Thousands packed Chicago's Loop for Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Parade
The holiday festivities continued Saturday evening with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival parade and fireworks showcase in Chicago's downtown.
Chicago police now remain in the Loop, with 1,000 additional officers patrolling downtown just one night after two shootings that left a 14-year-old boy dead and eight others hurt.
The Christkindlmarket closed up shop for the night on its opening weekend. Elsewhere in downtown, hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets earlier for the Mag Mile Lights Festival parade and fireworks. The event with added police presence following Friday night's downtown shooting.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse were greeted with cheers as they waved to children and parents who packed the sidewalks along Michigan Avenue and watched in awe. An estimated one million people were in attendance for the event.
Prior to the event, one mother said the high visibility of police made her and her family feel secure.
"I feel safe knowing we have the Chicago police out here. I feel safe out here. I know we're in good hands," Chasity said.
Chicago police said on top of 700 extra police brought in to support district one officers, 300 more were brought in to staff the event Saturday evening, following Friday night's shooting that left one teen dead and others wounded.
Despite that, the joy on the faces of attendees kept the holiday spirit alive.
"It's happy, it's like really colorful, and it's nice to see," Jane said.
Families said they were out enjoying the event, as well as others, like the opening weekend of the Christkindlmarket.
It was Tracy Monticello's first time visiting the market.
"It's wonderful, great atmosphere, it's very nice, beautiful weather," she said.
A sign that the downtown area is continuing its resurgence, post-pandemic, drawing in visitors of all ages.
So much happened that Griffin Monticello couldn't single out a favorite.
"Probably….the… all this stuff," he said.
Christkindlmarket continues through Christmas Eve.