Weekend picks: Arboretum rolls out Enchanted Railroad

Choo! Choo!

The Enchanted Railroad is back and newly renovated with multiple miniature trains traveling through landscapes experiencing the four seasons starting this Saturday at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle. Included with admission of $9; $8 seniors; $6 kids. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; from Saturday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 22

Free wheelin'

The Greater Chicago and Geneva All-American Soap Box Derby Association host the Indoor All American Soap Box Derby Race at the west end of the lower level of the Charlestowne Mall, 3800 E. Main St., St. Charles. Youth ages 7-18 are invited to participate. Children who are accompanied by a parent/guardian can take a free test run down the track. Free. For information, contact race director Stan Iglehart at (630) 841-8832, or send email to stanleyi@sbcglobal.net. chicagosoapboxderby.org. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, and Sunday, Jan. 18

Getaway gathering

See celebrities like “Wild” author Cheryl Strayed or TV host Samantha Brown at the 2015 Travel & Adventure Show this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $16-$25 on-site. (847) 692-2220 or rosemont.com/desconvention. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18

Dino-mite!

If your kids have a fondness for prehistoric reptiles, take them to see the oversize animatronic ones of the Discover the Dinosaurs exhibit, which returns this weekend to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $30 kids; $25 adults; $23 seniors. (847) 692-2220 or rosemont.com/desconvention. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Jan. 18 and 19

Born to be wild

“Sons of Anarchy“ stars Kim Coates (“Tig”) and Theo Rossi (“Juice”) are just two of the celebrities slated to appear at the 31st Annual Chicago Cycle Show & Swap Meet this weekend at the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $12 one-day pass; $21 weekend pass; $75-$150 VIP passes. (800) 474-3272 or chicagomotorcycleswap.com. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18

Winter rock

There's no better cure for the post-holiday winter blues than the Tomorrow Never Knows festival, an annual rock event that brings a slew of great indie-rock bands to multiple venues in the city this weekend. Among the highlights are noise-pop outfit the Cloud Nothings on Friday (a show that will include the fantastic local thrash band Oozing Wound) and Chicago garage-rockers Twin Peaks on Sunday. Tomorrow Never Knows runs through Sunday, Jan. 18. Shows take place at Lincoln Hall, Schuba's Tavern, Metro, the Hideout and the Athenaeum Theatre. For lineup, venue and ticket info, go to tnkfest.com.

Frost Fest

Get into the spirit of the chilly winter season at Frost Fest in West Park, 850 N. Summit Ave., Lake Forest. Activities include a snowshoe obstacle course, a hockey/puck-shooting contest, a bonfire, hot cocoa and more. Free. (847) 234-6700 or cityoflakeforest.com. 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Poking fun at '50'

Before the film version of E.L. James' erotic novel “50 Shades of Grey” steams up the silver screen next month, get some laughs at the best-selling phenomenon with the return of “50 Shades! The Musical Parody” starting Tuesday at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. For mature audiences. $42-$56. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17; and 2 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18

Enchanted records

The Lyric Opera of Chicago debuts a new family show for 2015 called “The Magic Victrola,” which aims to be a fun and friendly way to introduce kids to the theatrical glories of opera. There's a Saturday performance at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive., Chicago. $20-$40; $10-$20 kids tickets. (312) 827-5600 or lyricopera.org. 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Original spell

The Russian National Ballet performs the original 1890 St. Petersburg staging of “The Sleeping Beauty” for two performances only on Saturday at Belushi Performance Hall at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $55; $45 youth. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Guitars Under the Stars

Enjoy live concerts, dig in to an all-you-can-eat meal and help animals in need at the Guitars Under the Stars Winter Fete at Danny's on Douglas, 231 Douglas Ave., Elgin. Performers include They Found Us and the Sam Dandals Band. Fare includes pizza, salad and soda. Proceeds benefit the Almost Home Foundation, an organization that provides rescue services for unwanted, neglected or abused animals. $10 admission donation. (847) 742-5400 or thefete.org. 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Jan. 17

Record release

Country artist Ari Castronovo will celebrate the release of her debut EP, “Under My Breath,” with a show at Austin's Fuel Room, 481 Peterson, Libertyville. Backing her up will be popular country cover band Bella Cain. Go to fuelroom.com for ticket information. 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Dido's lament

Experience one of the masterpieces of English baroque music when the Opera Music Theater performs Henry Purcell's 1688 tragic opera “Dido and Aeneas” starting on Wednesday at Barrows Auditorium in Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center, 500 College Ave., Wheaton. $10. (630) 752-5010 or wheaton.edu. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Midwestern mirth

See rising local comedian Michael Palascak mine his Midwestern roots for laughs when he returns to do a standup gig starting Thursday at Zanies at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $20 plus a two menu-item purchase. (630) 584-6342 or zanies.com. 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

'Leading Ladies'

The Elgin Theatre Company presents “Leading Ladies,” a comedy by playwright Ken Ludwig, at the Kimball Street Theatre at the Elgin Academy, at the northeast corner of Kimball Street and Dundee Avenue, Elgin. The plot looks at two modern-day down-on-their-luck Shakespearean actors who resolve to swindle an elderly woman out of the fortune she plans to leave to her two nephews. $12-$15. (847) 741-0532 or elgin-theatre.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18.

Decade of laughs

Mark DeCarlo (“Windy City Live”) and WGN's Steve Cochran are the guest stars helping to celebrate the 10th Anniversary Show of The Comedy Shrine on Saturday at 4034 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora. $30. (630) 585-0300 or comedyshrine.com. 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17

Bryan Bowers

Singer, songwriter, autoharp player and storyteller Bryan Bowers headlines in a Lake County Folk Club-sponsored concert at the In-Laws Restaurant, 720 Milwaukee Ave., Gurnee. $10-$12. Teens are $5 (suggested donation). For reservations, call (847) 602-8882 by noon on the day of performance. thelakecountyfollkclub.org. 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18

'Beam me up, Scotty'

See full-length, improvised parodies of “Star Trek” episodes, along with surprise guest appearances by some of Chicago's top actors, at the “Improvised Star Trek” show at the iO Chicago, 1501 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago. $12. Visit theimprovisedstartrek.com. 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18. Show runs Sundays through March 1.