Find an event
16 things to do this weekend, Oct 1
Excuse me, ahem, what, it's October? Yepmake the most of it with plenty of fall family fun this weekend. Saturday Oct 2 Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of GaHoole Event The arboretum gets invaded by live owls in honor of the movie's release this weekendget up close and personal with a great horned owl, a screech owl and a barred owl and pick up a free t-shirt, bookmark and school supplies. Family Farm Dinner Dietzler Farms, 4222 County Rd A, Elkhorn, WI (262-642-7665). Noon; $50, kids 12 and under $20. New Holland Brewery, Dietzler Farms and City Provisions are teaming up for this event designed to bring kids closer to where their food comes from. Price includes dinner, beverages and a tour of the farm. Call 773-293-2489 or e-mail supperclub@cityprovisions.com for reservations. Family Hide & Seek Lincoln Park, 200 W Fullerton Ave (312-742-7529). Bus: 151, 156. 9am; $12, $10 online. Somewhere between a nature hike and a scavenger hunt, this fund-raising event for the National Wildlife Federation budding naturalists can learn about their surroundings through sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. FREE Harvest Celebration Willye B. White Park, 1610 W Howard St (773-262-5051). El: Red, Purple, Yellow to Howard. Bus: 22, 97, 147, 151, 201, N201, Pace 215, 290. 14pm. Rogers Park brings home the harvest with free hayrides, pumpkins for sale, a market, art vendors and a costumed pet parade at 3:30pm. FREE Harvest Days Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N Cannon Dr (312-742-2000). Bus: 151, 156. 11am2pm. Lincoln Park Zoo is in the spirit of the season with harvesty arts and crafts, pumpkin decorating and music. March with the Band Northwestern University, Trienens Hall, 2707 Ashland Ave, Evanston (847-491-3741). 10:30am; $7, seniors $5, kids and students $4. Kiddos can bring along toy instruments to play as they march along with the Northwestern University Marching Band. Pinkalicious Cupcake Party The Grand Central, 950 W Wrightwood Ave (773-832-4000). El: Brown, Purple (rush hrs), Red to Fullerton. 23:30pm; $15, kids $25. Put on some fuchsia, magenta, neon or hot pinkas long as its pinkand snack on rosy-hued cupcakes, play pink-themed games and listen to a reading of the popular book at this party, presented in conjunction with Emerald City Theatres production of Pinkalicious: The Musical at the Apollo Theater. FREE Scarecrow Making Chalet Education Center, 3132 Lake St, Wilmette (847-256-0561). 10am2pm. Kids get to make their own man o hay with heads, straw and clothing provided herebut nothing would make Dad prouder than seeing the take-home scarecrow dressed up in his out-of-date duds that Moms been dying to get rid of, so bring those too. The Sledding Hill Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave, Evanston (847-866-0300). El: Purple to Davis. Bus: 201, 205, 206. 3pm, $5 suggested donation. To celebrate Banned Book Week, Evanston Public Librarys teen theater troupe, The Bodacious Oracles of Knowledge, presents stage adaptation of YA author Chris Crutchers book about censorship, freedom and even some ghosts. Sun Oct 3 Ethan Bortnick Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center, North Central College, 171 E Chicago Ave, Naperville (630-637-7469). Metra: Burlington/Santa Fe to Naperville. 3pm, $35$45. This piano/composer prodigy isno joke9 years old, and delivers his PBS concert special Ethan Bortnick and his Musical Time Machine tonight, complete with everything from Bach to disco. We wonder if his mom has to nag him to practice? Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave (773-728-6000, oldtownschool.org). El: Brown to Western. Bus: 11, 49. Noon; $15, Old Town members $13. Songstress Elizabeth Mitchell sings classic childrens songs including This Little Light of Mine and Shoo-fly in her signature sweet-as-sugar voice. Fall Bulb Festival Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Rd, Glencoe (847-835-5440). Noon5pm, parking $20. Weave through a straw bale maze, pick pumpkins, sip cider and peruse more than 200 types of bulbs that will burst into blossoms next spring. Less patient types can pick up some mums for the here and now. Fall Color 5K Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle (630-968-0074). Metra: Burlington/Santa Fe to Lisle. 8am; $30, kids $12, members $25. This run/walk through the Arboretums brightly hued fall foliage has a kids dash, too, where little athletes can blaze it on their own trail at 9am. Register at mortonarb.org/fallcolor5krun or at the Vistors Center. Gustafer Yellowgold Schubas, 3159 N Southport Ave (773-525-2508). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 9, 77. 11am; $10, kids 2 and under free. Morgan Taylors trippy little alter ego Gustafer Yellowgold returns to Schubas today for a an all-ages show that combines kiddie pop and fun-as-can-be animation. If you havent caught a show before, dont miss this one. History Mystery Bike Tour Ridge Historical Society, 10621 S Seeley Ave (773-881-1675). Bus: 103, Pace 349. Metra: Rock Island to 107th St/Beverly. Noon5pm; $15 per person, $40 per family. The whodunit game gets some spin with a seven-mile family detection bike ride through the Beverly Hills/Morgan Park neighborhood. Bring your own bikes and go to bapa.org and details. PS- don't miss this month's: Sensory Friendly Screening of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of GaHoole This seriously applaudable string of showings is going on this Saturday, just for families who have kids on the autistic spectrum. AMC is ditching its "silence is golden" motto and making its theaters a more inviting, comfortable atmosphere for kids with autism or special needs. Lights will be only partially dimmed, sound will be turned down, and families are invited to bring their own snacks. Additionally, kids can get up and walk around during the movie, talk, sing, shout, anything. No previews or ads will be shown before the film starts either. Tickets are $4$6 and can be purchased the day of at any of these 124 participating AMC locations. Chicagoland locations are below: MC South Barrington 30, 175 Studio Dr, South Barrington AMC Northbrook 14, 1525 Lake Cook Rd, Northbrook AMC Cantera 30, 28250 Diehl Rd, Warrenville AMC Showplace Galewood 14, 5530 W Homer St AMC Showplace Naperville 16, 2815 Show Place Dr, Naperville AMC Village Crossing 18, 7000 Carpenter Rd, Skokie AMC Showplace Niles 12, 301 Golf Mill Center, Niles AMC Lake in the Hills 12, 311 North Randall Road, Lake in the Hills
