Holiday Happenings

Celebrate the Season with Lights, Shopping, and More in ILLINOISouth!

Once November hits, the Holidays really start to spring to life in our region of the state. One of the first tell-tale signs of the magical season can be found in Vandalia. Once they display the giant tree right in the middle of West Gallatin Street, it’s VERY apparent that the Holidays are upon us. From that point on, the next eight weeks are all Holiday celebrations all the time throughout our 21- county territory.

The Christmas spirit is spread in SO MANY different ways in ILLINOISouth. If you are all about beautiful light displays, there are at least ten different communities that you should make plans to visit. Some offer drivethru only displays, others are walking displays; and some of them are so big – they feature over a million lights! The Way of Lights in Belleville and the Holiday Lights Fair in Du Quoin are two long-running displays that attract folks from over an hour away for the last several decades. For more information on other light displays, make sure to check out pages 6-7.

Horse Drawn Trolley in Belleville

There are those who really get into the spirit by picking out a Christmas tree for their homes, and there are several places to do that in our territory as well. One such place is Dahnke’s Pine Patch near Martinsville, but they do MUCH more than just trees. They have a snowball arena, an awesome activity called barn ball, and a fan-favorite is their reindeer!

Shopping at different markets and boutiques is yet another opportunity to find that Holiday cheer. Learn more about these places to buy gifts for friends and family on pages 8-9.

Of course, the Holiday season would be incomplete without certain events that have become time-honored traditions throughout several different communities in ILLINOISouth. We’re talking about parades, and Christmas strolls, as well as several different gatherings where you get to meet the man himself – Santa Claus. For more on events like this, read ahead to pages 4-7. One thing is for sure, the next eight weeks are going to be an amazing, magical, and cheerful time to visit ILLINOISouth!