Upcoming Special Events

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January 1-11, 2026

 It may be chilly outside, but the deals are heating up inside!  Start the new year with savings that sizzle at our Indoor Sidewalk Sales! Local shops are clearing out 2025 favorites with up to 75% off, while unveiling fresh new finds for 2026. 

It's time to get that item you have had your eye on that you didn't get over the holidays. Bundle up, step in, and let the warmth of our shops and savings kick off your new year in style

January 1-31

 Stroll through Downtown Glen Ellyn and discover hot sales that will melt away the winter blues.  

And the fun doesn’t stop there because our Winter Shopping Passport makes every purchase even more rewarding! For every $20 you spend, collect a stamp. Gather 5 stamps during January and you’ll be entered to win $500 in a cash prize or one of two $250 prizes.

Warm shops, hot deals, and a chance to win big...this is winter shopping at its best!

Saturday, January 17

With two performances to choose from, experience our Illuminated Concert Series! This special intimate acoustic music series by candlelight will have limited tickets, a local dining/drinking establishment to host the reception and different themes per performance.  Be quick when tickets go on sale for these pop-up performances! With every ticket, comes a $20 dining voucher for a Downtown Glen Ellyn Restaurant!

 Thursdays November 6 & 13

Join us for the highly anticipated Ladies Night Out in Downtown Glen Ellyn!  Grab your friends and spend the evening strolling through the cutest shops and boutiques finding the best gifts on your holiday list.    Don't miss the many discounts and specials while enjoying wine and treats along the way! 

Tickets On Sale

November 28 - December 31    

A White Christmas Awaits… Can You Spot the Cardinal?

Bundle up for a White Christmas Stroll through Downtown Glen Ellyn, where hidden cardinals await to be found along the wintry Cardinal Trail

Where holiday magic hides in plain sight!

FREE

Through December

Downtown Glen Ellyn offers the perfect picturesque holiday shopping experience for the season. Our charming historic downtown is home to trendiest boutiques and locally owned shops each brimming with treasures for everyone on your holiday list. Find our favorite 2025 gift ideas in our Downtown Glen Ellyn Holiday Shopping Guide.

COMING SOON

Friday, November 28

5 pm Street Opens

6pm Santa Lights the Tree

6:30-7:30pm Downtown shopping, Santa pictures and hot cocoa at the fire station.

Kick off the season with sparkle and cheer! Stroll through Downtown Glen Ellyn, enjoy festive storefronts, and gather as Santa lights the Christmas Tree. Celebrate with music, treats, and holiday magic for all ages. 

FREE

 Mid-November through the New Year

Glen Ellyn is going to sparkle this season! Shop with extended holiday hours at local boutiques, savor the seasonal holiday menus at decked-out restaurants and wander through the shimmering illuminated streets, and joyful window displays.

Let Glen Ellyn light up your holidays one twinkle, one treat, one magical moment at a time.

October 18 - December 20

Doors Open at 10:00 am 

Movie Starts at 10:30 am

Glen Art Theatre, 540 Crescent Blvd.

Join the Chamber for their FREE Family Saturday morning movie series at the historic Glen Art Theatre.

FREE

November 28 - December 14

 Glen Ellyn's very own Santa mailbox will return on the northeast corner of Main Street and Crescent Boulevard. Letters “mailed” by Sunday, December 14 will receive a response from Santa, along with a signed photo. Please make sure letters include a legible return address so that Santa can reply. 

FREE

Saturdays & Sundays

November 29 - Dec 21 

10:30am - 12:30pm   

(times may vary)

 Ho Ho Ho, Santa Claus is coming to town! Don’t miss your chance to snap a photo with Santa and share your Christmas wishes. Stay for lunch and shop

FREE

Sundays December 7 & 14

  What’s the best way to get into the holiday spirit? Hop aboard our classic Victorian trolley for a 30-min narrated tour of our festive Downtown and see the best decked-out homes in a warm trolley. This ride will include a little Glen Ellyn History, local holiday lights with a few jokes in between. 

Thank you to our Trolley Sponsor @properties Christie's International Real Estate.

TICKETS ON SALE

Through December

Light Up Glen Ellyn!  Who on your block is the Clark Griswold of Holiday Lights? Show off your home in all its holiday splendor! Categories:

•  Most Festive  
•  Best Use of Lights 
•  Most Creative 
•  The Clark Griswold Award

Registration Open

Wednesday, December 10

 Jingle, mingle, and enjoy discounted nibbles and nog at participating restaurants while sporting your best festive attire.

Choose your first stop to check in, grab your light up necklace and program. Then the night is free to roam to all the restaurants and see friends and family along the way. 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

By shopping and using the services in Glen Ellyn, our residents and community members are making a vital investment in the future of the community. For every dollar spent locally, up to 70% stays within the Village, helping small businesses, creating jobs, and stimulating growth.

October

Get ready to light up the night with frightful delight! Go all out and let's create a map of spooky homes for everyone to enjoy the drive with family and friends.  

 Thursday, October 9

 Join us for Witches Walk on Thursday, October 9, in Downtown Glen Ellyn! Enjoy spellbinding fashion, magical home decor, and enchanting accessories under the moonlight. Expect raffles, witches brew, and some spell-casting fun. Don't miss out on this enchanting evening! 

 Sunday, October 26

  Tickets go on sale September 1, 2025

Hop aboard the charming Halloween Trolley for a spellbinding evening full of festive sights and spirited stories! This seasonal ride whisks you through the town’s most whimsically decorated neighborhoods, where glowing jack-o'-lanterns, spooky skeletons, and autumnal enchantments light the way.

Friday, September 5

 Hillybilly Rockstarz, Country Night

5:00pm Start setting up chairs. 

6:00 - 9:45 Live Music - Two bands

 Get ready for a boot-stompin' good time at the Friday Summer Concert Series on Main Street! Join us for Country Night, starring Chicagoland's #1 country band, Hillbilly Rockstarz! Come early to snag the best spot and set up your chairs by 5:00 pm. Enjoy live music, dine and drink from Downtown Glen Ellyn's finest. And guess what? It's all FREE! See y'all there! 

September 18

Two Performances- 6:30PM & 8:30PM

St. Mark's Episcopal Church

393 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

 Get ready for an enchanting evening at the Illuminated Concert Series! On Thursday, September 18, join us at St. Mark's Episcopal Church for candlelit performances influenced by the Rat Pack at 6:30 pm and Coldplay at 8:30 pm. Cabernet & Company will host the reception, and with every ticket, you get a drink and a $20 dining voucher for a Downtown Glen Ellyn Restaurant. Limited tickets available, so grab yours before the lights go out! 

Sept 18-20

  Ready for a schnitzel-tastic time? Head to Glen Ellyn Oktoberfest from Sept 18-20 at Two Hound Red Brewing Co. for live tunes, fun activities, and delicious German eats and brews. Lederhosen optional, fun guaranteed. And guess what? It's FREE to enter!
 

  May 31 - Sept 21

Glen Ellyn is celebrating Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World exhibition with cultural experiences for one and all. Visit our Downtown to experience themed public art, decorated storefronts, colorful dragon sculptures, lanterns, photo opportunities, specialty menus and cocktails, shopping, plus fun and engaging events all summer long!
 

August viewing at the Glen Ellyn Public Library

In partnership with the Bookstore of Glen Ellyn, and the Glen Ellyn Public Library, participate in the Origami Summer Scavenger Hunt. For the entire months of June and July, 20 pieces were found throughout Glen Ellyn. View all the pieces in August at the Glen Ellyn Public Library.

June thru August

 Find twenty hand painted, whimsical dragon sculptures hidden around town—each one designed by a local artist.

This public art installation is part of a larger celebration of Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, the new exhibit at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art at the College of DuPage. 

 Catch all the Dragons at the Festival of the Arts at Lake Ellyn on August 23-24! Bid on your favorite and help fund Public Art in Downtown Glen Ellyn. It's a win-win! FREE

  Friday, July 4th

The Glen Ellyn 4th of July Committee is thrilled to announce the return of the Glen Ellyn 4th of July Parade to its historic downtown location. 

After two years of extensive construction and revitalization efforts, the heart of Glen Ellyn is ready to once again host this beloved community tradition to honor the nation’s birthday. FREE

 Saturday, July 12 

This is the premiere jazz festival of DuPage County bringing an afternoon line-up of the best jazz in the Midwest by collaborating with local partners such as 90.9fm WDCB Home of Chicago Jazz, Fareed Haque, and Bellas Artes School of Music.

FREE

July 18-20

Everyone is always excited for the long awaited 3-day Summer Sidewalk Sales. Find bargains and treasures for this annual highly anticipated event! Main street is closed only Friday-Saturday.

FREE