Here comes Santa: Everything you need to know about Santa coming to town

DeKALB COUNTY – Santa Claus, the larger than life gift giver and spreader of holiday cheer, is coming to several DeKalb County communities this week to help children and their families prepare for the holiday season.

This week DeKalb County municipalities, including Genoa, Sycamore and DeKalb, will welcome Santa to town with a trio of free-to-attend events.

Here’s when, where and how you can see Santa come to town this week.

Lights on Lincoln and Santa Comes to Town: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, downtown DeKalb.

Bring the whole family to the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s annual downtown DeKalb holiday parade and Christmas tree lighting. Holiday lights will line the streets as Santa Claus rides into town. A Christmas tree lighting with hot chocolate at Van Buer Plaza will take place after Santa stops at the Egyptian Theatre. Santa also will be available for visits at his house in Van Buer Plaza after the tree lighting. For more information, visit www.members.dekalb.org.

The 22nd annual Jingle Bell Walking Parade: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday Dec. 1, downtown Genoa.

The yearly downtown takeover event orchestrated by the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce is expected to draw a large family friendly crowd to welcome Santa to town. The holiday hangout will feature a Jingle Bell walking parade through downtown Genoa. However, a variety of other entertainment options will be activated for event-goers, including a petting zoo, food and vender booths, horse drawn wagon rides, take home crafts and a live nativity scene. Face painting and charity booths, photos in Santa’s sleigh, a station for writing letters to Santa and fires to keep warm also will be available to the public. The Genoa-Kingston Jazz Band will perform music at the free-to-attend event. For more information, visit https://genoaareachamber.com/chamber-event/celebrate-the-season/.

Walk with Santa: 4:50 to 7:00 p.m. Friday Dec. 1, downtown Sycamore.

Families are encouraged to meet at Sycamore State Theatre just before 5 p.m. on Friday for a double holiday feature (the 1966 version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas”) before the annual Sycamore tradition of parading Santa and Mrs. Claus down State Street officially begins at 6 p.m. At that time, the Sycamore Fire Department will escort the Clauses to Sycamore State Theater and then the local children will lead them to the courthouse lawn. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will light holiday trees outside of the courthouse and then make their way to their home away from the North Pole, a house made for them in downtown Sycamore where children will be able to present them their Christmas wishes. For more information, visit https://discoversycamore.com/events/walk-with-santa/.