After shopping all night, here's how to spend the day
You've been out battling crowds, juggling shopping bags and searching for deals at local retailers since the early, dark hours of this Black Friday morning.
What do you do now?
Well, you can eat some leftover stuffing and take a long nap.
You can eat some leftover stuffing and then head out to do battle at the stores once more.
Or you can keep that holiday energy sizzling and go to one of many local activities that will keep your day going full steam (followed by a late-night plate of leftover stuffing).
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Keep on shopping#376; Downtown Libertyville hosts its annual Holiday Walk, after the Village Tree Lighting ceremony in Cook Park on Milwaukee Road. Events run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in downtown Libertyville. Santa Claus will roar into town on a fire engine to assist with the tree lighting and visit with guests. Then shoppers can stroll through town to see Libertyville's shops decked out in their holiday finery. Visit mainstreetlibertyville.org.#376; Downtown Barrington retailers are hosting a number of special day-after-Thanksgiving events. Norton's U.S.A. at 400 Lageschulte St. will hold its traditional holiday open house with pine wreaths, greens and special food tastings. Guests can bring donations for the Barrington Township Food Pantry. Grass Roots, at 205 S. Cook St., opens at 8 a.m. and hosts its #8220;Come Break Our Balls#8221; event #8212; visitors can choose a holiday ornament to break open for giveaways and discounts. Visit barrington-il.gov for a list of retailers.#376; Step back in time in historic downtown Long Grove, at Robert Parker Coffin and Old McHenry roads, to view the holiday decorations on the shops and on the town's famous covered bridge. Shops will open at 10 a.m. today. Visit longgroveonline.com. Get aboard the Wonderland Express Garden-scale trains roll by miniature displays of 80 Chicago-area landmarks in the Chicago Botanic Garden's annual Wonderland Express train display. The Wonderland Express opens today and runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $8-$10. Parking for the Chicago Botanic Garden is $20. The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Visit chicagobotanic.org. Electric Lights ParadeNaperville's Electric Lights Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. today at Centennial Beach, heads east on Jackson Avenue, north on Webster Street, west on Van Buren Avenue and ends on Eagle Street. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on a parade float, and Santa will oversee the town's #8220;Grand Illumination#8221; as he officially turns on Naperville's 300,000 holiday lights. Visit downtownnaperville.com.Cosley Zoo's Festival of LightsThe Cosley Zoo in Wheaton greets the holiday season with the opening of its annual Festival of Lights at 9 a.m. today. See holiday light displays, visit the zoo's animals and purchase holiday gifts and greenery until 9 p.m. General admission is free. (630) 665-5534 or cosleyzoo.org.Strap on those skatesThe Park in Rosemont opens its new, outdoor skating rink to the public with special hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today. Ice skating, music and refreshments are part of the fun. And no need to worry if the outdoor temperature rises. The ice is temperature controlled, so let the sun shine. Free and open to the public. Skate rental is $8. The Park is just west of River Road, between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral avenues in Rosemont. Visit rosemont.com. Set the stage Several theatrical productions will help you set the stage for the holidays.#376; See #8220;White Christmas: The Musical#8221; at 4:30 and 8 p.m. today at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. This stage musical is an adaptation of the famous 1954 film starring crooner Bing Crosby, along with some extra songs from Irving Berlin's song catalog. Tickets are $40-$48 (tax and handling fees are extra). (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com. #376; Actors present Frank Capra's holiday classic #8220;It's a Wonderful Life#8221; as it would have been broadcast on the radio back in the 1940s. #8220;It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play#8221; is at 8 p.m. today at The Pheasant Run Theater at the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. A six-member children's choir, man-made sound effects and live commercials make up the special #8220;broadcast.#8221; Tickets are $29.50-$39.50. Call (630) 584-6342, or visit pheasantrun.com.#376; Shrek, that famous green ogre from the DreamWorks animated films, provides some holiday greenery with his own ogre skin as he takes the stage at 2 and 7:30 p.m. today with #8220;Shrek: The Musical#8221; at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Tickets are $22.50-$87.50. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com. Let there be lights!Several towns host their holiday tree-lightings today. #376; Arlington Heights: 4:45 p.m. in North School Park, at Eastman Street and Arlington Heights Road. Visit vah.com.#376; Carol Stream: 6:30 p.m. at Ross Ferraro Town Center, Gary Avenue and Lies Road. (630) 665-7050 or carolstream.org.#376; Elk Grove Village: 5:30 p.m. on the Village Green in the Town Center, at Biesterfield Road and Wellington Avenue. (847) 357-4030, or elkgrove.com. #376; Fox Lake: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Millennium Park, at Grand and Rollins roads. (847) 587-2151 or foxlake.org.#376; Glen Ellyn: 6 p.m. on Main Street and Crescent Boulevard. (630) 469-0907.#376; Rosemont: 6 p.m. in the village's entertainment district, the Park at Rosemont, west of River Road, at Bryn Mawr and Balmoral avenues. Visit rosemont.com.#376; Schaumburg: 6:30 p.m. on the plaza between the Prairie Center for the Arts, at 201 Schaumburg Court, and village hall at 101 Schaumburg Court. (847) 895-4500 or visit ci.schaumburg.il.us. #376; Wheaton: 6 p.m. in downtown Wheaton. Visit downtownwheaton.com. 22682000Wheatons Cosley Zoo hosts its annual Festival of Lights.Courtesy of the Cosley Zoo 30482082Libertyvilles annual tree lighting takes place today in Cook Park in Libertyville. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com 18482400Shrek (Lukas Poost), Donkey (Andre Jordan) and Princess Fiona (Liz Shivener) perform in Shrek the Musical, opening today at the Rosemont Theatre.Photo by Joan Marcus 19361288Grab your skates and head for the new outdoor ice skating rink at The Park in Rosemont. The rink opens today with temperature-controlled ice that allows for skating in warm or cold weather.Courtesy of Stacey Schuster for The Park at Rosemo 320200Head to historic downtown Long Grove to view the colorful holiday decorations on the shops doors and windows — and on the famous Long Grove covered bridge. Courtesy of Long Grove