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THE WINTRUST MAGNIFICENT MILE LIGHTS FESTIVAL®

November 23, 2024

lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere
Sugar Hill Gang Dunkin Float (1) lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere
Enjoy Illinois Float Big Lincoln (1) lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere
Goofy & Pluto (1) lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere
WaPo_MKE_018 lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere
Mirabel Close Up (1) lights festival on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, illuminating Michigan Avenue with dazzling displays, festive decorations, and crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere

America's Holiday Season Begins Here

Your holiday cheer starts here! The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® is Saturday, November 23rd!
Come feel the magic of this dazzling holiday parade, brought to you by Wintrust, and presented by Enjoy Illinois, Chicagoland Kia Dealers and Dunkin'.
For thirty-three years, The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® has been an exciting and joy-filled holiday celebration. The centerpiece is the largest nighttime parade in the United States. Led by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse of Walt Disney World® Resort, the spectacular 2024 parade down North Michigan Avenue will feature fabulous floats with beloved characters Buzz Lightyear and Woody, Anna and Elsa, Tiana and Belle, marching bands from across the country, musical celebrities, Santa Claus, The Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular, and one million lights illuminating The Magnificent Mile's 200+ trees.
This year, The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival will introduce several exciting new features, made possible by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Enjoy Illinois. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World® Resort will illuminate select blocks near the Chicago River with brilliant lighting, while the parade will debut its first-ever Muppet balloons, including a 60-foot-tall Santa Kermit The Frog and his pal, 50-foot-tall Animal. The reimagined Walt Disney World® Resort float will showcase Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse with a refreshed holiday look and more interactive stops along Wacker Drive. Santa Claus will soar over an enchanted holiday forest aboard the Wintrust grand finale float, adding to the magic of the event.
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The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® Countdown:

November 23, 2024

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The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® is proudly sponsored by:

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Experience the magic

SWEEPSTAKES

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Snap a photo of yourself at the festival

WIN a trip for four to Walt Disney World® Resort! Help us kick-off the holiday season at The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and you could win a 5-day getaway for four at Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando. To enter, attend The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival on Saturday, November 23, snap a photo at the festival, and follow the below steps.
1) Post your photo from the festival on your Instagram feed by Monday, November 25 (ensure your account is public so we can verify your entry eligibility).
2) Tag @themagmile + include #wintrustlightsfest in your Instagram post caption.
3) Make sure you’re following our Instagram: @themagmile
Sweepstakes entries close at 5PM CDT on Monday, November 25. Sweepstakes not affiliated with Meta or Instagram/Facebook. Good luck!

View the schedule here

Lights Festival Lane 11am - 4pm

From 11:00am to 4:00pm, families can enjoy a day full of festive fun at Lights Festival Lane in Pioneer Court. Highlights include free activities like Wintrust Photos with Santa, cheesecake decorating with Eli’s Cheesecake, and free coffee samples and MUNCHKINS® Donut Hole Treats from Dunkin’. Additional attractions feature the opportunity to view Kia’s all new Carnival Hybrid and receive a Lights Festival gift courtesy of Chicagoland Kia Dealers, CN Railway Rail Safety Prize Wheel, NASCAR Chicago Street Course’s Racing Simulator and swag, Lifeway Kefir samples, and global and local DJ’s on center stage sponsored by Choose Chicago as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of house music. Visitors can also explore holiday offerings from Illinois Lottery and Wild Fork, along with plenty of surprises and photo opportunities courtesy of Record-a-Hit.

This year’s festival promises to elevate the holiday spirit with star-studded performances along the parade route:
  • Iconic disco group and the Former Ladies of Chic will perform their hits “Le Freak” and “Good Times” 
  • American soul-influenced funk band Cameo will perform "Word Up!" and "Candy"
  • The Wintrust Express will feature 90s Miami bass duo Quad City DJ's performing their major hits “C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)” and “Space Jam” along with the Wintrust Mascot Party, featuring our favorite mascots from various professional Chicago and Milwaukee sports teams and Illinois’ own 2024 Olympic Gold Medalists Shemier Little (track and field) and Alexa Knierim (figure skating)
  • Enjoy Illinois’ float will feature Chicago Blackhawks Official Game DJ Lee Michaels along with The Pack Drumline, from America’s Got Talent, and the Enjoy Illinois mascot, Big Lincoln
  • The Sharpe Family Singers will bring “The Greatest Show,” celebrating the spirit of the season aboard the Dunkin’ float
  • Choose Chicago will highlight the 40th anniversary of House Music with a performance from DJ Chip E.
Lights Festival Lane Ballet (1)

Parade 5:30pm

Grand Marshals Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World® Resort step off from Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, illuminating more than one million lights on 200 trees block by block as they lead the parade south along The Magnificent Mile.

The 2024 talent lineup includes:

  • Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World® Resort will lead the parade, illuminating N. Michigan Ave. from a reimagined holiday float.
  • Iconic Disney characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Anna, Elsa, Tiana, and Belle, will make special appearances on themed floats.
  • The debut of Muppet balloons, including 60-foot tall Santa Kermit The Frog and his pal Animal.
  • Dunkin’ celebrates the spirit of the season in style with a float featuring a rotating duo of coffee cups and a charming gingerbread house-themed MUNCHKINS® Donut Hole Treats box – and special musical guests, The Sharpe Family Singers.
  • Everyone’s favorite reindeer balloon, Rudolph, carried by athletes and families of Special Olympics Illinois. Just like Rudolph, who showed that being different can make all the difference, Special Olympics Illinois celebrates the unique abilities of everyone in its community.
  • The event will culminate with Santa Claus arriving on Wintrust’s Grand Finale float, followed by the Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular over the Chicago River.  Santa will be escorted by the all new 2025 Kia Carnival HEV and K4 vehicles.
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The Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular 7:00 pm

The event concludes with The Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular at approximately 7pm, which will be enhanced by the festival’s brilliant new lighting spectacle along the parade route near the Chicago River made possible by the grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Enjoy Illinois, thrilling parade-goers lining Wacker Drive with one million NEW lights added to enhance the magic of the grand finale.



The Wrigley Building Fireworks

Broadcast Across the Nation

The parade will air on ABC 7 Chicago on Sunday, November 24th, from 6-7pm, with on-demand access throughout the holidays at abc7chicago.com, and will also be syndicated in over 200 markets across the U.S. and Canada, hosted by Cheryl Burton, Ryan Chiaverini, Judy Hsu, and Hosea Sanders.  Don’t miss additional local airings on December 1st, December 8th, and December 15th.

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Snap a photo of yourself at the festival

WIN a trip for four to Walt Disney World® Resort! Help us kick-off the holiday season at The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and you could win a 5-day getaway for four at Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando. To enter, attend The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival on Saturday, November 23, snap a photo at the festival, and follow the below steps.
1) Post your photo from the festival on your Instagram feed by Monday, November 25 (ensure your account is public so we can verify your entry eligibility).
2) Tag @themagmile + include #wintrustlightsfest in your Instagram post caption.
3) Make sure you’re following our Instagram: @themagmile
Sweepstakes entries close at 5PM CDT on Monday, November 25. Sweepstakes not affiliated with Meta or Instagram/Facebook. 
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Prepare for The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival®!

With street closures beginning as early as 3 p.m., and others later, it’s best to check the full schedule for smooth travel. See the complete list of closures and event times.

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