St. Charles Holiday Homecoming and Electric Christmas Parade

Holiday Homecoming is downtown St. Charles’s two-day Thanksgiving weekend opener, produced by the St. Charles Business Alliance and listed on the city’s event calendar. It starts Friday, November 27 at 5 p.m. with the Lighting of the Lights at 1st Street Plaza, with music, Santa and free roasted nuts, according to the organizer.

Saturday, November 28 runs all day: a free 10 a.m. screening of Elf at the Arcada Theatre, a downtown shop crawl with a grand prize drawing, photo installations on 1st Street Plaza, and Santa’s Cottage from 1 to 4 p.m. The Electric Christmas Parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. at 6th Street and travels down Main Street to 4th Avenue with lighted floats, bands and Santa. Santa’s Cottage stays open Saturday and Sunday afternoons through December 21.

All events are free.

Plan your visit

There is no Metra stop in St. Charles; the closest is Geneva on the Union Pacific West line, about three miles south, and most people drive in on Route 64 (Main Street). Downtown has free city lots and the 1st Street parking deck, but Main Street closes for the parade Saturday afternoon, so arrive before 4 p.m. and park on the side streets. Friday’s lighting is a shorter, easier outing for small kids; the parade curb fills an hour ahead.