Thank you to ALL of our 2024 Festival of Lights parade participants for your creativity and efforts, and for putting on a great show around this year’s theme: Wish You Were Here: an Island Christmas! Without further ado, here are the winners of the trophy categories. (Turn on the sound in each clip for sound.)

Best Use of Music:

Potts & Pans

The largest professional steelband in the Midwest has performed at the Festival of Lights parade for many years and even inspired this year’s theme! Their enthusiasm and talent was on full display this year. Congratulations and thank you, Potts & Pans!

Best Use of Lights:

The Crystal Lake Park District

While there were many excellent contenders for this category, the judges and Downtown staff appreciated the use of green lights to create an ogre out of a pick up truck, highlighting their youth theater play “Shrek” coming this April. You can get tickets to that show opening December 19, here!

Most Enthusiastic

Crystal Lake Central Dance Team

Precision, talent, and great enthusiasm! The Crystal Lake Central Dance Team really brought it at the parade. Thanks you and congrats, Crystal Lake Central Dance Team!

Most Creative

District 47 & 155

The epic “Stitch” school bus had the crowd buzzing and wins this year’s Most Creative! This magnificent bus was on-point for the island theme AND totally on theme for kids in 2024. So impressive and fun.  Thank you, District 47 and 155!

Best of Theme

The City of Crystal Lake

With a postcard message on top of the pick-up truck, and a Santa surfing down the streets, the City’s entry into this year’s Festival of Lights parade couldn’t have been more delightful! Well done!

Judges’ Choice

KINGPINS

Thank you for for your performance, KINGPINS! Always a delight!

The KINGPINS brings the joy and excitement of drumming to kids with special needs, in collaboration with NISRA and The Crystal Lake Strikers. You can read more about the KINGPINS here.

Thank you to this year’s judges: Council Member Ian Philpot, Council Member Ellen Brady, and Mayor Haig Haleblian.