Best Bets for October: DuPage County Edition

DAZZLING ART
Get a sparkle in your eye from checking out the latest art exhibit at Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst. “Jeweled Objects of Desire,” on display from Oct. 6 to Jan. 3, will feature a gem collection of ordinary objects made into extraordinary jeweled art objects. Works by San Francisco jewelry designer Sidney Mobell, famous for his jewel-encrusted chess set, are included in the exhibit.
WHERE Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 220 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst
WHEN Oct. 6 to Jan. 3
COST: $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for students and teens, $1 for children 7 to 12, and free for children under 7; admission is free on Fridays.
CONTACT Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, (630) 833-1616, www.lizzadromuseum.org

Sidney Mobell's jewel-encrusted chess set. SUBMITTED PHOTO

DRURY LANE GOES THOROUGHLY MODERN
Flappers and the Roaring ‘20s dance craze, the Charleston, will light up the stage in the production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” at Drury Lane Theatre. The romantic-comedy follows Millie, a young girl, who moves from Kansas to New York City as she takes the Big Apple by storm with her dancing and personality. It’s a story about following dreams and falling in love.
WHERE Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace
WHEN 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 1:30 and 8 p.m. Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Fridays, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 and 6 p.m. Sundays; Oct. 22 through Dec. 20
COST: $31 to $40; for dinner and a show, prices range from $45.75 to $63
CONTACT Drury Lane Theatre Box Office, (630) 530-0111, www.drurylaneoakbrook.com

LOMBARD TO PUT ON SPOOKTACULAR EVENT
Watch a pumpkin get blown up and trick or treat through downtown Lombard at the inaugural Spooktacular Fall Festival. The festival is family friendly and will feature an exotic animal show, hayrides, bingo, activities inside some downtown businesses, Halloween safety classes, a fortune teller and more. Live entertainment and food vendors will also be available.
WHERE Downtown Lombard, on Park Avenue
WHEN Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24
COST: Free
CONTACT Lombard Town Centre, (630) 620-8063, info@lombardtowncentre.org, www.lombardtowncentre.org

DWELLINGS IN ELMHURST
Check out photography of bungalows and prairie style residencies as well as turn-of-the-century Victorians at the Elmhurst Historical Museum’s latest exhibit, “Dwellings: A Study of Residential Architecture.” The original exhibit uses Elmhurst as a case study, while exploring the diverse architectural styles of the western suburbs. The exhibit will be on display from Oct. 13 through May 23.
WHERE Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst
WHEN 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; Oct. 13 through May 23
COST: Free
CONTACT Elmhurst Historical Museum, (630) 833-1457

NO TRICKS, JUST TREATS
Dress in costume and join in games and crafts at the Oakbrook Terrace’s Halloween Party, sponsored by the City of Oakbrook Terrace and the Oakbrook Terrace Park District. The all-ages event will have a costume contest and give away treat bags to every child.
WHERE Oakbrook Terrace Fitness Center, One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace
WHEN 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31
COST: Free
CONTACT Oakbrook Terrace Park District, (630) 574-0420, fitness@obtpd.org
 

COLORFUL TREES
Watch the greenery at Morton Arboretum be replaced by red, orange and yellow leaves at its annual Fall Color Festival. The month-long festival will feature scarecrow trails and gourd art demonstrations daily and taffy apples and free wine tasting on the weekends. A Fall Color 5K Run and Walk kicks off the event on Oct. 4.
WHERE The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle
WHEN Oct. 3 to Nov. 1
COST: $11 for adults ($7 on Wednesdays), $10 for seniors ($6), $8 for children 2-17 ($5) and free to children under 2
CONTACT The Morton Arboretum, (630) 968-0074, trees@mortonarb.org, www.mortonarb.org

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
Some of the scariest literature of the 19th century will come to life during All Hallows Eve, an event put on by Naper Settlement in Naperville. Notorious personages, like Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden and the Headless Horseman, will roam the 12-acre grounds looking to frighten anyone who dares to step foot at the Naperville location. The event is not recommended for children under age 8 or those who may scare easily.
WHERE Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville
WHEN 6:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday Oct. 23 and 24
COST: $9
CONTACT Naper Settlement, (630) 420-6010, www.napersettlement.org

LEMONT STREET FAIR
Antique and craft vendors will line Lemont Street during the Lemont Street Fair on Oct. 10. The fair, put on by the Lemont Area Historical Society, will feature antique appraisals from 1 to 3 p.m., live entertainment, home baked goods and refreshments and guided tours of the Lemont Area Historical Society Museum. Limestone Raffle tickets to win cash prizes will be available for $5.
WHERE 300 block of Lemont Street, between Illinois and Cass Streets, Lemont
WHEN 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday Oct. 10
COST: Free
CONTACT Lemont Area Historical Society, (630) 257-2972

HARVESTING FUN FOR FAMILIES
Take the whole family to Westmont’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival for music, fun and trick or treating from Oct. 23-25. The family-oriented festival will feature costume contests for children and adults, a pumpkin pie eating and pumpkin decorating contest and a craft sale. On Sunday, there will be a DJ and karaoke to culminate the festival.
WHERE Downtown Westmont
WHEN 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24; and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25
COST: Free
CONTACT Westmont Chamber of Commerce, (630) 960-5553

‘PUERTO RICAN PAVAROTTI’ COMES TO NAPERVILLE
World-class singer Fernando Varela, who has sung with Placido Domingo and has studied with the voice coaches of Pavarotti, will perform as part of the fifth annual Lightworkers Midwest Conference on Friday, Oct. 16. Varela has performed worldwide and is often referred to as the “Puerto Rican Pavarotti.” He’ll perform songs from his “Dare to Live” album. MahaRa, an original acoustic progressive rock band from Chicago, will also perform live. The conference is Oct. 16-18.
WHERE Holiday Inn Select Grand Ballroom, 1801 N. Naper Blvd., Naperville
WHEN 7:30 to 10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16
COST: $22 for general admission to the concert; $10 with a valid student ID
CONTACT Joanne Macko, (630) 579-8184, joanne@angelic-art.com, www.lightworkersconference.com
 

GUTHRIE FAMILY RIDES INTO GLEN ELLYN
American folk musician Arlo Guthrie brings the whole family to the McAninch Arts Center for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. The Guthrie Family Rides Again features Arlo Guthrie and his children and grandchildren singing Arlo’s standards, such as “Alice’s Restaurant,” as well as songs written by each member of the family. As an added bonus, a selection of unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics will be set to music by friends and family during the show.
WHERE McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn
WHEN 8 p.m., Friday Oct. 23
COST: $36 to $46; $61 to 71 for first and second row seating
CONTACT MAC Ticket Office, (630) 942-4000, www.atthemac.org

The Guthrie Family. SUBMITTED PHOTO

PUMPKIN PIE, OH MY!
See how much pie you can scoff down in the pumpkin pie eating contest at the Streamwood Pumpkin Fest this weekend. The festival not only tests how much you can stomach but your spelling skills as well with a bee at 2:30 p.m. Hayrides, tractor rides, a pet show and cake walk are also highlights of the all-ages event.   
WHERE Hoosier Grove Park, 700 W. Irving Park Road, Streamwood
WHEN 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
COST: Free
CONTACT Streamwood Park District, (630) 372-7275, www.streamwoodparkdistrict.org

WARM UP TO FALL AT CANTIGNY PARK
Enjoy a cup of hot cider or hot chocolate and celebrate the coming of autumn at Cantigny Park’s Fall Festival. The festival will be full of harvest time fun including hayrides, scarecrow decorating, a candy dive, face and pumpkin painting and fall photos. Activities will be held on the Parade Field in front of the Visitor Center.
WHERE Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton
WHEN 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10
COST: Free; $5 for parking
CONTACT Cantigny Park, (630) 668-5161, www.cantigny.org

HISTORICAL CEMETERY WALK
Listen to true stories of women and children buried in West Chicago’s oldest cemetery. Tales Tombstones Tell, in its 20th year, is a cemetery walk through Oakwood Cemetery that features costumed volunteers portraying a specific person buried in the cemetery, as they reveal that person’s life story. The theme this year is “Women and Children,” with topics of immigration and diphtheria. Walks will be offered every 10 minutes.
WHERE Oakwood Cemetery, York Street and Oakwood Avenue, West Chicago
WHEN 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2
COST: Free, but donations are welcomed
CONTACT West Chicago City Museum, (630) 231-3376

A PARADE OF HORSES
Various breeds of horses will gallop in a parade during the annual Danada Fall Festival in Danada Forest Preserve park on Oct. 11. The event will celebrate horses as well as have fun activities for families, including hayrides, face painting, horse grooming demonstrations and educational displays.
WHERE Danada Equestrian Center, off Naperville Road on Route 56, Wheaton
WHEN 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11
COST: Free
CONTACT DuPage Forest Preserve, (630) 668-6012, www.dupageforest.com