The five-week 2021 Holiday in the City event will kick-off with the Grand Illumination of Downtown tonight, and continue through New Year’s Day.
Based largely on the success of last year’s event, the Holiday in the City planning committee of the Greater Springfield Partnership has decided to move into “phase 2″ of the downtown lighting plan by adding hundreds of thousands of additional lights from the Esplanade to Columbia Street, expanding audio capabilities north to the shops on North Fountain, and adding other structural lighting elements in the core block, and City Hall Plaza. The event is funded through support from local businesses, community foundations and individual donors.
Other events will include the AuroraMax light show on Dec. 10 and 11, SantaCon at Mother Stewart’s Brewery, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at the Clark State Performing Arts Center and Christmas with the Celts presented by the Springfield Arts Council. Santa is also scheduled to visit several downtown locations including the Springfield Public Library, Springfield Museum of Art, and the Heritage Center Museum, among others.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/holidayinthecityspfld.
Holiday Horse Parade
The Holiday Horse Parade will be held from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. today in Urbana.
The event, which was missed last year due to COVID-19, is a great day of festivities. Attendees can shop early for the holidays and stroll the shops, dine at one of the restaurants, grab a quick bite at a good truck, and listen to music and carolers. There will be carriage rides later in the day, a tree lighting and the horse parade will bring Santa to visit.
For more information, visit Urbana Holiday Horse Parade on Facebook.
West Liberty Christmas in the Village
The West Liberty’s Christmas in the Village Parade and Black Friday will be held today:
3:30 p.m. - Vic’s Country Cookin’ food truck will be serving sandwiches, beef and noodles, chicken and noodles, pies and apple dumplings. They will be located in the C & R Pharmacy parking lot.
4 to 6 p.m.: Donation-based Community Soup Dinner, hosted by West Liberty First Church of God, will be served at the Firehouse with entertainment provided by Jeremy Liles & Wendy Hepp.
5 p.m.: The 22nd Annual Luminaria 5K Race will be held. Race day registration is available from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. at BOSS, 103 W. Baird St.
6:30 p.m.: Christmas in the Village Parade will be held. The West Liberty Business Association awards cash prizes for first, second and third place floats. Santa Claus will come to town and the village tree is lit.
After the parade, Santa will arrive in the firehouse with gifts for kids and pictures in Santa’s workshop and the Village Christmas Tree Auction winners will be chosen.
Small Business Saturday will also be held in West Liberty to support local business this holiday season. Attendees will receive goodie bags at Sweetie Pie’s Baked Goods & Coffee Shop. The goodie bags are reusable and have items inside to take home. There will also be a passport shopping event in conjunction with the Logan County Visitor’s Bureau. Attendees can stop at all the West Liberty locations, collect stamps and enter for a chance to win a prize. Jones Country Store will host Bill Purk & Friends for live Christmas music from 3 to 5 p.m. on the new stage in the loft of the barn.
For more information, visit mywestliberty.com.
Urbana Christmas Events
Urbana Carol Singing will be held at 5 p.m. tonight in downtown Urbana. A time to sing before the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree.
Dinner with Santa will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday at Hometown Bargains in Urbana. Families can visit Santa and enjoy some homecooked meals from Switzer’s Concession. Dinner can be purchased and there will be free cookies and candy canes for kids. Photos are also welcome.
Small Business Saturday will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday in downtown Urbana for over 25 locally owned businesses.
The annual Champaign County Holiday Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the fairgrounds 4H building, 387 Park Ave. in Urbana. There will be over 40 vendors with high-quality handmade arts and crafts, and Big Willies and Ray’s Holy BBQ food trucks for lunch.
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