MAGNIFICENT MILE — It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on North Michigan Avenue.
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival will inhabit Downtown on both Friday and Saturday this year. Now in its 25th year, the annual event run by the merchants of Michigan Avenue will once again string 1 million lights along Chicago's most famous shopping strip.
Here's what to know if you go:
What is it?
The festival is billed by the Magnificent Mile Association as "the country's largest evening holiday celebration."
Mickey and Minnie Mouse will lead more than 40 floats down the Mag Mile from Oak Street to the Chicago River, illuminating 200 trees along the way.
See DNAinfo's Neighborhood Picks in the 2016 Holiday Guide
Artists including country star Jo Dee Messina and Disney boy band Forever In Your Mind will serenade the crowd as Mag Mile shops offer specials.
The parade ends with fireworks over the Chicago River.forever
What's new this year?
For the first time, the festival will last two days. A pop-up "Lights Festival Lane" with games for kids and food from Garrett Popcorn, Eli's Cheesecake, and others will set up shop at 4 p.m. Friday in Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave., in advance of Saturday's parade.
When is it?
The Lights Lane Festival will last from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The tree-lighting parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Michigan Avenue and Oak Street. The parade will end around 7 p.m.
The parade map. [Mag Mile Association]
Who's playing?
Six high school marching bands and several dance troupes including the South Shore Drill Team will perform, as well as these headliners:
•Blue Man Group
•Drew Lachey of 98 Degrees
•Chicago a cappella group The Remedy
•USO Show Troupe
•Forever In Your Mind
•Jo Dee Messina
•MARi Burelle
•Lexi Walker
•Kurt Elling
•Kevin Quinn
What streets will be closed?
The festival anticipates 800,000 guests, and the Mag Mile Association says these streets will be closed for the parade:
Will there be a float that smells like Garrett Popcorn?
What if I just want to watch on TV?
ABC7 will broadcast the parade live at 6 p.m. Saturday and re-air it at 1 p.m. Dec. 11 and 4 p.m. Dec. 18.
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