There’s nothing quite like the twinkle in the eye when a child sees Santa, whether it’s the first time or the hundredth, whether they are 8 or 80…you know who you are. And who among us still doesn’t have memories, and in many cases, the photos to prove it, of our own visits to Santa’s village, Santa’s workshop, Santa’s house, or just a big red chair in the middle of the mall?
It’s easy to get caught up in all the noise this time of year. There seems to be so much that needs to be done, plans to be made, and work to be done before we can even think about enjoying the holiday season.
Be sure to take a moment to just relax and take it all in. We wanted to help make this a moment of memories for you and your little ones, so we pulled together our Pictures with Santa around McHenry County to make things a little easier.
Below, you’ll find our Santa tracker arranged by the city to help you with your plans to visit Santa this holiday season. Unlike in times past, many pictures with Santa opportunities are DIY when it comes to the actual photo, so be sure you have your camera.
As always, we recommend checking the respective websites for any changes. While some of these Pictures with Santa events are standalone, others may be combined with holiday parades, tree lightings, or other events, so be sure to factor that into your timing as well as your preparations…especially in dressing for the weather and extended time outdoors this time of year.
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Please help McHenry Life be the best source of event information in McHenry County.
If you manage or are involved with one of these events, please help us out and go to your Details page and claim your listing. You can do so at no cost and then you’ll be able to add more information, update information whenever and as often as you need to, and add photos and links to your website and social media pages. If you don’t see your event though, then please help us by adding it!
If you don’t manage an event, then help us by following our socials to keep up to date on events, and sharing our guides through your social media accounts and with your friends. Please recommend us to event providers and let them know when you found information about their event on McHenry Life. Finally, if you have some information about these or other events, feel free to use the form below to let us know.
Submit Others, Information, or Corrections
Did we miss one or include one that is no longer relevant? Or maybe you have information to add or do we need to correct our information? We greatly appreciate any help that others can provide. Please provide as much information, including links to other sources, as you can in the form below. Thanks!
2022 Pictures With Santa Claus Guide
We’ve included some of the tree lightings and Christmas Parades that may include Santa. Some of these may have specific visitation and photo activities, while others might be more “in passing,” though still may present some general picture-taking opportunities. Be sure to check the specific events for more details. Also, be aware that some of these might require pre-registration, and while most are free, some may have a fee.
NOTE: we’ve shaded those events below that are as of yet unconfirmed. We’ll continue to update as new information is available.
Algonquin
Miracle On Main
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 4:30 pm
Location: 2 S Main Street, Algonquin, IL 60102
Brunch with Santa at Port Edward
Date: Saturday, December 17, 2022
Start Time: 11:00 am
Location: 20 W Algonquin Rd, Algonquin, IL 60102
Cary
Merry Cary Holiday Parade & Festival 2022
Date: Sunday, December 4, 2022
Start Time: 12:30 pm
Location: 108 W Main St, Cary, IL 60013
Visit with Santa
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2022
Start Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: 6800 S. Rawson Bridge Rd, Cary, IL 60013
Breakfast with Santa
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: 500 N 1st St, Cary, IL 60013
Drive Thru Visit with Santa
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2022
Start Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: 1200 Silver Lake Rd, Cary, IL 60013
Santa’s Workshop
Date: Friday, December 2, 2022, @11:25 am – 2:08 pm
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022, @ 10:50 am – 1:43 pm
Location: 100 W. Main St. Cary, IL 60013
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Crystal Lake
Festival of Lights Parade
Date: Friday, November 25, 2022
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Location: N Williams St & E Crystal Lake Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Santa House Visits
Date: Thursday – Sunday from November 25th to December 23, 2022
Start Time: Varies by date (see More Information below)
Location: 38 N Williams St, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Fox Lake
Fox Lake Festival of Lights
Date: Saturday, November 26, 2022
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Santa’s Cottage
Date: Various dates starting 11/26/2022
Start Time: Varies
Fox River Grove
Tree Lighting 2022
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 2:00 pm
Location: 975 Algonquin Rd, Fox River Grove, IL 60021
Harvard
Christmas Holiday Hoopla
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: 21007 McGuire Rd, Harvard, IL 60033
Huntley
A Very Merry Huntley Library Open House
Date: Friday, December 2, 2022
Start Time: 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm / 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm / 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: 11000 Ruth Rd, Huntley, IL 60142
A Very Merry Huntley
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Location: 11700 Main St, Huntley, IL 60142
Island Lake
Annual Tree Lighting
Date: Friday, December 2, 2022
Start Time: 6:00 pm (unconfirmed)
Location: 3720 Greenleaf Ave, Island Lake, IL 60042
Johnsburg
Holiday Magic Parade & Tree Lighting
Date: Saturday, December 10, 2022
Start Time: 5:30 pm
Location: 2315 W Church St, Johnsburg, IL 60051
Lake in the Hills
Flurry Fest
Date: Friday, December 9, 2022
Start Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156
Lakemoor
Visit with Santa and His Reindeer
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: 28581 W IL Rte 120, Lakemoor, IL 60051
Marengo
Marengo Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Location: 132 E Prairie St, Marengo, IL 60152
McHenry
Tree Lighting at Veteran’s Park
Date: Saturday, November 19, 2022
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Location: 3400 Pearl Street, McHenry, IL 60050
Richmond
Richmond’s Christmas of Yesteryear Celebration
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: 10308 N Main St, Richmond, IL 60071
Ringwood
Visit Santa at the Village Hall
Date: Saturday, November 26, 2022
Start Time: 9:00 am
Location: 6000 Barnard Mill Rd, Ringwood, IL 60072
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Spring Grove
Christmas Tree Lighting Festival
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022
Start Time: 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: 8105 Blivin St, Spring Grove, IL 60081
Woodstock
Lighting of the Square
Date: Friday, November 25, 2022
Start Time: ~7:00pm
Location: Van Buren St & Dean St, Woodstock, IL 60098
Annual Woodstock Christmas Parade
Date: Sunday, November 27, 2022
Start Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Van Buren St & Dean St, Woodstock, IL 60098
Cookies and Churros with Santa
Date: Sunday, November 27, 2022
Start Time: 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: 240 N Throop St, Woodstock, IL 60098
Santa Hut
Date: December 9 – 23, 2022
Start Time: varies (see More Information)
Location: 151 W Van Buren St, Woodstock, IL 60098
As always, all events are subject to change. Please be sure to check the event pages for the specific event for current information.
President and Founder of Identity Developments, LLC, the parent company of the McHenry Life website. My hope for McHenry Life is to create a resource and destination for the residents and businesses of McHenry County alike. A place where residents can discover new places to explore, fun events and ways to spend time, and then share those experiences with others. A place where businesses can connect with existing and potential customers, and not simply market their businesses, but share their own unique stories.
