Magnificent Mile Lights Festival to Brighten Downtown, Snarl Traffic Tonight
By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 19, 2011 5:00PM
We've had holiday music on Lite FM for a couple of weeks now and have been beaten over the head incessantly that Black Friday is coming. For many, the holiday season will be officially ushered in starting at 5:30 p.m. tonight with the 2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.
The festival is the largest of its kind in the country, with over 30 floats, marching bands, celebrity appearances and a certain fat man with a white bears and a red coat. Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to the Chicago River will be decked out with over one million lights on 200 trees, and the festivities end with a fireworks display along the river.
The festival never fails to draw a crowd and, if you're heading downtown either to attend the festival or for something else, plan accordingly. CTA and Metra are adding extra trains to accommodate the expected mass of humanity. Driving downtown is the last thing you should be doing today.
The 2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival starts at 5:30 p.m. tonight along Michigan Avenue, from Oak Street to the Chicago River.