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Five Things To Do in the Northern Suburbs: Dec. 12–14, 2025
Winter weather has arrived! Layer up, follow the holiday lights, and catch a few can't-miss events this weekend.
Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Hot Cocoa Stroll.
Get dressed for an evening built around outdoor sets, live music, and plenty of themed stops. Visitors can rotate between Santa's open-air photo station, meet live reindeer, and loop around the pop-up skating rink before heading to the cocoa tents for a warm-up. Kids can have fun too, at craft tables and photo ops scattered throughout the plaza.
Date: Dec. 13
Time: 4–7 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Hawthorn Row, Vernon Hills
More Info: visithawthorn.com
Have a Dickens of a Holiday.
Downtown Libertyville leans into Victorian nostalgia for a full-day lineup anchored by Santa photos, a children's gift shop, and the long-running Victorian Tea. Start at Cook Park for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus before heading to the Civic Center, where shoppers can pick out presents with help from event volunteers. Top it off by bringing non-perishable foods to donate at various points around town to gather food donations for the Libertyville Township Pantry.
Date: Dec. 13
Time: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Various Locations, Libertyville
More Info: mainstreetlibertyville.org
Get a taste of the Holiday Cookie Walk.
With more than 20 merchants handing out individually wrapped cookies to ticket holders, Downtown Skokie's Holiday Cookie Walk turns local storefronts into a dessert route. Check in for a map and collection box before setting out at your own pace, and stop by bakeries, cafés, and small retailers along the way. The event doubles as a neighborhood open house, giving visitors time to browse shops and talk with local owners between stops. Proceeds benefit the Skokie Community Foundation and the Downtown Skokie Merchants Collaborative.
Date: Dec. 13
Time: 1–4 p.m.
Cost: $36.35
Location: 5111 Brown St., Skokie
More Info: downtownskokie.com
Dress the part at the Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.
Valley Lodge Tavern's Ugly Christmas Sweater Party returns — and this year it comes with a soundtrack. Frank Blackman leads a lively piano-bar sing-along packed with holiday hits, crowd requests, and plenty of laughs. Throw on your loudest sweater, grab a drink, and settle in for a night of music, prizes, and pure holiday fun.
Date: Dec. 13
Time: 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Valley Lodge Tavern, 1141 Central Ave., Wilmette
More Info: valleylodgetavern.com
Go vintage at the Grayslake Antiques & Flea Market.
The monthly Grayslake Antiques & Flea Market brings collectors, resellers, and casual browsers to the Lake County Fairgrounds for its final show of the year. Dozens of vendors will fill the indoor space with furniture, midcentury pieces, vintage décor, and the occasional oddball find.
Date: Dec. 13–14
Time: Sat 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sun 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Cost: $8
Location: Lake County Fairgrounds & Event Center, 1060 E. Peterson Rd., Grayslake
More Info: lcfairgrounds.com
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