'Home Sweet Home' Highland Park Holidays Events Continue Downtown

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Holiday celebrations continue this weekend in downtown Highland Park, and community members are invited to enjoy street entertainers, carolers, special offers and treats while doing their holiday shopping locally.

From 2 to 4 p.m., the area is due to transform into a Candyland-themed wonderland, featuring a scavenger hunt, holiday carolers and characters such as Lady Lollipop, Lord Licorice and a gingerbread man.

“We encourage our community and beyond to come, shop and celebrate with us, while enjoying all of our festive offerings and incredible shopping in Highland Park’s Central Business District," Katherine Wiswald, Downtown Highland Park Alliance board chair, said in a statement announcing the four-week series of "Home Sweet Home for the Holidays."

Other events planned for Saturday include opportunities to volunteer or check out some live music.

The Art Center of Highland Park's "Warm Your Heart: Crafts for a Cause" event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. Community members will come together to create scarves and blankets to be donated to The Art and Moraine Township Food Pantry for distribution to those in need. Registration is available online.

Ravinia Festival is presenting a holiday concert, with The Boston Brass quintet performing "Christmas Bells are Swingin’!" at Bennett Gordon Hall, with shows scheduled at 5 and 8 p.m.

And Norton's Restaurant will host a performance from My Cousin's Jacket with live rock and rock, country and dance music at the 1905 Sheridan Road restaurant starting at 8:30 p.m..

The "Home Sweet Home" series of events wraps up Dec. 16 with a hot cocoa crawl through participating business in Highland Park. Elves and carolers are set to be on hand at Renaissance Place, which is also sponsoring a spot to make gingerbread houses.

City officials have implemented special extended holiday parking hours in municipal parking lots through Jan. 5. Time limit restrictions have been suspended, allowing for worry-free shopping or strolling for motorists who leave their cars there.