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Magnificent Mile Lights Festival: A Complete Breakdown

By Urbanmatter Chicago @UMatterChicago

What Is It?

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is the single largest evening holiday celebration in the nation, and this year marks its 25th anniversary. It consists of a Tree-Lighting Parade, concerts, fireworks over the Chicago River, holiday shopping & hotel specials, and a bunch of family-friendly activities.

If you can’t make it, make sure to tune into ABC7’s live broadcast!

The Tree Lighting Parade

This huge parade takes place on Michigan Avenue. Led by Mickey and Minnie Mouse and their Disney friends, one million lights brighten the trees down the street as the parade moves along the path. Toss in huge helium-filled balloons of your favorite characters, marching bands from across the state, Chicago sports team mascots, and a variety of floats to keep you on your toes – and you have the Tree Lighting Parade, one of the most magical holiday events around.

Concerts

There are two types of shows, those on the main stage, and those in the parade. Here’s a list of each.

ABC7 Broadcast Performances

  • Blue Man Group
  • Drew Lachey
  • The Remedy
  • USO Show Troupe

Parade Route

  • Forever in Your Mind
  • Jo Dee Messina
  • MARi Burelle
  • Lexi Walker
  • Kurt Elling
  • Kevin Quinn

Fireworks

What could possibly end the night better than a firework show? The Fireworks Spectacular takes place where North Michigan Avenue meets the Chicago River. The show starts at 6:55 pm sharp, so be get there early to grab a spot.

Holiday Specials

The Magnificent Mile has an extremely extensive list of hotel, shopping, dining, entertainment, spa, and other specials to peruse. Because the list is so all-encompassing, we’ve decided just to include a link to their official Holiday Offers page. You can view everything here.

Light Festival Lane

Located at Pioneer Court (401 North Michigan Avenue), Lights Festival Lane provides the ultimate source of family entertainment throughout the day.

Participating tents include:

  • BMO Harris Bank – Visit their interactive virtual reality dome where you can write holiday messages that are displayed for thousands to see!
  • The Magnificent Mile Information Booth
  • The Blue Buffalo Co. – Learn about their formulas for dogs and cats and check out their branded merchandise.
  • CIGNA
  • Connie’s Pizza – You can’t miss out on Chicago’s favorite festival pizza!
  • Dietz & Watson – Eat a delicious wrap made from organic deli meats and cheeses that benefits the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
  • Disney Store – Take a wintry family photo, make a wish at a wishing tree, and enjoy cool Disney offers.
  • The Eli’s Cheesecake Company – Decorate your own free cheesecake and donate to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
  • Garrett Popcorn Shops – Grab a complimentary treat-sized bag of Garrett’s popcorn and warm up with a cup of apple cider.
  • Gift of Hope – Learn about organ and tissue donation and play a fun game where you can test your knowledge of the human body.
  • Illinois Office of Tourism – Visit Santa’s Chalet and learn about awesome travel opportunities.
  • Lurie Children’s & Kohl’s – Play their children’s safety game and if you’re one of the first 50 kids to get there, you’ll get a superhero cape!
  • Museum of Science & Industry – Check out the “Christmas Around the World” and “Holiday of Lights” exhibits and enjoy free giveaways.
  • PepsiCo
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Subaru – Pose for a photo with an ice sculpture and check out their new 2017 Impreza.
  • T-Mobile – Juice up your phone at their charging station and spin their prize wheel for winter giveaways.
  • WGN – Hang out inside WGN’s radio booth and enjoy tasty samples from Lifeway Foods.
  • Whole Foods – Share your family holiday tradition with Whole Foods for a chance to win free groceries for a year!
  • 93.9 MY Holiday FM – Chicago’s favorite radio personalities will play your Christmas music favorites and host a “Hi Santa” phone booth.

When Is It?

The event takes place on Saturday, November 19. The music & Lights Festival Lane begin at 11 am, while the parade starts at 5:30 pm. Fireworks follow promptly at 6:55 pm.

For an event map, details on street closures, and more helpful hints from BMO, visit their tips page. You can learn more about the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival at https://www.themagnificentmile.com/lights-festival/.