Holiday Lightshow
ATTENTION! THERE WILL BE NO LIGHTSHOW ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31ST. LAST LIGHTSHOW WILL BE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30TH FROM 5:30 TO 9:00 PM.
Please visit the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for possible time changes for the lightshows at CACC61520.
During the pandemic in 2020 it was recommended that families should not gather for the holidays and you could not go anywhere unless you could social distance (and wore a mask). Do you remember? Well, a family in Canton, actually a Father & Son decided to create a lightshow that could be displayed outside in their yard (and side of house) that people could drive up to, watch and enjoy. Everyone stayed in their cars by tuning into a radio frequency to hear the music timed to the lightshow. It was amazing! Known then as the Lindsey Light Show gained great popularity that year, so much so that it created traffic issues in their small neighborhood. So the Canton Chamber approached this son and Dad team to bring the famous Lindsey Light Show to a public location that would be able to handle a larger crowd. This is how the Holiday Lightshow in Canton has been created.
Click below to find out more details on the Holiday Lightshow in Big Creek Park in Canton, Illinois.
Updated Lightshow Schedule
ATTENTION! THERE WILL BE NO LIGHTSHOW ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31ST. THE LAST LIGHTSHOW WILL BE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30TH.
Stay connected with updates on show times on the Chamber FB page at CACC61520 – Canton Area Chamber of Commerce. THANK YOU!
Thursday & Sunday night & special Wed night lightshow times: 5:30 – 8:30 pm (updated end time)
Friday & Saturday night lightshow times: 5:30 – 9:00 pm (updated end time)
Ticket Info & What to Expect
TICKET INFO: Tickets for the Holiday Lightshow are $5 per car. Oversized vans that are coming from facilities, such as nursing homes, assisted living, etc. will be asked to pay $10 due to the space they will need at the show. No busses allowed.
CASH ONLY. We will not have the ability to use a card and checks will not be accepted.
NO pre-sale tickets. Tickets are purchased the night you arrive at the show. There are a max of 240 to 270 (depending on week night or weekend) tickets that can be sold each night so there is a possibility that tickets could sell out each night.
GETTING READY TO SEE THE SHOW: Gate will open at 5:15 to begin first show at 5:30 pm. See lightshow schedule under Lightshow Schedule tab above. NOTE: Ending times of shows have changed.
After purchasing your ticket you are now inside Big Creek Park. WELCOME to one of our beautiful parks! Volunteers will direct you on where to drive inside the park to get to the show. You will drive down a hill and back up to get to a parking lot located at the Gary Baker Rec Center. This is where the Holiday Lightshow will be playing. Be prepared to wait in line as you approach the show area.
Once you get to the lightshow area, volunteers will be there to direct you to a lane. The idea is that your car will continue to move closer and closer to the front viewing area. Everyone who comes to the light show will have a front row viewing of the entire lightshow. Each lightshow lasts around 15 minutes. The same show will play for all cars coming in each night. Again, see lightshow schedule for more details.
To hear the sound for the lightshow, tune to 106.5FM. The music is synchronized with the lightshow. It is recommended that you find the station and then turn it off until you get up to the front viewing area.
When the show is over, after you have watched from the front viewing area, volunteers will give directions on how to exit the parking lot. Do not just take off, wait for instructions. NO ONE is allowed to stay for another watch. We want to give everyone the same opportunity to see the lightshow. You will exit onto N. Main Street. There will be a right turn only (head south) out of Big Creek Park. If you need to head north, we advise that you drive down to the Hy-Vee grocery store parking lot (will be on your left after the high school) and turn around in there.
SOME REQUESTS: Please stay in your car at all times. DO NOT LITTER!
RESTROOMS: If someone in the car needs to use the bathroom, there will be porta potties only where tickets are purchased (north side of park) or in the Gary Baker Rec Center parking lot where the lightshow is set up.
CAR LIGHTS OFF: It will be recommended that you turn off your headlights once you are parked in the Rec Center parking lot. This will help others around you enjoy the show fully.
How to Donate & See who has donated
We have big plans on how we can grow the Holiday Lightshow and to reach those goals we will rely partly on donations. If you are interested in donating click button below.
Since this is our very first year of the Holiday Lightshow in Canton, we raised money to help us get this new event off the ground. We are VERY grateful to those businesses and individuals from our community who have generously given to help make this event a reality this first year.
Directions
From the WEST – If you are coming from the west end of town, you will enter town on Rt. 9. Continue into town until you get to N. Main Street (stop light), turn left. Continue down N. Main Street to N. Park Avenue and take a left onto N. Park Avenue. You will pass the main entrance to Big Creek Park (across from high school) but DO NOT turn in here. Keep driving on N. Main Street and find N. Park Drive. Look for the Holiday Lightshow sign on the corner of N. Park Drive and N. Main Street. N. Park Drive will take you to the ticket area.
From the EAST – If you are coming from the east end of town, you will enter town on Rt. 9. At the 4 way stop (Subway is on this corner) turn right onto South 5th Avenue. Continue on South 5th Avenue until Locust Street. Turn left onto Locust Street at the 4 way stop sign just after passing Monical’s Pizza. Drive to N. Main Street (street light) and take a right. Continue on N. Main Street to N. Park Avenue and take a left onto N. Park Avenue. You will pass the main entrance to Big Creek Park (across from high school) but DO NOT turn in here. Keeping driving on N. Main Street and find N. Park Drive. Look for the Holiday Lightshow sign on the corner of N. Park Drive and N. Main Street. N. Park Drive will take you to the ticket area
From the SOUTH – If you are coming from the south end of town, you will enter town on Rt. 78. Continue into town on South 5th Avenue. Turn left onto Locust Street at the 4 way stop sign just after passing Monical’s Pizza. Drive to N. Main Street (street light) and take a right. Continue on N. Main Street to N. Park Avenue and take a left onto N. Park Avenue. You will pass the main entrance to Big Creek Park (across from high school) but DO NOT turn in here. Keep driving on N. Main Street and find N. Park Drive. Look for the Holiday Lightshow sign on the corner of N. Park Drive and N. Main Street. N. Park Drive will take you to the ticket area.
From the NORTH – If you are coming in to town from the north on Rt. 78, continue into town on N. Main Street. Turn right on N. Park Drive which is right after you pass the Temple Baptist Church. Look for the Holiday Lightshow sign on the corner. N. Park Drive will take you to the ticket area.
Volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering during a lightshow click on the button below to sign up or call the Canton Chamber at 309-647-2677 Ext. 2 or email Executive Director, Carla Bobell at cbobell@cantonillinois.org for more details.
Basic information: We need 8 to 10 volunteers each night. Shifts: 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm or 7:15 to 9:00/9:30 pm depending on the night. You have the option to have your group cover both shifts.
Duties include: selling tickets on N. Park Road (entrance to park) need 2. The rest of the volunteers will help with directing traffic in the Rec Center parking lot. When you sign up we will contact the Lead Volunteer to set up a small training.
If you are a nonprofit organization or Church and you volunteer during a lightshow or two, we will give your organization/church a certain percentage (TBD) on what is made at the end of the run (after December 31st). The more people and the more times you volunteer, the more you will make. This is a great way to make money for your organization. We will have signs on display the night you volunteer that let everyone know it is your organization volunteering.
If you are a business, this is a great opportunity to offer community involvement to your employees and get your business recognized for the night. If you do not have enough employees, we can team you up with another business.
Other Holiday Events in the area
Other Holiday events that are happening in our area are:
Snowman’s Reindeer Farm – Experience the Magic of Santa’s Reindeeer! Yes, real life reindeer! Must have a appointment to visit. Did we mention Santa is there for pictures, Reindeer Railway train ride, an adorable Jolly Old Elf gift shop and so much more! Open November & December. Go to Snowman’s Reindeer Farm website for more details.
Old Fashioned Christmas Walk and Santa Parade – Canton Main Street will be hosting the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Walk on Friday, December 2nd, from 5:30p.m.-8:00p.m. in Jones Park and the downtown Canton area. Includes carriage rides, trolley ride, smore’s station, dance performances by local Encore Dancers and of course, shopping!
Canton Main Streets is excited to be working with the Canton Junior Women’s Club to host the Santa Parade on Friday, December 2nd, starting at 5:00 p.m. Returning this year will be the Santa’s House, located in the South Park lot of Jones Park! Santa will be located in his house shortly after the parade for children to visit with him.
Christmas Display of Lights on Enterprise Lane – hosted by BH Materials. Located at 47 Enterprise Lane.
Local Shopping – be sure to plan some time to go shopping at our unique shops and amazing restaurants.