HIGHWOOD, IL (November 28, 2015) – Celebrate the start of the holidays at Highwood’s 2nd annual “Celebrate Highwood” tradition as they light up Downtown Highwood for the 2015 Holiday season on Saturday, November 28th from 2-6 p.m. at City Hall Park (17 Highwood Ave). Featuring horse drawn carriage rides, pictures with Santa, the 12 Drinks of Christmas and Holiday Windows contest, the seasonal event will have something for everyone.
City Hall Park will turn into celebration central when Santa arrives by horse drawn carriage at 2:30p.m. Pictures with Santa will be taken by Highwood’s Studio226 Media. There will be free horse drawn carriage rides from 2:30-5:30 p.m., face painting by Superhero for Hire at 3 Barrel Studios and performances at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. by TPS REMIXED, Highwood’s Performer’s School’s Acapella group.
Warm up to hot cider, cocoa and coffee from Pat’s Catering and Canning, and enjoy hot fresh roasted chestnuts, cookies from Sunset Foods and old-fashioned popcorn balls from the Highwood Historical Society as festive holiday music surrounds, piped in by Matt Feddermann Music.
Revel in the magical lighting of Downtown Highwood at 5 p.m. as the Official Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony kicks off with the Color Guard presenting as TPS REMIXED sings the national anthem.
More than a dozen of Highwood’s favorite establishments were challenged to create a drinkable homage to the twelve days of Christmas. Dubbed the “12 Drinks of Christmas,” each of these creative holiday concoctions will be available to drink all in one place as the Highwood restaurants and bars set up shop in a Kringle market setting in front of City Hall. From mauled wine and hot buttered rum to a Hawaiian Christmas Moe-Tai, taste buds are bound to be tickled with these holiday ‘spirits’.
Participating ‘12 Drinks of Christmas’ restaurants and bars include; 210 Restaurant (formerly knows as The Alley), Art of Beer, Ballaro, Barrel Crossing Tap & Grill, Buffo’s, Scotty's on Sheridan, Humble Pub, Toadstool Pub, Alex’s Washington Gardens, Longitud315, The Wooden Nickel, Nite-N-Gale, and Cellar Gate.
Attendees can stroll the streets of town, to view the holiday windows and cast their vote for their favorite at The Chamber of Commerce booth.
Everyone is encouraged to give back this holiday season and help Highwood collect toys and non-perishable food to help others in the community. The Marines will be on site collecting new, unwrapped toys for their Toys For Tots program that was started in 1947, by U.S. Marine Major Bill Hendricks and was adopted by the Marine Corps in 1948. For those who cannot attend, people are encouraged to drop off toys to Barrel Crossing Tap & Grill, Fort Sheridan Place, The Hair Studio by Steve, Highwood Public Library, Jen Z’s Beauty Services and Toadstool Pub. Non-perishable food donations for Moraine Township Food Pantry can be dropped off anytime to Barrel Crossing Tap & Grill, Buffo’s, The Bent Fork and Lovell's.
“Everyone in the Highwood community and beyond, as well as the servicemen and women stationed in nearby Naval Station Great Lakes and Fort Sheridan Reserve, are invited to explore and support the local businesses of Highwood on this festive occasion,” says Jennifer Zanotti-Ori, president of the Highwoood Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on all of Highwood’s festivals, please visit www.CelebrateHighwood.com, or call 847-432-6000. For updates on all Celebrate Highwood events, please visit the City of Highwood Facebook page, or follow Celebrate Highwood @CityofHighwood on Twitter.