Candlelight Christmas Offers All-Ages Fun Downtown Saturday

Festivities to ignite the holiday spirit will be offered morning to evening Saturday in downtown Plainfield.

Carriage rides, pictures with Santa, gift shopping, kids’ crafts, an ugly sweater contest, margarita and wine tastings, and more will be part of Inc.’s Candlelight Christmas, which culminates with the Plainfield Lions Club’s 60th annual Crèche Lighting at .

“It is a really nice way to start the holidays, whether you visit with Santa or take a carriage ride or shop and then come to our crèche lighting at the end,” said Jan Stack, the church’s music director. “I am surprised by how many people know our church by the big manger scene on the corner.”

The crèche, or manger or nativity scene, features life-size fiberglass figurines outside the church at Lockport and Illinois streets. It will be illuminated as madrigal singers lead the crowd in singing “Silent Night” Saturday and remain illuminated into the New Year.

The crèche program begins at 6:45 p.m. with a sing-along of popular Christmas songs in the church sanctuary. Christmas hymns and the reading of the Christmas story from the gospels follows at 7 p.m., and then attendees head outside for the illumination.

Musical guests are the Madrigals, the Plainfield Community Chorus, the Midwest Crossroads Chorus and United 4 Him, a men’s gospel quartet.

“It’s usually standing room only,” said Stack, who advises participants to arrive at the church by 6:30 p.m.

As part of Candlelight Christmas, the church also will have vendors, homemade crafts, bakery items and a gingerbread house raffle from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Candlelight Christmas kick starts the holiday shopping season in downtown Plainfield and offers much more.

Horse-drawn carriages rides for a $1 donation will be available from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lockport and Des Plaines streets.

Free photos with Santa, courtesy of Kiwanis and , will be from 3 to 8 p.m.

Adults may opt for peppermint patties (hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps) from 6 to 8 p.m. for $3, a free margarita tasting from 6 to 9 p.m. at or a wine tasting from 6 to 9 p.m. at .

The Knights of Columbus will serve up roasted chestnuts in the evening as well.

Saturday’s schedule also includes:

• Glitz & Glam from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the
• Writing letters to Santa and a free ornament craft (while supplies last) from noon to 2 p.m. at
• Free make-and-take reindeer food from noon to 3 p.m. at
• Gingerbread house decorating from noon to 6 p.m. at ($24.95; reservations required; 815-577-9660)
• Holiday bow making from 1 to 2 p.m. at ($5)
• Children’s ornament making from 1 to 4 p.m. at ($7)
• Women’s ugly sweater contest from 4 to 8 p.m. at , with the winner receiving a $100 gift certificate and 20% discount on purchases.
• Ladies holiday gift shopping with a variety of vendors from 5 to 8 p.m. at
• Free candy canes (while supplies last) from 5 to 8 p.m. at

For more information, call 815-436-5510 or go to mainstreetplainfield.org.