MONTICELLO —A popular local holiday event is coming back this year to Allerton Park and Retreat Center.
The center’s Holiday Showcase will be held on December 6-8 and will once again feature vendors inside the historic 1900 Mansion, the opening of the outdoor Holiday GLOW, food, and music.
This year’s edition will also include later hours on Saturday, a change made in response to past visitors who requested evening hours be added to the second night of the Showcase.
“We had a lot of feedback that guests wanted evening hours the first two nights, as well as GLOW visitors wanting Mansion access on Saturday night, so we adjusted the hours to reflect that,” said Associate Director of Retreat Center and Programming Jordan Zech in a statement.
“Friday will be the same 5 to 9 p.m. as in the past, but Saturday this year is 12 to 8 p.m. and Sunday is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.”
The event premieres at 5 p.m. Friday with the Holiday Showcase and GLOW opening night with 30 artisans and businesses providing locally made items.
Ticket holders will also have access to the first night of Holiday GLOW presented by U of I Community Credit Union, a 1-mile walk through decorated gardens and lighted artwork that will include the Wandering Woods trail for the first time.
Music will be provided by the Monticello High School Madrigal Singers and the Angelus Bell Choir of Quest Church: A Community of Grace in Urbana. The Monticello Area Art Council will also provide a natural ornament-making workshop in the Mansion Carriage House.
The showcase continues Saturday with the vendors along with horse-drawn carriage rides, the violin-piano duo of LeeAnn Capace and Judy Deverell and a book signing by author Maureen Holtz.
Carriage rides by Merrybeth Farm Carriage Service will also be available on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost for carriage rides is $50/ride and cash only for up to four adults and two small children excluding those on laps, which will be available on first-come first-serve.
Each day’s Showcase is $10/person. Tickets are available here or can be purchased at the door.