McHenry County Local Scene: Cocoa crawl, hike in candlelight and ride in a horse-drawn carriage

Cocoa crawl: Take in the sights of ice sculptures while keeping yourself warm with hot chocolate at the Huntley Chamber Ice Sculpture Cocoa Crawl from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 in downtown Huntley. A free iceless skating rink will be on Coral Street by the Huntley Legion, and an artist will be creating an ice sculpture live from 1 to 3 p.m.

Tickets for the cocoa crawl closed Dec. 1, but attendees are welcomed to bring their own warm beverages, and simply viewing the ice sculptures is free. Visit huntleychamber.org for more details.

Winter art market: Get some last-minute and unique Christmas gifts at the Winter Art Market from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Scorched Earth Brewing Co. in Algonquin. The free market will have more than a dozen local vendors selling floral arrangements, paintings, jewelry, home decor and more.

Pop-up food vendor Good Omen Gyoza will be at the brewery selling handmade dumplings and other delicious food options. For information, visit bit.ly/winter-art-market.

Hike in candle light: Enjoy a candlelit hike through the Harrison Benwell Conservation Area trails from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Wonder Lake. If there’s enough snow, bring ski equipment and enjoy the trails by cross-country skiing. Skiers of all experiences are welcomed.

The McHenry County Conservation District is hosting the free event, and no registration is required. Visit mccdistrict.org for more details.

Horse-drawn carriage rides: Snuggle up in carriage ride through Woodstock’s historic downtown from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The free ride will take one lap around the downtown Square that is filled with festive lights and displays.

Rides are given on a first-come, first-served basis. The last day for the free horse-drawn carriage rides will be Saturday, Dec. 23. For information, visit realwoodstock.com.

Saturday with Santa: Visit Offsides Sports Bar & Grill in Woodstock from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday to meet with Santa and participate in plenty of other family-friendly activities. Kids can take a free picture with Santa and enjoy free hot chocolate at the event.

Get extra festive with hair tinseling, face-painting and ornament making from Primary Vision Art. Participants can create a custom ornament and add their fingerprints for $15. For more details, visit facebook.com/offsidesbar.