The Lake Forest Book Shore has its holiday window on display.
LAKE FOREST – Black Friday is about community tradition as well as shopping when Lake Forest begins its official holiday season on Nov. 27.
The day centers around the 32nd annual tree lighting festivities, which start at 2:30 p.m. with entertainment, family activities, the tree lighting and shopping throughout the day as merchants blend themselves into the customs. The lights will be turned on at Market Square and the rest of downtown at 5:15 p.m.
Starting the merriment this year is a new event, a screening of “Home Alone” at 2:30 p.m. at the John & Nancy Hughes Theater in Gorton Community Center, according to Gorton spokesperson Tricia Sweet.
The holiday themed movie was made by the late John Hughes, a Lake Forest resident, 25 years ago. The theater is part of a gift by Nancy Hughes, John Hughes’ widow, to Gorton. One merchant, Williams Sonoma, will be adding something to it.
“We’re partnering with Mrs. Hughes providing hot chocolate and peppermint bark for the movie,”said Jennifer Livermore, the manager of Williams Sonoma. “We’ll be giving it out as they leave the theater.”
Livermore said the store will also offer Black Friday specials as well as other promotions through the entire holiday season.
Merchants such as the Lake Forest Book Store are also blending in by adjusting their hours to be open as long as people remain around Market Square after the lights go on, according to Maxwell Gregory, the store manager.
“We’ll be open later than usual,” Gregory said. “We’ll be here as long as there are people around from the tree lighting.”
There will be incentives to go into the stores, according to Bill Douglass, the vice president of the Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation, which will started running the event this year, according to a Nov. 4 Daily North Shore story.
Douglass said those attending can get a passport for entry in a drawing to win a Family Pack for Lake Forest’s 2016 Fourth of July celebration and fireworks. The passport requires signatures from participating businesses.
Other events include live ice sculpting outside courtesy of Art Below Zero at 3 p.m. followed by Santa’s arrival at 4 p.m., caroling by the Lake Forest High School Choirsters at 4:30 p.m. and a performance by the Lake Forest Dance Academy at 5 p.m.
Black Friday is only the beginning, with special kickoff shopping events continuing in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff through Dec. 5 and savings opportunities through Dec. 31, according to Joanna Rolek, executive director of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
Several stores will participate in Small Business Saturday Nov. 28 as well. Gregory said the book store will open early, at 9:30 a.m. that day, and people entering during the first hour will save 10 percent.
Deals will continue on Nov. 29 when stores like Kiddles Sporting Goods gets into the act, according to owner Jay Shlifka.
“For us Black Friday is on Sunday,” Shlifka said. “Everything will be 15 percent off including bikes.”
Rolek said a major shopping event, Shop & Stroll, will take place Dec. 1 when people who have done their window shopping on Black Friday can realize savings. Participating merchants will stay open until 7 p.m. offering special deals. Shop & Stroll promotions are good in both the east and west Lake Forest business districts.
Lake Bluff gets into the act from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 5 with its annual It’s a Wonderful Life … Lake Bluff celebration including horse-drawn carriage rides, caroling, roasted chestnuts, live reindeer, story time with one of Santa’s elves at the Lake Bluff Public Library and finishing with a 5 p.m. tree lighting, according to information provided by the chamber.
Rolek said people should save their holiday shopping receipts from Nov. 27 through Dec. 31. Receipts totaling $250 or make shoppers eligible to win a raffle for $500 in chamber gift certificates.