A week of things to do with the kids
Monday MEET CHICAGO AUTHORS JEFFREY BROWN AND ERIC KAHN GALE
Anderson’s Bookshop scores a trifecta by hosting three top-drawer authors for one big event. Chicagoan Jeffrey Brown, known for his whimsical “Star Wars” books (“Goodnight, Darth Vader,” “Jedi Academy”), just released the third book in his “Lucy & Andy Neanderthal” series. Sharing the spotlight with Brown are two other authors of middle-grade series: Eric Kahn Gale, another Chicagoan, touts “The Wizard’s Dog Fetches the Grail,” while Elizabeth Eulberg chats about her latest “Shelby Holmes” mystery. (Eulberg also appears Wednesday afternoon at The Book Stall in Winnetka.) 7 p.m. at Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. Free to attend; $13-$17 for each book. tinyurl.com/y7ekso3b
Tuesday STORYCISE
“It’s fun to have a body!” says Dot Kane, who combines storytelling with movement in her highly interactive sessions with little ones (ages 3-7). Every Tuesday this month, she brings Storycise to Berwyn’s Blissful Owl, which focuses on making fitness fun for the whole family. Show up for the event at 1:30 p.m. at Blissful Owl, 6805 Stanley Ave., Berwyn. $15. Class repeats Sept. 18 and 25. tinyurl.com/y9pl8336
Wednesday MEET ‘SHELBY HOLMES’ AUTHOR ELIZABETH EULBERG
“Cold case” takes on a whole new meaning in this brand-new entry in the popular “Shelby Holmes” mystery series, which is a hit with critics and young readers alike. Scrappy Shelby and her best friend, John Watson, solve mysteries in Harlem — but this time, they have to hit the ice to protect a figure skater. Meet author Elizabeth Eulberg at 4:30 p.m. at The Book Stall, 811 Elm St., Winnetka. Free to attend; $17 for “The Great Shelby Holmes and the Coldest Case.” tinyurl.com/ycbklynj
Thursday ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’
Once, “Little Shop” was a cult classic, but its stature has justly grown over time — not unlike Audrey II, the initially adorable carnivorous plant that undergoes eye-popping leaps in size. The lesson behind this Motown-infused musical (with a crackerjack score by the Oscarand Grammy-winning duo Menken and Ashman) is “Be careful what you wish for” — great advice for everyone, although this show is recommended for junior high kids and up. Wednesdays through Sundays, through Oct. 28, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. $50-$65. tinyurl.com/ycovmltw
Friday COLLABORACTION’S ‘PEACEBOOK’ FESTIVAL
“Theater can unite us and activate us,” says Anthony Moseley, artistic director of Collaboraction. The company fulfills its credo with this annual arts festival focused on exploring and cultivating peace. It runs Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 22; this weekend, Peacebook comes to Hermosa on the West Side. Among the performances is Nancy Garcia Loza’s story about her immigrant family navigating the citizenship process. 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday at Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave. Free (with donations accepted); register in advance, tinyurl.com/y99qv5qy
Saturday ART DESIGN CHICAGO: CELEBRATING SOUTH SIDE STORIES
This daylong event celebrates the richness of art and design on the city’s South Side with a wide range of activities at multiple venues. Just a few highlights: Learn about printmaking at DuSable Museum of African American History; practice collage at Hyde Park Art Center; or, from noon to 3 p.m., build a giant structure with sticks and tape, an activity led by the Floating Museum team at the Smart Museum of Art. Programming is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; free trolleys circulate among venues noon to 5 p.m., with stops at each location approximately every 20 minutes. tinyurl.com/y9bykhop
LAKEVIEW TACO FEST
Don’t expect boring old fast-food tacos at this popular two-day fest along the Southport Corridor. Taste a bunch because you get to vote for the fest’s best. In case the food isn’t enough to lure you, the fest also boasts lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Taco eating begins at 11 a.m. both days along Southport Avenue between Addison and Roscoe streets. $10 suggested gate donation. www.lakeviewtacofest.com
HARVEST BONFIRE
Celebrate the impending autumn (which becomes official in one week, on Sept. 22) with this all-ages event from Schaumburg Park District. Ride a wagon through Spring Valley, then roast hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire. After dark, take a lantern-lit tour of the old farm’s buildings. 6 p.m. at Volkening Heritage Farm (inside Spring Valley), 201 S. Plum Grove Road. $7, free for kids 3 and under. tinyurl.com/y8k568tv
Sunday MIDWAY FLY AWAY 5K
Get your race on — and get an up-close look at a major airport — during this 5K race on the tarmac, a benefit for Special Olympics Chicago. (Kids 10 and under get to run the Midway Miler instead, a 1-mile jog.) Pre-race activities include face painting and other kid-friendly activities. This year, the top three male and female participants win cash prizes. — but there’s good news for the rest of us in average shape: The “Midway runner” — i.e., the person who places in the middle of the race — wins Southwest Airlines tickets. Arrive at 8 a.m. at the Southwest Airlines hangar, 5035 W. 55th St. $40 ($50 for day-of registration), $20 for kids 16 and under; $15 for the Midway Miler. Free parking in the nearby Midway Airport Economy Parking lot sochicago.org/events-info/
LURIE GARDEN’S SUNDAY SCIENCE: BIRDS
For the final Sunday Science of the summer, discover the importance of our feathered friends in Lurie’s ecosystem. 2-3 p.m. at the Garden, inside Millennium Park (meet at the south end of the garden boardwalk), near Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. Free. tinyurl.com/ycd5w355