Category: News
Runners brace the weather in Orland Park’s cold Turkey Trot
This gives new meaning to the phrase “cold turkey.”
On Thursday morning, 738 people went on a cold turkey trot.
With race time weather at 28 degrees — 17 degrees with the windchill — runners braved the elements at the 37th running of the Orland Park Turkey Trot on a 2.5-mile course near Village Hall, burning off some calories for their anticipated Thanksgiving feasts later in the day.
Heather Lagerwall, of Homer Glen, and her 11-year-old daughter, Nora, ran in their first Turkey Trot. They got a little more than they bargained for with the weather.
“We signed up in July,” Heather said before the run. “I wasn’t thinking of this. Nora is a natural runner. I’ve never done a race. I’ll try to run, but I’m a little nervous.”
After the run, the plan for Heather was to “rush home and start cooking.”
With the exception of a few brave souls who wore skimpy runners’ attire, the majority of the runners bundled up. There were also people who dressed up in turkey attire.
Hector Gutierrez, of Orland Park, and Matt McConahy, of Burr Ridge, are brothers-in-law who dressed as turkeys for the event.
McConahy is originally from western Pennsylvania and enjoys running but started running marathons when he moved to Illinois.
“I’m the opposite of a runner,” he said. “But this is perfect. It’s short enough where I can get off the couch and come up here and run before I have some turkey and some beverages.”
Tinley Park’s Theresa Edens, left, and Joliet’s Michelle Edens run the Orland Park Turkey Trot in costume Thursday. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
McConahy picked up his turkey costume through Amazon. Gutierrez shopped at the Orland Park Target, not far from the race course. Both said they wanted to have a little fun while they ran.
Interestingly, the winner of the race was Oak Lawn’s Gavin Hampton, who battled the heat in Orland Park July 3 when he won the Orland Park Veteran Liberty Run at Centennial Park.
While the 22-year-old said sweating was a problem in July, he had different obstacles in November.
“Cold air is running down your throat and your snots are freezing,” Hampton said. “You just can’t win. You have extreme heat at the Liberty Run and extreme cold in the Turkey Trot.”
Oak Lawn’s Gavin Hampton wins the Orland Park Turkey Trot five months after winning the village’s Veterans Liberty Walk and Run. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
Actually, he can win. And he did win Thursday with a time of 14 minutes, 44.90 seconds over the course.
He was a last-minute entry in the Liberty Run and won it. Peer pressure took over for the Turkey Trot.
“People said ‘you won the Liberty Run, you have to run in the Turkey Trot.’’’ Hampton said. “I was really hyped for this because, in previous years, there has been some pretty good competition. I was hyped to see what I could do and who was going to be out here.”
Avery Landi, a 14-year-old from Yorba Linda, California, who was visiting family in Mokena and Schaumburg, was not bothered by the cold. She won the women’s division when she clocked in at 16:25.16 — 11th overall.
“It was really cold, but I ran a race that was colder in Indiana,” Landi said. “I just don’t think about it. I don’t care about it — the same as when it’s really hot.”
There wasn’t many spectators lining the streets, but one woman and her son cheered from a spot on Ravinia Avenue.
Orland Park’s Lisa and Chase Maleck get ready to cheer on Mike Maleck and others in Thursday’s Orland Park Turkey Trot. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
Orland Park’s Lisa and Chase Maleck cheered for Mike Maleck, and Lisa brought a clever sign that said “Go random stranger, go! (and my husband, too). I trained two months to hold this sign.”
It was Mike’s first time running the trot but earlier in the month, he ran in the Skechers Hot Chocolate Run in Grant Park in Chicago.
“He ran in the Hot Chocolate and they had signs there,” Lisa said. “So, we wanted to bring a sign here.”
The weather forced organizers to make a few tweaks. The inflatable start/finish line arch was not blown up because of the wind.
“It was a safety thing,” said Ray Piattoni, Orland Park director of recreation and parks. “We wouldn’t want that coming down with all the people we had. But overall, the wind didn’t really affect the race.”
He said the race was sold out at 1,000 runners and having a large majority show up in the cold was impressive.
“It’s Thanksgiving and people are in great spirits,” he said. “They had a good time out there and that’s what really matters.
“Thanksgiving is the biggest running day of the year and they come out and earn that evening dinner.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/orland-park-turkey-trot-1000-runners/
Cae banda que enviaba químicos desde Ecuador a Colombia para que grupos ilegales armaran explosivos
Associated Press
QUITO (AP) — Una operación conjunta entre Ecuador y Colombia permitió desarticular a una organización binacional dedicada al tráfico ilícito de productos químicos para la elaboración de artefactos explosivos destinados a grupos armados ilegales que operan en el sur colombiano, informó el viernes la policía ecuatoriana.
En un comunicado esa fuerza precisó que la operación se ejecutó la víspera en las provincias ecuatorianas de Pichincha y Carchi y los departamentos colombianos de Valle del Cauca, Nariño y Huila, donde se detuvo a 35 personas presuntamente involucradas en el delito de “delincuencia organizada”, siete de las cuales son ecuatorianas y 28 colombianas.
Esos ciudadanos, destacó el documento, enviaban los productos químicos a “grupos armados colombianos que operan en la zona de frontera” mediante empresas de transporte de encomiendas para evadir los controles de las autoridades y de la aduana.
“Se incautó gran cantidad de materiales en Ecuador” como clorato de potasio, nitrato de potasio y nitrato de amonio, entre otros, añadió la policía.
Ambos países comparten una frontera de cerca de 700 kilómetros de largo que se extienden desde el océano Pacífico hasta la región amazónica, donde a menudo del lado colombiano se encuentran grupos armados ilegales de ese país vinculados con actividades ilícitas como el narcotráfico y la minería ilegal.
Irán boicotea sorteo del Mundial por restricciones de visa a funcionarios de fútbol del país
DUBÁI, Emiratos Árabes Unidos (AP) — Irán decidió boicotear el sorteo del Mundial 2026 en Washington la próxima semana debido a que Estados Unidos le negó visas a miembros de su delegación, informó el viernes la agencia de noticias estatal IRNA.
La agencia citó al portavoz de la federación de fútbol iraní, Amir-Mahdi Alavi, quien aseguró que los funcionarios enfrentaron obstáculos de visa que van más allá de consideraciones deportivas.
No hubo comentarios inmediatos por parte de la Casa Blanca.
Alavi expresó que la federación se había comunicado con la FIFA y esperaba que pudiera ayudar a resolver el problema. El organismo rector del fútbol no respondió de inmediato a una solicitud de comentarios.
El gobierno del presidente Donald Trump anunció en junio un veto de viaje para ciudadanos de 12 países, incluido Irán. La lista también incluye a Haití, que la semana pasada se clasificó para la Copa del Mundo.
Sin embargo, se prometieron exenciones para “cualquier atleta o miembro de un equipo deportivo, incluidos entrenadores, personas que desempeñen un papel de apoyo necesario y familiares directos, que viajen para la Copa del Mundo, los Juegos Olímpicos u otro evento deportivo importante según lo determine el secretario de Estado”.
No está claro si las exenciones también era aplicables al sorteo del Mundial, que se llevará a cabo el 5 de diciembre en el Centro John F. Kennedy para las Artes Escénicas.
Se esperaba que la delegación iraní estuviera encabezada por el presidente de su federación de fútbol, Mehdi Taj, uno de los dirigentes más importantes del fútbol asiático y miembro de dos comités de la FIFA que supervisan el Mundial.
Taja es además uno de los vicepresidentes de la Confederación Asiática de Fútbol y miembro de paneles de la FIFA con responsabilidad sobre las competiciones del organismo rector, además del fútbol de selecciones masculinas en general.
Un récord de 48 equipos participará en el Mundial del 11 de junio al 19 de julio, coorganizada por Estados Unidos, México y Canadá
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Nick Martinelli scores 28, but Northwestern rally falls short vs. Oklahoma State at United Center
Jaylen Curry scored 18 points, Anthony Roy scored all of his 16 points in the final eight-plus minutes, and Oklahoma State beat Northwestern 86-81 on Thursday night in the Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center.
Vyctorius Miller added 17 points for Oklahoma State (7-0), and Parsa Fallah had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Christian Coleman scored 10.
The Cowboys are off to their best start since the 2019-20 team also won its first seven games.
Nick Martinelli scored a season-high 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, his first double-double this season, for Northwestern (5-2). Angelo Ciaravino scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half, and Arrinten Page scored 11.
Ciaravino scored six consecutive Northwestern points before Martinelli converted a three-point play to trim the deficit to a point with 34 seconds left. Kanye Clary, Miller and Isaiah Coleman each made 2 of 2 from the free-throw line from there to seal it.
It was the first matchup between the programs.
Roy made three 3-pointers and Miller added another in a 16-4 run that gave the Cowboys a eight-point lead — their biggest of the game — with 6:05 to play.
Curry on Sunday became the first player in program history with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game in a 92-81 win over Nicholls.
Up next
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys host Sam Houston on Tuesday.
Northwestern: The Wildcats open their Big Ten schedule Wednesday at Wisconsin.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/northwestern-oklahoma-state-united-center/
Trump And House GOP Are Headed For A Clash Over Obamacare Subsidies
Trump And House GOP Are Headed For A Clash Over Obamacare Subsidies
Obamacare subsidies expire at the end of December, and it now looks like the big battle over their future won’t be between Democrats and the GOP, but between the White House and House Republicans.
Trump has said that while he doesn’t want to make the subsidies permanent, that “some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster. It’s a disaster.”
The White House proposal caps eligibility at 700% of the federal poverty line and kills off zero-premium plans that have become a magnet for fraud. But House Speaker Mike Johnson has made it clear this idea hits a wall with the GOP. Even with these anti-fraud provisions attached, Trump’s plan still pours billions into the same broken system, and does nothing to address the key problem created by Obamacare: the skyrocketing costs of subsidies.
The obvious problem here going into midterms is optics… with millions of Americans – including a ton of lower income red state residents, forced to suddenly come up with potentially thousands of dollars more per month after already adjusting to the inflationary ‘new normal’ thanks to the egregious overreaction to the economy-killing pandemic shutdown that never should have happened in the first place.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Johnson “cautioned the White House that most House Republicans don’t have an appetite for extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to people familiar with the matter, showing how hard it will be politically to stave off sharp increases in healthcare costs next year for many Americans.”
The message from Johnson, in a phone call with administration officials, came as President Trump’s advisers were drafting a healthcare plan that extended the subsidies for two years.
The warning underscores the hurdles facing any deal in coming weeks. Lawmakers have a mid-December deadline for healthcare votes promised as a condition for Democrats voting to end the government shutdown earlier this month. The enhanced subsidies expire at the end of the year, affecting more than 20 million people who benefit from the tax credits.
While the White House and GOP leadership circle each other, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has worked out a separate solution. However, their proposal still relies on extending the subsidies.
The Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization Protection Extension (HOPE) Act extends the enhanced premium tax credit for two years. It includes a lower income cap for enrollees, about $200,000 for a family of four, and phases out for those making above that (currently the subsidy is capped based on what percent of a family’s income it spends on health care). The bill would also try to crack down on fraud.
“We don’t want to see premiums skyrocket, but we probably need a deeper plan for the longer term to deal with the high cost of healthcare,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebr.). “What we’re proposing is a bridge. Let’s help keep people’s premiums down — that’s important — and it’ll give us time to work on it, maybe something better over the next year or two.”
“People are freaking out. I mean, I get phone calls from people about seeing their premiums go up by a thousand dollars a month,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat, said. “That’s why we felt it was very important for us to get together as a bipartisan team to say, let’s work together and let’s force something to happen here that we can try and build consensus on.”
These solutions don’t solve the problem for millions who never qualified for subsidies, who will see their premiums soar regardless. Extending subsidies deepens the distortion and accelerates the problem.
The subsidy fight puts Republicans in a tough spot. Johnson has already shown he will not bless another round of Obamacare cash, and most of the conference stands with him. Trump’s team is floating the idea of a temporary extension, and that puts the party on a collision course as January approaches. The CR runs out at the end of January, and nothing suggests the White House and House Republicans will bridge this gap before then.
Meanwhile, Democrats see an easy opening. They are unified, they want this fight, and they know the GOP’s internal split hands them the leverage they lacked during the last shutdown. Washington is drifting toward another stalemate, and the setup looks far worse for Republicans this time around. The stage is set for a January showdown that could break wide open once the subsidies expire.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 11:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-and-house-gop-are-headed-clash-over-obamacare-subsidies
Cole Palmer reaparecerá con Chelsea para el duelo ante Arsenal en la Liga Premier
LONDRES (AP) — Cole Palmer se recuperó de una dolencia y podrá jugar en el enfrentamiento entre los dos primeros de la Liga Premier cuando su Chelsea reciba el domingo al líder Arsenal.
El volante ofensivo estará disponible antes de lo esperado tras una lesión en el dedo del pie tras lo que se describió como un accidente en casa.
Enzo Maresca, el técnico de Chelsea, confirmó que Palmer está en condiciones para ser titular en Stamford Bridge ante los Gunners.
“Tener a Cole de vuelta es una buena noticia y todos están contentos”, afirmó Maresca. “Puede ayudarnos mucho. Es, sin duda, nuestro mejor jugador y estamos felices de que haya regresado. Ahora tenemos que darle tiempo para que esté al 100% en forma. Ha hecho cosas fantásticas en el pasado y no hay duda de que va a hacer cosas muy buenas para este club en el futuro”.
Chelsea se encuentra segundo en la clasificación y puede reducir la diferencia con el Arsenal a tres puntos con una victoria.
Palmer no juega desde septiembre debido una lesión en la ingle. Estaba por volver cuando se lastimó el pie, lo que lo dejó fuera de las victorias contra Burnley el fin de semana pasado y Barcelona el martes en la Liga de Campeones.
Lesiones de Arsenal
Leandro Trossard se someterá a pruebas para determinar si el delantero estará disponible para jugar con Arsenal después de ser sustituido en la primera mitad de la victoria a mitad de semana contra el Bayern Múnich.
El defensor brasileño Gabriel Magalhães aún se está recuperando después de sufrir una lesión no especificada para Brasil a principios de este mes.
“Estoy bastante confiado, especialmente por la forma en que Gabi enfrenta cada lesión y la manera en que va a motivar a todos, que no va a ser por mucho tiempo”, manifestó el técnico Mikel Arteta.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Golpe de timón en la fiscalía mexicana: Sheinbaum quiere que sea “más transparente” y dé resultados
Por MARÍA VERZA
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO (AP) — La presidenta mexicana Claudia Sheinbaum dijo el viernes que aspira a que la salida de Alejandro Gertz Manero de la Fiscalía General suponga un golpe de timón en la procuración de justicia para que sea “más transparente”, fortalezca la estrategia de seguridad del gobierno y dé resultados.
“Pienso, es una opinión personal, que la Fiscalía requiere también de una transformación para el bien de México”, indicó la mandataria en su conferencia matutina y dejó entrever que podría haber temas que investigar sobre el funcionamiento de la institución durante su mandato.
“No se trata de que ahora pues nos pongamos a investigar o se ponga a investigar la fiscalía… a ver qué pasó y cuáles son los temas, sino un compromiso con el pueblo de México de avanzar en la seguridad de la paz y la cero impunidad ”, agregó Sheinbaum.
Justo antes de que dejara la fiscalía, Gertz Manero designó a una de las personas más cercanas a Sheinbaum, Ernestina Godoy, consejera jurídica de la presidencia y exfiscal de Ciudad de México, para hacerse cargo de la institución hasta que el Senado nombre a un nuevo titular.
La presidenta confió en que en la nueva etapa se logre más coordinación con la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública, la Guardia Nacional y las fiscalías estatales para fortalecer las investigaciones y mencionó dos temas específicos: el contrabando de combustible, un caso en el que están implicados altos mando de la Marina, y la investigación por la desaparición de los 43 estudiantes de magisterio en 2014, el conocido como “caso Ayotzinapa”, donde también hay militares procesados y que se bloqueó en la administración de Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) por falta de colaboración de las Fuerzas Armadas.
Gertz Manero, el polémico y veterano abogado de 86 años que ejerció como fiscal general de México desde hace casi siete años —su mandato era de nueve—, recibió numerosas críticas por haber utilizado supuestamente la institución para fines políticos y personales y protagonizó muchas tensiones con Estados Unidos.
Dejó su cargo el jueves para convertirse en embajador de México aunque se desconoce aún en qué país se establecerá. La presidenta confirmó que le pidió que aceptara ese nuevo puesto.
El Senado, de mayoría oficialista, ya inició el proceso para elegir a un nuevo titular de la Fiscalía General de la República, pero Sheinbaum dejó clara su preferencia: “Ernestina (Godoy) es una mujer extraordinaria, de principios, honesta, de muchas convicciones y demostró sus resultados cuando fue fiscal de la Ciudad de México”.
Que México logre investigaciones más eficaces como parte de la estrategia contra el crimen organizado ha sido una insistencia de Estados Unidos y fue uno de los puntos destacados durante la visita del secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio, a México en septiembre.
Chesterton postpones parade, holiday market in advance of snowstorm
The town of Chesterton and the Duneland Chamber of Commerce announced on social media that the annual Twilight Holiday Parade, scheduled for Saturday evening, has been postponed due to weather and safety concerns.
Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area will be under a winter storm warning from 3 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, per the National Weather Service, with a possibility of more than 6 inches of snow.
The greatest impact of the storm, according to the weather service, could be Saturday afternoon, with snowfall up to 1 inch per hour.
The parade has been rescheduled for 5:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Likewise, Chesterton’s Mistletoe Market for Saturday has been canceled, though the market on Saturday, Dec. 6, takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Based on the guidance of the Town of Chesterton’s Police and Street departments, it’s been determined that the expected conditions will prevent them from providing the staffing and support required to safely facilitate the event,” the Chamber said in a Facebook post.
The Chamber extended its gratitude to all parade participants, businesses, and community partners for their understanding and flexibility.
For additional updates, follow the town’s Facebook page.
Bradshaw: Who really reads your college application?
Every fall, anxious parents and high-school seniors imagine the admissions offices at America’s elite universities as secret chambers of alumni zealots guarding the gates of privilege.
It’s a persistent myth — that Harvard only hires Harvard graduates, and that other top colleges fill their committees with loyal insiders who perpetuate an old network of influence. It’s a comforting illusion for some and a discouraging one for others.
But it isn’t true.
The reality is both less conspiratorial and far more professional. At these schools, the people who read and vote on applications come from wildly different backgrounds. They are trained admissions officers, faculty members, and deans who evaluate thousands of files each year according to precise, methodical procedures.
Harvard’s operation is vast. About forty people serve on its Admissions Committee. Applications are first read regionally by officers who specialize in particular parts of the country or world. Then subcommittees — usually five to eight members — meet to discuss each candidate before forwarding recommendations to the full committee.
The image of an old Harvardian cabal fades quickly when you look at the staff directory. Several admissions officers hold degrees from Boston College, Carleton, and other universities. What matters most is experience — the ability to judge transcripts, essays, and recommendations with speed and fairness — not which crest hangs above the desk.
Stanford runs a similar machine. Every application is read at least once, sometimes twice, before a decision committee meets to weigh academic strength, leadership, and the elusive quality of “fit.” Nothing in Stanford’s process or public statements suggests the committee is composed exclusively of alumni.
Yale is even more transparent. Each decision, the school says, is made by a five-person committee — three admissions officers, a faculty member, and a dean. Their own podcast, “Inside the Yale Admissions Office,” reminds listeners that no single person decides a student’s fate. “Members of the Yale community” may include alumni, but certainly not only alumni.
Public universities tell the same story.
At the University of Michigan, the review process is described as “individualized and comprehensive.” Each application is examined in its entirety, and nowhere does the school hint that only Michigan graduates hold those jobs.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign approaches things much the same way: every applicant is read holistically, considering academics, program fit, and context. And at the University of Virginia, officers emphasize that no algorithm or formula dictates outcomes. Every decision, they insist, is human.
So why does the myth persist?
Because myths are simpler. They travel well in conversation. “They only hire their own” sounds plausible in an age of clubby elites and private networks.
Part of the confusion comes from alumni interview programs. These volunteers — often successful, articulate, and proud — are the most visible faces of the process. Families meet them in cafés or Zoom calls and assume they hold real power. They don’t. Their reports are advisory, not decisive.
Culture feeds the illusion too. Elite schools nurture strong alumni identities, and some graduates do return to work there. But the modern admissions office is not a gentleman’s club. It’s a professional bureaucracy running on databases, deadlines, and caffeine. Staff are hired for competence, not pedigree. They fly across continents, read hundreds of essays a week, and balance judgment against institutional goals.
For students, this should come as a relief. Your application isn’t being judged by insiders guarding a private gate. It’s being evaluated by professionals who look for intellectual spark, character, and coherence—the traits that make a person interesting, not just accomplished.
Different readers notice different things. One might see the subtle pattern in your coursework, another might respond to an essay that reveals humor or humility. That variety is a safeguard against bias, not a symptom of it.
What truly matters is how well you tell your story. A strong academic record helps, but coherence matters more — showing that your ambitions and achievements form a pattern. The best applications sound like a person thinking out loud.
Today’s admissions officer is less a gatekeeper than an analyst. They read, compare, and deliberate. They balance merit with institutional need: geography, diversity, intended major, and financial aid. It’s an intricate process, rarely perfect, but far more transparent than folklore suggests.
So when someone insists that “Harvard only hires Harvard grads,” or that Stanford and Yale keep admissions “in the family,” smile politely. They’re repeating a rumor from another century.
The real story is one of professionalization, holistic review, and relentless work—people trained to find promise in a flood of paper.
And that’s the truth worth knowing long before a student hits “submit.”
Gerald Bradshaw is an international college admissions consultant with Bradshaw College Consulting in Crown Point.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/bradshaw-who-really-reads-your-college-application/
Holiday lights around Chicago: Our top 10 seasonal displays, from Chicago Botanic Garden to the Cantigny estate
Holiday light displays are opening around the Chicago area, including impressive glow-ups at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum. Others, some off the beaten path, imbue holiday cheer on foot, in the car and even on horseback.
Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden
Twenty-five miles north of Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Gardens’ Lightscape was among the region’s first light shows to open this year. Some dates are already sold out — and for good reason. Even if you know the gardens well, this 1.3-mile loop ventures through the Japanese, heritage, English walled and sensory gardens, which are barely recognizable when awash in color — produced by the U.K. firm Culture Creative with trail design by Chicagoans Lee Fiskness, Travis Shupe and Christopher Wren. The experience sounds really good, too, thanks to a partnership with Sony Music, seamlessly transitioning guests between areas that lean all the way into Christmas and others that are more atmospheric.
New this year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for meet-and-greets on designated Jingle Jam Family Nights, taking place Dec. 16-18. Dec. 4 and Jan. 2 are reserved for the grown-ups, with specialty cocktails and mocktails on tap at concession stands along the path and a centralized disco-themed bar and dance floor about halfway through the journey.
In fact, nearly all of Lightscape’s displays change every year, according to garden spokesperson Jodi Zombolo. The trail switched directions for 2025, veering left from the welcome center, and it stays entirely on the main island after a few years of venturing further.
“We want to give people a reason to come back,” Zombolo said. “It’s a family tradition for a lot of people to come. It’s not going to be the same thing you saw last year.”
Near the entrance, an interactive shadow wall draws visitors onto the trail, which winds past five towering conifers drenched in a half mile of LED lights choreographed to pulse with holiday choral music. It’s called Singing Trees, designed by U.K.-based ITHACA Studio, and one of just two displays repeated from previous years. Some sort of fire-garden is also repeated, this year on a relatively blank canvas, placed in tree-shaped towers beside companion fire-hued light trees in an open glade.
Visitors walk through a light installation titled “Winter Cathedral,” at Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2022, in Glencoe. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Artists from seven countries have contributed installations, including OGE Design Group from Israel, whose luminescent dandelion puffs are suspended over a wooden path. Taiwan-based UxU Studio’s domain is a portion of the lagoon, which is lit up with a striking, moving geometric pattern viewable on the water’s surface for nearly half the journey. And U.K. artist Squidsoup, who produced last year’s One the Tide from the Serpentine Bridge, has this year created a spectacular three-dimensional orb called Singularity. Also new: a whimsical batch of fairies placed in nooks and crannies of the waterfall garden, and lit planters designed by CBG’s horticulture team strategically placed on the conifer steps.
“The trail designer is a horticulturist by trade,” Zombolo said. “She really plays off the landscape. You’ll notice areas where there are blue bonnets and floral installations. We go into the sensory garden, which is wooded, and installations are overhead and immersed in all of that.”
The trail is monitored by directional guides and accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, with some gentle inclines, a few dark patches and select spots of pea gravel. Most areas are paved and well lit. And the one-way path can get crowded when Lightscape is sold to capacity. Timed entries aim to keep traffic flowing through the experience, which takes about 90 minutes.
One display has become a non-negotiable mainstay: a twinkling canopy of white, daffodil-shaped bulbs called the Winter Cathedral. It’s the show’s signature encore, positioned near the bridge to the welcome center at the tail end of the journey.
“I don’t think we could ever not have that,” Zombolo said. “It’s kind of our iconic look. People just love it so much.”
Through Jan. 4, 2026, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; digital tickets $26-$29 for adults and $14-$16 for kids 3-12, plus parking. Children under 3 are free. More information at chicagobotanicgarden.org/lightscape
Illumination at Morton Arboretum
You can get through Morton Arboretum’s 20 light displays in about an hour. But it’s nicer to take two or three, lingering at each spot, toasting s’mores at one of the bonfires along this mile-long loop, or hugging a tree. Really! A little patch near a festive refreshment tent, strategically placed halfway through the Arboretum’s light show called Illumination, has tummy-height buttons on a trio of tree trunks which, when pressed, change overhead lights to a new color.
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Illumination is not explicitly a Christmas display. Frequently, it’s a contemplative walk and celebration of winter that leans heavily on the Arboretum’s greatest asset: trees! About 1,000 are prominently featured in the show. Instead of wrapping trunks and branches with string lights, designer John Featherstone from the firm Lightswitch primarily bathes the grounds’ deciduous trees with washes of light from below. Bushy conifers are used as a striking projection surface. And this summer’s vibrant art installation, “Vivid Creatures” by artists Heather and Fez BeGaetz, looks completely different saturated in color-changing hues. The Golden Glade installation prominently features Vivid Creatures’ white-tailed deer, for example, visible through a field of twinkly strands whose millions of bulbs resemble glowing dew drops.
In fact, the one-way loop is a succinct and spectacular way to glimpse about 50 of the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres, stunningly lit from the top, bottom and sides. The trail concludes with a stroll along Meadow Lake’s shoreline. Light “trees” emerging from the water like synchronized swimmers cast radiant beams skyward and onto the lake’s surface, creating reflections timed to elegant selections of classical music.
The path is paved and fully accessible, though there are a few gentle inclines and dark patches. And while Illumination is a rain, shine or snow event — arguably best seen with flakes falling — there’s a new flexible ticket option that allows rebooking up until your reservation time. Dec. 5, 12 and 19 are just for the grown-ups, swapping the contemplative tunes for DJ-ed theme nights: a Gen Xer’s dream night of MTV hits, pop divas and house music, respectively. Dog-friendly Wednesdays take place Dec. 3, 10 and 17 for an additional $10 per pup.
5:30-8 p.m. nightly through Jan. 3, 2026, (closed select dates, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle; tickets start at $18.50 at mortonarb.org/illumination
Christmas at Cantigny
Just three years old, Christmas at Cantigny tucks lights into nearly every nook and cranny of Col. Robert R. McCormick’s Wheaton estate, with choreographed displays set to festive music along a half-mile walking trail. Two cocoa stops are positioned along the way, sold from a cute Cocoa Cabin and a dashingly decked-out Airstream. Each sells s’mores kits to roast at nearby staff-tended fire pits.
The tour begins with a field of color-changing light tubes fashioned as trees seen from the grounds’ well-lit paved path, leading up to a nearly 30-foot Christmas tree in the next plaza. It’s a good place to stop for a while, if you can resist a glowing red and white tunnel taunting guests toward a stunning vista view of the McCormick mansion, aglow with projections of leaves and holly and other merry things.
New this year, a Northern Lights-themed display in the rose garden uses twinkle bulbs, metal cutouts and informational plaques imparting Nordic stories of how the aurora borealis came to be. Timed entrances keep the crowds at bay so you can wander at your own pace and step right up to the show’s various festive attractions.
Perhaps most distinctive to Christmas at Cantigny is the mansion itself, which is open for self-guided tours (or with a guide, for an extra cost). The house is spectacularly decorated for the holidays. And for the kids (and kids at heart), tiny plush mice are hidden throughout the first-floor rooms — think elf on a shelf, but mice. Ample docents and volunteers are on hand to guide guests through the experience and can offer interesting tidbits about the abode that once belonged to a newspaper dynasty, if you linger a bit and look curious. The Art Deco bar behind a hidden door in the front room is open and serving. And with reservations, an upstairs café called Noel serves small plates, wine and craft cocktails.
On Sunday nights through Dec. 14, the show swaps its Christmasy vibe for a “Wicked”-themed display. Also new this year, a blockbuster movie theme replaces much of the holiday fare after Christmas. And soon, they’ll have ice skating and rink-side cabanas available for an upcharge. Estate-grown poinsettias are available for purchase as a souvenir.
4:30-8:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun. through Jan. 4, 2026, (Christmas theme ends Dec. 23) at Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton; tickets $12-$25 (kids under 3 are free) at cantigny.org
Vintage Holidays in Long Grove
The village of Long Grove is like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie, with copious twinkle lights and boughs of holly adorning this already quaint community 35 miles northwest of Chicago. On weekends, Santa will be on hand for pictures from 12-4 p.m., and horse-drawn rides on a 10-seat sleigh will take visitors through the historic downtown district. On Dec. 6, 13, 14 and 21, carolers in Victorian garb wander the town singing holiday tunes. And this picture-perfect, highly Instagrammable place has many lovely shops, cafes and watering holes to provide respite from the cold (and unique holiday shopping). Be sure to stop in the Sock Monkey Museum and the Village Tavern, the latter Illinois’ oldest operating bar and grill, founded in 1847.
Through Dec. 24 in downtown Long Grove, 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove; more information at www.longgrove.org
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
People take pictures in front of a bear at ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo, Nov. 15, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Lincoln Park Zoo’s landmark holiday display, now in its 31st year, remains one of the city’s most affordable options for holiday magic. More than 3 million bulbs illuminate the grounds and its furry friends, some of which only come out to play at night. On Sundays through Dec. 21, carolers stroll the park singing. And on Fridays and Saturdays, ice artisans carve animal-themed sculptures in real time. For a warm-up, the zoo sells hot cocoa, warm churros and make-your-own s’mores. For a small extra fee, you can ride the carousel, tiny train and ferris wheel, too, which hit differently in the cold months with twinkly lights all around.
Nightly through Jan. 4, 2026, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.; tickets $7-$20 plus parking, with select Mondays free at lpzoo.org
Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
Visitors stand for pictures under an illuminated gingerbread house at Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic lights display in 2023, in Brookfield. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
There is a lot that’s new in Brookfield Zoo’s four-decade-old holiday show, including a giant light-up maze, interactive displays and custom dolphin show. Several of the zoo’s animal buildings will be open to warm up in, including Dolphin Bay, the Australia habitat, the Play Zoo and Wild Encounters (including reindeer!) plus the Gorilla Conservation Center, which will have free crafting activities from 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.
3-9 p.m. select dates through Jan. 4; tickets $30-$35 plus parking, with additional fees for certain attractions, more at brookfieldzoo.org
Christmas Around the World at Griffin MSI
People attend the tree lighting and opening of MSI’s Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibit at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on Nov. 16, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune)
For an indoor option, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry boasts more than 50 trees decorated by volunteers as part of its long-running seasonal tradition. The display celebrates a multiplicity of light-filled holidays: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Hanukkah. And every half hour, it “snows” in the North Court, where the piece de resistance is a four-story-tall Christmas tree.
Through Jan. 5, 2026, at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive; included with $10-$26 admission at www.griffinmsi.org
City of Chicago Christmas Tree
Fireworks erupt over Chicago’s 112th official Christmas tree at the lighting ceremony, Nov. 21, 2025, in Millennium Park. The 68-foot Norway spruce was felled from a Glenview family’s front yard. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Don’t miss Chicago’s very large tree, plus lights on the Magnificent Mile. End a southbound stroll down Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park, where there’s ice skating and ample space to bask in the glow of Chicago’s tree — this year a 68-foot Norway spruce sourced from a Glenview family’s front yard. The Magnificent Mile (more at themagnificentmile.com) is aglow with a million bulbs on more than 200 trees between Oak Street and the Chicago River. The Art Institute’s bronze lions will be dressed in their giant evergreen wreaths on Friday. And on select dates, choral groups will lead holiday sing-alongs at Cloud Gate. The tree, adorned with more than 39,000 feet of stringed twinkle bulbs, will stay lit until Jan. 11, 2026, but you can ice skate in Millennium Park until February.
Through Jan. 11, 2026, in Millennium Park at Michigan Avenue and Washington St.; more information at chicago.gov
Light of Christmas Drive-Thru at Rate Field
A million bulbs are synchronized to festive holiday music in this in-car experience winding a path through the Rate Field parking lot. You can upgrade to a trolley tour that makes additional stops downtown at Christkindlmarket and Light Up the Lake on Navy Pier. Or, pair the drive-thru with a drive-in by adding on movie tickets at the Chitown Drive-In in Pilsen.
5-9 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026, at Rate Field, 3326 S. Wentworth Ave.; tickets $30-$100 at lightofchristmas.com
Celebration of Lights in LaSalle
For another drive-thru experience, head to Rotary Park in LaSalle, which is aglow with more than 400 displays — the biggest in north central Illinois. It’s a point of pride for the city, which is accessible via Interstates 80 and 39 and steps from Starved Rock State Park. Local businesses sponsor each display, most of them cute, quirky and animated. The whole thing is installed and staffed by volunteers, who hand out candy canes and dog treats at the entrance each night. Plus, you never have to get out of your toasty, warm car, which can be tuned to a Christmas radio station.
5-9 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, 2026, at Rotary Park, 2837 E. 5th Road in LaSalle; free with donations accepted, more information at liveituplasalle.com
Lauren Warnecke is a freelance writer.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/holiday-lights-top-10-seasonal-displays/
