Willow City Farm

Family Fun

Santa in the Old State Capitol

• Saturdays from 2-5 pm

• Wednesdays from 5-8 pm

• Give your list to Santa while Mrs. Claus hands out candy canes

• While you wait, facepainting by Our Vibrant Community & children’s crafts

Santa Mailbox

• Located at the corner of 5th and Adams

• We’ll make sure your letters are delivered to Santa on time

• Thanks to the Springfield Art Association for creating the mailbox in 2016

Horse-Drawn Carriage by Red Gate Farm

• Saturdays from 1 -4 pm EXCEPT no carriage on December 2 and Noon-3 pm on December 16

• Wednesdays 5-8 pm

• Free rides, first come first served

• Pick up on Sixth Street – Specific Location TBA

• About a 10 minute ride

• Route goes north on 6th, turn on Washington, south on 5th, turn on Monroe

SYPG Elves on the Plaza

• Saturdays starting Dec. 2 from 2 – 5 pm

• Wednesdays 5-7 pm

• Say hello and watch the antics of the Springfield Youth Performance Group

Find Elf on the Shelf

• All days

• Participating downtown locations have hidden the tattle-tale elf. Where is he and what could he be up to? You’ll have to visit to find out!

• Locations include Arlington’s, Augie’s Front Burner, Cafe Moxo, Cold Stone Creamery, Daisy Jane’s, Milk & Honey Fresh Market, Murphy’s Loft, Recycled Records, Springfield Vintage, Springfield YMCA, Studio on 6th, The Roost, urban sassafras, and Wild Rose.

Chestnuts Roasting

• Dates and Times TBA

• Allow the warm and toasty smell of fresh roasted chestnuts to lead you to Old Capitol Farmers Market vendor Suttill’s Gardens, roasting chestnuts on the Old State Capitol Plaza. For a small fee, you can enjoy some–either as a tasty treat or as an old-fashioned hand warmer!

Musical Performances

• Wednesday, November 29 at 6:30 pm – Lanphier High School Choir in the Old State Capitol

• Saturday, December 2 at 1 pm – Blackwater Strings in the Old State Capitol

• Saturday, December 2 at 4 pm – Springfield Dance Theatre performs on the Old State Capitol Plaza

• Wednesday, December 6 at 6 pm – UIS String Quartet & UIS Chorus in the Old State Capitol

• Saturday, December 9 at 1 pm – Seraphim in the Old State Capitol

• Wednesday, December 13 at 6 pm – Rochester High School Choir

• Saturday, December 16 at 1 pm – Uketopians in the Old State Capitol

• Saturday, December 16 at 2 pm – Springfield Showstoppers in the Old State Capitol

• Saturday, December 16 at 4 pm – Sacred Heart Griffin Band on the Old State Capitol Plaza

• Wednesday, December 20 at 6 pm – Uketopians inside the Old State Capitol

• Wednesday, December 20 at 7 pm – Sound Celebration Chorus in the Old State Capitol

Presidential Museum Exhibit “Holidays at the White House”

• Saturdays from 9 am – 5 pm

Historic Sites’ Special Holiday Events

• Wednesday, November 29, 3 to 8 pm – Dana Thomas House Evening Tours & Treats (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 2 from 11 am to 3 pm – Illinois State Museum Super Saturday (Holiday Bus Route stop starting at noon)

• Saturday, December 2 from Noon to 4 – Elijah Iles House Decorating (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Wednesday, December 6 from 5 – 8 pm – Elijah Iles House Candlelight Open House (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Wednesday, December 6 from 3 to 8 pm – Dana Thomas House Evening Tours & Treats (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 9 at 6 pm – 1850’s Carols at First Presbyterian Church

• Saturday, December 9 from 1 to 4 pm – Lincoln Home National Historic Site’s Historic Christmas with holiday tours, historic crafts, and a chance to meet the Lincolns. (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 9 from 1 to 4 pm – African American History Museum’s Holiday & Historic Crafts for All Ages (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 9 from 4 to 8:30 pm – Illinois State Military Museum Holiday Event

• Wednesday, December 13 at 6 pm and 7:30 pm – Edwards Place Candlelight Tours (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Wednesday, December 13 from 3 to 8 pm – Dana Thomas House Evening Tours & Treats (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Wednesday, December 13 from 5-8 pm – Elijah Iles House Candlelight Open House (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 16 at 2 pm – Edwards Place Holiday Tea (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Saturday, December 16 – Elijah Iles House Childrens Activities (Holiday Bus Route stop)

• Wednesday, December 20 from 3 to 8 pm – Dana Thomas House Evening Tours & Treats (Holiday Bus Route stop)

President Lincoln & Mary Todd

• Saturdays, Noon – 6 pm

• You’ll find the President and his wife, who always liked beautiful things, walking around the downtown shops and historic sites. Grab a Presidential Selfie when you can!

Free Bus Transportation

• Saturdays, Noon – 6 pm

• Wednesdays, 5- 8 pm

• Catch a free ride on a special Holiday Route bus, which takes you from downtown and back to several historic sites decorated for the holiday season and with special holiday activities.

• Check out the map (coming soon) for the stops. The bus will circulate at all stops every 20 minutes (EXCEPT Dec. 2 and Dec. 9 due to longer routes those specific days).

Lighted Bus Selfie Station

• SMTD staff have decorated one of the buses again this year, and it’s so bright you’ll want to wear shades!

• Find it and grab a memorable picture with your family and friends!

• Don’t forget the hashtag #merryandmischief !

Hoogland Center for the Arts

• Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 pm – Watch the movie “Elf” starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf

• Wednesday, Dec. 6 – Christmas with The Alley Cats

• December 8-10 and 15-17 – A Charlie Brown Christmas Live! on Stage

• December 15-17 – The Dual Piano Christmas Show

 

ride - Parking & Free Holiday Walks Bus Route

Parking Your Car

Parking on the street is free during all of the Holiday Walks.

The Underground Garage, under the Old State Capitol Historic Site, will be open late for all of the Wednesday Holiday Walks (until 8 pm) and will be open on Saturdays until 6 pm. Entrance is on 6th Street after you pass Adams.

The parking lot at the southeast corner of 4th and Washington is free after 3 pm on weekdays and all day on Saturday.

Holiday Walks Bus Route

SMTD and Downtown Springfield Inc. have teamed up to bring you a specially designated Holiday Walks bus route that is FREE! It swings you around downtown and to participating historic sites in a full loop that takes only 20 minutes*, with multiple stops. So get on the Holiday Walks bus and enjoy more of the community–from shops to historic sites lit by candlelight. Map coming soon.

*Special extended routes to historic sites on Dec. 2 and Dec. 9 will extend the times on those days.

Horse-Drawn Carriage

Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Carriage Rides are free again this year! Rides are first come first served on Wednesdays from 5-8 pm and on Saturdays from 1-4 pm EXCEPT no carriage on December 2 and rides are from noon-3 pm on December 16
. Pick up location is on Sixth Street and the route is about 10 minutes on the roads around the Old State Capitol, so you can admire the lights, the windows and the historic setting.