Brookfield’s Holiday Celebration, the village’s beloved annual event which unites locals, village officials and business owners in yuletide fun, returns to kick off the season of holiday festivities this Saturday, Dec. 7.
And, back by popular demand — and double the size from last year’s inaugural event — will be the celebration’s newest activity, the Kris Kringle Market, located at Brookfield Village Hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Setting the tone for the day of celebrations, the Kris Kringle Market will showcase more than 70 local vendors selling an array of one-of-a-kind finds from local entrepreneurs and business owners, including jewelry, home goods, bakery and more.
In between browsing, visitors can purchase specialty market mugs designed by a student from Riverside Brookfield High School (while supplies last), and visitors of-age can satisfy their taste buds with mulled wine from Glunz Family Winery of Grayslake and crafted beers from Brookfield’s own Imperial Oak Brewing. Kids can visit the Letters to Santa station, where they’ll not only receive help in writing letters from elves, but also be guaranteed a letter back from Kris Kringle himself!
While at Village Hall, stop for a family photo op with a retro truck and Christmas trees — precisely, 12 in total, 10 of which will be donated following the celebration to Brookfield’s Share Food Share Love Food Pantry and two which will be raffled off to the public.
Children with a snow-making Santa at the Brookfield Kris Kringle Market during the Brookfield Holiday Celebration last year. | Todd Bannor 
A giant walk-in snow globe at the Brookfield Kris Kringle Market during the Brookfield Holiday Celebration last year. | Todd Bannor 
A child poses for a photo behind an elf cutout at the Brookfield Kris Kringle Market during the Brookfield Holiday Celebration last year. | Todd Bannor
“The Market and Holiday Celebration is such a family-friendly event and a great way to support everybody in our town,” said Gina Sharenow, a Brookfield resident and event organizer. “I think it’s a really great draw for people from even outside of Brookfield, to show the charm and camaraderie that Brookfield has to offer.”
Sponsored by both the Village of Brookfield and Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, the rest of the festivities of the Holiday Celebration will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. along the Grand Avenue and Broadway Avenue business corridors, with a few festive stops featured in between.
Throughout the celebration, two courtesy trolleys will run continuously along five stops — Fill My Jar (3726 Prairie Ave.), 3735 Grand Boulevard, the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Public Library (3541 Park Ave.), Betty’s Flowers & Gifts (9138 Broadway Ave.) and S.E. Gross Middle School (3524 Maple Ave.)
Along the Fill My Jar route (Trolley Stop 1), visit the Historic Grossdale Station (8820 ½ Brookfield Ave.), where the museum will be open until 4 p.m. and a wood carver will show off their rustic art talent until 5 p.m. Keep note — the station will also be the new site for this year’s tree lighting ceremony, which will close out the evening from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Fill My Jar will feature holiday character visits and a station for kids to make their own reindeer food; Ink Your Wear, 8838 Brookfield Ave., will offer guests free hot chocolate; and Brookfield Breakfast, 3755 Grand Boulevard, will open its doors for extended dining hours through 5 p.m. — just in case mid-day pancakes or an omelet sound like just the thing you need to give you a yummy afternoon pick-me-up.
While down near 3735 Grand Boulevard (Trolley Stop 2), pose for photos with Santa until 4:30 p.m. at Irish Times, 8869 Burlington Ave.; catch a mythical fire breather at Burger Antics, 3740 Grand Boulevard; and stop inside Brennan Massage & Spa, 3700 Grand Boulevard, for gift card sales to give someone the gift of ache and pain relief this holiday season.
At the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Public Library (Trolley Stop 3), library staff will be passing out free hot chocolate in the lobby and organizing crafts for all ages in their state-of-the-art Maker Studio.
At Betty’s Flowers & Gifts (Trolley Stop 4), take a break for some complimentary refreshments and sneak a peek at beautiful seasonal decor. Animal lovers can check out the fan-favorite petting zoo at the corner of Grand Boulevard and Washington Avenue, west of Beach Avenue BBQ; and don’t forget to be wowed by the ice carver at First National Bank of Brookfield, 9136 Washington Ave.
At the celebration’s S.E. Gross Middle School stop (Trolley Stop 5), warm up inside the school and be entertained by the musically inclined youngsters of Brookfield and LaGrange Park with performances by the school’s band and choir throughout the afternoon. Inside the gym, a giant inflatable snow globe will be blown up for goofy photo ops for the kids, and holiday crafts, fun activities for the whole family and more active inflatable games will be available through 5 p.m. And, once you’re ready to brave the winter elements again, check out the iceless skating rink in the 9200 block of Broadway Ave. No need to lace up skates, just come as you are!
Of course, make sure you don’t miss the evening’s grand finale — the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Grossdale Station. At 5:30 p.m., carolers from Riverside Brookfield High School will set the mood with holiday tunes in anticipation of Santa’s arrival via fire truck at 5:45 p.m., where he will merrily lead the crowd in a countdown to light the tree promptly at 6 p.m.