Activities & Special Events
Crete Country Christmas™ is packed with special events and activities all weekend long!
Thursday, December 5th
CRETE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS™ SPECIAL EVENTS
Waiting for Santa PJ Party
Thursday, December 5th @ 6-8PM
Waiting for Santa PJ Party is a free, family-friendly dance party featuring DJ Smackdown, a photo backdrop with props, a popcorn bar, and more!
Thursday, December 5th @ 6-8PM
Location: Christmas Lodge (heated tent between Main and Wood)
Food Sponsored by Sunrise Senior Living
Friday, December 6th
CRETE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS™ SPECIAL EVENTS
Visits with Santa
Friday, December 6th @ 5-7PM
Visit with Santa by the gazebo!
Friday, 5-7 PM.
Saturday, 1-4 PM
Hayrides
Friday, December 6th @ 6-9PM
Pick-up & Drop-off on the corner of Cass & Wood
Gaines Farm will once again provide hayrides throughout the neighborhood. Loading and unloading on the corner of Cass & Wood streets.
Friday: 6-9 PM
Saturday: 1-3 PM
Cocoa & Cookie Crawl: Friday, December 6th @ 5-7 PM
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Participants will be able to stroll around beautiful downtown Crete to participating businesses to enjoy a warm cup of cocoa and/or cookies in your limited edition 2024 Crete Country Christmas™ mug! Each business will offer something different!
Friday, December 6th, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Pre-registration is required for this event. Check-in is at Crete Park on Main, 4:45 - 5:45 PM
Participating Businesses:
- Chuck's Place
- The Finishing Touch Florist
- Main St. Optical
- Ice Cream Shoppe
- Edward Jones
- Milestones Counseling Center
Mugs are sold out online!
We will have a small amount available for purchase at Crete Park during check-in on December 6th. These will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. Cash only.
Saturday, December 7th
Community Activities
Community Activities are hosted by various Crete businesses and organizations. Please visit the links provided for more information from the activity hosts.
Crete Woman's Club Bake Sale
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Township Hall (1367 Wood St.)
Annual homemade cookie sale with packaged homemade holiday treats, treats, including dog treats, candy, cookies, decorated boxes and trays.
More information...
Trinity Boutique
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Trinity Lutheran Church (1393 Elizabeth Street)
Woman's boutique with gently used and new items for sale.
More information...
Art Market & Craft Fair
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Crete United Methodist Church (1321 Main Street)
Art Market & Craft Fair.
More information...
Make a Christmas Ornament
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Edge Coffeehouse & Roasting Co. (1366 Main Street)
Children under 12 can make a Christmas ornament. More information...
'Gnome for the Holidays' Gift Bag Hunt
Begins at 9:30 AM
20 Ornaments will be hidden in Crete during Crete Country Christmas! Are you clever enough to find one?
Search around town to find an ornament and bring it to Crete Creative Gallery (Crete Public Library - 2nd Floor) to claim a gift bag filled with donated items from merchants and organizations. More information...
Nature Crafts for Children
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Masonic Lodge (1419 Main St.)
Crete Rural Park District's Nature Crafts for Children.
Snacks, Games, Raffles, and 2 Decorated Warehouses
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Reid & Pederson Drainage (1762 S Dixie Hwy)
Snacks, games, raffles, and 2 decorated warehouses
More information...
Haircuts by the Grinch or Nails by Elsa
10:00 AM- 2:00 PM
Salon 22 (1334 Main Street)
$10.00 Haircuts by the Grinch or nails by Elsa. You must make an appointment. Photo op included.
We'll also have phone calls to the North Pole and Letters to Santa.
"Grinch Milk", Cookies, & Brownies
10:00 AM-3:00 PM
The Ice Cream Shoppe (1390 Main Street)
Serving "Grinch Milk" with cookies & brownies. Free gift for all children. Sign up to win free monthly ice cream (children only). More information...
Coloring & Prize Wheel
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
BMO Bank (1380 Main Street)
Coloring books & crayons at the coloring table. Spin the Prize Wheel!
More information...
Indoor Snowball Fight
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Crete Park on Main (1374 Main Street)
Let's have a snowball fight, indoors! This is not a drop-off program; parents/guardians must stay with their child. More information..
Crafts for Kids
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Milestones Counseling Center LLC (534 1st Street, Suite A)
Make your own marshmallow bar & crafts for kids.
More information...
Decorate Your Own Bank
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Old Plank Trail Bank (700 W Exchange St)
Decorate your own wooden bank!
More information...
Decorate an Ornament
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Independence Physical Therapy (1397 Main Street)
Come paint an ornament!
More information...
Guessing Game
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Vintage Treasures (507 W Exchange Street)
Stop in and guess the number of M&Ms in a jar - winner receives a gift basket. Free gifts to all children. More information..
Make Your Own Ornament & Hot Cocoa
11:00 AM-1:00 PM
The Finishing Touch Florist (563 W Exchange Street)
Kids will have a blast making their own Christmas wreath ornaments to hang on the family tree. While they're busy crafting, Mom & Dad can cozy up in our delightful Cocoa Corner. You'll get to whip up your hot cocoa masterpiece that will keep you toasty warm from head to toe!
More information...
Family Identification Program
11:00 AM- 2:30 PM
Crete Masonic Lodge 763 (1419 Main Street)
Family identification program for children, adults, and seniors with fingerprinting, photos, video, height & weight. More information...
Cookies & Kiddie Cocktails
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Chuck's Tavern (1358 Main Street)
Kiddie Cocktails & Cookies. More information...
Kids Make Your Own Cheese Pizza
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Crete Aurelio's (1372 Main Street)
Kids, 12 & under, can make their own free cheese pizza with each adult food purchase of $15 or more. More information...
Sucker Pull
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Crete Country Store (1390 Main Street)
Sucker Pull - A red dot on the bottom of a sucker entitles you to a prize. No dot keeps the sucker.
More information...
Make Your Own Reindeer Food
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Polaris Martial Arts (1336 Main Street)
Make your own Reindeer Food for kids (4-12 years old). Organic, animal and environmentally friendly project for kids to attract Santa and his reindeer to their home on Christmas Eve!
More information...
Country Christmas Museum Holiday Social
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Crete Area Historical Society (550 W Exchange St)
Christmas at the Museum: Old-fashioned Christmas Tree of Hope with Angels on Assignment, activities for kids, cookies & hot chocolate, s'mores by the fire pit. More information...
Live Nativity
NOON - 2:30 PM
Corner of Cass St. & Wood St.
Enjoy a Live Nativity, Sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church, at the corner of Cass St. and Wood St. More information...
Festive Holiday Crafts
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Crete Public Library (1177 N Main Street)
Festive, fun holiday crafts and a Polar Express themed experience in Youth Services.
More information...
Enduring Strings Performance
2:00 PM
Crete Public Library (1177 N Main Street)
Join us for the Enduring Strings performance by the fireplace at 2:00 p.m. More information...
Christmas Mules & Other Drink Specials
2:00 PM-6:00 PM
Vintage Oak (1392 Main Street)
Come in between 2 and 6 p.m. and enjoy a Christmas mule and other drink specials (adults only). Register to win prizes. More information...
Warming Station
5:00 PM- 30 minutes after the parade
Crete Masonic Lodge 763 (1419 Main Street)
Warming Station! Come to the Lodge to warm up. Open from 5:00 p.m. until 30 minutes after the parade ends. More information...
Saturday, December 7th
CRETE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS™ SPECIAL EVENTS
Grinch 5K Run
Saturday, December 7th
Get ready! The Annual Crete Country Christmas 5K will be run on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Register by November 29, 2024 to get the discounted rate!
Check-in Begins: 7:00 AM
Pre-Race Warm Up & Stretch led by Fitness Premier Crete
Race Start: 8:00 AM
Race End: 9:30 AM
Start and Finish will be Division and Wood Street.
Registration
Gather your Christmas spirit and chase down the Grinch in our Crete Country Christmas™ Grinch 5K. Runners, Walkers, and Strollers are all welcome to dress for the occasion in Grinch Green and come out for fun. The race will benefit the Crete Food Pantry. We ask all participants to bring a nonperishable food item to donate on the morning of the race.
Included in your 5K registration:
- 5K Shirt
- Fruit, water, granola provided in runners tent
- Satisfaction of completing a 5K in December
Registration will be accepted until 7:45 AM on the morning of the race. We encourage participants to register early to ensure that they receive all the goodies included in registration.
Breakfast with the Grinch
Saturday, December 7th
Pre-registration Required
Join all the other Who's in Whoville for this breakfast with the Grinch. Make sure to bring your camera to snap some pictures of the green man of the hour. Each person eating the breakfast must be registered. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Location is the Crete Country Christmas Tent on Cass and Main Streets.
Multiple seating times from 9 AM - 10:30 AM are available for Saturday. In order to register, participants MUST create an account through Crete Park District with their online system.
Food sponsored by Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce
Kris Kringle Market
Saturday, December 7th @ 9 AM - 3 PM
Location: Crete Church (24755 S. Country Lane, Crete)
The Kris Kringle Market is a favorite of Country Christmas visitors and features many local vendors. The Market is a great place to pick up unique gifts for yourself and those on your Christmas list!
Interested in being a vendor at our Kris Kringle Market?
Branded products (Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc.) will be limited to the first paid applicant.
Please download, print, complete the application, and return it with your payment by November 22, 2024.
Reindog Contest @ Evil Horse
Saturday, December 7th @ 12 - 1 PM
Dress up your dogs, dress up yourselves, dress up your family and join in the fun. Special prizes are given to the top 5 reindog winners, and every pooch receives a special treat.
Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. at Evil Horse Brewery (1338 Main St, Crete, IL 60417)
Judging begins at Noon.
Pet Blessings will immediately follow the contest.
Questions? Contact debbie@cretechurch.com
Special thanks to our Reindog sponsors: Evil Horse Brewing Co., The Edge Coffee House, Countyline Pet Hospital, VCA Forest South Animal Hospital, and Most Feed
Hayrides
Saturday, December 7th @ 1-3PM
Pick-up & Drop-off on the corner of Cass & Wood
Gaines Farm will once again provide hayrides throughout the neighborhood. Loading and unloading on the corner of Cass & Wood streets.
Friday: 6-9PM
Saturday: 1-3PM
Visits with Santa
Saturday, December 7th @ 1-4PM
Visit with Santa by the gazebo!
Friday, 5-7 PM.
Saturday, 1-4 PM
Parade of Lights
Saturday, December 7th @ 6PM
Don't miss this great family fun event! The Parade Grand Marshall will lead the parade North down Main Street from Burville to First Street. A holiday tradition to entertain the whole family!
Interested in entering the parade?
The registration deadline is November 25. Visit Parade of Lights Registration for more information.
Light Up Wands will be for sale in the tent, all weekend. Get yours for the Parade of Lights!
Sunday, December 8th
CRETE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS™ Lodge (heated tent between Cass & Wood)
Bloody Mary BINGO
Sunday, December 8th @ 10 AM - 2PM
Come and try your luck while having a great time! Games will be played in the Christmas Lodge from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Crete Lions Club will also be serving up Bloody Mary drinks!
December 9th & 10th
Crete Santa Sleigh Parade
Monday, December 9 & Tuesday, December 10
Santa will be parading around Crete in his sleigh collecting non-perishable food pantry donations or monetary donations (please make checks payable to Crete Food Pantry) and new, unwrapped toys for Angels on Assignment. Please leave donations on the curb for collection.
Santa's Sleigh Parade Routes
Routes begin at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, December 9, Zone 1 (In-Town Crete): Zone 1 Parade Route
Tuesday, December 10, Zone 2 (Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire East Areas): Zone 2 Parade Route
Is Santa not going down your street?
Please go to the nearest intersection or highlighted street.
Follow Santa's Sleigh!
Follow Santa's Sleigh as he rides through Crete with real-time LIVE updates on his location. Is your stop next? Find out with our LIVE GPS Santa Tracker!
Special Events
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Light Up Crete for the Holidays!
ALL HOMES WITH A CRETE ADDRESS ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER
Lights must be on from 6:00 - 9:00 PM for the month of December.
Make it whimsical, make it classic, use the highest wattage, or create the most animated display -- your imagination is limitless! Every decorated entry is eligible to win a raffle prize!
Enter by December 8th. Winners will be announced by December 30th.
TO ENTER
Stop by Crete Country Store at 1390 Main St. and fill out the form with your name, address, & phone number. Pick up your festive YARD SIGN to display that you are Lighting Up Crete for the Holidays! If you have a sign from previous years, please reuse it.
Light Up Crete is sponsored by: Aurelio’s, Main St. Optical, Crete Lions Club, Smokey Jo’s, Crete Lumber, Salon 22
