Festival of Lights
East Peoria’s Annual Festival of Lights celebration is by far our most popular group tour event! An ABA (American Bus Association) Top 100 Event in 2005, 2006 and 2007, this winter wonderland observes its 24th year. Read on for details...
For pre-planned Festival of Lights group itinerary ideas, click here!
Light up your night at the East Peoria Festival of Lights (FOLEPI). The 24th annual Festival of Lights is a one-of-a-kind holiday spectacular. With more than two million lights in the Festival, you and your family will be mesmerized by the beauty.
The Parade of Lights is the official start to the Festival of Lights on November 24th, 2007 at 5:45 p.m. This one-night event features a parade of 40 lighted floats that will cruise down the streets of East Peoria along a three-mile route. The parade begins and concludes with a spectacular fireworks displays. The festival continues when you journey through FOLEPI’s Winter Wonderland. This special attraction is open November 25th-December 31st (Closed December 25th) and features two miles of captivating beauty as cars and motorcoaches drive through an electric park with an electricity bill of $50,000! Parade floats and animated displays continually entertain as motorists travel down the drive. There’s even a luminous reindeer that just might leap over your vehicle! Our new laser show spectacular will leave you in awe featuring space floats flying into cosmic battle. New hours: 5-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. and 5-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Admission for cars is $10 per night. * There will be no 6 p.m. laser show on Nov. 29 and the 7 p.m. show will be delayed. It will occur as soon as the Kringle Jingle ends. The 8 p.m show will occur as usual.
Treat your family to a breathtaking nativity scene at the Narrated Nativity. As you witness the five elaborately detailed, life-size structures, you can listen to 1610 AM on your car radio for a two-minute narration - making the scene come to life.
Come indoors for a Winter Carnival at Folepi’s Village! This family attraction will feature an indoor forest maze of decorated trees and carnival rides. Ride a merry-go-round, twirl on the strawberry ride and fly on the ladybug ride for a nominal fee. Children can visit with Santa Monday through Friday from 5:00 until 9 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday from Noon until 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 until 9 p.m. Nov. 25th through Dec. 23. Food and beverages will be available.
An exciting holiday attraction will light up the Illinois River at RiverFront Park in East Peoria, The RiverFront Promenade. The main attraction will be a carousel created from lights and numerous other lighted attractions visitors can walk through, with the Peoria skyline serving as a beautiful backdrop. Admission is free - Dusk to 10 p.m. nightly Nov. 24 through Dec. 31.
New to the Festival of Lights, the Spirit of Peoria paddlewheeler offers the Festival of Lights Holiday Cruise on the scenic Illinois River. The dinner or matinee features a hot homemade buffet, two-hour cruise and musical entertainment. Advance reservations are required.
In the Festival Building on December 16th
enjoy "Jukebox Saturday Night," a band that will entertain you and your family with a Branson-style Christmas show. There will be two, one-hour shows (both the same show), from 1:00p.m.-2:00p.m. and then a repeat performance from 4p.m.-5:00p.m. Admission is $3.00 per person.
Hot air balloon rides returning to Festival of Lights!
The evening hot air balloon rides were so popular at last year’s Festival of Lights they are returning for another year.
UAB Aviation from Missouri will provide free tethered hot air balloon rides at Folepi’s Village, located at the Festival Building, 2200 E. Washington St., from 5 until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights starting Nov. 30. The hot air balloon rides will occur, weather permitting, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, Dec. 7-8, Dec. 14-15, Dec. 21-22, and Dec. 28-29. The rides are free to the public thanks to OSF Health Plan’s sponsorship. The tethered balloon will rise 80 feet in the air. (Rides will not be available in windy or any type of rainy or inclement conditions, and announcements will be made on www.cityofeastpeoria.com.)
The balloon’s basket is handicapped accessible and can carry five adults. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The pilot’s discretion will be used to determine who may enter the basket. The rides will last approximately eight to 10 minutes.
For more information, visit www.cityofeastpeoria.com or call 698-5437.
Tour dates and prices please email Ashley Chitwood at achitwood@peoria.org
Our Festival of Lights features additional entertainment options, such as Eastlight Theatre's productions. Eastlight Theatre is a nonprofit regional community theater only five minutes from the Par-a-Dice Riverboat Casino. The air conditioned theater seats over 1000 and features the best Midwest and Chicago professional entertainers. This holiday season, enjoy Eastlight Theatre's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This Andrew Lloyd Weber's smash Broadway musical has been a Festival of Lights tradition for 17 years.
To order tickets or for more information contact Eastlight Theatre Box Office: 309-699-7469, Executive Office: 309-694-0138 or website: www. EastlightTheatre.com
For more information on dates and times of holiday productions, please email Ashley at achitwood@peoria.org.
For more details contact the bureau at 800-747-0302
The Festival of Lights is one of the largest volunteer-run light festivals in the United States. This is an event the whole family can enjoy for the holiday season. The festival runs from November 24 - December 31, 2007. The festival adds new floats and events every year so each year is a new and exciting experience.
For detailed information on the East Peoria Festival of Lights, call (800) 365-3743 or visit http://www.cityofeastpeoria.com/
