# Merry & Bright: A Victorian Christmas — Downers Grove Museum > Event for families in the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin area (IL / IN). Times are Central Time. - When: Sat, Dec 12 · 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM - Where: Downers Grove Museum and Wandschneider Park, 831 Maple Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515 - Ages: All Ages - Price: Free - Organizer: Downers Grove Park District - Official page: https://www.dgparks.org/ - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 32 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/merry-and-bright-a-victorian-christmas-downers-grove-museum--listing-9a26d1f212408466c4f7d7ef ## About A free late-afternoon holiday festival at the Downers Grove Museum and Wandschneider Park. Families tour the Victorian Blodgett House dressed for Christmas, learn about Victorian holiday traditions and visit with Santa. Outside, a luminary walk leads through the park past holiday trees decorated by community groups, and visitors can warm up around a campfire while Victorian-era carolers sing. It runs from 3 to 6 p.m., so the luminaries are lit as it gets dark; dress for being outdoors. All ages. ## Similar picks in Chicago - [Merry Museum with Santa](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/merry-museum-with-santa--listing-812165d21352aaafdb65212a) — Fri, Dec 4 (+1 more date) · 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM · DuPage Children's Museum, Naperville · From $15 · checked Oct 11. An evening of holiday making and play with an optional Santa visit. - [Whoville Holiday Bash — Downers Grove](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/whoville-holiday-bash-downers-grove--listing-ac8439b4e55e2e4f492e2cda) — Sat, Dec 5 · 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Lincoln Center, Downers Grove · From $22 · checked Oct 24. An open-house morning in Whoville at the Downers Grove Park District's Lincoln Center. Children play Grinchy games, make festive crafts and Who-themed keepsakes, eat holiday… - [Photos with Santa at the Jane Addams Center — Waukegan](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/photos-with-santa-at-the-jane-addams-center-waukegan--listing-53ec7c64cffc90b203f8f3c6) — Sat, Dec 12 · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Jane Addams Center, Waukegan · Free · checked Oct 20. Families book a 30-minute timeslot to meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Elfie at the Jane Addams Center on Saturday, December 12 between 10 am and noon. Each slot includes hot… - [Santa & S'mores at Commercial Club Park](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/santa-and-s-mores-at-commercial-club-park--listing-db0ed35f58ca5de7c02a4a5f) — Sat, Dec 12 · 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Commercial Club Playground of Chicago · All ages · Free · checked Oct 20. Commercial Club Park in West Town hosts Santa & S'mores on Saturday, December 12, from 2 to 4 pm. The free, all-ages afternoon has music, holiday arts and crafts, hot cocoa and… - [Cocoa, Cookies & Carols at Berger Park](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/cocoa-cookies-and-carols-at-berger-park--listing-ebdafc5b1af4260fbd01412b) — Sat, Dec 12 · 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM · Berger (Albert) Park · All ages · Free · checked Oct 16. Instrumental Theatre Company hosts a free community sing-along at Berger Park in Edgewater on Saturday, December 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Actors and musicians lead the crowd… - [Elf Meetup at Santa's Mailbox in Mallinckrodt Park — Wilmette](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/elf-meetup-at-santa-s-mailbox-in-mallinckrodt-park-wilmette--listing-1de7938408bb0ddbebe8c8a8) — Thu, Dec 10 · 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Mallinckrodt Park — Gazebo, Wilmette · Free · checked Oct 20. Kids can hand-deliver their letters to Santa at the Elf Meetup on Thursday, December 10, from 4 to 5 pm at the gazebo in Wilmette's Mallinckrodt Park, 1041A Ridge Road. One of… ## More for families - [Christmas and holiday events for kids in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/christmas) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/christmas.md) - [This weekend in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/this-weekend.md) - [Things to do with kids in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago.md)