Celebrating an Old Fashioned Christmas in the Chicago Suburbs 2025

13 Ways to Celebrate an Old Fashioned Christmas in the Chicago Suburbs

Old fashioned Christmas celebrations thoughout the Chicago suburbs offer charming peeks into yesteryear. Period holiday events add special experiences to the holiday season and bring back our own warm memories while learning a bit of history. Over the years, I have explored quite a few nostalgic Christmas events throughout the suburbs and have been totally delighted with the amazing experiences we have available to us:

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Spring Hike in Bristol Woods Park in Wisconsin

 

Bristol Woods Park near Kenosha, Wisconsin offers  4.28 miles of hiking trails through stunning, rich woodlands. During a recent hike, I became totally enamored with Bristol Woods as I wound through on a nest of trails through the preserve.

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Wrapped in Holiday Cheer During Durkee Mansion Historic Holiday and the Kemper Center Gallery of Trees in Kenosha, Wisconsin

 

Christmas Magic and History at Durkee Mansion and Kemper Center in Kenosha

Experiencing the Durkee Mansion's Historic Holiday and Kemper Center's Gallery of Trees wrapped us in the magic of the holidays. We definitely had to check out every sparkle and special detail during our recent visit.  Enjoy a little splendor of this Kenosha holiday tradition:

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Floating Into The Holidays During HARMONIX Brings You A Very Cool Yule In Kenosha, Wisconsin

 

HARMONIX Brings You A Very Cool Yule Will Have You Dancing And Singing Your Way Into The Holidays

**Disclosure: I attended a complimentary preview in order to share this review with you. All opinions are 100% my own.

An early holiday performance of Harmonix Brings You A Very Cool Yule at the Wyndham Garden - Kenosha Harborside lifted my spirits and floated me straight into the holiday season. The energetic a cappella group had the audience bopping to familiar tunes from start to finish. The show was such a merry way to start the holidays!

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Breathtaking Lake Michigan Views from Kenosha Sand Dunes

Sandy Trails, Rolling Paths, Fabulous Birding and Lake Michigan Views Charm at Kenosha Sand Dunes in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Wandering in the Kenosha, Wisconsin  area a few weeks ago, we stumbled upon Kenosha Sand Dunes in nearby Pleasant Prairie. Kenosha Sand Dunes forms the northern tip of the larger Chiwaukee Prairie Natural Area. The Chiwaukee Prairie Natural area incorporates dunes, coastal wetlands and prairie in both Wisconsin and Illinois.

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Kenosha Tall Ships: Climbing Aboard and Exploring

Kenosha Tall Ships Invites Exploring and Climbing Aboard Tall Ships

**Disclosure: I did receive tickets to Kenosha Tall Ships to bring you information about this event as well as details of my experience. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

From the minute I learned that tall ships would be sailing to port in Kenosha for Kenosha Tall Ships, I knew that I wanted to be part of the experience. I cannot think of a better celebration of our incredible Great Lakes! I really did not expect how amazingly beautiful these ships are up close. Truly breathtaking!

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Tall Ships Are Sailing into Kenosha August 1-4, 2019

Kenosha Tall Ships Brings Graceful Tall Ships to Kenosha August 1-4, 2019 

**Disclosure: I did receive tickets to Kenosha Tall Ships to bring you information about this event as well as details of my experience. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Tall Ships will be sailing into harbor in Kenosha this August! Visit Kenosha from August 1-4 to enjoy Kenosha Tall Ships 2019 family friendly festival highlighting Kenosha's maritime heritage. Tall Ships haven't visited Kenosha for ten years so this is a splendid opportunity to visit these seven historic and quite majestic vessels! I have never attended a Tall Ship event before, so I pretty excited to see these graceful sea vessels on Lake Michigan! Each one is so incredibly beautiful:

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Tenuta's Deli Offers An Authentic Italian Food Exploration in Kenosha, Wisconsin

Tenuta's Deli Offers An Authentic Italian Food Exploration in Kenosha, Wisconsin

A walk through Tenuta's Deli in Kenosha, Wisconsin, opens an incredible foodie opportunity to explore authentic Italian food items and products. Since 1950, Tenuta's has provided the community with a warm, mom and pop location to pick up the perfect ingredients for their Italian influenced cooking as well as prepared items.

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Get Behind the Arts 2019 in Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin: Immerse Yourself in the Arts

Get Behind the Arts 2019 in Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin: Immerse Yourself in the Arts

Get Behind the Arts Weekend in Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin invites the public to unique behind the scenes art experiences, one-on-one opportunities to meet artists, art demos and more. A number of the studios are not always open to the public. Other locations host a number of artists displaying their art as well as demonstrating their technique. The weekend furnishes adventures that touch the creative spirit, inspire with the senses and welcomes families to meet and learn from local artists.

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Summer Afternoon Enjoying Petrifying Springs Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin

Last week, we visited Kenosha for an afternoon and decided to explore Petrifying Springs Park for the first time. Immediately when we arrived, I thought "what has taken us so long?" A balance of tree covered areas and open expanses as well as the lovely Pike River intrigued us. Additionally, quite a few families were enjoying gatherings in various shelters demonstrating how beloved the park is. This is the place to be!

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Tasty Tidbits from Taste of Wisconsin

On the spur of the moment, we visited Taste of Wisconsin in Kenosha yesterday. Of course, the sunny weather and the added plus of beautiful views of Lake Michigan further inspired our visit. We really enjoyed a lovely summer afternoon and I thought that I would share a few tidbits with you.

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Food Adventures in Kenosha, Wisconsin

**Disclosure: Thank you to Visit Kenosha for hosting our visit. We did receive complimentary meals in order to bring you these reviews. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

On our recent trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin for Get Behind the Arts, we sampled a number of food options in the city. Each of the eateries we visited is unique and I can say that we would definitely return to each. Join us on our exploration:

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Get Behind The Arts Weekend Celebrating Local Art in Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin

**Disclosure: Thank you to Visit Kenosha for accommodating my stay in order to bring a detailed review of Get Behind the Arts to my readers. Views are 100% my own.

Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin are nestled along the mesmerizing shores of Lake Michigan both having vibrant local art communities. Local artists breathe quite a bit of spirit into the community and serve as a vital part of the fabric making the area unique. Together, Kenosha and Racine invite the public each year to meet their artists, learn about their methods and even peek into their studios during the Get Behind the Arts weekend. We spent last weekend immersed in Get Behind the Arts and left with new appreciation of the creative forces in Kenosha and Racine. The weekend was full of creativity, ingenuity and inspiration!

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Get Behind The Arts 2018 in Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin April 27-29

Up close art experience at the 2017 Get Behind The Arts Event photo by Barb Thompson Photography

Get Behind The Arts is an INCREDIBLE weekend adventure in nearby Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin welcoming the community into local art studios, galleries and museums. The self-guided tour gives visitors an unparalleled view of the creative and innovative processes of local artists in their own work spaces. Over the course of the weekend, over 100 creatives at 27 locations will introduce the community to their art and ignite the creative spirit in all of us. The weekend is a fabulous time to appreciate the talent of local artists and their contributions to our community, appreciate their artistry and foster our own artistic passion. Can you tell I am excited about the event?

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Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin

On a recent visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, we wandered into the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. If you have been a long time follower of this blog, you know that I am a big fan of dinosaurs! So, I was happy to find some time to check the museum out.

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Bristol 45 Diner: Nostalgic Family Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin

This past weekend we were in the Kenosha area for a volleyball tournament. These tournaments run all day, so a post tournament meal is a very much welcome before hitting the road to come home. I discovered a diner in Bristol, WI that appeared to be fun and have a large menu. So, we popped in to Bristol 45 Diner on our way home. After all, they do craft shakes. Who can resist?

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Take a Historical Ride on a Kenosha Electric Streetcars

Kenosha's Electric Streetcars not only provide an easy way to move about downtown  Kenosha, WI but also treat visitors to a unique piece of history. Riding the electric streetcars was quite popular during or visit, so I am sure it is a much loved mini-adventure for people of all ages!

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Kenosha Public Museum: An Adventure through Natural History and Art

The Kenosha Public Museum combines both the early and natural history of Kenosha with a creative arts museum. Thus, the museum easily intrigues visitors with a variety of interests. Located near the waterfront and adjacent to The Civil Museum, Kenosha Public Museum is an easy addition to any Kenosha trip.

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The Civil War Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin

1841 6 pounder gun used at the beginning of the war.

I am a big Civil War buff and always jump at the chance to visit pretty much any attraction focusing on the war. While researching our Kenosha trip, I immediately placed The Civil War Museum on my list. What a wise choice I made! The museum really reflects the experience of the Midwest during the conflict shedding light on what people living our region encountered--something you don't really learn about when visiting the battlefields.

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Our Family Day Trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin

Kenosha is just a short drive from the Chicago area--only about an hour from our home in Arlington Heights. So, the city provides a nice little day trip escape making it easier to fit into your schedule. During our recent day trip, we had a very well-rounded experience but quickly noted there is a lot to experience in Kenosha. Our proximity will certainly make it easy for us to return and enjoy more that is truly Kenosa!

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