuisines which have a plethora of enticing tavern food and craft beers.

Effingham’s biggest celebration is the Hometown Christmas, which takes place from the 3rd to the 5th of December. Starting on the 3rd, the event kicks off with dozens of different food choices, an ice skating rink open from 5 to 9 (open all three days), and the inaugural lighting of the town’s tree. Be sure to take advantage of the many shops throughout the downtown as most will be open throughout.

On the 4th, there will be the mistletoe market, which has a collection of locally-grown produce, craft items, and high-end goods that you will regret not taking a second look at. In the spirit of Christmas, there are also several places to warm your chilled bones with hot chocolate and steaming pastries that smell way better than anything should.

On the final day, you can catch up with Santa as he makes an appearance and take one final gluttonous stroll through all the various culinary options that are available to you. The town also regularly takes people on different rides that include tractors, trains, and horse-drawn carriages. If you are looking for musical accompaniment, check out the different choirs at the Courthouse and public schools in the area.

While in town, check out the giant cross which is the biggest crucifix in the state (and there are a few), and take advantage of the Tuscan Hills Winery, Gabby Goat Pub, and Village Wine & Gifts. For entertainment, you have the Effingham Convention and Visitors Center, Effingham Performance Center, and My Garage Museum, which has so many cars you may be accosted by a salesman.

Starting as early as the 25th of November, the Woodstock Opera House has a laidback, leisurely Christmas Tree Walk that is open until the 30th from 10 am to 4 pm. There is a plethora of uniquely decorated trees from the surrounding area that are a nice chance to settle into the quiet comfort of Woodstock before the bigger festivities begin.

If you do manage to pull in on the 25th you can check out the Lighting of the Square, which is a big event for the city that has the vintage inner city erupt with holiday lights. The event starts around 4, with the lighting of the square taking place around 7 pm. Before the ceremony and a bit after you can enjoy a number of games and activities set out for citizens as well as a number of great culinary options.

Two days later the Christmas Parade will march through town at around 2 in the afternoon. This is a good chance to experience the pleasing brick walkways of downtown Woodstock and a good distraction until the real festivities start. From 2:30 to about 5 pm Santa will be passing out cookies and churros free of charge, so do yourself a favor a fetch one. Seriously, eat a churro.

One of the weirdest events we have heard of (though still nice) is the Legend of the Pickle contest. Woodstock has a tradition where if you found a hidden yuletide pickle, apparently the big guy really got a kick out of it and would give you an extra present. This tradition continues throughout the town with a pickle scavenger hunt, where finding twenty can net you your very own pickle ornament. It takes place across several establishments in the city which allows you to shop through various local haunts while also supporting nearby businesses.

Blackberry Farm in Aurora is a great chance to get out of the city and take you and yours to a thrilling winter experience chock full of cascading lights, shimmering ornaments, and plenty of holly jolly jams. This is an experience that is definitely focused on the little ones, however. The main “village” offers several arts and hobbies, food, holiday stories, and even Santa.

Outside you can enjoy a hay ride in a connected wagon that will drive you around the grounds. The biggest selling point has to be the Holiday Express, however, which takes you around the perimeter of the adjacent lake. The train is smaller than most and some adults may be cramped, though the kids will get an incredible kick out of it.

One of the most celebrated festivals in the entire state has to be the Winter Wonderfest on the Navy Pier. the amusement rides are an absolute blast, particularly the Ferris wheel that gives an aerial view of Lake Michigan illuminated by the city lights. Cut geometric patterns into the Ice Skating Rink or bear witness to the massive evergreen decorated meticulously with glowing shapes and strings.

The event is massive and bustling with starry-eyed patrons with more entertainment and food than you could eat in a decade. The price of tickets varies wildly though expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $60 dollars to take part in the massive yuletide playground. Chicago may get a bad reputation from those who haven’t been, but it has some of the best Christmas celebrations in the world.

Perhaps a hidden gem to those not from the Land of Lincoln, the Starved Rock Lodge is a beautiful rustic restaurant, bar, and entertainment center nestled into the beautiful surrounding Starved Rock State Park. Enjoy several of the live performances in the interior which is made entirely from cobbled stone and varnished wood.

From there you can sneak off to take a literal hike through the surrounding wilderness, just be sure to bundle up or you may regret it. If a mid-winter trek isn’t your bag, enjoy the Christmas Lights Trolley tour that features light shows, Christmas music, and accommodations as you make your way through a dimly lit tour of the surrounding area.

For those not afraid of a triple-digit receipt, the Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan is an incredibly unique experience that sees you through a two-and-a-half-hour cruise around the glimmering inland sea. From the cruise, you can spot several key landmarks of Chicago such as the Planetarium and the picturesque city skyline.

The cruise accommodates all walks of life, whether you want to bring kids or sit quietly by yourself at a bar downing martinis. The interior is heated so you don’t have to suffer the winter chill and coffee and tea come complimentary along with a live DJ playing music throughout the trip. While it may be a bit on the expensive side (expect to dish out $200+), it’s an experience you will remember for quite some time.

Millenium is a great spot to stop into during the holiday season with the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting which features a massive 55-foot tree that can be seen from all points of the park. Throughout all of the colder season, you can take a slide through the Mccormick Tribune Ice Rink which is surrounded by orange-hued trees laid bare from the winter months. By the time night hits you can watch fireworks overtake the sky as they fight for the attention of the better part of the Windy City.

Those in the city earlier around November can walk through the Millenium Park Art Market which is host to hundreds of different vendors under a massive pavilion in the center of the park. Finally, each Friday from late November until mid-December you can listen to several of the different choirs and ensembles in the city free of charge.

International Christmas Towns

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