The fifth annual Illuminate Northbrook free holiday event and cocoa stroll, presented by the Village of Northbrook, attracted a large Friday evening turnout to Village Green Park on Nov. 21.
The event began at 5:30 p.m and lights were illuminated with a grand countdown at 6 p.m.
Northbrook Village President Kathryn L. Ciesla conducted the countdown, which resulted in the trees in Village Green Park, lights in a dormant fountain at Shermer and Meadow, and a holiday lights tunnel all being brilliantly lit up.
Ciesla made brief remarks which included a friendly reminder to shop locally for the holidays.
With the lights coming on, Northbrook School District 28’s children’s choir performed.
Children were seen sipping free hot chocolate and enjoying complimentary popcorn. The popcorn came from the popular Sunset Foods/Northbrook Park District red trolley that this year was parked on Shermer Road instead of Meadow Road.
Rotary Club of Northbrook volunteer Bev Moriello of Northbrook, who helped to staff the trolley, was seen waving goodbye to children who had just received their freshly popped popcorn.
“We love it,” Moriello said collectively about volunteerism. “Service above self.”
Ron Bernardi of Northbrook Sunset Foods, and an active volunteer in community organizations, donned a Santa hat as he lent a helping hand inside the trolley.
For, “this holiday,” Bernardi said, as his hope for peace on Earth, “I always give myself the happy quiz.
“Number one, are you a happy person?
“Number two, are you a thankful person?
“And number three, are you a giving person?
“There’s a connection between being happy, thankful and giving,” Bernardi said.
A sparkling effect is achieved by placing special light viewing paper glasses over the camera lens. In the lighted tunnel, are Northbrook siblings, from left to right, Annalise Pike, 7, a second-grader and Stella, 9, a fourth-grader, at Illuminate Northbrook on Nov. 21, 2025 in downtown Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“So I just pray that people would think about being more thankful,” Bernardi said about gratitude. “And be giving.”
Ciesla was seen taking a photo with the “Find it in Northbrook” mascot, Ferris, the gingerbread cookie.
A Northbrook girl rides a swing among the holiday lighting of mature heritage trees at Illuminate Northbrook on Nov. 21, 2025 in downtown Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
The Find It in Northbrook shop local campaign initiative is presented by the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the Village of Northbrook.
About Find It in Northbrook, “The whole goal is to get people to enjoy our neighborhood, which is amazing,” said Kathi Quinn, Northbrook Chamber of Commerce executive director.
Jeremy Bartunek of Northbrook, director of choirs for Northbrook School District 28, conducts choral members at Illuminate Northbrook on Nov. 21, 2025 in downtown Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
The village’s public works personnel, in collaboration with the park district, coordinated the lighting experience. Many of the park’s heritage treetops were highlighted with multiple colors.
Popular again was the lighted, brighter long tunnel covering a walkway. Many families graciously took it upon themselves to wait in line for their turn to enter and take photos inside the glowing amber tunnel.
The Rotary Club’s “Coat Off Your Back” drive was a busy booth destination as donors offered coats and could receive one of 250 Illuminate Northbrook collectible cups for their generosity.
The coats were sorted that weekend by volunteers in Deerfield for distribution to recipients including destinations in Lake County.
Jodi Joffe of Northbrook is the president-elect of the Rotary Club of Northbrook and takes office next July 1.
“We have a beautiful night,” Joffe said, a nod to weather in the mid 40-degree range.
There was a significant increase this year in coat donations over 2024 with 140 coats collected last Friday, Nov. 21 to add in to Rotary’s weekly coat donation total of 505.
Last year, with Illuminate Northbrook and the coat collection for that 2024 week, the coat donation total was nearly 400 coats.
A coat means, “warmth, help from the community, it’s support,” Joffe said.
Youngsters who received complimentary special paper eyeglasses to see the lights twinkle seemed delighted to don the festive shades.
Northbrook siblings Annalise Pike, 7, a second-grader and Stella Pike, 9, a fourth-grader, had a pair of light blue snowflake glasses to share and spent time in the illuminated tunnel with their mother Jennifer Pike.
From Santa Claus this holiday season, Stella would like goalie gloves for soccer and Annalise would like designer warm boots.
Jennifer Pike wishes for Christmas, which the family celebrates, “to just be together and celebrate together, that’s all I want.”
The Schwartz siblings of Northbrook, Lucy, 3, and Levi, 7, a first-grader, marveled at the lights in the company of parent Ben Schwartz.
The Schwartz family celebrates Hanukkah. For 2025, the eight day Festival of Lights Jewish holiday begins on Sunday, Dec. 14 at sundown, ending on Dec. 22.
The universal concept of light is, “very important,” Ben Schwartz said.
“It’s what keeps us moving forward and brings us joy and health and happiness, and all the good things to keep going,” the children’s parent said. “You need that now more than ever.”
