Holiday Walk, one of the Chamber’s crowd-pleasing trifecta

This year’s Holiday Walk Saturday Dec. 1,will transform Madison Street into a holiday fantasyland for kids of all ages.

The North Pole meteorologists are forecasting no snow so Santa has decided to come to Forest Park that Friday night riding on a fire engine.

Santa and the missus will kick off the annual Holiday Walk, the last of three popular seasonal events sponsored by the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce after the successful Casket Races on Oct. 21 and the Wine Walk on Nov. 4.

He and Mrs. Claus will light the 24-foot balsam fir. The menorah will be lit on the first of day of Hanukkah in Constitution Court at 6 p.m. and will sit for visits and pictures at the Forest Park Bank between 6 and 8 p.m. 

At the Bank, the Arts Alliance of Forest Park (new logo with the emphasis on “Arts”) is again hosting a free photo booth called Photo Portal (formerly known as Strike a Pose) using the decorated tree in the bank lobby as a backdrop and with props like hats, antlers, and sparkly glasses available, as well as life size picture frame.

Horse drawn carriage rides will go up and down Madison Street with stops at Beloit and Elgin. A face painter and balloon twister will entertain the children.

Ice sculpture frames by Nadeau will be featured on the lawn outside Todd and Holland Tea Merchants. 

In this event, each business on the street decides how to take advantage of the crowd, which last year topped an estimated 1,000 people. A few businesses feature live window displays with costumed characters, while many others decorate both the interiors and exteriors of their stores to get into the holiday spirit and draw holiday walkers inside. 

For example, the Pippin Singers, whose repertoire includes Medieval & Renaissance Music for The Winter Holidays & Holy Days and Forest Park’s Own Kathryn and John Atwood Singing Post Old English Carols. 

In addition to the Holiday Walk, AAFP is sponsoring another Makers’ Market Saturday Dec. 9, at Robert’s Westside from 11 a.m.  to 4 p.m. featuring local artists and artisans with their crafts for holiday gifts.