'World's Tallest' Advent calendar returns to downtown Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (WAND) — After debuting last year, Jacksonville's gigantic Advent calendar will be returning to downtown for 2023.

The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company is bringing the daily reveal of their 110 ft tall (34 m) Advent calendar, presenting a new icon of Christmas each day thru December 25. The bank has once again transformed their 1913 building into one of the biggest countdowns to Christmas in the world.

Each day throughout the month of December, a new image will be revealed. Some favorites will be returning from last year's calendar in addition to some fresh faces.

The numbered windows will premier on the evening of Thursday, November 24, during the Jacksonville Christmas Parade. The daily Advent reveal begins Dec 1.

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The project was partially inspired by Uelzen, Germany, which transforms its town hall each Christmas. Jacksonville and Uelzen have been doing student exchanges for over 30 years. Jacksonville resident Patrick Kennedy, who has led student trips to Uelzen, was inspired by the building one day while looking at the bank windows. He noted it had the perfect number to become a giant Advent calendar, and a tradition began.

Joy French Becker, Bank President, commented, “We are so pleased to be able to offer this new tradition to the Jacksonville area once again in 2023. It has become a wonderful addition to the remarkable transformation of our downtown in the last decade, and we are thrilled to be part of the renewal of our city once again.”

The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company is located at 200 West State in downtown Jacksonville, Illinois, overlooking Jacksonville’s Central Park. The bank lobby is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Although viewable all day long, the display is most striking at dusk and later. The building will remain lit each night.

The display will remain up through Jan. 6, 2024.