December in the Chicago Southland!
Yule love all the holiday fun you can have in the Chicago Southland this December! Read our 8 Days of Winter Break blog; see a tree lighting; listen to some merry music; take the Triangle Tour and check out some upcoming events.
8 days of winter break family fun
Winter break can mean long days of kids whining about being bored or zoning out in front of their electronic devices. Not this year! We’ve got a line-up of activities to keep the kids happy, active and engaged on those days off school at the end of the 2025 calendar year and start of the new year. Read all about it in our 8 Days of Winter Break Family Fun blog!
Light the trees
The best way to kick off the season is to be there when the tree lights go on for the first time! There are several places you can catch a tree lighting in the Chicago Southland. The Palos Park and Frankfort tree lightings will take place on December 4th. On December 5th, you can attend in Monee, South Holland, Worth and Thornton; and on December 6th, Richton Park and University Park will have tree lightings.
Merry music
The music will be merry and the stage lights will be bright at these festive musical performances.
Check out A Christmas Story: The Musical from The Drama Group in Chicago Heights December 5-7th & 11-14th. On December 6-7th & 13-14th, you can see Ballet 5:8’s Beyond The Nutcracker featuring the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra in Frankfort. Also taking place on December 6-7th is Ruth Page’s The Nutcracker at Governors State University’s Center for Performing Arts in University Park. See the free concert Holiday Joy & Fanfare: The Master Chorale Celebrates Christmas on December 7th at St. John Neumann Parish in Homewood.
Catch some more festive music at Holiday Cheer at St. Damian Church on December 12th in Oak Forest. Hear Sarah Ellis, In Other Words on December 14th at Dorothy Menker Theater at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. Listen to the classics at A Nat King Cole Christmas with Lorenzo Rush Jr. on December 16th at Nathan Manilow Theatre in Park Forest. Check out Rory Makem – Holiday Show to see the grandson of legendary Irish singer Sarah Makem perform on December 19th at Chicago Gaelic Park in Oak Forest. On December 20th, you can hear some nostalgia at Music From A Charlie Brown Christmas Live at First Lutheran Church in Blue Island and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra Holiday Festival – A Celebration of Voice & Music at Ozinga Chapel in Palos Heights.
Triangle tour
The quickest way to traverse the vast expanses of the United States was on the major roadways of the day. These were the days of long “road trip” vacations taken by Americans in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.
Three of our nation’s most famous highways are located in or next to the Chicago Southland. The Lincoln Highway, the Dixie Highway and Route 66 all have a close relationship to Chicago and can be accessed from the Chicago Southland. Each is unique in its history, route and reason for being that you can read about in our Triangle Tour travel inspiration.
Take a virtual tour
Looking for accommodations before coming to town? Take a virtual tour of the Marriott Chicago/Midway Airport in Bedford Park! Check out the lobby, a few guest rooms and the Copper Fox restaurant before booking a stay.
Get your FREE Festivals & Events Guide
The Visit Chicago Southland Fall/Winter Festivals & Events guide is now available. This guide includes 278 total listings happening in Chicago Southland communities including holiday celebrations, performing arts, festivals, expos, seminars, workshops and much more. Request your free guide today!
