Daily Welcome
Be sure to come early to see the grand opening ceremony every morning at 10:00 am sharp. Join the Mayor of Winter WonderFest, Burl Evergreen, and all his Winter WonderFriends as they celebrate the start of another wonderful day!

eWish Center
Festival Hall
Daily: Friday, December 5 – Sunday, January 4, 2009
Techie elves assist kids in sending their holiday wishes via "Winternet" to Santa. After the holidays the elves will assist you in writing a thank you note that will be sent straight to the big guy in red!

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Strolling Characters
Bring your camera and meet Navy Pier's official mascot, Patch the Pirate Dog and his best buddy Pickle all dressed up in their Holiday best. Keep an eye out for their festive friends including Mayor Burl Evergreen, Colonel Caramel, the Holiday Cops as well as many others, strolling throughout Winter WonderFest. Click here to download the Winter WonderFriends autograph sheet and learn the history of Winter WonderFest.

Holiday Court – New!
Doug and Eddie, the Winter WonderFest holiday cops, are continually on the watch to issue tickets for "Un-holiday like behavior" for such violations such as being a last-minute shopper or not wearing enough green. This year you can protest your tickets in front of the Honorable Mayor Evergreen in the new Holiday Court.

Family Pavilion Stage
Family-friendly entertainment will be featured throughout the day at the Family Pavilion Stage. Visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves through December 24. Visitors will also delight in performances by magicians, jugglers, circus artists, and more. Click here for a show schedule.

Santa & Friends
Family Pavilion Stage
Sunday, November 30 –
    Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Daily, 11:00am – 7:00pm
Special Holiday Hours: December 24
    11:00am – 3:00pm
Visit Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elf assistants in their North Pole "Satellite Office" where they are eager to meet you and learn about your holiday wishes.

Variety Showcase
Family Pavilion Stage
Daily: Friday, December 26, 2008 – Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm, 5:00pm and 6:00pm
Navy Pier is proud to showcase Chicago's top variety performers. Whether on the stage or strolling around the Pier, these talented artists will delight and amaze you as they challenge your imagination and inspire laughter and smiles.

Winter WonderStage
Family-friendly entertainment will be featured throughout the day at the Winter WonderStage located inside Festival Hall. Click here for a show schedule.

Variety Showcase: Navy Pier is proud to showcase Chicago's top variety performers. Whether on the stage or strolling around the Pier, these talented artists will delight and amaze you as they challenge your imagination and inspire laughter and smiles.
Performance Days: Monday - Saturday

WPPN's Family Sundays: This year Navy Pier will partner with WPPN in presenting Hispanic and Latino performance groups to reflect Chicago's growing Spanish-speaking communities. Guests can enjoy family-friendly performances by traditional choral ensembles, dance troupes, and more.
Performance Days: Sundays: December 14, 21, 28 and January 4

Consulate Community Ensembles & School Groups
Enjoy school group performances and multi-ethnic music and dance from local community ensembles. Multi-ethnic programming is presented in cooperation with Chicago-area Consulates.
Performance Days: Performance dates and times vary.