Winterfest Celebration to Kick Off Season

The 2012 Winterfest Celebration begins the day after Thanksgiving with festivities to get everyone in the holiday spirit. The Park Ridge Uptown and South Ridge areas will be bustling with holiday cheer beginning at 6 p.m.

Santa arrives at the Park Ridge Public Library, 20 S. Prospect Ave., at 6 p.m. and the lights on the community tree in Hodges Park will be switched on. Local stores and the Library are open until 9 p.m., with free bus service between Uptown and South Park along streets with homes competing in a holiday decoration contest.

During the festivities the Library will host its annual Holiday Open House. There will be activities for the entire family including ornament making in the Children's department, refreshments in various areas and caroling. Also, the Friends of the Park Ridge Library will be selling Christmas books. 

Here is an exact breakdown of events in Uptown:

• 5:45-9 p.m. - Trolleys running in Uptown
• 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. - Prospect Ave. closed in front of library, Maine East Blue Regiment plays until Santa arrives
• 6 p.m. - Santa arrives via fire truck at Park Ridge Public Library, Mayor Schmidt welcomes Santa and the community
• 6:15 p.m. - Santa visits Park Ridge Public Library
• 6:45 p.m. - The Willows Academy Chamber Choir in Renaissance costumes caroling
• 6 - 8:30 p.m. - Park Ridge Public Library Holiday Open House
• 6 - 9 p.m. - Merchants in Uptown open

The schedule of events for South Park include:

• 6 - 9 p.m. - Santa at the 'Living Sea Aquarium, 811 Deveon
• 6:30 p.m. - Maine East Blue Regiment performs at the trolley stop
• 6 - 9 p.m. - Trolleys will load and unload on Prospect at Devon for a ride to Uptown, Live reindeer and Santa's Elves in South Park, luminaries along Prospect and Courtland, the Fire Station will have their apparatus available for kids to see, refreshments will be served, South Park Merchants will be open for business.

The annual event is sponsored by the Park Ridge Merchants, the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the Park Ridge Park District, Park Ridge Public Library and the City of Park Ridge.