It was nearly 90 degrees in historic downtown Long Grove on Saturday when Santa Claus pulled up to the Christmas in July celebration in his white open-air convertible, sporting a Rudolph red nose on the car’s front grille.
Santa’s Cool Yule started under a shady tent, where a Christmas market re-created a movie scene.
Last spring, scenes were filmed in Long Grove for the Great American Family channel production of “My Grown-Up Christmas Wish,” featuring Mario Lopez of “Access Hollywood” and “Saved by the Bell” fame, with spouse Courtney and their son Dominic.
“Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to create a body of work that makes people happy,” Lopez was quoted as saying in a Great American Family statement. “People who know me know how joyful it is for me to see life through a family lens. I cannot wait for fans to see our Christmas movie.”
“My Grown-Up Christmas Wish” will be released on Thanksgiving weekend, the release said.
“We’re looking forward to watching it,” said Sarah Yarmoska of Long Grove, who brought son Riker, 2, to see Santa at Christmas in July.
Long Grove is, “a quaint hometown,” she said, “perfect for a movie.”
Jesse DeSoto — co-owner of Brothers’ Field and Long Grove’s Fred Astaire Dance Studios, as well as vice president of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association — said a Long Grove movie premiere event is on his holiday wish list.
“Long Grove is always a great Christmas town,” he said.
The movie’s Christmas market scene filmed last spring at Brothers’ Field, “was set up really cute,” DeSoto said. “We’re bringing back the magic from the movie. People love that feeling of stepping back in time.”
Ryan Messner, a Long Grove business owner and president of the business association, said the village has, “that small-town feel, and we like to do business with these folks to create movies and showcase Long Grove.”
Bradley Oberrieder, Brothers’ Field general manager, said this was the third year for Christmas in July.
“This is very much what we do,” he said. “We try to think of ideas that bring out the community, that bring out families. Our main thing is to bolster local Long Grove businesses.”
The movie’s Christmas market scene filmed at Brothers’ Field included Long Grove vendors. Several returned for the the Christmas in July event.
Arlene Okun, owner and proprietor of the Sock Monkey Museum of Long Grove, had a Christmas in July table with wares, flanked by Mario Lopez photos snapped in Long Grove at the movie’s filming.
“It was a lot of fun,” she recalled, “and they were so nice.”
Extras in the “My Grown-Up Christmas Wish” included the Forehand siblings of Highland Park, Dakota, 8, a rising fourth-grader and Kinley, 10, a rising sixth-grader.
“It was really fun. I got a photo with Mario Lopez,” said Kinley, who added that being an extra required, “walking in circles and mumbling among yourselves while this person says this line.”
Referring to the Christmas in July market, Kinley said, “I love that it’s a redo of everything that was like during the movie.”
Dakota wore Christmas clothes during filming, and a red and green holiday dress with festive fringe at Christmas in July.
On Saturday, Santa cooled off by being doused with water balloons while sporting swim trunks.
Charlotte Kray, 6, a rising second-grader of Arlington Heights, participated in the water balloon memory maker.
“We loved it,” her mother Elaina said.
Charlotte said she loves Christmas in July but wished for winter, “so we could put water balloons on his head (Santa Claus) when it is cold out.”
Grant and Katie Magnuson of Lake Zurich brought sons Ben, 3, and Miles, 1.
Christmas in July is, “just something original and cool in the middle of the summer,” Grant Magnuson said.
