Aurora, IL – Drivers heading toward Phillips Park tonight should expect heavier traffic and restricted access as Aurora’s popular Festival of Lights enters its final days, with police urging visitors to follow specific routes to avoid delays.
According to the Aurora Police Department, the Festival of Lights runs nightly from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will end Saturday, December 28, making this weekend the last before Christmas for visitors hoping to attend.
To keep traffic flowing safely and efficiently, police say Fifth Avenue and Smith Boulevard are the only approved entrance routes to the event. Motorists are also advised that exiting is permitted eastbound on Sixth Avenue only.
Several nearby roads are not accessible for festival traffic. Police confirmed that Windsor Avenue, Ziegler Avenue, and Sixth Avenue (for entry) are closed to access for the event and should not be used as alternate routes.
With holiday travel already increasing congestion across the city, officials recommend visiting earlier in the evening or planning alternate routes to avoid backups near the park. Drivers should also expect slow-moving traffic during peak hours, especially shortly after 6 p.m.
Phillips Park, located on Aurora’s east side in Kane County, draws thousands of visitors each season for the drive-through holiday light display, making it one of the area’s most popular winter attractions in the western Chicago suburbs.
Police remind visitors to remain patient, follow posted signage, and watch for officers directing traffic near park entrances.
Residents traveling through the area but not attending the event are encouraged to avoid the immediate Phillips Park vicinity during evening hours through December 28.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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