December's near, which means there are loads of holiday sights and sounds to enjoy. Here's a list of local performances and events to help you plan.
Today
• Santa Comes to Town: Cookies, cocoa and caroling at 6 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; Santa arrives at 7 p.m.
Nov. 30
• Community Tree Lighting: 6:30 p.m. at Hinckley Community Building. Girl Scouts will sing Christmas carols until Santa’s arrival on a fire truck.
Dec. 1
• Tree Festival begins: Runs through Dec. 31 at Midwest Museum of Natural History, 425 W. State St. in Sycamore; www.mmnh.org.
• Christmas in Kirkland: 9 to 11 a.m. at Alpine Bank, 306 W. Main St., Kirkland. Santa will arrive at 9 a.m. to visit with children. Horse-drawn wagon rides, music and refreshments.
• Visit with Santa: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb.
• Carriage rides: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DeKalb Public Library, North Third Street in DeKalb.
• “A Christmas Story” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• Holiday open house: 1 to 4 p.m. at Sycamore History Museum, 1730 N. Main St. in Sycamore; www.mmnh.org.
• Christmas Choral Celebration: 6 p.m. at Sycamore United Methodist Church, 160 Johnson Ave. in Sycamore; 815-895-9113.
Dec. 2
• “A Christmas Story” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• The 43nd Annual Country Music Toy Drive: 1:30 to 5 p.m. at The House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb; www.thehousecafe.net.
• Northern Illinois University School of Music Holiday Concert: 3 p.m. in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the NIU Music Building, 300 Lucinda Ave. in DeKalb; 815-753-1551.
• Bread & Roses holiday concert: 3 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 N. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. www.breadandroseschorus.org.
• Christmas Choral Celebration: 6 p.m. at Sycamore United Methodist Church, 160 Johnson Ave. in Sycamore; 815-895-9113.
Dec. 6
• Stage Coach Players’ “A Christmas Carol”: 7:30 p.m. at Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb; www.stagecoachers.com.
Dec. 7
• Celebrate the Season: 5 to 8 p.m. in downtown Genoa. Santa will arrive in the Jingle Bell Parade and light the community tree before visiting with children at his house.
• Santa House: 5 to 7 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• Walk with Santa and Courthouse Tree lighting: Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. at Midwest Museum of Natural History, walk continues to the DeKalb County Courthouse, corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore, for tree lighting at 6 p.m.
• Northern Illinois University’s Altgeld Holiday Family Celebration: 6 to 8 p.m. at Altgeld Hall, College and Castle drives in DeKalb; 815-753-1999.
• Sycamore High School Madrigals dinner: 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Memorial Hall, 322 Waterman St. in Sycamore; 815-317-6237.
• NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s “Under the Mistletoe”: 7 p.m. at O’Connell Theater, Stevens Building, NIU, DeKalb. 815-753-1600.
• Indian Valley Theatre’s “Best Christmas Pageant Ever”: 7 p.m. at Sandwich Opera House, 140 E. Railroad St., Sandwich. www.indianvalleytheatre.com.
• Beth Fowler Dance Company’s “The Nutcracker”: 7 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
• Celebration Chorale Christmas Cantata: 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 321 Oak St. in DeKalb; 815-756-6301.
• Holiday Open House: 7 to 9 p.m. at the Ellwood House Museum, 509 N. First St. in DeKalb; www.ellwoodhouse.org.
• Stage Coach Players’ “A Christmas Carol”: 7:30 p.m. at Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb; www.stagecoachers.com.
Dec. 8
• Breakfast with Santa: 8 to 11 a.m., Cortland Community Park, 70 S. Llanos St., Cortland
• Breakfast with Santa: 9 to 11 a.m. at the DeKalb Park District’s Hopkins Park Community Center, 1403 Sycamore Road in DeKalb. 815-756-8560.
• Visit with Santa: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb.
• Carriage rides: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DeKalb Public Library, North Third Street in DeKalb.
• Santa House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• “Prancer” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• 18th annual Christmas Tree Walk and Open House: 1 to 4:30 p.m. at Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center, 2944 Greenwood Acres Drive, DeKalb. 815-756-8461.
• Holiday Open House: 1 to 5 p.m. at the Ellwood House Museum, 509 N. First St. in DeKalb; www.ellwoodhouse.org.
• Celebration Chorale Christmas Cantata: 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 321 Oak St. in DeKalb; 815-756-6301.
• Beth Fowler Dance Company’s “The Nutcracker”: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
• NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s “Under the Mistletoe”: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at O’Connell Theater, Stevens Building, NIU, DeKalb. 815-753-1600.
• Stage Coach Players’ “A Christmas Carol”: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb; www.stagecoachers.com.
• Sycamore High School Madrigals dinner: 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Memorial Hall, 322 Waterman St. in Sycamore; 815-317-6237.
• Indian Valley Theatre’s “Best Christmas Pageant Ever”: 7 p.m. at Sandwich Opera House, 140 E. Railroad St., Sandwich. www.indianvalleytheatre.com.
• Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops Concert “Winter Wonderland”: 7 p.m. at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; www.kishorchestra.org.
Dec. 9
• “Prancer” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• Santa House: Noon to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• Holiday Open House: 1 to 5 p.m. at the Ellwood House Museum, 509 N. First St. in DeKalb; www.ellwoodhouse.org.
• Stage Coach Players’ “A Christmas Carol”: 2 p.m. at Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb; www.stagecoachers.com.
• NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s “Under the Mistletoe”: 2 p.m. at O’Connell Theater, Stevens Building, NIU, DeKalb. 815-753-1600.
• Indian Valley Theatre’s “Best Christmas Pageant Ever”: 2 p.m. at Sandwich Opera House, 140 E. Railroad St., Sandwich. www.indianvalleytheatre.com.
• Beth Fowler Dance Company’s “The Nutcracker”: 2 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
• Greater Kishwaukee Area Concert Band holiday concert: 3 p.m. at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. www.kishconcertband.org.
• Hanukkah Celebration: 5 p.m. at Congregation Beth Shalom, 820 Russell Road, DeKalb; www.bethshalomdekalb.org.
• Carols and Candles: 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 615 N. First St., DeKalb; 815-758-0691.
Dec. 12
• CSA Children’s Choir: 7 p.m. at Recital Hall, Music Building, Northern Illinois University,, 300 Lucinda Ave., DeKalb.
Dec. 13
• A Visit From Santa: 7 p.m. at Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St., Sycamore.
Dec. 14
• Cookies with Santa: 3:30 to 7 p.m. at the Sycamore Park District clubhouse on the golf course off East State Street in Sycamore; www.sycamoreparkdistrict.com.
• Santa House: 5 to 7 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• Christmas Show and Dinner with Elvis: 6 p.m. to midnight at Sycamore Moose Lodge 1506, 317 W. State St., Sycamore; 815-895-7567.
• U.S. Airforce Concert Band Christmas Show: 7 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
Dec. 15
• Cookies with Santa: 9 a.m. to noon at the Sycamore Park District clubhouse on the golf course off East State Street in Sycamore; www.sycamoreparkdistrict.com.
• Visit with Santa: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb.
• Carriage rides: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DeKalb Public Library, North Third Street in DeKalb.
• Santa House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• “Miracle on 34th Street” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• Sycamore/Rochelle Performing Arts Academy’s “A Classic Christmas”: Noon at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
• “It’s a Wonderful Life” movie: 4:30 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb; www.egyptiantheatre.org.
• DeKalb High School Madrigals dinner: 6 p.m. at Altgeld Hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; 815-754-2120.
Dec. 16
• “Miracle on 34th Street” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• Santa House: Noon to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• DeKalb Festival Chorus holiday concert: 3 p.m. at Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John, 26555 Brickville Road, Sycamore. www.dekalbfestivalchorus.org.
Dec. 20
• DeKalb County’s Largest Holiday Office Party: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Fatty’s Pub and Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb; www.fattyspub.com.
Dec. 21
• Santa House: 5 to 7 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• DeKalb High School Madrigals dinner: 6 p.m. at DeKalb High School, 501 W. Dresser Road in DeKalb; 815-754-2120.
Dec. 22
• Visit with Santa: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb.
• Carriage rides: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DeKalb Public Library, North Third Street in DeKalb.
• Santa House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• DeKalb High School Madrigals dinner: 6 p.m. at DeKalb High School, 501 W. Dresser Road in DeKalb; 815-754-2120.
Dec. 23
• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” movie: 11 a.m. at Sycamore State Street Theatre, 420 W. State St., Sycamore; www.sycamorestatetheater.com.
• Santa House: Noon to 2 p.m. on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse, at the corner of State and Main streets in Sycamore.
