A fun alternative on Black Friday
Lincoln presidential library offers free family activities the day after Thanksgiving

[November 22, 2017] 

SPRINGFIELD

A family-friendly alternative to the stress and headaches of Black Friday shopping is returning to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, bigger and better than ever.

“Fun Frosty Friday” offers an array of free activities the day after Thanksgiving, including a roving magician, face painting, games, balloon art, a life-sized Candy Land Adventure and visits with Santa Claus.

This year, the event also includes outdoor activities (weather permitting) in Union Square Park: rides in a barrel train, blacksmithing demonstrations and information on fire safety.

“Fun Frosty Friday” runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indoor activities take place in the ALPLM’s library building at 112 N. Sixth St., Springfield. Doors will not open until 10 a.m.

The fun includes:

• Racing Hot Wheels cars

• A hot cocoa bar

• Using Civil War technology to create a coded message for Santa

• A robotics demonstration by the FIRST Lego League

• Learning about mastodons and the ice age

• Balloon art and face painting

• Meeting Santa, Olaf from “Frozen,” and an ice princess

Children can collect stamps at various stations in their Fun Frosty Friday passport and receive free admission to the Lincoln Presidential Museum across the street.

The museum will be presenting a new exhibit called “Holidays at the White House: A Presidential Christmas,” as well as a baseball exhibit called “Cubs vs. Cardinals: The Rivalry.” Actors portraying historic characters will be on hand to mingle with visitors.

For more about the day’s fun and games, visit www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.

The presidential library will also be collecting for the Sojourn Shelter, which helps victims of domestic violence. Visitors can stop by the library’s “angel tree” through Dec. 20 and pick decorations listing items the shelter needs. Then they buy the items (or make a monetary donation) and return them to the library.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to telling the story of America’s 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology. It also serves as the state historical library.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln material, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to other aspects of Illinois history. Meanwhile, the museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors.

[Christopher Wills]