Oak Park kicked off the holiday season Saturday with its annual “Winterfest” village’s downtown area, and and a light show that featured the use of drones.
Local bakeries — including from neighboring Forest Park and River Forest — helped to serve up sweet treats as families strolled Marion Street, between Lake Street and North Boulevard. Among the activities, according to a post on the Downtown Oak Park website, was a scheduled complimentary viewing of the movie “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” at Lake Theatre. Entertainment featured the Lola Bard Carolers, Grace Church Carolers and the Oak Park-River Forest High School show choir.
The daylong festivities marked a return to more pre-pandemic-like experiences after COVID-19 canceled or scaled back many activities.
“Saturday’s event was a great way to safely bring the community together and bring joy this holiday season. The feedback we’ve heard on the night of the show, and in the days since, has been overwhelmingly positive,” Oak Park village spokesman Dan Yopchick told Pioneer Press in an email following the holiday celebration.
In addition to families taking part in the four-hour “cookie walk” — with collection tins already sold out, as of before the start of the walk — a hospitality tent with with free hot chocolate and coffee from Whirlwind Coffee Co. was planned.
Santa came to town too.
In addition to Winterfest, Oak Park held a holiday drone light show near Scoville Park, at the corner of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue.
The holiday-themed show featured drones with attached light fixtures lying in a coordinated fashion, village officials had told Pioneer Press, describing the presentation.
To accommodate crowds gathering for the show, the blocks of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue adjacent to the park were closed during the presentation and crowds lined the streets.
Free parking will be continue to be available at Avenue Garage, Lake and Forest Garage and Holley Court Garage every Saturday in December, officials said.
The drones were staged at Scoville Park and piloted by licensed individuals and set to music. The drone light show was made available by private funding. The Fourth of July fireworks display was canceled due to the tragic mass shooting in Highland Park. The village’s agreement with the show’s contractor allowed for another fireworks or drone display before the end of the calendar year, officials had explained.
“Finally, we’re incredibly thankful for the many entities that worked together diligently on relatively short notice to make it happen,” Yopchick said in the email about the holiday event.
