Christmas Light Installation in Uptown, Chicago

Custom Christmas lighting and permanent roofline lighting for Uptown, designed for terra cotta facades and courtyard buildings from the neighbourhood's Jazz Age boom.

The Unique Charm of Uptown

Uptown runs from Foster Avenue south to Montrose and Irving Park, and from the lake west to Ravenswood and Clark. In the early twentieth century it was the largest commercial and entertainment district in Chicagoland outside the Loop, and the buildings from that boom are still standing. The Uptown Theatre, designed by Rapp and Rapp in 1926 with nearly 4,500 seats, is the largest in Chicago. The Aragon Ballroom at Lawrence and Winthrop hosted most of the country's well known jazz groups through the 1920s and 1930s. The Green Mill at 4802 North Broadway was modelled on the Moulin Rouge gardens, and Chaplin and Gloria Swanson made films at Essanay Studios on Argyle. Three Red Line stations serve it: Argyle, Lawrence and Wilson. Three historic districts cover much of it. We love contributing to the local character of Uptown with our beautiful lighting designs, whether seasonal or permanent.

Our Services in Uptown

From magical Christmas displays to permanent architectural lighting, we have professional solutions for every property and every season.

Residential Holiday Lighting

Uptown's residential stock is courtyard apartment buildings and walk ups rather than detached houses, so the work is elevation by elevation. A U shaped courtyard building has a street face everyone sees and inner faces only residents see, and those are separate decisions. Nothing gets fastened into terra cotta or cut stone. Every residential package is all inclusive: custom design, install, mid season maintenance, takedown and storage.

Commercial Holiday Lighting

Broadway, Lawrence and Argyle carry the commercial life, in front of building stock built to be looked at. Outlining a top edge or a marquee line works with facades that were designed for display in the first place, which is a rare advantage.

Permanent Lighting Installation

Transform your outdoor spaces with professional permanent lighting installations. Enhance ambiance, security, and property value year-round with invisible tracks and smart app control.

Patio & Bistro Lighting

Bistro strings over patios, pergolas and decks, hung on proper catenary with dimmable warm white bulbs. The one install that earns its keep from spring through fall rather than only in December.

Terra cotta is not something you fasten to

The ornate glazed terra cotta that gives Uptown its Jazz Age face is a cladding, not a structure, and it is both brittle and effectively irreplaceable: the moulds are gone and a cracked panel is a restoration job rather than a repair. Nothing we install is drilled, screwed or anchored into it. We work from gutter and cornice edges, parapet caps and window reveals with removable fixings, and where an elevation genuinely offers no attachment point we say so rather than inventing one. Three historic districts cover much of the neighbourhood, so this is a permitting question as well as a preservation one.

What an Uptown install costs

Seasonal lighting for an average house starts at $799 and up, depending on the complexity, height and access of the job. That describes a detached suburban house, which Uptown has very few of. Work here is quoted per elevation and by access: a two or three storey walk up front is straightforward, a courtyard building is several elevations, and anything above the second storey needs a lift rather than a ladder. We quote the whole job after we walk the roofline, never off a rate card or a square footage table.

See the full Chicagoland cost guide

What Our Clients Say


5.0 average from 35 reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook

  • Amrit KGoogle

    The Hanging Lights Club set up lights for Christmas lights. WOW! I was amazed at the quality of the work. They stayed there for HOURS to make sure everything was perfect and according to my specifications! I am going to recommend them to all of my friends and family! WOW! AMAZING WORK!

  • M MierGoogle

    Hanging Lights Club did an absolutely great job installing our new permanent lights. We had previously used them for our Christmas lights.After such a great experience, we decided to switch with permanent lighting. They are honest, professional and thorough with their work. It’s rare these days to find a company that you could trust and they exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend them!

  • Kat DizonGoogle

    They did a spectacular job installing our Christmas lights last year. I noticed that they were very detailed and careful when installing each light which resulted into having no issues at all after the installation. So thankful for them for making our place look so festive. Thank you and can’t wait to book your services again this year!

See all 33 customer reviews

Other Chicago neighborhoods we light

Gold Coast · Lincoln Park · River North · Wicker Park

Ready to Transform Your Uptown Property?

Whether you want seasonal holiday cheer or year-round permanent brilliance, we're ready to light up your world.

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