Weekend picks: Rock out with Paul Revere & the Raiders

Symphony in Lights

The Promenade Bolingbrook hosts its annual Symphony in Lights holiday light show, featuring more than 250,000 brightly colored lights in sync to the sounds of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Experience it at the Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook. Free. Visit thepromenadebolingbrook.com. Begins at 5 p.m. and runs every hour until 9 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 31

Winter Wonderland

Drive through 97 acres of holiday lights and scenes at the Cuneo Museum and Gardens' annual Winter Wonderland holiday light show at 1350 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills. It costs $5 per car Monday through Thursday; $10 per car Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visit vernonhills.org or cuneomansion.org. 6 to 10 p.m. nightly through Saturday, Dec. 31

Nutcracker of the week

Unlike some other dance companies that use a taped version of Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score, von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet's “The Nutcracker” features the live New Philharmonic for its performances this weekend at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $37; $35 seniors; $27 kids. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

Holmes for the holiday

Raven Theatre artistic director Michael Menendian and writer John Weagly adapt Arthur Conan Doyle's tale “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Goose” as a staged radio play with live musical accompaniment and an audience singalong. The play centers around the disappearance of a gem hidden inside a Christmas goose, which leads Holmes and Watson to a surprising conclusion. The theater is at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. $15. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16-17, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

City concerts

So, you don't have tickets to Wilco's sold out shows in Chicago this weekend. Well, there are other possibilities. Sister Hazel plays the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, Chicago, (312) 923-2000, $25-$28, and the Mickey Hart Band takes over Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, (773) 525-2508, $30, this weekend, to name a few. Sister Hazel: 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16-17; Mickey Hart Band: 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

Blues band in Berwyn

The Marty Sammon Band provides an evening of blues entertainment at the Harlem Avenue Lounge, 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn. $6. (708) 484-3610 or harlemavenuelounge.com. 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16

Snapshots with Santa

The Buddy Foundation animal rescue/adoption organization invites the public to bring youngsters and pets to its Photos With Santa event at 63 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. Snap your own or purchase photos on site. Other event highlights include crafts and appearances by Santa's “elves.” General admission is free. $7.50 donation per picture. Donations to The Buddy Foundation are welcome. (847) 290-5806 or visit thebuddyfoundationonline.org. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

Jingle Bash rocks

Enrique Iglesias, Selena Gomez, Joe Jonas and LMFAO are just a few of the pop acts getting into the holiday spirit this weekend at the sold out B96 Jingle Bash 2011 at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com. 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

‘White Christmas'

Watch the classic 1954 holiday film “White Christmas,” starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as a song-and-dance team attempting to save a failing Vermont inn, at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee Theatre, Waukegan. The film also stars Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen and features songs by Irving Berlin. It only costs $3-$6. (847) 782-2366 or geneseetheatre.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

Mexican dance

Aurora's own Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl performs regional dances of Mexico on Saturday at the Paramount Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. $25; $18 kids. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

Old-school holidays

Get into the holiday spirit with some festive rock 'n' roll from classic rockers Paul Revere and the Raiders. The band will play a mix of classic pop songs and Christmas-time favorites at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. The openers will be fellow '60s legends Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. $29.50-$75. Go to ticketmaster.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

‘Messiah' music

If you want a performance of Handel's classic oratorio “The Messiah” that isn't participatory, be sure to check out performances by the Apollo Chorus of Chicago and the Elgin Choral Union. The Elgin Choral Union performs Saturday and Sunday at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $18-$23. (847) 622-0300 or elginchoralunion.org. The Apollo Chorus performs Sunday at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $40-$55. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, in Elgin, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, in Chicago

Celtic Christmas

The all-female ensemble Celtic Woman marks the holiday season with “A Christmas Celebration — The Symphony Tour” Saturday at North Central College's Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave., Naperville. $65-$80. (630) 637-7469 or northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

Ultimate band, ultimate night

It's the ultimate at The Lodge on Saturday. UFC Band Ultimate Freakin Covers takes the stage while ultimate drink specials take over elsewhere. Saturday specials include $4 house wine, $4 Guinness and $4 Absolut. Daily specials include $2.50 Hop Head, $4 Sobieski vodka and $5 Bacardi bombs. The Lodge Pub and Grill at Four Lakes is at 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. (630) 724-0450 or thelodgeatfourlakes.com. Saturday, Dec. 17

Puppet crèche

Quest Theatre Ensemble's 10th anniversary tour of its “Blue Nativity” is also billed as its last. So if you haven't seen it yet, catch “Blue Nativity” Sunday courtesy of the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Free, but donations appreciated. (312) 458-0895 or questensemble.org. 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

St. Nick at Nick's

Hey, bring the kiddos to lunch with Santa at Nick's Pizza and Pub. St. Nick at Nick's takes place at both locations: 990 S. Randall Road, Elgin, (847) 531-5550, or 856 Pyott Road, Crystal Lake, (815) 356-5550. Kids 12 and younger can have an individual, 9-inch cheese pizza and a pop for just $4.99 and then hop on Santa's lap and give him an earful. See nickspizzapub.com. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

Art show

See paintings and sculptures by local artists of The American Jewish Artists Club at a free reception at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Artwork is available for purchase, and many of the artists will be on hand to discuss their work. Refreshments will be served. Free. Club's art exhibit runs through Monday, Jan. 2. Visit americanjewishartistsclub.org. Reception runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

Radio re-enactment

The volunteer radio re-enactment group, Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, presents the classic tale “It's A Wonderful Life” at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. The re-enactment is from a 1947 broadcast of the Lux Radio Theatre's production of “It's A Wonderful Life.” Free and open to the public. (708) 386-4040 or oakparkarms.com. 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

Britten bounty

The Music Institute of Chicago Chorale teams up with the Rogers Park and Humboldt Park Neighborhood Choirs of the Chicago Children's Choir this Sunday for an all Benjamin Britten concert at the Music Institute of Chicago's Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $15; $10 seniors; $7 students. (847) 905-1500, ext. 108, or musicinst.org. 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18

‘A Christmas Fantasy'

The Illinois Brass Band presents “A Christmas Fantasy” concert with traditional carols, holiday classics and jazzy updates of old favorites at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. $6-$12. (847) 202-5222 or illinoisbrassband.org. 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18