St. Charles Holiday Homecoming 2026: lights, parade, Santa and Elf

Thanksgiving weekend is when downtown St. Charles turns on the holiday lights. Holiday Homecoming, run by the St. Charles Business Alliance, runs Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026, and every main event is free.

Here is how the two days line up.

Friday, Nov. 27: Lighting of the Lights

The weekend starts at 5 p.m. on the 1st Street Plaza, 29 S. 1st St. The community flips the switch on the downtown holiday lights while choirs from St. Charles North and St. Charles East high schools sing carols. A local sponsor hands out free samples.

Get there early. Organizers hand out holiday bells while supplies last, and the crowd uses them to bring out the night's special guest. Santa sticks around after the ceremony for photos until 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m.: Elf at the Arcada

The historic Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., hosts a free screening of Elf at 10 a.m. Doors open at 9 a.m. so you can grab a seat. Snacks, including Elf-themed concessions, are for sale in the lobby, and organizers say there will be giveaways too.

Saturday, Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m.: Electric Christmas Parade

The Electric Christmas Parade has been a St. Charles tradition for more than 25 years. Lighted floats, bands and entries from local businesses and groups head down Main Street starting at 6th Street and finishing at 4th Avenue, with Santa Claus along for the ride.

A few things to plan around:

• Main Street closes about 15 minutes before the 5:30 p.m. start.
• An emcee announces each entry from a reviewing stand outside the Municipal Building.
• A viewing area for people with mobility limitations is set up by the front parking lot of the St. Charles Municipal Center. Look for blue Reserved Seating signs.
• The parade is judged, and winners are announced the Monday after.

Businesses, nonprofits and community groups that want to be in the parade can find the entry form on the Holiday Homecoming website.

Santa's Cottage, weekends through Dec. 20

After the opening weekend, Santa keeps regular hours at his cottage on the 1st Street Plaza. Visits are free every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., Nov. 28 through Dec. 20. Kids can share their wish lists and take photos, and there is a mailbox on the side of the cottage for letters, even when Santa is out.

Photo spots and the Holiday Shop Crawl

Lighted photo installations stay up on the 1st Street Plaza all season, so it is an easy stop for a family card photo. The Business Alliance also lists a Holiday Shop Crawl with special promotions at participating shops and a grand prize giveaway. Check the Holiday Homecoming site for the list of participating shops.

Parking, weather and dogs

• Parking is free around the city. The city posts a parking map, and the Travel St. Charles app has a parking tab.
• Accessible parking is set aside in the front lot of the St. Charles Municipal Building and at the Life Church lot, 8 N. 2nd Ave.
• Events are planned rain or shine. Weather-related cancellations will be posted on the Business Alliance's social pages, @stcalliance.
• Friendly dogs are welcome at the Lighting of the Lights, Santa's cottage, the parade and the photo spots.

For the full schedule, visit stcholidayhomecoming.com.