2025 Holiday Lights

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 11/12/25. 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 28, 2025, thru December 28, 2025.
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.
Website: https://www.aurora.il.us/Recreation-and-Amenities/Events/Special-Events/Festival-of-Lights
A Mile of Sparkling 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 19th year with dazzling displays and merry music that will delight children and adults.
The Aurora Festival of Lights opens on Friday, November 28, and runs through Sunday, December 28, each night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Philips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive [Enter on Smith Blvd. at Fifth Ave.]
Visitors will enjoy a mile of spectacular light 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. Admission is free!

Dates: Tree Lighting November 15, 2025  
Display: November 15, 2025 thru December 30, 2025
Time: See website
Cost: Free
Address: 631 E Boughton Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Website: https://www.shoppingpromenade.com/event/holiday-magic-in-motion/
Welcome the Holiday Season with our Free Celebration!
It’s time to begin celebrating the holiday season, and we have a wonderful event that’s perfect for the entire family.
Enjoy Holiday Magic in Motion – an immersive holiday décor experience – with displays throughout the center.
Stroll through a world of twinkling lights and stunning augmented reality.
Visit Santa and snap a photo for memories that will last a lifetime, sponsored by the Village of Bolingbrook Events Commission.
Visit our participating retailers for special sweet treats and surprises.
Enjoy Local Entertainment, Face Painting, Magic Show, Characters, and & more!
See you there!
Our Holiday in Motion celebration will be held one day only, Saturday, November 15, 2025. However, the interactive displays are up all season long through December 31st, 2025. Visit the center for more details.

Date: November 21-23 and 28-30, 2025; December 4-7, 11-14, 18-21 and 26-31, 2025; January 1-4, 2026  
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.brookfieldzoo.org/HolidayMagic
We’re lighting up the night this holiday season! Returning with a brand new light display, celebrating more than 40 years of Holiday Magic.
Now with more than 3.5 million lights, this spectacular interactive display transforms the Zoo into a dazzling winter wonderland. Stroll through themed areas featuring giant holiday displays, a maze, tunnels, and animal-themed lights.
Experience the magic that has made this event a beloved holiday tradition.
Members-only Discounts
Holiday Magic and North Gate parking are FREE for Members. There is a fee and advanced tickets required for South Gate entry. If you have free passes, they may be redeemed at North Gate — no reservations are required.
What's New and Exciting at Holiday Magic
NEW! A giant light-up maze & interactive light displays
NEW! More light tunnels & a twinkling star walk-through experience
NEW! Holiday Dolphin Show
Unforgettable visits with Santa
Seasonal treats and beverages
Shopping in the Holiday Market
And so much more!
Open Animal Buildings (Until 8:30 p.m.)
Australia
Dolphin Bay - Underwater Viewing
Dolphin Bay - Overwater Viewing (select dates and times)
Hamill Family Play Zoo
Living Coast
Gorilla Conservation Center (animals may not be on view)
Animal visibility in outdoor habitats is dependent on weather conditions.
Sensory Friendly Holiday Magic
You are invited to join us for Sensory Friendly Holiday Magic on Thursday, December 4 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., a special evening designed to make the Holiday Magic experience welcoming and enjoyable for guests of all ages and sensory needs. During this modified night, lights will be dimmed, music will be softer, and visual effects will be reduced to create a calmer, more comfortable environment. This event is presented in partnership with KultureCity as part of our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive experiences for all.  
Dolphin Bay Overwater Viewing
Come upstairs inside Dolphin Bay! On select nights, view the bottlenose dolphins from above and warm up while you watch them interact and explore. Hot cocoa and additional treats will be available for purchase as well.
Dolphin Bay Overwater Viewing will be available on the following evenings from 6 to 8 p.m.: December 4, 11, 18, 29-31 and January 1-4.  
Holiday Igloo
Get ready to cozy up in your very own private igloo! Perfect for small groups, our rentable heated igloo will offer a warm and stylish retreat amid the sparkle of our Holiday Magic lights. Enjoy delicious food and beverages while soaking in the magic of the seasonal from the comfort of your own winter hideaway. More details coming soon!
Meet Santa
Make magical memories of this holiday season! Santa Claus is coming to Brookfield Zoo Chicago on select nights of Holiday Magic. Bring the whole family to meet Santa in a winter wonderland filled with twinkling lights, merry music, and unforgettable memories. Check out the schedule and details at the button below!

Dates: November 14, 2025 - January 4, 2026

Times: Varies

Cost:
Adult $26 member / $29 nonmember
Child Ages (3-12) $14 member / $16 nonmember
Children 2 and under free

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

The popular event that sells out each year!
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. 21, 2025, thru Jan. 4, 2026.

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

Cost: Tickets for ZooLights are $7-$12 per person and are now available for purchase at lpzoo.org/zoolights.

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

Celebrate both the new and the nostalgic with 30 years of ZooLights!
Join us in a milestone year for Chicagoland’s favorite holiday tradition, back with new artistic, interactive displays and programming! ZooLights will feature more than 3 million lights, including hundreds of luminous LED displays and festive seasonal experiences.
Check out the thrilling holiday light tunnel or ride the iconic Ferris wheel—with incredible views of the skyline and all the twinkling lights. Indulge in hot chocolate or roast s’mores on an open fire. On select nights, sing alongside carolers or be amazed by professional ice carvers. New this year, bask in the holiday spirit in the light lounge.

Date: Open November 15, 2025, through January 3, 2026
Time: Varies
Cost: Tickets range between $20-$30. Advance purchase is recommended as many nights will sell out.
Address: 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532
Website: https://mortonarb.org/explore/activities/exhibitions/illumination/

Bring family and friends to see Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum and be amazed by how light, color, and music transforms a magnificent landscape of trees.
Guests of all ages will delight in the festive features and stunning light displays found along a fully ADA-compliant trail running through The Morton Arboretum’s gardens and tree-filled landscapes.
New this year—Illumination features four colorful animal sculptures from The Morton Arboretum’s newest exhibition Vivid Creatures, by artists Heather BeGaetz and Fez BeGaetz. See these colorful sculptures lit up for the holidays and transformed for the Illumination experience.
Illumination was recognized last year as one of the country’s top 10 “Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights” by USA TODAY. Don’t miss what’s in store for this year!

IllumiBrew-Friday, November 14, 2025
Electric Illumination-Three Fridays, December 5, 12, and 19

Date: Thanksgiving November 27, 2025, through New Year’s Day January 1, 2026

Time: 4 PM – 10 PM

Cost: FREE but donations are welcome

Address: At Water Street Downtown Naperville

Website: https://naperlights.com/

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!  
Visit Naper Lights to get your 3D Viewing glasses!
At Water Street Downtown Naperville Thanksgiving through New Year  4 PM – 10 PM
Live Santa by the big tree on December 6, 8 and 13th from 5:30-8:30 pm.

The Rotary Club of Naperville is hosting the 2025 Parade of Lights in partnership with the Downtown Naperville Alliance. Bundle up and head to Downtown Naperville for the annual Rotary Club of Naperville Holiday Parade of Lights, starting at 7pm! Held in partnership with the Downtown Naperville Alliance, this parade is an annual favorite when Santa & Mrs. Claus make their official entrance to Naperville!
The parade will travel through the heart of downtown Naperville on Friday, November 28th under the beautiful twinkling lights. Distinctly focused on delighting children of all ages, parade goers will enjoy an evening of brightly lit floats, local music performers, hometown parade entrants, and Santa Claus will appear. The parade will travel through the heart of downtown Naperville on Friday, November 28th under the beautiful twinkling lights. Distinctly focused on delighting children of all ages, parade goers will enjoy an evening of brightly lit floats, local music performers, hometown parade entrants, and Santa Claus will appear.

Date: November 28, 2025 - December 30, 2025

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.