The Riverside Parade of Lights unites three villages with holiday cheer Saturday night, and this year will have a centenarian serving as its grand marshal.

The fourth annual Yuletide parade begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 on South Lincoln Avenue in West Dundee. It travels north to the Main Street bridge into Carpentersville about 6:45 p.m., heads east to Washington and Water streets, south to East Dundee and ends at Bartels Park about 7 p.m.

It will take a slight detour in East Dundee because of construction by Bartels Park, said Katherine Diehl, special events coordinator for the village.

“The big Coca-Cola truck and West Dundee’s big ladder truck will have to keep going straight down Barrington,” Diehl said.

DeLoris Doederlein, 100, of East Dundee, will serve as grand marshal. The former Illinois state representative celebrated her milestone birthday in October.

“She’s our local celebrity who turned 100 this year,” said Melissa Hernandez, president of the Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce. “She’s super excited. She’s gotten the royal treatment since turning 100 and this will be the crown jewel for her.”

There are 45 floats in this year’s parade, she said.

“The floats have gotten more spectacular over the years. People put more lights up and they get more creative, which has been really fun to watch,” Hernandez said. “It’s vehicles that are covered from bumper to bumper with Christmas lights.”

Dundee Township Park District had a Charlie Brown/Peanuts theme for its entry last year in the Riverside Parade of Lights, which this year will take place Saturday night in East Dundee, West Dundee and Carpentersville. (Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce)

The famous Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan, sponsored by Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling in West Dundee, is an annual crowd pleaser, she said.

Several other businesses and community groups participate, including Flood Brothers Disposal.

“They really do a garbage truck up in a way that even anyone who hates garbage would love,” she said. “It’s so beautiful.”

All three municipalities have in a fire truck, public works vehicle and police car in the lineup.

“They kind of have a little internal competition amongst themselves, which we enjoy every year,” Hernandez said.

The parade is sponsored by the villages of Carpentersville, East Dundee and West Dundee and the Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce. West Dundee and East Dundee are presenting Dickens in Dundee on Friday and Saturday and Carpentersville has Winterville in Triangle Park along the parade route Saturday.

“People can come for Winterville and the tree lighting and photos with Santa and could stay and have a prime spot for watching the parade,” she said.

Hot cocoa will be sold by Eastside Cafe for $2 a cup (cash only) at the tent located on Water Street near Barrington Avenue in East Dundee. A coffee and seasonal beverage tent manned by Biggby Coffee will be next to the hot cocoa tent. Donations will be accepted for the D300 Food Pantry, with Eastside Cafe matching all donations received.

There are several good locations to view the parade, Hernandez said. Last year it was estimated about 2,500 people attended.

The parade route follows the Fox River for optimal viewing from East Dundee or West Dundee, she said.

“The lights reflect on the river so it truly is magical,” she said. “You can’t duplicate what we’re able to do with this parade in this area. Those on the route really get into the parade and I think that makes it more exciting.”

Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/riverside-parade-fox-dundee-carpentersville/