Weekend picks: 'Queen of Soul' joins skaters at Sears Centre

Soul and ice

America's legendary “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin performs classic material and songs from her new album, “A Woman Falling Out of Love,” alongside fashionably dressed world-famous figure skaters like Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir, Sarah Hughes and more in “Fashion on Ice Starring Aretha Franklin” on Saturday at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $45-$152. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

Farm Heritage Festival

See hundreds of antique tractors, cars, engines and other farm machinery at the 19th Annual Farm Heritage Festival. This two-day event celebrates farm life from long ago to the present. Highlights include a tractor parade, sheepherding demonstrations, live music, scarecrow-making and more at the Lakewood Forest Preserve, on Route 176, just west of Fairfield Road, Wauconda. $4-$8. Children ages 3 and younger admitted free. (847) 968-3400 or lcfpd.org. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25

Art in the Barn

More than 170 artists present their works in a variety of media at the 37th Annual Art in the Barn. Other highlights include music, children's art activities, pony rides, food and more. on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, 450 W. Highway 22, Barrington. Admission is $5. Children 12 and younger admitted free. Parking is free. No pets allowed. (847) 381-2094. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25

‘The Old House New House Home Show'

Learn about home renovation and remodeling, as contractors, designers and craftsmen present displays for various aspects of the home and its surroundings at “The Old House New House Home Show” at the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $7; free for seniors ages 62 and older and kids younger than 18. Parking is free. Visit kennedyproductions.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

Teeming green

A mass recycling event, a recycled art contest, a FashionEcoNista Show and more activities are all part of the Cantigny Green Fair Saturday at Cantigny Park and First Division Museum, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Free admission. $2-$5 parking. (630) 668-5161 or cantigny.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

Through the lens of Ansel Adams

The Lake County Discovery Museum introduces its newest national touring exhibit, “Classic Images: Photography By Ansel Adams.” See a rare portfolio of 70 photographs, hand printed by the celebrated nature photographer. The works were selected by the artist himself to represent the best of his life's work. See it at the Lake County Discovery Museum, 27277 N. Forest Preserve Drive, Wauconda. Admission is $3-$6. Children ages 3 and younger admitted free. (847) 968-3400 or lakecountydiscoverymuseum.org. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 8

Play date

The Worldwide Day of Play is celebrated with organized kids' games, Zumba classes, a supervised climbing wall and more this Saturday at the Field House Sports and Fitness Center at Hinkston Park, 800 N. Baldwin Ave., Waukegan. Free admission. (847) 782-3300 or waukeganparks.org. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

Go, go ‘Gabba!'

Cool kids and their hipster parents won't want to miss the latest live touring version of the popular Nick Jr. show “Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! It's Time to Dance!” this weekend at the Rosemont Theatre, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $25-$75. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com. 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

Profanity and puppets

It's grown-ups only for “Stuffed and Unstrung — Henson Puppets Behaving Badly,” an uncensored comedy sketch puppet revue created by Brian Henson that tours this Saturday to College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $38; $36 seniors; $28 students. For mature audiences only. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

Tchaikovsky & Co.

Principal guest conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra joins with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra for the concert “Love and War: A Russian Spectacular” featuring music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Glazunov this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $24-$70. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

Plastic kit and toy show

See both antique and modern toys when the DuPage County Fairgrounds plays host to the 58th Annual Illinois Plastic Kit & Toy Show. Guests can browse through 150 tables of items with everything from toy cars, trucks and military vehicles to puzzles and more at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton. Admission is $5 for adults; $2 for children younger than 12. (630) 969-1847 or dupagecountyfair.org. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

'How to Succeed in Business'

Big Noise Theatre presents “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” Frank Loesser's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy about an ambitious window washer who schemes his way up the corporate ladder in a New York City skyscraper. See it at the Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St., Des Plaines. $16-$24. (847) 604-0275 or bignoisetheatre.org. 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

Meet ‘Superhero Joe' authors

Author Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and illustrator Ron Barrett will read from and sign copies of their new children's picture book “Superhero Joe” at The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, 811 Elm St., Winnetka. Barrett is best known as the illustrator of the classic book “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” The event is designed for children ages 4 to 8 and their families. Free. Books are available for sale. (847) 446-8880 or thebookstall.com. 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

‘The Phantom of the Opera'

Fox Valley Theatre Company presents “The Phantom of the Opera,” Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 blockbuster adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel about a deformed musical genius who becomes obsessed with a promising young opera singer, at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $10-$12. (847) 622-0300. 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

Barbara Bradley Hagerty Q&A

Author Barbara Bradley Hagerty discusses her best-selling book “Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality” and holds a question-and-answer session at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights. Free and open to the public. No registration is required. Free child care will be provided. (847) 255-5900. 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25