On The Go

Don't eat those gumdrops and candy canes. Instead, use them to show off your creativity for the holidays with Downtown Downers Grove's First Gingerbread House Contest.

Entries are welcome in two divisions, Family/Individual and Business. Winners in each division will be chosen by viewers choice during "It's A Wonderful Weekend." Entry forms are due by 3 p.m. Thursday, November 19, and Gingerbread Houses need to be delivered on by 3 p.m. Friday, November, 27, 2009.

Gingerbread houses will be on display throughout downtown Downers Grove from Friday, November 27 to November 29.

For more information, call (630) 729-0380.

Looking for a unique holiday gift? Try the Book and Paper Guild's 7th Annual Fine Art and Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 in Warrenville.

The show will include the work of local artists from the Chicagoland area who work in a variety of mediums, including glass, paper, fiber, botanicals, pottery and more. Home accessory items, hand bound books, journals, cards, original art, ornaments, pottery, jewelry, hand knits and other items will be featured.

The show will be held at Warren Tavern, 3 S 540 Second St., Warrenville. Admission is free.

Artist Marla Shega of Marla’s Palette will be featured at an “Artist In Residence” day at The Strawflower Shop, 210 W. State St., Geneva. It is part of the shop’s Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.

Shega will share her “Holidays in Chicago” framed prints, featuring the Art Institute lion, the Marshall Field clock, The Chicago Theatre and Old Water Tower.

  A Michigan Avenue landmark is the newest of Marla Shega’s works. SUBMITTED PHOTO

For more of her artwork, visit www.marlaspalette.com.

The 15th annual “Love of Art Show and Sale” will be presented by the Lemont Artists Guild and the Lemont Park District. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Lemont Park District, 16028 127th St.

Organizers note the show grows in size, attendance and the quality of fine art and fine craft each year. In 2008, more than 45 artists exhibited and sold their original work in painting, ceramics, photography, woodworking, drawing, glass, jewelry, fiber and other media. Only original fine art and fine craft are allowed at the show, which is judged by professional artists.

Batavia High School presents the updated version of the classic play “Twelve Angry Men,” today known as “Twelve Angry Jurors.” It is directed by Josh Casburn, and features two casts who invite the community to catch the drama.

Twelve jurors deliberate on what is supposed to be an open and shut murder case, until one juror swims against the powerful current of opinion, attempting to convince the other jurors to take a second look at the evidence. Tempers flare as two of them stand off about the murder case. 

In an unusual twist, the two lead actors, the male (played by Griffin Price), and the female (Darcy Coussens), alternate roles each night, emphasizing the complicated struggle for justice in every juror, affected by gender, background and prejudices as they make morally difficult decisions.

Village Theatre Guild will conduct auditions for “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire. They take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at the theater at Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn.

The show will be performed weekends from Jan. 15 to Feb. 6, directed by Bill Burghardt.

A new Jimmy John's opened today in Lombard, and they are celebrating with $1 sub sandwiches today at their location at 2770 S. Highland Ave.

But hurry, the sale only goes until 3 p.m. today!

“The Diamond Celebration: A Past to Cherish, A Promise to Fulfill” is the theme of this year’s Delnor Auxiliary Charity Ball.

It will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, at the St. Charles Country Club in St. Charles. The event will mark 60 years of the Delnor Charity Ball tradition, and will feature cocktails, a live auction, dinner, dancing and entertainment reminiscent of the period when the first ball was held.
 
Tickets cost $175, and the ball is black tie optional. All proceeds raised will be used to fulfill the Auxiliary’s $1 million dollar pledge of support to Delnor Health System. To reserve tickets, call (630) 208-4265 or visit www.supportdelnor.org.

Guess Who is coming to St. Charles.

That’s more of a statement than a question.

The Canadian rock band The Guess Who — with band members Garry Peterson (drummer), Jim Kale (bass and vocals), Leonard Shaw (keyboard, flute, sax and vocals) and Derek Sharp and Laurie MacKenzie (both guitars and vocals) — is returning to the Arcada Theatre for a performance on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Peterson, an original member of the 47-year-old band, believes technology has aided the band in gaining new, young fans, calling the Internet “a new delivery system for music.”

The Guess Who. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Cantigny Park is offering a series of botanical design classes this fall for anyone looking to add a personal touch to their holiday decorations.

The sessions at Cantigny's greenhouse include an intensive "Holly Daze Workshop" and a snow globe class for children.