Holiday happenings in the Northwest suburbs

Thousands of Santas are expected for the annual Arlington Heights Rotary Santa Run at 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Arlington Heights. There’s is a kids Reindeer Run and a post race party. Race day registration is available, race details are at www.rotarysantarun.org. (Daily Herald file photo December 2009)

Luminaria, or candles in sand bags, were lit throughout the Veterans Memorial at the Streamwood village hall during the 2015 tree lighting. There are four tree-lightings Friday and one Saturday in the Northwest suburbs. (Courtesy of Tom Mamola Photos)

The Evanston-based Lakeside Singers will perform from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St. It’s one of the many holiday concerts in the area this weekend. (Courtesy of Lakeside Singers)

The 22nd annual production of “The Nutcracker” opens Friday at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, and continues through Dec. 11. It has a cast of nearly 150 people. Tickets are $28, $18 seniors and students. (Courtesy of Prairie Center for the Arts)

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The holidays are fast approaching and there’s no shortage of ways to get in the spirit of things this weekend. Here are a few of the ways:

Breakfast with Santa

• Schaumburg, 9 to noon Saturday, Schaumburg High School, 1100 W. Schaumburg Road, Entrance 4. Girls basketball program fundraiser. $6 includes a picture with Santa, games and crafts for kids.

Events

• “The Nutcracker,” opens 7:30 p.m. Friday and runs 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 1 and 5 p.m. Dec. 11, Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. 22nd annual production by the Schaumburg Dance Ensemble. Cast of nearly 150 people. Tickets $28, $18 seniors and students. (847) 895-3600.

• “Elf on a Shelf,” 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. Palatine Dance’s annual holiday show. Tickets, $6. www.cuttinghall.org.

• “It’s A Wonderful Life,” 6 p.m. Sunday, Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. Caroling followed by movie, with raffle to benefit Susannah’s Gift scholarship program, which makes arts programming possible for those in need. $2 at www.cuttinghall.org.

Holiday markets

• Lambs Farm Holiday Lights Gift & Craft Fair, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Arlington Park Racecourse, 2200 Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. The largest craft fair in the Chicago area. Hundreds of vendors. $8 admission, $7 parking. holidaylightslambsfarm.com.

• Bethlehem Marketplace, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church, 123 N. Plum Grove Road, Palatine. Crafts from Bible times for children to make in a recreated first-century marketplace. Buy “Roman” coins to exchange for craft-making opportunities. Biblical foods for sale. Live nativity.

• Holiday Bazaar, 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Frisbie Senior Center, 52 E. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines. Held along with annual Winter Wonderland event featuring free pictures with Santa, entertainment.

• Fair Trade Bazaar, 10 a.m. Sunday, Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church, 1025 N. Smith Road, Palatine. Helps people around the world earn a living wage. Vendors include Gifts of the World, Blossom of Inspirations, Tree of Life Imports, Global Handmade Hope. (847) 359-8440.

Miscellaneous

• Holiday Open House, 11 a.m. Saturday, Friendship Park, 395 Algonquin, Des Plaines. Visit from Santa, pet live reindeer, crafts, music, hayride, cookies and cider in a holiday garden indoor/outdoor setting. A Mount Prospect Park District tradition. Free.

• Lollipop Lane at the Wheeling Historical Society opens at 2 p.m. Saturday, Chamber Park Church Building, 251 N. Wolf Road. A tradition since 1973, stroll through decorated trees, view old-fashioned toys, visit Santa. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 6 to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday. Free. lollipop-lane.org.

• Christmas in the Valley, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. At Merkle Cabin and Volkening Heritage Farm. Sample foods, buy homemade gifts, see farm chores completed. Cookie decorating and crafts. $3, $12 per family of six.

• Santa, 8 a.m. Sunday, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg. Children with special needs and their families meet Santa in a sensory-friendly environment to safely experience the time-honored tradition. Must register in advance at http://simon.com/caringsanta. www.shopwoodfield.com, (847) 330-1537. Free.

• Santa Visits Reed-Turner Nature Center at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, Reed-Turner Woodland, 3849 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Santa welcomes children of all ages for a visit and personal chat. Parents are encouraged to bring the kids, their wish lists, and cameras to take your own photos. Crafts for the kids and refreshments for all are provided. Admission is an unwrapped gift for distribution to needy children. Free.

• Clayson House Victorian Holiday Open House, 1 p.m. Sunday, 224 E. Palatine Road, Palatine. Exhibit runs through Jan. 5. Free.

• 4th Annual Jeeps On The Run for Toys for Tots, 8 a.m. Sunday, Napleton’s Arlington Heights Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 1155 West Dundee Road. Parade of more than 100 Jeeps to raise money for Toys for Tots. Food, DJ, face painting, balloon artists, police dog, giveaways, raffles. Register at JeepsOnTheRun.com. Free.

Music

• Palatine Concert Band Annual Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. Friday, Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St. Tickets $8, $5 for students and seniors at www.cuttinghall.org or the box office. Free for kids ages 12 and younger. www.palatineconcertband.org, www.facebook.com/palatineconcertband.

• Encore! Holiday Concert, 3 p.m. Saturday, Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove. Hot cocoa after the show in return for a nonperishable food donation. Tickets $5 at bgencore.org, $8 at the door. Bruce Bohrer, (847) 394-2797, or encore@bgparks.org.

• Mount Prospect Community Band Christmas Celebration, 4 p.m. Saturday, Trinity United Methodist Church, 605 W. Golf Road. Amy Keipert is the featured vocal soloist. Free admission; goodwill offering for Journeys from Pads to Hope.

• Encore! Holiday Concert, 2 p.m. Sunday, Rolling Meadows Library, 3110 Martin Lane. Free tickets at the Welcome Desk or (847) 259-6050.

• New Beginnings Chorus Holiday Concert, 2 p.m. Sunday, Prospect Heights Public Library, 12 N. Elm St. Female singers who have entertained in the area for 17 years. Register at the Information Desk, (847) 259-3500, or www.phpl.info. Free.

• Illinois Brass Band’s Holiday Classics, 2 p.m. Sunday, Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St. 30 players, 25th year. $12 adults, $6 students at www.cuttinghall.org or the box office.

• Come celebrate Christmas with The Illinois Brass Band’s “Holiday Classics.” The program will feature music of the season with a mix of traditional carols, holiday classics, and jazzy updates.

• The Festival Chorus Christmas Concert, 3 p.m. Sunday, Performing Arts Center, Harper College, 1200 Algonquin Road, Palatine. Accompanied by a full professional orchestra. $18.

• Buffalo Grove Christmas Jazz Band, 3 p.m. Sunday, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1111 N. Elmhurst Road, Prospect Heights. Free.

• Northwest Choral Society Concert Come Celebrate!, 4 p.m. Sunday, St. Raymond Catholic Church, corner of Lincoln Street and Elmhurst Avenue, Mount Prospect. Accompanied by Northwest Chorus Chamber Orchestra. Preconcert lecture, 3:15 p.m. $25, $20 students and seniors at www.nwchoralsociety.org, (224) 585-9127, or at the door.

• The Rip Chords, 2 p.m. Sunday, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave. 15-member, all-female a cappella group from University of Illinois. Register at ahml.info. Free.

• Comin’ Up Christmas Time, 7 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, St. Peter United Church of Christ, 47 Church St., Lake Zurich. The Village Singers, an adult choral group under the direction of Happi Lynn and Jerry Berger. $10; free for kids younger than 12. WillageSingers.org or Anne Marie, (847) 438-2556.

• Let There Be Peace, 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St. Each of the 20-plus member Lakeside Singers chorale ensemble is a professional musician. The a cappella concert opens with a classical theme, followed by more contemporary songs. $20; $10 for students. barringtonswhitehouse.com or (224) 512-4284.

Pets

• Pet Pictures with Santa Paws, 11 a.m. Saturday, Heartland Animal Shelter, 2975 Milwaukee Ave., Northbrook. $10.

• Photos with Mr. & Mrs. Santa Paws, 11 a.m. Saturday, The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. $7.50 donation per picture. Need rabies tags and proof of current distemper shots. (847) 290-5806 or www.thebuddyfoundation.org.

Tree lightings

• Barrington: 5 p.m. Saturday, Village Center, South Cook Street. Events from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., including Candy Cane Festival at Foundry Shopping Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a petting zoo, Winter Wonderland from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ice House Mall with “Nutcracker” related events, Magical Reindeer Lane at The Shops on Lageschulte from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with real reindeer. Also, carriage rides and the holiday trolley to get to the various destinations.

• Bartlett: 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Bartlett Park, 102 N. Eastern Ave. Santa, hot cocoa and cookies, Christmas carols. www.village.bartlett.il.us.

• Des Plaines: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, downtown Des Plaines in Metropolitan Square. www.desplaines.org.

• Hanover Park: 6 p.m. Friday, the village hall, 2121 W. Lake St. Entertainment and refreshments. “Frozen Wonderland” theme. www.hpil.org.

• Hawthorn Woods: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, 2 Lagoon Drive. Stevenson High School Caroling Choir, Santa, cocoa, cookies, crafts. www.vhw.org or (847) 438-5500.

• Inverness: 5 p.m. Friday, North Park, 300 N. Highland Road. Santa, cookies, refreshments. (847) 934-8867 or invernessparkdistrict.com.

• Streamwood: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Memorial, near the village hall, 301 W. Irving Park Road. Luminaria, Santa. www.streamwood.org.