Christmas is a truly magical time in Woodstock, IL. And the magic is centered in the heart of our town, the historic Woodstock Square.

During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, workers string thousands of lights in the trees on the Square and on the buildings surrounding it. Then, on the night after Thanksgiving, Miss Woodstock flips the switch. This year more than 2,000 people were there to ooh and ahh at the beauty.

Rather than try to describe it, I’ll share some photos.

Photo by Ken Farver for The Woodstock Independent

photo by Shannon

So that’s a taste of what it’s like. To experience the full effect of the magic, you have to come visit Woodstock. There’s still plenty of time. The lights stay on until Groundhog Day.