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Santa Claus is coming to town, and below is a list of when and where he can be spotted this Christmas season in DeKalb County.
Celebrate the start of the holiday season in downtown DeKalb with Lights on Lincoln and Santa Comes to Town.
Santa will ride through downtown DeKalb, with the route starting at 6 p.m. Thursday. There will be a Christmas tree lighting with hot chocolate and caroling in Van Buer Plaza once Santa stops at the Egyptian Theatre.
The DeKalb Public Transit System will be running a special bus route to take families to see Lights on Lincoln. The bus will service about 50 bus stops throughout DeKalb with the bus arriving at Van Buer Plaza. For a full list of stops and arrival and departure times, go to the city of DeKalb’s website.
Santa will be available for visits in his house in Van Buer Plaza after the Christmas tree lighting. Additional times and dates to visit with Santa include 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Saturday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 18. For the safety of Santa and families, Santa will be behind a glass wall. Visitors are asked to wear a face mask inside Santa’s house.
For information about Christmas events in downtown DeKalb, go to dekalb.org/holidaysindowntown.html.
The holiday season kicks off in Genoa with the Jingle Bell Parade, starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Santa Claus will come to town and there will be a tree lighting ceremony. The event will include photos with Santa, a petting zoo, horse-drawn wagon rides, take-home craft, warming fires, food, vendor booths and a live nativity.
On Saturday, there will be a drive-thru parade around town. The parade will begin in front of Chamberlain Park and end at Genoa-Kingston High School. The parade will be streamed live on the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
Santa will be in his house, located on the corner of Route 72 and N. Monroe Street next to Heartland Bank and Trust Co., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Saturday, Dec. 11, Saturday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 19. There will be a shield and sanitized seat to keep children safe during their visit with Santa. Santa’s house has a mail slot in the door, where letters can be dropped off. First Midwest Bank sponsored Santa’s house and Custom Aluminum helped with sanitation efforts.
For information about Christmas events in Genoa, go to genoaareachamber.com/chamber-event/celebrate-the-season/
SANDWICH
The Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce will present A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
The event will start with a tree-lighting ceremony with Santa Claus at 4:30 p.m. at Veteran’s Park.
For information, go to the Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce’s website.
Santa’s welcome to Sycamore begins with a free showing of the movie “The Polar Express” at the Sycamore Theater at 4 p.m. Thursday. Donations will also be accepted with proceeds benefiting Opportunity House.
The Sycamore Fire Department will escort Santa and Ms. Claus to the Sycamore Theater at 6 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus will parade through downtown Sycamore to the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn, where Santa will light the holiday trees. Santa will then visit with children in his house, located in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Additional times and dates Santa will be available to meet with children in his house include 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following Saturdays and Sundays: Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19.
For information about Santa in Sycamore, go to discoversycamore.com/events-calendar/month/2021-12/.