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Light Up the Holidays at Drive-Through Displays

Posted on: Thursday, 15 December 2005, 12:00 CST

By Glenn Jeffers, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune

Dec. 15--Yeah, it's that time of year. Time to lug those holiday decorations out of the garage and sling those lights onto the roof.

Or, you could pack the kids into the back seat and drive through a tunnel of lights at Arlington Park, where the racetrack's parking lot has been transformed into a holiday wonderland of illumination and animation.

The Arlington Heights park's first Wonderland of Lights display is a 1.6-mile path filled with more than 1 million lights and nearly 100 animated displays.

"It's great for big kids and little kids, and it's a nice way to get a little holiday feeling," says Kristine Stabler, vice president of community relations at Arlington Park.

Drive- or walk-through light displays aren't new.

East Peoria has had one for 21 years. But they are growing in popularity as towns like Westmont, Vernon Hills and Rosemont add some spice to their holiday festivities.

"[Holiday light displays] do alter your mood," says Linda Slagle, a professional holiday decorator and co-owner of the Tavern and the Firkin restaurants in Libertyville. Slagle decorates both restaurants. "It's a childlike thing, but you can't help but be enamored by them."

Inspired by East Peoria's Festival of Lights, a $700,000 festival featuring lighted floats and lightbulb Clydesdale horse, Joe Long started a smaller walk-through display in west suburban Westmont. Now in its 11th year, Holly Days has become a monthlong winter festival at Veterans Memorial Park that kicks off the day after Thanksgiving with a parade and a tree-lighting ceremony. The display, which features 150 6-foot decorated evergreen trees and 22 animated light exhibits, also includes a Santa's workshop where kids can visit the man in red. The display runs through New Year's Day.

"We always tell people to come here and avoid the lines at the mall," says Long, an assistant director for Westmont's park district.

Rosemont is also adding some punch to its display, an eight-house holiday village at Stevens Park on Higgins Road and Scott Street. Along with the millions of lights and the student-decorated trees, the village is sponsoring a petting zoo complete with donkeys, sheep, pigs and other animals.

A tradition for more than 20 years, Rosemont's holiday village is free to the public, officials say.

Some towns charge in order to offset costs and help raise money for various charities.

Vernon Hills charges $5 during the week and $10 on Fridays for its holiday light show, which includes more than 250 displays. A portion of the fee goes to groups like the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Children's Hospital and the Lexi Kazian Foundation, a non-profit that helps children with special needs.

Arlington Park also charges $10 for its display ($12 if you drive through Friday-Sunday), and a portion of the proceeds will go to Clearbrook, an Arlington Heights non-profit that provides education and job training to developmentally disabled children and adults.

Clearbrook came up with the idea of a light display fundraiser several months ago, spokeswoman Janice Edelheit says. Clearbrook then contacted Arlington Park to see if they could use the racetrack, usually dormant this time of year. The track jumped on board.

"We've thought about it in the past and we wanted to support Clearbrook," Stabler says.

Since it opened Nov. 18, Clearbrook and racetrack officials have been pleased with the turnout. More than 500 cars drove through the display over the Thanksgiving weekend, and officials believe that at least 20,000 cars will visit through Jan 1.

Edelheit says the organization hopes to repeat the fundraiser and make the Wonderland of Lights a permanent holiday fixture at the track.

"It's a great way to present Clearbrook to the community," Edelheit says.

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Winter wonderlands

Want to see some cool holiday decorations? Check out these light displays in the Chicago area.

Vernon Hills' 11th annual 'A Winter Wonderland' Holiday Light Show

Where: Entrance is located off Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, just north of Townline Road on the Cuneo Museum & Gardens grounds, 847-918-3562.

When: 6-10 p.m. daily through Jan. 1 (except Dec. 24 and 25).

What: A drive-through show with more than 250 light displays, including storybook characters and animated scenes.

Cost: $5 per car, Mon.-Thu.; $10 per car Fri.-Sun.

Cost: Free

Clearbrook's Wonderland of Lights at Arlington Park

Where: Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, 847-385-7500.

When: 5-9 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sun. through Jan. 1.

What: The track's parking lot has been transformed into a 1.6-mile trek featuring millions of lights and hundreds of animated displays. Drivers can tune their radios to 87.9-FM and listen to Kathy Hart from "The Eric & Kathy Show" on WTMX 101.9-FM provide information on Clearbrook, an Arlington Heights-based non-profit group. Clearbrook and the track partnered to create the display.

Cost: $10 per car Mon.-Thu.; $12 Fri.-Sun.

11th annual Westmont Holly Days Winter Festival

Where: Veterans Memorial Park, corner of East Richmond Street and Linden Avenue, Westmont, 630-963-5252.

When: 4-10 p.m. daily through Dec. 31.

What: A walking path filled with 150 holly trees covered with decorations and lights and dozens of animated displays. Santa and his workshop are at the park, too, if kids want to drop off a gift wish before Christmas Eve. The park district also offers horse-drawn wagon rides through the display.

Cost: Free

Rosemont's Holiday Village

Where: Stevens Park, located at Higgins Road and Scott Street, Rosemont, 847 698-3744.

When: 4:30 p.m.-1 a.m. daily through Jan. 8.

What: A million-light, walk-through village that includes a petting zoo, a roller coaster and eight decorative wooden-framed houses. Each house includes mechanical mannequins and a lighted Christmas tree decorated by students at Rosemont Elementary School. Santa will be on hand at his workshop, also in the village, 6-10 p.m. Dec. 19-23.

Cost: Free

-- G.J.

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Deck the cars

In Vernon Hills, residents can show their holiday spirit by ordering official special events license plates for $25, which also serve as a season pass to the village's light display. The plates, which come decorated with snowflakes and the village's Winter Wonderland logo, are registered with the Secretary of State's office and can be displayed in place of regular plates through Jan. 31.

gjeffers@tribune.com

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Source: Chicago Tribune

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