ROCHELLE – Visit Downtown Rochelle on Friday, Dec. 1 for the annual Old Fashioned Christmas Walk!
Start your weekend by visiting Santa at the Flagg Township Museum from 4 – 7 p.m. on Friday evening. The Flagg Township Museum will decorate a special place for Santa Claus to meet your children and hear their wishes for Christmas. There is no charge to enter the museum and visit Santa for this special occasion. Children are encouraged to bring their letters to Santa and parents don’t forget your cameras.  
Horse and Carriage rides are returning to the Old Fashioned Christmas Walk this year.  Rides will run from 4-7p.m. and pickup is at the Flagg Township Museum.
Enjoy a Christmas Market featuring Arts, Crafts & Vendors inside the Living Water Community Church located at 405 N. Main Street. The market will be open from 5 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 and from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2.  
The VFW Women’s Auxiliary will hold a Craft & Vendor show on Friday from 4 – 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 – 4 p.m. Proceeds benefit the VFW Women’s Auxiliary Scholarship Fund.  
Watch as local businesses and organizations roll through the downtown with holiday themed vehicles beginning at 5:30 p.m. for the Lighted Parade. The parade is sponsored by LULAC. To register, contact Adriana Milan at city hall, 815-561-2063.  The parade travels through the downtown and ends at city hall for the Community Tree Lighting.

New this year, The Faux Pas Gallery, Rochelle’s own art gallery featuring over a dozen northern Illinois artists, will be open and serving artsy treats. The gallery is located at 308 Lincoln Highway and will be open from 6 – 9 p.m. for this event.
On the city hall front lawn following the parade, Santa will light the community tree and the annual Gratitude Award will be given to a deserving member of the community following the tree lighting.  
Christmas Tree Festival
The 12th Annual Christmas Tree Festival is open at city hall from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening, with bidding coming to a close at 6:30 p.m. sharp.  You’ll be able to find the perfect gift or decoration for your home at the festival with tabletop trees, gift baskets, wreaths, centerpieces and more available for silent auction. All proceeds from the silent auction benefit the Community Action Network’s Needy Children Shopping Trip. Warm beverages and Cliff’s donuts will be served.
Plenty of good food will be available throughout the downtown Friday night as well. The Rochelle Fire Department will be serving up its festival-famous pork chop sandwiches and the Masonic Temple will be serving a chili and soup dinner. Ralfie’s BBQ will be cooking up tasty kabobs at the corner of Fourth Ave. and Lincoln Highway near the carriage rides. New this year is Oasis Mexican Food serving homemade tamales and Mexican corn in front of the RMU Customer Service building at 333 Lincoln Highway.
The Flagg-Rochelle Public Library will once again hold an open house the evening of the annual Downtown Christmas Walk.  Enjoy music, treats and other fun by the Christmas tree from 6:15 - 7:30 p.m. The night is designed for the whole family.
A community-wide luminary display takes place Saturday evening from 5 – 9 p.m.  Simply line your driveway and sidewalk with candlelit milk jugs or bags and enjoy the view. All are invited to participate.  
Santa will visit the VFW to enjoy Breakfast with families on Sunday, Dec. 3 from 8 - 11 a.m. The cost is just $5 and includes a photo with Santa.