Parade Of Lights, Tree Lighting Planned For Saturday In Mokena

MOKENA, IL — Santa Claus is coming to town, even before the Great Pumpkin arrives on Thanksgiving. The annual Parade of Lights, hosted by the Mokena Chamber of Commerce, is set to begin at 5 p.m. Saturday. The tree lighting ceremony at the Metra station on Front Street will follow after the parade.

There are about 25 floats participating in this year's parade, including perennial favorites such as Ozinga's Merry Mixer, Service Sanitation's Jolly Potties, the Knights of Columbus, the Mokena Junior High School Marching Band, Mokena Public Library District and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus riding in the Mokena Fire Protection District's antique firetruck, according to Mokena Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melissa Fedora.

"I've been doing this 12 years and this is the most entries I've ever seen," Fedora said.

As a bonus treat to attendees, the chamber will be handing out approximately 1,500 free 3-D glasses with a special image superimposed on the glasses, Fedora said. The chamber will also be handing out free special 2022 13-month Mokena-themed calendars with prefilled community special events, photos taken by Mokena residents and businesses, and tidbits of Mokena history by local historian Matt Galik, Fedora said.

Health From Within on Front Street will be offering photos with the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, and the Mokena Girl Scouts will be selling hot chocolate in the Metra parking lot, Fedora said.

The Village will unveil a new decoration this year to go along with the tree, Fedora said.

The parade route starts at Mokena Elementary School just off Wolf Road, continues south to Front Street and ends at the intersection of Division and Front Streets.

For more information, visit the Mokena Chamber of Commerce website.

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