The holidays will kick off in downtown Joliet Friday, Nov. 28 with the 27th annual Light Up the Holidays Festival and Parade.

Free activities begin at 10 a.m. and culminate with the parade at 5:30 p.m.

“We are thrilled to welcome families and visitors to Downtown Joliet for a day filled with joy, entertainment and holiday magic. I invite everyone to enjoy all this free event has to offer while visiting our local stores and restaurants along the way,” Emmanuel Lopez, executive director of Joliet City Center Partnership, said in a news release.

Event Highlights

• North Pole Christmas Market at the Renaissance Center (10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) featuring unique holiday gifts and treats, kids crafts, holiday character photo ops and live entertainment.
• North Pole Park (Cass & Joliet Streets, 1–5 p.m.) with free activities including an iceless skating rink, ice carving demo, gingerbread slide, photo ops, games, and kiddie Ferris wheel.
• Horse-drawn carriage rides (1:30–4:30 p.m.) departing from North Pole Park
• Joliet Public Library: Reindeer games (1–5 p.m.) and holiday singalong (3:30 p.m.).
• Joliet Area Historical Museum: Free admission and photos with Santa (10 a.m.–3 p.m.).
• Downtown restaurants and shops offering specials and activities throughout the day.
• City of Joliet Tree lighting and parade

Join the Joliet Central Choir before the City of Joliet’s tree lighting ceremony, which will take place for the first time in the new City Square at 5:15 p.m., followed by a fireworks show. The 27th annual parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. at Benton and Chicago streets.

The 2025 Grand Marshal is Mike Veeck of the Joliet Slammers.

“It is an honor to be included in such a wonderful event for the city, and the Slammers are delighted to be mentioned in a sentence that includes the Holidays and Joliet; not that kind of sentence,” Veeck said in the release.

After the parade, families can continue the holiday fun and visit Santa at an afterparty hosted by Bays Tower located at 311 N. Ottawa.

“Light Up the Holidays is a celebration of everything that makes Joliet special—community spirit, family traditions, and the magic of the holiday season,” Mayor Terry D’Arcy said in the news release. “From our new City Square tree lighting to the parade and fireworks, this event is a wonderful way for residents and visitors to come together and experience the heart of downtown Joliet.”

Recommended viewing areas include Chicago Street from Benton to Jefferson Street and Jefferson Street between Chicago and Scott Streets. The parade will feature up to seven bands including six marching bands.

For more information, visit jolietccp.com/holidays.