Winter WonderFest

Not Your Traditional Holiday Trees???

Always a highlight of Winter WonderFest are the over-the-top thematic trees. Each tree gets decked out with hundreds of lights & ornaments. This year we pushed to get more “themes” on the trees. It was great fun coming up with the concepts and seeing them through to installation. It’s been a busy week getting everything • Read More »


Come Meet The Residents of Winter WonderTown

Part of the fun of Winter WonderFest is letting the kids go explore & play in a safe holiday environment. Part of that fun is interacting with the “residents” of Winter WonderTown. With the help of the Ivan Carlson “Elves,” this magical village pops up for just a few weeks every year. The kids will • Read More »


Winter WonderFest : Opens Tomorrow

It’s that time of the year again… and the Ivan Carlson “Elves”have been working hard down at Chicago’s Navy Pier to get ready for this year’s holiday festivities. The party starts tomorrow as Winter WonderFest opens its door to the public on Friday, December 6th. Here’s a sneak peek of the 42′ tree that greets • Read More »


Winter WonderFest Opens Today

For several years, Ivan Carlson has been honored to be an integral part of Winter WonderFest. From the very beginning, we’ve been decorating trees, Reindeer Express, Santas Around The World and making everything look extra festive. Every year we tackle thirty wonderful thematic trees. Not your normal “tree-at-home” kind of tree. But a little bit • Read More »


A New Winter Village

There’s a new village popping up at Navy Pier this year! As part of Winter WonderFest, Mayor Burl Evergreen and the festive residents of Winter WonderTown will be greeting guests through the month of December! Stop by to chat with the Mayor, dance with the Mailman, get locked up by the Police and sing along • Read More »


A Cavernous Christmas

It’s just a little daunting walking into Navy Pier’s Festival Hall on the first day of install when it looks like this. Knowing that Winter WonderFest will be opening to the public  in just eleven days. Looks like we’ll be making a lot of Christmas Magic quickly between now & then.


A Return Visit to Winter WonderFest

Again this year, the ICA Elves have been working down at Navy Pier to convert Festival Hall into a magical wonderland for the kids… and the kids at heart! Chilfran will again be riding the train through Reindeer Express to see the brightly colored village just down the street from Santa’s House! The next stop • Read More »


Happy 10th Anniversary Winter WonderFest !!!

Celebrating 10 years of festive fun on Chicago’s Navy Pier, we were pleased to once again be decorating Festival Hall to help transform the massive space into a Winter Wonderland. With specialty theme Christmas trees and a kids’ train ride through Santa’s Village on the Reindeer Express! As well as a very special 24′ Anniversary Tree in • Read More »