Includes plays, films, festivals, art exhibits and receptions, concerts, auditions and more. Deadline is two weeks before event.
33rd American Craft Exposition: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe. Presented by The Auxiliary of NorthShore University HealthSystem, the exposition brings together more than 140 artisans exhibiting one-of-a-kind pieces, luxury collections and uniquely creative, museum quality artwork. The juried show features handcrafted work in 12 media: baskets, ceramics, fiber decorative, fiber wearable, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper and wood. Admission and parking fee apply. For information, visit americancraftexpo.org.
Fiestas at the Harbor: Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, The Harbor’s Edge, 175 N. Harbor Place, Waukegan. The last day of a three-day celebration of Fiestas Patrias, Mexican Independence Day. Cultural entertainment and food will be available. A parade precedes the festival on Sunday. Free. Visit waukeganmainstreet.org.
Rotary Club of Palatine Oktoberfest: Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Slade and Smith streets, Palatine. Tented event features German music, food, beverages and activities. Family Day activities include face painting, balloon-art, children’s games. Free admission. Visit www.palatinerotary.com/Oktoberfest.
Civil War Encampment and Battle: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, off South Hainesville Road, Hainesville. Highlights include military battles with infantry, cavalry and artillery; bivouacs and encampments; period-dressed civilians; portrayals of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis and more; period music and food vendors; and local area history talks. Free admission and parking. Visit hainesville.org.
Home Building and Remodeling Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Home show with qualified local and national home improvement companies, giveaways, prizes, special events, hundreds of exhibits, food and more. Free. For information call (630) 468-2237. Visit homeshowevent.com.
Fright Fest: Sunday, Sept. 17, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24, and Friday through Sunday, Sept. 29 to Oct. 29, and Monday, Oct. 9, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Drive, Gurnee. Daytime hours are family-friendly, with shows and a trick-or-treat trail from noon to 3 p.m. Evening hours include haunted houses and costumed monsters. $54.99-$74.99. For hours and admission deals, visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.
Cary Main Street Fest: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, downtown Cary. Fourth annual festival will feature local restaurants and businesses, a marketplace of vendors and artists, Rotary Club of Cary-Grove Steak Fry from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, entertainment and a children’s area. Cary Shuffle 5K benefiting Cary District 26 Education Foundation from 9-10:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. $5 donation is requested. Visit www.carygrovechamber.com.
Shermerfest: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Village Green Park, 1776 Walters Ave., Northbrook. Step back in time with the collectible and antique car display, children’s activities, music and food. Free admission. Visit northbrooknine.com/shermer-fest.html.
Malott Japanese Garden Family Sundays: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Read books and play at Family Drop-In Activity sites and earn prizes. The activity for Sept. 17 will be Gyotaku (fish prints). For details and to sign up, visit the Lenhardt Library in the Regenstein Center. Children of all ages are welcome to participate. For information, visit www.chicagobotanic.org.
Lake County Farm Stroll: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Prairie Crossing Farm, 32400 Harris Road, Grayslake. Take a farm hayride, visit with the chickens, purchase local organic vegetables and more. Take part in a an educational, self-guided tour of 11 farms in Lake County at your own pace. For a list of participating locations, visit libertyprairie.org/calendar.
Chicago Pet Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Libertyville Sports and Fitness Complex, 1950 Route 45, Libertyville. An assortment of pet supplies, services, and rescues. Includes entertainment and hands-on activities. See exotic animals like ferrets, birds, reptiles, chinchillas, prairie dogs and others. $7 for ages 18-64, free for children and seniors. Visit www.chicagopetshow.com
Best Friends Charity Event and Open House: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Best Friends Animal Hospital, 1203 N. Route 83, Grayslake. Charity Event and Open House for Best Friends Animal Hospital’s Good Samaritan Animal Relief Fund, Inc., which is dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of animals in need. Free. Visit bestfriendsgrayslakevets.com.
My Little Pony Celebration: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Regent Center, 1200 Regent Drive, Mundelein. Join Mundelein Park District for friendship, smiles and magic. The fun will include My Little Pony themed games, crafts, treats, videos and “Cutie Marks.” Registration required. $10 for Mundelein residents, $15 for nonresidents. Visit mundeleinparks.org/event/little-pony-celebration/
Richardson Adventure Farm and Corn Maze: Noon to 10 p.m. Sundays, 3-10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through Oct. 29, Richardson Adventure Farm, 9407 Richardson Road, Spring Grove. Featuring a corn maze that celebrates the Cubs’ World Series victory, a zip line, pumpkin patch, “ORBiting” rides (a ride inside an 11-foot ball), live pig races, a wooded picnic area, a goat farm, wagon rides and more. Special 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. holiday hours Monday Oct. 9, and full moon hours until midnight Oct. 6-7. Admission: $16 for ages 13 and older, $13 for ages 4-12, free for ages 3 and younger. Visit richardsonadventurefarm.com.
‘Honeymoon in Vegas’: 1 and 5 p.m. Sundays; 1 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; and 4:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 15. Also, 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 27 and 1 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 5 and 12, Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. Based on the 1992 comedy. $55-$60. Visit www.marriotttheatre.com.
Lake County Folk Club: 7 p.m. most Sundays, Grayslake Heritage Center, 164 Hawley St., Grayslake. Upcoming events include a concert by Johnsmith, with opening act Merv Collins, on Sept. 17; and a song circle Sept. 24. Ticket prices for concerts are $18 for the general public, $15 for seniors, and $13 for members. Open mic and song circle events have a $3 suggested donation. To reserve concert seating, call (847) 602-8882 before noon on the concert date. Visit thelakecountyfolkclub.org.
MainStreet Libertyville’s Car Fun on 21: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Milwaukee Avenue and Church Street, Libertyville. Vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles 25 years old and older for viewing. Music and food available for purchase. Music by OTR. Free. Visit www.mainstreetlibertyville.org or call (847) 680-0336.
Whose Live Anyway: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, Genesee Theatre, 203 N Genesee St., Waukegan. “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray will test their comedic and musical skills in a series of improv
games. Audience participation is key. Tickets range from $28-$48. Visit www.geneseetheatre.com or Ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 982-2787.
Lincolnshire Food Truck Fridays: 11 a.m. Fridays, Sept. 22 and Oct. 6, Lincolnshire Corporate Center, 300 Knightsbridge Parkway, Lincolnshire. Various food truck vendors, including barbecue, pizza, Asian, seafood and desserts. Visit www.lincolnshireil.gov.
Apple Fest: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Old McHenry and Robert Parker Coffin roads, Long Grove. Apple-inspired treats, music, Kid Zone, apple pie-eating contests. $5; free for ages 12 and younger; also free from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. Visit longgrove.org.
Didier Farms Pumpkinfest: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Sept. 23 to Oct. 31, Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Hayrides, corn maze, pony and camel rides, Animal Land, kiddie rides, Parakeet Encounter, pig races, homemade apple cider and pumpkin doughnuts and more. Free admission; activities require tickets. Visit didierfarms.com/pumpkinfest.
Holy Family Catholic Community Fall Fest: 2-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, 2515 Palatine Road, Inverness. Kid’s Fest includes zip line, petting zoo, climbing wall, bouncies, cake walk, face painting, arcade games, crafts, balloon art and more. Entertainment from 7-10 p.m. $5; free for kids 17 and younger. Visit holyfamilyparish.org.
Trot for Theresa 5K: 6:45 a.m. registration; 8 a.m. walk/run, Saturday, Sept. 23, St. Theresa School, 445 N. Benton St., Palatine. USATF certified. Post-race party with music, food, free kids run. Prizes, technical T-shirt to registrants by Sept. 21. Cost is $35 through Sept. 20; $40 race day. Visit www.trotfortheresa.com.
Vernon Hills Oktoberfest: 3-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Vernon Hills Metra Train Station, 75 East Route 45, Vernon Hills. Free kids crafts, while supplies last. Free pumpkins to paint, while supplies last. Free admission. Visit www.vernonhills.org/101/Oktoberfest.
Art in the Barn: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital grounds, 450 W. Hwy. 22, Barrington. More than 175 artists in all mediums. Music and entertainment, petting zoo, Children’s Art Corner, raffle prizes. $5; free for ages 11 and younger; no pets. Visit www.artinthebarn-barrington.com.
Farm Heritage and Harvest Festival: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Farming demonstrations, including threshing wheat, sawing logs with an antique sawmill, stationary gas engines, hay wagon rides and more. Children can ride a barrel train pulled by a vintage tractor or drive an antique John Deere farm tractor and make a length of rope using a 100-year-old rope maker. Antique tractors and farm implements will be on display. There will also be a petting zoo and several local 4-H Clubs with displays, and more. Includes food vendors, pumpkin vendors, a beer tent with live music and more. Visit lcfair.com.
Harvest Weekend: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Meet Garden staff, volunteers, and outside experts to get tips on winter squash, seed saving, preserving the harvest, honey types and tasting, growing garlic, composting, storing fruits and vegetables, and fall in the garden. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org.
Lambs Farm Participant Theater: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. See Lambs Farm’s participants perform “Aladdin” on stage. $20 for adults, $10 for ages 2-12. Call (847) 990-3703 or visit www.lambsfarm.org/marquee-events/lambs-farm-participant-theater.
Model Train Run and display: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. North Central O Gaugers Club members will be on hand for a special train run in the library’s large meeting room. Free. For more information, visit www.eapl.org.
‘Stone Soup’: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Improv Playhouse Theater for Young Audiences will bring to life the traditional folk tale about a hungry and clever traveler who convinces a town to share their food with him and each other. Registration required. Visit www.vapld.info.
Wauconda Stories by Neville Carr: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Historic Andrew C. Cook House, 711 N. Main St., Wauconda. Revisit Wauconda’s halcyon past with local historian Neville Carr, who will share some of his old photos and the stories that go with them in a 20-minute presentation. Historical books will be available for sale and House Tours will be offered after the program. Free, but donations are appreciated.
‘He Said, She Said’: 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Performers from Glenview’s Oil Lamp Theater will perform a collection of short plays about misdirection, misunderstanding and miscommunication. Registration required. Free. Visit www.vapld.info.
Community Band Concert: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Round Lake High School Auditorium, 800 N. High School Drive, Round Lake. The Round Lake Area Park District Community Band will perform a fall concert for the whole family. Visit www.rlapd.org.
Ghost Walks of Palatine: 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, Oct. 15 and 29; start at Durty Nellie’s, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. Two-hour, family-friendly tour of historic and haunted locations in downtown Palatine. $3-5. All proceeds go to charity. Reservations required at (847) 358-6091.