Weekend picks: Holiday Lego Train Show rolls into Cantigny

Loads of Legos!

See thousands of Lego pieces put together to form a wide variety of scenes at the annual Holiday Lego Train Show at Cantigny Park and First Division Museum, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Free admission; parking is $5. Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots receives free parking. (630) 668-5161 or cantigny.org. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Best in show

Dogs of all kinds compete for prizes at the Skokie Valley Kennel Club Dog Show this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $5; $2 kids. (847) 692-2222 or skokievalleykc.org. 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Holiday Market

Mayslake Peabody Estate hosts its Holiday Market, featuring a variety of artisan crafts for sale at 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook. Free admission. (630) 933-7681 or dupageforest.com. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10

An Osmond family Christmas

Donny and Marie Osmond sing about being “a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.” Now they're a “whole lot of Christmas” in their new show, “Donny and Marie — Christmas in Chicago.” This marks the first time the siblings have performed together on a Chicago stage. See for yourself at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $37-$100. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Marley's tale

The Organic Theater Company of Chicago brings its family-friendly production of “Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol” to North Central College's Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, for a brief run. Tom Mula centers his play on Ebenezer Scrooge's former business partner who enlists the aid of a sprite named Bogle to achieve his own redemption. $20, $30. (630) 637-7469 or organictheater.org. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Hellenic hello

The new National Hellenic Museum dedicated to Greek history and culture officially opens on Saturday at 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago. $10 adults; $8 seniors/students; $7 kids ages 3-12. (312) 655-1234 or nationalhellenicmuseum.org. Grand opening Saturday, Dec. 10. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Holidays of long ago

Fragrant evergreens, a roaring fire on the hearth and an old-fashioned Christmas tree help recreate the feel of holiday celebrations in years gone by at the Durant House Museum's Candlelight Open House. Guests can go on a tour and have some sweet treats at the museum at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W370 Dean St., St. Charles. Admission is $3. No reservations required. (630) 377-6424 or ppfv.org. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Nutcracker of the week

Those who remember traveling to Chicago's Arie Crown Theater to see choreographer Ruth Page's version of “The Nutcracker” won't want to miss Civic Ballet of Chicago's famed staging that uses her choreography. Catch it this weekend at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $27; $15 kids ages 12 and younger. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Holiday tunes

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra celebrates Christmas with the concert “'Tis the Season” featuring guests pianist Richard Ridenour, soprano Elizabeth Norman, The Choral-Aires Chorus and the Elgin Children's Chorus and more this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $20-$66. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 3:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Thirty years of magic

Brookfield Zoo opens its gates to its 30th Annual Holiday Magic festival, featuring more than 1 million twinkling lights, animated sculptures and a laser show. Other highlights include ice-carving demonstrations, a train display, singing to the animals, live music and entertainment and other family activities at the zoo, First Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield. Most festival activities are free with paid $9.50-$13.50 general zoo admission. Parking costs $9. (708) 688-8000 or CZS.org. 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11

Light driving

Add a sense of adventure to driving around and seeing seasonal light displays as part of The Christmas Lights Tour Road Rallye Saturday starting at Woodfield Shopping Center, Golf Road at Route 53, Schaumburg. $10 per vehicle and a Toys for Tots donation. (847) 446-2904 or wheelsrallyeteam.com. 6 p.m. registration; 7 p.m. start Saturday, Dec. 10

Comic returns

Comedian Lenny Schmidt, a Bolingbrook High School graduate and a veteran of iO Chicago, returns to his old stomping grounds. Schmidt, who has appeared in HBO's “True Blood” and “Big Love,” headlines Zanies at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $24 plus a two drink or item minimum. (630) 583-6342 or zanies.com. 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10

Celtic Christmas

Gavin Coyle's “A Celtic Christmas” features carols and more in a special Saturday benefit concert for the People's Resource Center at the College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $25. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10

DIY ‘Messiah'

Amateur musicians who want to sing along with Handel's oratorio “The Messiah” can so in two local concerts Sunday. There's the “Voices in Harmony: Sing-Along Messiah” at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $18. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. Then there's the “Do It Yourself Messiah” at Batavia Fine Arts Centre Auditorium, West Wilson and Western Avenues, Batavia. $15. BataviaSTAGE.org. 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in Crystal Lake, and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in Batavia

Musical ‘Fantasy'

The Illinois Brass Band presents traditional carols, holiday classics and jazzy updates of old favorites in its “A Christmas Fantasy” concert at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center, 2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach. $5-$10. (847) 201-9032 or illinoisbrassband.org. 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Big Band at Nellie's

Swing music favorites popularized by the likes of Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and more get played by the 17-piece Jazz Consortium Big Band Sunday at Durty Nellie's Pub, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $10 cover. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com. 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Tale, take 2

A tale so nice, they told it twice. Patrick Able stars in Steel Beam Theatre's benefit production of Tom Mula's “Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol.” Proceeds from the show benefit the theater and the Chicagoland Dog Rescue. See it at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $23, $25. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11