Western Springs' late-fall calendar is busiest on its two biggest days, and the Theatre of Western Springs has a show on both. The village's suggested trick-or-treat window on October 31 starts at the same hour as an ASL-interpreted matinee of Working. On December 5, Winter Wonderland and Santa's firetruck arrival happen while Cinderella runs two shows on the Lou & Nancy Schauer Mainstage. Halloween and the start of the holiday season both run on Hampton Avenue's schedule as much as the village's.
So treat the season as a few dense Saturdays with quieter weeks between them. That's easier than reading it as a long list of separate events. It starts tonight.
Tonight on Hampton Avenue
Working opens Thursday, October 22, and runs through November 1 at the Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Avenue. The musical is based on Studs Terkel's book. Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso adapted it, and the songs come from Schwartz, Lin-Manuel Miranda and James Taylor. Greg Kolack, listed on the theater's staff page as Artistic Director, directs.
The Theatre of Western Springs was founded in 1929 and is now in its 98th season, so its 100th anniversary falls in 2029. The main stage carries the names of Lou and Nancy Schauer. As Patch reported in 2023, the theater named the stage for the couple in recognition of decades of contributions.
Practical details for Working:
- Run: October 22 through November 1, 2026, on the Schauer Mainstage
- Tickets: $32 for adults, $19 for children and students, plus a per-ticket credit-card fee
- Audience: recommended for ages 16 and older
- ASL performance: Saturday, October 31, at 2 p.m.
The last item on that list is where the season's first overlap shows up.
Halloween Gets Booked Twice
This year Halloween falls on a Saturday. The Village of Western Springs recommends trick-or-treating on October 31 from 2 to 8 p.m. The ASL-interpreted Working matinee starts at 2 p.m. that same afternoon. The show is recommended for ages 16 and up, so this is a natural split for a household. Older family members can see the matinee while younger ones head out in costume, and everyone can meet up before the trick-or-treat window closes at 8. The October 31 matinee is also the only ASL-interpreted performance of the run, so anyone who needs it should book early.
November Starts by Getting Rid of the Pumpkins
After Halloween the calendar thins out, and the first event of the month deals with what October leaves behind. The village's Pumpkin Smash composting event is Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of St. John of the Cross Parish School, 5005 Wolf Road. That morning gets the porch pumpkins out of the yard before the holiday decorations go up.
The theater stays busy all month. Macbeth runs November 6 through 8, the same weekend as Pumpkin Smash, and Radio Gaga plays one night only, Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m. Pumpkin Smash wraps up at noon on a Saturday, and the Macbeth weekend surrounds it. For anyone who wants Shakespeare this year, that is the only chance.
The holiday season starts earlier than December 5. The Western Springs Business Association's 2026 schedule puts Photos with Santa on November 28 and 29, then again on December 5 and 6, from noon to 5 p.m. each day. The Thanksgiving weekend dates come before the big village Saturday. They are the better pick for anyone who wants a photo without the crowd that a firetruck arrival and tree lighting draw.
December 5 Is When Everything Lands
The village calendar lists Winter Wonderland for Saturday, December 5. The WSBA's schedule sets it for noon to 5 p.m. and describes how the season starts: Santa arrives on a firetruck, the Village tree is lit, and photos with Santa follow.
Cinderella opens on Hampton Avenue the night before, Friday, December 4. The theater describes the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical as family-friendly. Tickets cost $17 for adults and $13 for children 18 and under, plus a per-ticket credit-card fee, well below the Working adult price. The run is built around weekends, and its first Saturday is Winter Wonderland day.
Here is how the two schedules line up on December 5:
| Time on Saturday, December 5 | Theatre of Western Springs | Village and WSBA |
|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. | Cinderella matinee | |
| Noon | Winter Wonderland and Photos with Santa begin | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Cinderella matinee | Winter Wonderland continues |
| 5 p.m. | Winter Wonderland and Santa photos end |
A family can see Cinderella at 11 and arrive for Winter Wonderland when it opens at noon, or spend the early afternoon at Winter Wonderland and catch the 2:30 show. The WSBA schedule does not give a separate time for the firetruck arrival or the tree lighting. Check closer to the date if those are the moments you want to see.
The rest of the Cinderella run offers quieter options:
- Friday, December 4, at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m., the same day as the last Santa photos
- Friday, December 11, at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12, at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
- Sunday, December 13, at 2:30 p.m.
A New Restaurant Is Still on the Way on Burlington
The calendar is set through mid-December, but one downtown address is still in progress. Alano Ristorante is coming to 821 Burlington Avenue, the former Salerno's Pizzeria space. Patch reported that Salerno's closed in early January 2026 after nearly a decade at that location.
In July, Patch reported that owner Chris Elsey hoped to open in late October. The planned Italian menu includes appetizers, salads, pasta, pizza, fish, chicken and steaks, along with cocktails, wine and beer, at an estimated $30 to $45 per person. At the August 10 Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously approved the Class B, G and H liquor license ordinances for Cotto Geneva LLC, doing business as Alano Ristorante.
The restaurant's website still says "Opening this fall" without a date. It names Elsey and Chef and Partner Massimo Salatino, and its menu pages say they are being updated. At that price, Alano would be a dinner option for a Working evening or a December theater night, if it opens in time. For now, the posted schedules are the theater's and the village's.
For more on what the village has built up downtown over the past year and a half, our summer guide to downtown Western Springs covers the Tower Green calendar and the restaurants already serving there. Our Western Springs neighborhood page has the broader view.
If you're planning December around family visits, house guests or a home that will be hosting this season, I'm glad to share what I know about Western Springs, from the busiest Saturdays to the quieter ones. Jennifer Williams, Inc. is always happy to talk about the village. Let's Connect.
