From the press release:
Allerton holiday events kick off with All is Bright
Monticello – Allerton Park and Retreat Center is hosting several holiday festivities, including All is Bright on December 8, which features the opening of the Kirby Winter Wellness Walk and the Holiday Showcase. All events will be held at the estate, 515 Old Timber Road, Monticello.
All is Bright attendees can enjoy festive music on the illuminated Kirby Winter Wellness Walk, stop by the Visitor Center for popcorn and hot chocolate, take part in the Monticello Area Arts Council’s Natural Ornament-Making Workshop, cuddle-up on a carriage ride, or gather around the bonfire to enjoy Mamma D’s Smokehouse food truck. Inside the Mansion, the opening night of the Holiday Showcase will feature over 30 artisans and businesses selling their unique products and handcrafted wares, along with live music and a cash bar.
The holiday showcase will feature over 30 artisans and vendors selling their wares, pictured here is artist Caroline Goldsmith.
Holiday Showcase tickets are $8 per person before December 1, and $10 per person after. Other activities are free, but donations are appreciated. The Showcase will continue Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10, from 10am-4pm. Limited lunch reservations still remain for Sunday at 3:30pm.
Park officials note that this time of year is a favorite for the community to visit and kick off the season.
“The holidays are about gatherings of your friends and family,” Allerton’s Director Derek Peterson said. “We are so thankful that Allerton is a place where people choose to come together. It’s neat to see generations making memories here, year after year.”
The Kirby Winter Wellness Walk features illuminated landscapes and sculptures throughout the park. Photo by Della Perrone.
Thanks to the continued support of Kirby Medical Center, the Wellness Walk has been expanded a quarter-mile this year, with lights extending past the Visitor Center to the Adam statue and into the Meadow. The illuminated Walk, meant to encourage the public to stay active through the winter and to experience Allerton after dark, is approximately .75 miles round trip, and will be open after the Park typically closes, 5-8pm, every Tuesday through Saturday until January 6.
Additional holiday events include a Holiday Wreath Workshop, the Holiday Affair dinner, and Sweets with Santa, presented by State Bank of Bement – but tickets are already sold-out.
For more information and to purchase tickets for All is Bright or the Holiday Showcase, visit Allerton.illinois.edu or call 217-333-3287.
