Mike Kara Presents.... Holly Jolly Holiday
Christmas Show 2010
St. Charles, Illinois - Electric Christmas Parade 2009
Well, its time to kick off the Christmas season. And
first, Ladies and Gentlemen we have a great and electrifying parade to
tell you about. Every year The St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade
takes place in downtown St. Charles, Illinois not too far from the
gorgeous Fox River. On Saturday November 28, 2009 St Charles come alive
with this special parade. Included in this parade was a variety of
floats, cars, bands, horses, donkeys, etc. Many people took part in the
parade, including Churches, civic groups and various other
organizations in and around St. Charles, as well as commercial
business. Everything you could expect from a prade could be found
within The St. Charles, Illinois Electric Christmas Parade. The streets
along the parade route remained dark and illuminated with all the
pretty colors from various floats and cars. Of course Jolly good St.
Nicholas, aka Kris Kringle, aka Santa Claus could be found at the
end of the parade. Kids and adults alike could celebrate the Christmas
season with this parade. This parade was the kick off event for a
variety of Christmas activities in St. Charles, Illinois.
Downers Grove, Illinois - Christmas Kick-Off 2009 Featuring Santa Claus Parade &
Cookie Walk Sunday November 29, 2009
Well, Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls its time into
kick off the holiday season in Downers Grove. And to do that, we bring
you a special parade called, what else The Downers Grove Santa Claus
Parade. On Sunday November 29, 2009 in Historic Downtown Downers Grove,
Illinois, The Downers Grove Santa Claus parade was taking place. As
every year this simple wonderful and magical parade included a variety
of police cars, fire engines, civic groups, organizations such as Boy
and Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Brownies, Daisies, Adventure Guides,
just about anyone and everyone involved in a service or community group
or organization in and around the village of Downers Grove, Illinois
could be found in this parade. You could also find many clowns courtesy
of The Medina Shriners, as well as Ronald McDonald. A nice variety of
groups and organizations could be found at this very special parade.
And of course the title of the parade says, Santa Claus was at the end
of the parade, bringing in the magic of Christmas. After the parade
there was a special cookie walk, featuring local businesses offering
complimentary cookies to visitors as well as a chance to meet and great
with real reindeers, and hear some awesome Christmas tunes from
carolers. So a great way to kick off a variety of Christmas activities
for the village of Downers Grove. Merry Christmas. To all.
Mike
Kara Presents... - Village of Woodridge Tree Lighting Ceremony
Well, its beginning to look a lot like Christmas here there and
everywhere, and in my hometown of Woodridge, Illinois there is a great
kick-off to The Holiday Season indeed. On Friday December 4, 2009, The
Village of Woodridge, Illinois was having its very special Tree
Lighting Ceremony in Joel and Laurie Kagann Plaza outside of Village
Hall. As every year Woodridge Mayor Bill Murphy serves as Master of
Ceremonies for Woodridge Tree Lighting. Every year The Village of
Woodridge has special Christmas trees all lined around Town Centre.
These trees are decorated by Churches, Boy and Girl Scouts, just about
all service organizations and civic group in and around Woodridge
decorate a tree. The groups come decorate a tree a week or two before
the tree lighting. Then a special ceremony takes place to light these
Christmas Trees for the first time and to kick-off Woodridges Christmas
activities. Included this evening was greetings by Village and Park
District Officials, and special Christmas signing from various kids in
various service organizations in and the community. This year was extra
special as a special time capsule was planted in celebration of The
Village of Woodridges 50th Anniversary and The Woodridge Parks District
40th Anniversary. This special time capsule will be dug up in 50 years,
august 25, 2059 to be exact. So a fun time was had by all. Woodridge
knows how to kick Christmas right. Merry Christmas indeed.
Mike Kara Presents... The StingRays
Christmas Party
Well, there are so many things that can make a Christmas Season a great
and memorable one. One big thing around the Holidaytime is the music.
And there is one great Oldies and Classic Rock Band out there really
rockin in the holidays. On Firday December 4, 2009 at Rolling Lanes
Bowling Alley in Countreyside, Illinois, The StingRays put on their
special Christmas concert, in which they incorparate several Christmas
songs into their fun-filled concert. The StingRays plays all your rock
n roll favorites, just like you remember them and on this night put on
a special concert as a Christmas present to their fans. This was one of
several Christmas concerts The StingRays put on this Christmas season,
so its not just a one time deal. The StingRays trys to play Christmas
songs as often as they can. Frank, Danny, Bruce and Ron with matching
Santa caps rocked that Bowling Alley right to the ground, in the spirit
of Christmas of course. For more information on The StingRays please
visit their very special website at http://www.thestingrays.com
Merry
Christmas!! And keep on Rockin!!!
Mike Kara
Presents... - Concordia University of Chicago - Lessons and Carols
Event - 2009
Well, raise up your voices and rejoice, everyone, The King in born. And
one place to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas is Concordia
University of Chicago. On Saturday December 5 and Sunday December 6,
2009, Concordia University of Chicago in River Forest, Illinois was
putting on its special Lessons and Carols event. This event combines
traditional as well as not to traditional Christmas carols, as well the
biblical scripture that relates to them. The event included scripture
reading various staff and students from Concordia, as well as
performances from several choirs, handbell choir, orchestra, etc. The
audience was able to lift their voices and rejoice as well during this
service. This particular service was similar to what Christmas goers
would experience several hundred years ago, one of the original
Christmas Pageants, I guess you could say. Concordia University,
my old ala meter, prides itself for a very professional and large music
program, this Lessons and Carols event is Concordia University of
Chicago Music Programs time to shine.
Mike Kara Presents... - A Family
Christmas - American Wind Band Presents
Music of The Season 2009
Well, as We have been saying music really can make the holiday season
just plain awesome, and there is one great organization in the
Chicagoland area providing us with our yearly dose of the Christmas
Spirit. On Sunday December 6, 2009 at Gloria Dei Church in Downers
Grove, Illinois The American Wind Band was putting on its special
Christmas show called A Family Christmas American Wind Band presents
Music of The Season. This 40 plus piece band consisting of flutes,
Clarinets, Bassoons, Bass Clarinets, Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophones,
Baritone Saxophones, trumpets, French horns, Trombones, Baritones,
Tubas and various percussion rang in 2009s Christmas right, playing a
variety of traditional and not so traditional Christmas Carols and
Hymns.
The American Wind Bass features skilled and dedicated musicians playing
woodwind and brass wind instruments. This band tours the Chicagoland
area and provides our beloved Chicagoland Community the finest in great
brass and woodwind music all year long.
For more information on The American Wind Band, please visit
http://www.americanwindband.org
A Holly Jolly Christmas to you.
Mike Kara Presents... - The Woodridge VFW Post 1578 - Christmas Party
Well, let’s take a look at a great Christmas Party taking place.
On Monday December 7, 2009 The Woodridge Veterans of Foreign Wars
Memorial Post 1578 was putting on it’s annual Christmas Party at
Shanahan’s Irish Food and Spirits of Woodridge. Woodridge VFW
members, along with their family and friends as well as supporters of
the Woodridge VFW took a moment to reflect on the past year and enjoy a
very festive party. The event include a pizza and salad dinner and
featured several raffles. For more information on Woodridge VFW Post
1578 please visit their website at http://www.woodridgevfw.org.
Merry Christmas!!!
Holiday Ender 2009 - Winter & Christmas Landscapes in Illinois
Well, winter landscapes, winter scenes, and holiday locations are
simply awesome and very festive this time of year and thus we end our
Christmas special by taking a took at several of them. Long Grove,
Illinois is an historic little town that comes alive during the holiday
season. The whole town of Long Grove becomes a shining beacon for
Christmas and the perfect place for Santa Claus to stop on his rounds
to catch the Christmas Spirit. Kline Creek Farm located in Winfield,
Illinois is owned and operated by The Forest Preserve District of
DuPage County and is an authentic 1890s farm, and is run as a working
farm by volunteers for The Forest Preserve of DuPage, During the winter
and Christmastime the farm comes alive with a variety of festive
holiday events. The Cosley Zoo in Wheaton Illinois is a zoo featuring a
variety of both farm animals as well as local wildlife from the area.
During Christmastime the zoo becomes alive, with a variety of trees
trees and special light displays. Downtown Chicago around December is
simply awesome. Being very near and dear to my heart. While in downtown
Chicago you can check out Kris Kringle Mart, enjoying all the various
smells, sights and sounds, as well as checking out the Macys windows,
and various another winter activities. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle,
Illinois featured a special Train exhibit as part of their Holiday
festivities. Brookfield Zoo also featured a train display as part of
their Holiday Magic event. The Westmont Park District had various
activities at and around their Community Center.
So all around the Christmas Spirit can be caught. Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
Mike Kara
Presents.... Christmas - Downtown Chicago - 2009
"The Magic of Christmas"
Well, for me Christmastime is truly not Christmastime unless I
make a trip to Downtown Chicago. Chicago, Illinois is the third largest
city in America and when it comes to Christmas Spirit seems to
me, to be #1. As a wee lad, I grew up with the expectation and
anticipation of each visiting downtown Chicago. Chicago was changed
quite a bit since 1983, but the spirit of the city and spirit of
Christmas can be found here even today in 2009. Some Holiday Hotspots I
gotta tell you about include, first The Kris Kringle Market in Daley
Plaza. I mean man what a Christmas celebration they got going on in
that place. Such a wide variety of food, beer, Christmas ornaments
anything and everything to truly make your downtown Chicago Christmas
visit a winner. Also while downtown, there is nothing like a good trip
to the theatre. The Goodman Theatre during December features special
performances of that Charles Dickens beloved Christmas Classic - A
Christmas Carol.
On to a little window shopping shall we. Of course Macys is a place for
all your Holiday and gift giving needs but each and every single
solitary year features special Christmas Windows with animated
characters. Kiddies really get a kick out of this one.
Also at Millennium Park, you can skate the day away. Nothing like a ice
skating to get your Christmas groove on. Skaters good and bad young and
old just love to skate and skate on a chilly willy Sunday afternoon.
Also lets take a look at some of the downtown Chicago during December,
some scences featuring some nice Holiday lights and decorations, some
not so much, rather just some awesome video from that awesome city that
same old place, sweet home Chicago.
And to end this sucker off, We return to Macys on State Street, and
admire some beautiful scenes of The Super Duper Holiday Christmas Tree
inside the Walnut Room.
Merrrrrry Christmas to you. Chicago rules, and around Christmas it
can't be beat.
