Christmas Traditions begin in McHenry County. Beyond the gifts under the tree, part of what makes Christmas traditions truly special is the tree.

Sure, you could bring up an artificial tree from the basement, but what could be better than visiting a Christmas tree farm, smell the holiday scents of pine and balsam, maybe take a wagon ride to the distant corners of an orderly pine forest and choose exactly the right tree to serve as the centerpiece of your holiday decor.

Did you know? McHenry County harvests more Christmas trees than anywhere else in the state.

Begin planning your Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Adventure today: Christmas Tree Farm

Visit McHenry County, IL! Planning the perfect getaway in McHenry County just got much easier! We’re excited to unveil the Visit McHenry County Guide on our site with integrated mobile apps, an interactive way to map out everything you don’t want to miss in McHenry County. This tool provides a new way to explore what the county has to offer, including hotels, popular restaurants, activities, and shopping. View it all at once or search by categories like Hike & Bike, Sweets & Treats, or Family Friendly.

#mchenrycountymade At 1776 Restaurant they believe that everyone deserves good food. They are making this happen by redefining fine dining. Experience a truly unique farm to table meal in a warm and welcoming environment for yourself right here in McHenry County!

Upcoming Events

Dragology: Dripping in Jewels November 8 Mixin Mingle Woodstock We will be Dripping in Jewels for Krystal Ball's birthday month! All ages welcome, cash bar for the 21 and over crowd. Join Haus of Plastic and special guests for the November show. Tickets are $5 and available as always at the door. Doors open at 7:30 P.M.

Fleetwood Max November 9 Raue Center for the Arts The Fleetwood Max experience captures the mystical atmosphere, look and sound of these enigmatic Rock and Roll Hall of Famers with outstanding vocal and character performances from a cast of the most respected, professional, touring musicians on the United States East Coast.

CAM Artist Concert Featuring the Dickens Carollers November 10 Culture, Arts & Music Bring the whole family and enjoy some great Holiday Favorites with this Accapella Performance. This performance kicks off their 2019/2020 Holiday Season. Come with requests ready!  CAM Artist Concerts are presented to showcase local artists and in support of Culture, Arts & Music

A Christmas Carol November 22 - December 8 Woodstock Opera House Join Ebenezer Scrooge as he journeys through the Christmases of Past, Present, and Christmas Yet to Come with his Ghostly Guides. Let our merry Christmas carols, enchanting children, wonderful characters, and colorful costumes welcome you into the Christmas season!

Downtown McHenry Toys for Tots Parade, Christmas Walk & Tree Lighting November 24 Downtown McHenry 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Toys for Tots Parade 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM Downtown Christmas Walk with food, store sales, characters, trolley and more 5:00 P.M. Tree Lighting in Veterans Memorial Park and visits with Santa in the Santa House.

Turkey Testicle Festival November 27 Parkside Pub You won't want to miss the biggest pre-Thanksgiving festivities in the Midwest! Turkey Testicle Festival (TTF to the locals) gets the windows rattling at 11:00 AM the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with loads of live music! Stop by and enjoy lots of live music, plenty of beer (and soda for the DD's) and lots of deep-fried turkey testicles. It's a pre-Thanksgiving tradition in Huntley, attracting thousands of revelers ... and plenty of puns! Sorry kiddos, this is a 21+, adults only event.

Lighting of the Square November 29 Historic Woodstock Square Visit the beautiful and historic Square on the Friday after Thanksgiving and help the City of Woodstock usher in the official start to the holiday season. With the flip of a switch, tens of thousands of twinkling lights are illuminated on Park trees and Square buildings, ushering in the magic of Christmas in a Victorian-era setting.

The Festival of Lights Parade November 29 Downtown Crystal Lake The Festival of Lights Parade is the traditional start to the season when Santa Claus comes to town! The evening is filled with lights, music, pageantry, and a little magic! The parade ends at the corner of Williams & Crystal Lake Avenue, when Santa throws his magic dust to light the 40-foot Community Christmas Tree!

Click for a full list of upcoming events!

Check out our INSIDER Guide! Tips are always better when you can rely on a friend telling you all about a destination's must-sees. Here in McHenry County, we want you to feel like you're one of our old friends. And since we are old friends, we want you to know everything we know about our little slice of Chicagoland. Click HERE to see the digital version! Click HERE to request a paper copy!