Downtown Aurora is gearing up for its annual Winter Lights festival, set for Friday, November 20, with programming beginning at 6 p.m. and a parade, tree lighting, drone show, music and photos with Santa. The parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. along Downer Place, running from Water Street to River Street.
This year's lineup includes a parade, tree lighting ceremony, drone light show, live music and photo opportunities with Santa.
Street closures tied to the event begin at 6 p.m. the night of the festival, matching the start of the broader Winter Lights program. Parade-goers hoping for a good vantage point for both the parade and the drone show can find one option along the Downer Place bridges, which offer views of the tree lighting and the drone light show overhead.
Parade Route and Parking Details
The parade path is set along Downer Place, stretching from Water Street to River Street in the heart of downtown Aurora. The procession steps off at 6:30 p.m., a half hour after the broader festival begins.
Attendees driving downtown for the festivities won't need to worry about parking fees, as free parking is available in all public downtown lots for the evening. That detail, along with the parade timing, comes from the enjoyaurora.com event listing, which organizers point to for the fullest rundown of the night's logistics.
A November 19, 2025, preview by the Chicago Tribune said that year's event was scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m., with the parade starting at 6:30 p.m. at Downer Place and Water Street and heading west to River Street.
Planning and past schedules
The 2025 preview listed a 6-to-9 p.m. schedule. This year's article gives a 6 p.m. start and the same 6:30 p.m. parade time and route, but does not state an end time, so the available details do not show whether the event's duration changed. For transit planning, Metra's Aurora station page lists Pace Routes 524, 530, 533 and 802 as connections to consider when traveling to the area.
For residents planning their evening around this year's festival, the city has pointed people to aurora.il.us/winterlights for additional information as the November 20 date approaches.
