Things to do and see around the city.
ART
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO: 111 S. Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600. “A Voyage to South America: Andean Art in the Spanish Empire” on display through Feb. 21, 2016.
CHICAGO ARTISTS COALITION: 217 N. Carpenter St. 312-491-8888. Create Webinar Recordings through June 2016.
EVANSTON ART CENTER: 2603 Sheridan Road. 847-475-5300.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: 220 E. Chicago. mcachicago.org.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART: 1852 W. 19th St. 312-738-1503. Exhibit “Nuestras Historias: Stories of Mexican Identity from the Permanent Collection” on display through Nov. 30, 2017. “Deportable Aliens: New Work” by Rodrigo Lara Zendejas through Feb. 28, 2016. “La Muerte Niña: Day of the Dead” will be on display through Dec. 13. Celebrate the Day of the Dead with the works of over 90 artists of Mexican descent from both sides of the border. Featured is the painting tradition of the Death Child and the little angels’ ritual. Thirteen ofrendas and installations were created to remember distinguished artists and members of the community alike. Folk art, paintings, and sculptures comprise the largest annual exhibition of Day of the Dead in the U.S. Decorating Sugar Skulls at 10, 11, 11:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. Oct. 18. Cost is $5. Registration required. Public tours for “La Muerte Niña: Day of the Dead” exhibit at noon Oct. 3. Poetry Reading by Olivia Maciel Edelman at 1 p.m. Oct. 8. Edelman is author of “Filigrana encendida,” “Filigree of Light, Luna de cal,” “Limestone Moon, andSombra en plata,” and “Shadow in Silver.” She has been included in King’s College bibliography for best Mexican poetry in translation of the 20th Century.
NATIONAL VETERANS ART MUSEUM: 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773- 326-0270. Permanent exhibit includes “The Things They Carried.”
UKRAINIAN INSTITUTE OF MODERN ART: 2320 W. Chicago Ave. 773-227-5522; www.uima-chicago.org.
ZHOU B ART CENTER: 1029 W 35th St. 773- 523-0200.
COMEDY
HEMMENS CULTURAL CENTER: Corner of Symphony Way and North Grove Avenue, Elgin. GreenRoom Improv will perform the first Friday of the month at 8 p.m. through December. Tickets are $10-12. Discounts for groups available.
SECOND CITY: Piper’s Alley, 1608 N. Wells. 312-337-3992. “Soul Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “103rd Mainstage Revue: Panic on Cloud 9,” “The Second City’s Life Hacks,” “#DateMe: An OkCupid Experiment,” “Best of Second City,” “Death by Evening,” “Neighborhood Tour,” Second City’s “Game Night,” “Thank You, That’s Enough” will be performed through October. Tickets are $23-41 for each.
ZANIES: 1548 N. Wells. 312-337-4027. Mihichi, Oct. 5. Russ Williamson, Oct. 6-11.
ZANIES: Pheasant Run Resort and Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. 630-513-1761. Joe Bronzi, Oct. 8-10.
ZANIES: MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. 847-813-0484. Tuesday Ten, Oct. 6. Kevin Bozeman, Oct. 7. Tony Hinchcliffe, Oct. 8-10.
MEDLEY
BLACKBERRY FARM: 100 S Barnes Road, Aurora. 630-892-1550. Celebrate the fall season throughout the month of October with Pumpkin Weekends beginning Oct 3. Runs through Oct. 25, including Oct. 12. Carousel rides, hay wagon rides, pony rides, paddle boats, a pedal tractor course and tours on the “Pumpkin Train” are part of each weekend’s festivities., along with the historic museums and interactive farm animal areas. Park hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
CENTRAL PARK: 1500 Forest Gate Road, Oak Brook. 630-990-4233. Haunted Forest open 6:30-9:30 p.m Oct. 9-10. It will feature a 13,000-square-foot haunted maze along with a pumpkin patch, face painting, fireside storytelling, candy in the haystack, a craft corner and tractor-pulled hayrides.
THE GROWING PLACE: 2000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. 630-355-4000. Pumpkin Palooza 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 10 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11. Giant pumpkins, pumpkin crafts, face painting, hayrides, pumpkin games, pumpkin treats and more.
HOUSE OF TORMENT: 8240 N. Austin Ave., Morton Grove. 224-888-1031. Open through Nov. 7. Fast pass and immediate access available. This haunted house features two attractions: Contagium (alien invasion creating half-alien, half-human hybrid race, with horrifying results) and The Abandoned (abandoned school, possessed schoolchildren, the most tortured among them being a girl named Hellen). Tickets are $24.99-29.99.
MONTGOMERY VILLAGE HALL: 200 North River St. 630-466-6700. The village will host its annual 5K and 10K River Run at 9 a.m. Oct. 3. They are USA Track and Field certified with computerized race results provided by Race Time, a premier race management service provider in northern Illinois. The race will start and finish at Village Hall. Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The race takes place on both sides of the scenic Fox River through beautiful landscaped parks and residential areas. Awards will be given to the first two male and first two female finishers in the age categories. There will be several area vendors set-up prior to and after the race. Same-day race registration for the 5K is $30 and $15 for children while the 10K is $45 and $25 for children. Children under age 3 are free for both races. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Montgomery VFW Post 7452 and to the Montgomery Foundation.
NAVY PIER: 600 E. Grand Ave. 312-595-5200. The exhibit “Boats!” will be on display through Nov. 1 in the Children’s Museum. (Not So) Spooky Halloween Oct. 6 through Nov. 1 at the Chicago Children’s Museum. Design a kooky costume, create a freaky frankentoy, transform into your alter-ego in DIY face painting, or just make a batch of icky, gooey slime.
UNITED CENTER: 1901 W. Madison St. 312-455-4500. Ariana Grande at 7:30 p .m. Oct. 2. Tickets start at $20.
TERRACE CENTRE: Worth Park District, 11500 S. Beloit Ave. Nightmare at the Terrace Haunted House is back for another reign of terror and chills. Open from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct 9-11, 16-18, and 23-25. For ages 8 and older. Fee is $8, and $5 with school ID.
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WEST TOWN: www.ChicagoCanineConcierge.com. West Town Pup Crawl from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Oct. 6, weather permitting. Chicagoans can get social with their pups at four area dog-friendly watering holes at the weekly yappy-hour. Mahoney’s Pub & Grille, 551 N. Ogden Ave., home to a large, dog-friendly patio, will partner with three other West Town bars, also with dog-friendly outdoor areas: Aberdeen Tap, 440 N. Aberdeen, G & O Tavern, 1367 W. Erie, and The Matchbox, 770 N. Milwaukee Ave. It is free of charge to leashed, friendly dogs and their unleashed, friendly owners.
MUSEUMS
ADLER PLANETARIUM: 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive. 312-922-7827. “Destination Solar System,” a live show that takes adventurous space explorers on an immersive tour of the Solar System. “Mission Moon,” a permanent exhibit that follows the legendary career of Captain James A. Lovell Jr. — an astronaut immortalized on film as the Commander of Apollo 13 — from his rocket crazed childhood through his quest for the Moon. “Community Design Lab” is a flexible, creative space that celebrate the Adler’s 85-year history and offers guests hands-on, minds-on activities that will challenge them to think about science — and the Adler — in new ways.
ELGIN PUBLIC MUSEUM: Lords Park, 225 Grand Blvd. 847-741-6655..
FIELD MUSEUM: 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. Permanent exhibits include “The Crown Family PlayLab,” “Evolving Planet,” “Sue the T-Rex,” “Cyrus Tang Hall of China” and more.
ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER: 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie. 847-967-4889.
KOHL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: 2100 Patriot Drive, Glenview. 847-832-6600.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY: 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive. 773-684-1414. The exhibits on display include “80 at 80,” “Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze,” “Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle” and more. Robot Revolution through Jan. 3. Interact with a cutting-edge collection of robots from around the world. Materials Science on display through Jan. 31. Explore the history and future of materials that impact our lives everyday.
NATIONAL HELLENIC MUSEUM: 333. S. Halsted St. 312-655-1234; www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org. “Monumental” will be on display through November. “Street is my Gallery” on display through October. The works in the exhibition, created at the height of Greece’s economic difficulties, offer pointed messages for political and economic leaders and take on social issues such as racism, immigration, individual responsibility, and empowerment. The Museum encourages Greek Americans to celebrate their immigrant heritage by telling their own unique individual or family story. The Museum’s Oral History Project preserves these stories for the future so that we can learn about the immigrant experience and Greek journey. Interviews are free for individuals and groups. Call for an appointment. “Transcending Boundaries: The Art of Anthony Quinn” will be on display through October. The depth and breadth of Quinn’s creative genius is showcased in an exhibition of more than 70 of his emotive paintings and powerful sculptures. Personal items from his studio will also be on display. Visitors will see reflections of Quinn’s life experiences, traces of his proud Mexican heritage, his love of cultures throughout the world, and the impact of his long friendship with the Greek people. New series of Greek dance lessons for teens and adults, which are held on Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., will cover the basic Pan-Hellenic dances: Kalamatiano, Xasaposerviko and Tsamiko at the beginning of each class. All dance abilities are welcome. The session runs through Nov. 10 for ages 15 and up. Drop-ins are welcome.
PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM: 2430 Cannon Drive. 773-755-5100. Features Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, a 2,700-square-foot greenhouse filled with pools of water, flowers, tropical trees and 1,000 butterflies, including those never-before-seen in our region. Release of new butterflies at 2 p.m. daily. Permanent exhibit “Nature’s Lunchbox” shines the spotlight on healthy eating. New exhibits include “City Creatures: Animal Encounters in Chicago’s Urban Wilderness” on display through Jan. 3; and “Peanuts…Naturally” on display Oct. 3 through Jan. 3.
POLISH MUSEUM OF AMERICA: 984 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-384-3352; www.polishmuseumofamerica.org. One of the nation’s oldest and largest ethnic museums features a variety of permanent and temporary exhibits as well as events and resources for the Polish community.
MUSIC
BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS: 700 S. Wabash. 312-427-1190; www.buddyguy.com. Live blues every night. Set times are 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and jam until 12:45 a.m. Monday; 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and jam from 11:30 p.m. until 12:45 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; opening band 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., headliner 10:30 p.m. to midnight and jam from 12:30 to 1:15 a.m. Saturday; and Sunday Night Jazz Party is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cover charge is $10 for the Sunday through Thursday night shows and $20 for the Friday and Saturday night shows.
THEATER
ABOUT FACE THEATRE: 5252 N. Broadway St. 773- 784-8565.
APOLLO THEATER: 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-935-6100. “Million Dollar Quartet” open run. Tickets are $25-85.
ATHENAEUM THEATRE: 2936 N. Southport Ave. 773- 935-6875.
AUDITORIUM THEATRE: Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway. 800-982-2787; www.ticketmaster.com. The Devil’s Ball presented by the Auditorium Theatre Auxiliary Board at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2. Tickets are $75. River North Dance Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Tickets start at $28.
BANK OF AMERICA THEATRE: 18 W. Monroe St. 800-775-2000. “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” a Broadway musical comedy, through Oct. 11. Tickets start at $34.30.
BRIAR STREET THEATRE: 3133 N. Halsted St. “Blue Man Group” open run. Tickets are $49-$69.
CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE: 151 W. Randolph St. 312-386-8905; www.ticketmaster.com.
CHIEF O’NEILL’S PUB & RESTAURANT: 3471 N. Elston Ave. 866-811-4111. Irish Theatre of Chicago presents “My Brilliant Divorce” Oct. 7 through Nov. 1. Tickets are $12-25.
CIVIC OPERA HOUSE: 20 N. Wacker. www.lyricopera.org.
DEN THEATRE: 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. 866- 811-4111; irishtheatreofchicago.org.
DRURY LANE, OAK BROOK: 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. (630) 530-0111.
FLAT IRON ARTS BUILDING: 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. bailiwickchicago.com.
THE GIFT THEATRE: 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. thegifttheatre.org
GOODMAN THEATRE: 170 N. Dearborn St. 312-443-3800. “Feathers and Teeth” through Oct. 18. Tickets are $10-25. “Disgraced” through Oct. 25. Tickets are $20-94.
MERCURY THEATER: 3745 N. Southport Ave. 773-325-1700. “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash” through Nov. 1. Tickets are $25-65.
METROPOLIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE: 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. 847-577-2121. Award-winning musical comedy “Monty Python’s Spamalot” will be performed through Oct. 25. Winner of three Tony awards, including Best Musical, this highly irreverent comedy combines all your favorite moments from the cult classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the added flair of musical Vegas glitz. See King Arthur, Lancelot and the rest on their quest to find the Holy Grail, complete with Frenchmen, Knights that say “Ni”, and of course a killer rabbit. Tickets are $38.
NORTHSHORE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. 847-673-6300; www.northshorecenter.org. “Funnyman” by Bruce Graham will be performed through Oct. 18. Tickets are $15-60. Tickets are $25-45.
PARAMOUNT THEATRE: 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. 630-896-6666. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” will be performed through Oct. 18. Tickets are $41-56.
ORACLE THEATRE: 3809 N Broadway (252) 220-0269; publicaccesstheatre.org.
RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS: 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. 815-356-9010. “Gypsy,” presented by Williams Street Repertory will be performed Oct. 9 through Nov. 1. Tickets start at $32.50.
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SHAKESPEARE THEATRE: Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave. 312-595-5633; . Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” will be performed through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $48. “Ride the Cyclone” will be performed Sept. 29 through Nov. 15. Recommended for audience members ages 13 and up. Tickets start at $30.
SKOKIE THEATRE: 7924 Lincoln Ave. 847-677-7761. The Nitz & Howe Experience at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Tickets are $22. Charles Trop will present Jerome Kern and the Birth of the American Musical at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Tickets are $15. Film Hellenes presents the Greek Film Festival Chicago 2015 Oct. 8-12. 312-925-2166; www.greekfilmfestchicago.org.
October 8 – 12
STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY: 1650 N Halsted St. 312-335-1650. “East of Eden” will be performed through Nov. 15. Tickets are $64.
STOREFRONT THEATER: 55 E. Randolph. 252-220-0269. “No Beast So Fierce,” based on “Richard III” by William Shakespeare, performed Oct. 6 through Nov. 8. Free.
THEATRE AT MEILEY-SWALLOW HALL: North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Ave., Naperville. 630-637-7469; www.brightsidetheatre.com.
THEATER WIT: 1229 W. Belmont Ave. 773-975-8150.
TWISTED VINE: 3530 N. Halsted. 800-838-3006.
VICTORY GARDENS RICHARD CHRISTIANSEN THEATRE: 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. 773- 871-3000.
WILMETTE THEATRE: 11222 Central Ave. 847-323-0054.
UNDER THE SUN
BROOKFIELD ZOO: First Avenue between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street. 708-688-8000.
CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN: 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. 847-556-1778, www.chicagobotanic.org. Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting, through Oct. 25. Admission is $4-6, and free for children ages 2 and under. Garden Chef series at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. with Shedd Aquarium with Chef Michael Hiller Oct. 3, and Garden View Café with Chef Pete Pettorossi Oct. 4. Fall Bulb Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 2-4. Members only Oct. 2. There will be live music, a harvest market, cider, wine, and beer to purchase, the gourd mountain, more than 20 local vendors, a straw-bale maze and more. Representatives from SavATree answer your tree questions beginning at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 3 and a tree walk follows. Farmers’ market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4. Autumn Brews, Seasonal Beer Tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 8. Breweries will pour a few different seasonally selected beers in 2-ounce tastings. Light fare and featured beer by the bottle will be available for purchase. Tickets are $30 by Oct. 7, and $33 the day of the event. Illinois Orchid Society Fall Show & Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 10-11.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO: 2001 N. Clark St. 312-742-2000; lpzoo.org. “Nature in Motion: Sculpture” through Oct. 31. Fall Fest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 2-4, 9-12, and 16-18. Free admission. Features a corn maze and hay mountain, pumpkin patch, hay ride, Ferris wheel, pumpkin bounce house, strolling entertainers, animal chats and learning stations and more. Also, pumpkins will be sold at the pumpkin patch through Oct. 31. Zoo Ghost Tours from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 8 and 28. This after-hours ghost tour will share the zoo’s cemetery roots, highlight a 19th-century “Suicide Bridge” and identify which animal house is most likely to be haunted. Paranormal investigator Ursula Bielski, equipped with electronic voice phenomena recording gear, takes guests on an interactive tour of the zoo’s most haunted spaces. Experience eerie sounds and inexplicable photos taken at the zoo while reliving its historical past. For ages 8 and older. Tickets are $28. Free garden tour at 10 a.m. Oct. 10.
MORTON ARBORETUM: I-88 and Route 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. Acorn Express Adventures through Oct. at 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Theatre-Hikes with “In This Final Century” at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October, including Oct. 12. Cost is $20, and $10 for children. Nature Connects: Art with LEGO bricks by Sean Kenney through Nov. 1. The exhibit has been engineered from nearly half a million LEGO bricks. LEGO Brick Play from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends in October. Children can play and let the bricks stay as they create their own LEGO brick masterpieces in this self-guided hands-on discovery activity. Themes will change monthly and include turtles, monarchs, gardens, and spiders. Scarecrow Trail beginning at 7 a.m. daily in October. Admire creations from local scout troops and vote for your favorite scarecrow. Splendid Spiders from 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends in October. Find out where spiders live and how they help our gardens. There will be some spider specimens to look at. Trick or Trees from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends in October. Play tricky games, fashion fun fall crafts, and plant a tree seed to take home as your treat. Small pumpkins to paint will also be available for purchase. Annual Bulb Sale beginning Oct. 3-4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fall Color 5K Run & Walk Oct. 4. Includes a Kids Dash for ages 2-10. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., 5Krun/Walk begins at 8 a.m. and the Kids Dash begins at 9 a.m. Cost is $35, and $15 for the dash in advance, and $40 and $20, respectively, the day of the event. Fall Color 5K Run & Walk Oct. 4. Run and Walk at 8 a.m. and Kid’s Dash at 9 a.m. Fee is $35 for the run and $10 for the dash in advance, $40 and $20, respectively, the day of the event. Oaks Uncorked at 7 p.m. Oct. 6. Savor the botanical elements of wine with your friends as you join tree conservation specialist Murphy Westwood and listen to about the iconic oak trees. There will be a selection of oak-aged wines on hand to sample. Cost is $25. Fright in the Forest-tram tour and night hike at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9. Tickets are $40 and include the specialty elixir, tram tour, guided hike, and live music. Each ticket holder will also receive meal vouchers for chili and sliders in addition to snacks and dessert. Family Weekend beginning at 11 a.m. Oct. 10-12. Experience science experiments, animal education, live music, face painting, fortune-telling, tasty treats, and more. Spider City from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 10-11. Meet local spiders, praying mantises and even exotic tarantulas. Make a spider craft to take home. Family Jack-O’-Lantern Hikes at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 17, and at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18. During the lit hike to explore the night life of owls, bats and spiders. Registration required. Cost is $19.
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