Meet Santa, sip hot cocoa and see 500K twinkle lights at Milwaukee's Festival of Lights kick-off

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Thursday night, Nov. 16 is the 25th annual Festival of lights. The city will kick off the holiday season with cookies, Santa, hot cocoa and more. 

"It's a great way for a community to connect here in Milwaukee as we think about everything we're grateful for heading into Thanksgiving," said Beth Weirick, CEO of the Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District. 

The festival will take place at Pere Marquette Park starting at 5:30 p.m. 

"Which has now been transformed into Felices Fiestas which means happy holidays," said Weirick. 

Lights will be turned on at dusk and fireworks will start at 7:30 p.m. 

"We're going to have the Kid Boogie Down kick-off the event tonight at 5:30 in the park, inviting all the children down to come down and dance to music, and lights and bubbles," said Weirick.

This year there are 500,000 lights installed throughout downtown Milwaukee.