Looking for some fun, family-friendly events to start your holiday festivities? Plan a trip to Starved Rock Country, where you’ll find elaborate light shows, artisan vendor markets and many more seasonal events sure to put you in the spirit of the season.

Chris Kringle Market

Dec. 5-7, Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 19-21

Ottawa’s popular Chris Kringle Market, featuring a variety of artisan vendors, holiday crafts and seasonal treats, will kick off its four-weekend event at the Jordan Block and Jackson Street.

Stroll under the twinkling lights as you immerse yourself in this beloved pop-up seasonal market features vendors from far and wide offering soft sweaters, brightly colored ornaments, handcrafted candles and small batch meads – all waiting to be wrapped with a bow this holiday.

Grab a novelty mug filled with fresh Belgian hot cocoa to warm up as you meander through the Chris Kringle Market, checking off your gift list with handmade gifts and delectable bites. Snap an Instagram-worthy “Elfie” at Santa’s house and enjoy the aromas of the Great Gingerbread Bakeoff.

To make the most of your visit to the Chris Kringle Market, visit ChrisKringleMarket.com. You’ll find a complete list of vendors and activities for each weekend, along with highlights of other festive holiday events happening throughout Ottawa.

For event hours and vendor lists, visit chriskringlemarket.com or follow the Ottawa Illinois Visitors Center on Facebook.

La Salle’s Celebration of Lights

Open nightly through Jan. 1

The city of La Salle’s spectacular Celebration of Lights has made its triumphant return to Rotary Park, 2845 E. Fifth Road. One of the largest holiday attractions in north central Illinois, the massive collection of illuminated displays is back and bigger than ever. Conveniently located near I-39, the astounding drive-thru light show will run from 5 to 9 p.m. every night through New Year’s Day.

Now in its 13th year, this lighted self-guided parade has expanded from having 17 displays to about 400 elaborate displays and scenes. Cars will meander along a winding path through the park, where you can get a good look at the hundreds of larger-than-life displays, each sponsored by an area business or organization. The Celebration of Lights is free to view, but donations are encouraged to continue to grow the community-led project. The drive-thru display will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. the week of Christmas.

Returning for 2025, enjoy carriage rides through La Salle’s Celebration of Lights. Carriage rides cost $25 a person or $200 for the entire wagon (up to 10 riders). Carriage rides are available for Dec. 2, 4, 9 and 11. Spots are limited and rides are booking up fast. To reserve your space, head to ivaced.org/carriage-rides or call 815-2233-0227.

For more information, follow Celebration of Lights - City of La Salle on Facebook.