The inaugural Festival of Wreaths, presented by Horace Mann and managed by Downtown Springfield, Inc. and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, will kick off inside the historic Old State Capitol on Nov. 23.
This new holiday program invites student art organizations and classrooms to decorate a complimentary wreath as a group. They will be displayed inside the Old State Capitol from Nov. 23 through Dec. 12 as part of the 2026 expanded downtown holiday programming while the prospective 2027 Christkindlmarkt is in the works.
“Helping the next generation see themselves as part of our community is vital, so we’re growing our programming to include youth opportunities when possible,” said DSI executive director Jay Shanle. “We can’t wait to explore the student creations lining the Old State Capitol, and hope the public will help support these organizations and future downtown programming through the wreath silent auction.”
The wreaths will be sold through a virtual silent auction as a dual fundraiser for the student organizations and DSI, the 501(c)3 nonprofit representing downtown. Proceeds will be split evenly between the two, with student groups receiving at minimum $50 for participating. Additional cash prizes, made possible thanks to presenting sponsor Horace Mann, will also be awarded to People’s Choice winners through social media voting.
“Our agency has partnered with downtown businesses and DSI for decades, and we are delighted to work alongside our partners again this year on a new tradition,” said Jim Montgomery, the newly appointed head of IDNR. “We look forward to seeing the creativity and holiday cheer that students deliver downtown this season.”
To elevate the 2026 Holiday Walks, additional new programming has been added including live comedy, choral and dance performances and a gingerbread house competition. Details about entering the all-ages Downtown Gingerbread Village competition, which will run after the Festival of Wreath concludes, will be posted at downtownspringfield.org and across social media in mid-November.
These expansions to the annual Holiday Walks season have been made possible thanks to the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Springfield Historic Sites.
The public is invited to explore this collection of student art during the Old State Capitol’s normal winter hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and 1-5 p.m. Mondays. The site will be open until 7 p.m. on Saturdays during the downtown Holiday Walks. Information about People’s Choice voting and the silent auction will be available at the event, as well as on the DSI website and Facebook page closer to the event.
Limited wreath spots may still be available, so interested student organizations should contact Molly Harms at molly@downtownspringfield.org for details.
