Just like magic, the Santa House will appear in November near the large holiday tree to await the arrival of the jolly old elf in the bright red suit who will open the doors for youngsters from 4 to 8PM on Fri., Dec. 2.
Hours for the public are 4 to 8PM every Friday and 12 to 6PM on Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 18.
Special visit times are scheduled by appointment on Dec. 6, 7 and 8 for special needs; Dec.12 for pets and Dec.13 for military families. Call the Naperville Park District for an appointment at (630) 848-5000.
4-8PM Weekdays Dec. 14-Dec. 23
Beginning Wed., Dec. 14, the Santa House will be open 4 to 8PM on weekdays through Dec. 23, 2016.
Find the Santa House along the Riverwalk at Jackson Avenue and Webster Street, just west of Civic Plaza where the holiday tree will be aglow after dark.
Thanks to many local sponsors, admission is free of charge. Photos can be purchased for $8 or two for $15.
Editor’s Note / From the Naperville Park District on Nov. 14, 2016…Installation on Nov. 17.
The Gobernatz family is donating a 30-foot spruce tree to be placed at the Riverwalk for the 2016 holiday season. Naperville Park District staff will bring the tree from the residential property to its holiday home at the Riverwalk sometime before Nov. 23.
According to Nancy Gobernatz, the family has admired the spruce tree since they moved to their Naperville home in 1993. The house was built in 1980 and the tree may have been planted at that time. Nancy’s mother, Elaine, identified the tree as a blue spruce and also identified other plants and trees on the property when the family moved in.
As the spruce grew, the family learned of the Naperville Park District’s tradition of seeking a donated tree to display near Santa House on the Riverwalk each December. The children agreed that they wanted to share their tree with the community someday and waited for the tree to grow large enough.
When the Park District’s call for a donated tree went out this fall, the family decided that this year was the perfect time. Nancy is dedicating the tree in memory of her mother, on the 10th anniversary of her death.
Above / Cheryl Gobernatz and Nancy Gobernatz were gleeful after a bad break was fixed by the know-how of city and park district workers. Their blue spruce is set to spread good cheer for the holidays along the Riverwalk. (Nov. 17, 2016)
“We are thrilled to be able to share this beautiful tree with the community,” said Nancy. “We want to dedicate it to my mother, who loved all of the trees at our home and said of the spruce tree, ‘That’s not just any tree, that’s a blue spruce.’”
