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The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

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Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

The 32nd annual Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival kicks off the 2022 holiday season on Saturday, November 18. Guests can look forward to free, family–friendly activities, including the nation’s largest evening holiday celebration!

The action–packed weekend will begin with a preview night on Friday, November 17 at 4:00 p.m. featuring a ceremonial tree–lighting in The Wrigley Building Centennial Plaza.

On Saturday, November 18, the event–filled day begins at 11:00 a.m. starting in Lights Festival Lane (401 North Michigan Avenue) with a festive thoroughfare of booths and family activities, including photos with Santa Claus, presented by Wintrust, until 4:00 p.m.

Free, family fun culminates in the grand tree–lighting parade down North Michigan Avenue on Saturday, November 18 starting at 5:30 p.m. with Grand Marshals Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

The parade features fabulous floats, giant helium balloons, exciting marching bands, musical performances, Santa Claus, and more, all helping to illuminate more than one million lights along The Magnificent Mile. This year’s event will also feature celebrity performances by one of the Top Five female groups of all time, The Pointer Sisters, and American rhythm and blues vocal favorites, The Spinners. American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson will perform songs from her eleventh studio album, Winterlicious, and C&C Music Factory will make “Everybody Dance Now!” The event draws to a grand conclusion with The Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular over the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue starting between 7 and 7:15 pm.

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Michigan Ave Photo Credit Davis Harrison Dion

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