Free NW Side trolleys on Nov. 25 & Dec. 2 to highlight small businesses
Free holiday trolley rides, sponsored by local chambers and community groups, will once again be available on the Far Northwest Side in an effort to help small businesses.
The Six Corners Chamber of Commerce will be offering a “Six Corners holiday tour” on hourlong trolley rides during “Small Business Saturday,” Nov. 25. The trolleys are scheduled to board at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Eggsperience, 4925 W. Irving Park Road, and noon at City News Cafe, 4018 N. Cicero Ave.
Called the “Holly Jolly Trolley,” the annual event will be different from previous years, when the trolley did a continuous loop, with designated stops in the commercial district. This year’s trolley is designed to give riders a tour of the district’s highlights, with several quick stops, following Santa as he goes shopping at area stores.
Riders will be encouraged to return on their own to the stores highlighted during the tour if they need more than the allotted time at each stop. The stops will be within a two-block radius of the intersection of Milwaukee and Cicero avenues and Irving Park Road.
One of those stops will be at City News Cafe, where snacks and free entertainment, including a “Winter Wonderland with Mrs. Claus,” will be offered. In addition, breakfast with Santa will be available from 9 to 11 a.m. at Eggsperience.
The chamber also is offering a free 12-piece box of truffles from City News Cafe to shoppers who spend at least $10 at three participating businesses at Six Corners. Game cards are available at area stores.
On the following Saturday, Dec. 2, the Six Corners Association, Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Park Forward and Portage Park Chamber of Commerce will host free trolley rides. They will include stops at designated locations from 3 to 6 p.m. at Six Corners, Old Irving Park, Portage Park and Jefferson Park.
There will be four trolleys, one of which will make a continuous loop through the entire route. That includes stops near the intersections of Six Corners, Irving Park-Long, Irving Park-Lavergne, Irving Park-Tripp, Milwaukee-Cuyler, Milwaukee-Montrose and Milwaukee-Lawrence and one near the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave.
In addition, there will be a separate trolley for each of the following streets: Milwaukee, Irving Park and Lawrence.
Riders are encouraged to review maps of the routes and locations of the stops at www.sixcorners.com prior to the event.
One of the stops will be near Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave., where there will be a craft fair and pictures with Santa in the fieldhouse from 1 to 5 p.m., followed be a tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. on the playground.
There also will be activities at Weston’s Coffee and Tap, 4872 N. Milwaukee Ave., which will be offering beverages for adults and free hot chocolate for children.
Next to Weston’s is the decorative “people spot” alley, where pictures with Santa will be available and caroling, including students from the Chicago Music and Acting Academy singing at 4:30 p.m.
Also sponsoring the Dec. 2 trolley rides are state Representative Lindsey LaPointe (D-19) and state Senators Robert Martwick (D-10) and Natalie Toro (D-20).
Watch for updates and more details on the trolleys and related activities for both Saturdays on the Facebook pages of the sponsoring community and business organizations.
