Entertainment

Sunday picks: Pablo Francisco takes aim at pop culture

Posted February 08, 2015 5:30 am

By Laura Milbrath Stewart and Scott C. Morgan

Comedian Pablo Francisco headlines The Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg. Courtesy of Dan Dion/Comedy Central

Comic impressions

From spoofing Spanish language telenovelas to action movie previews, comedian Pablo Francisco knows how to take pot shots at pop culture. Catch him live at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg. $24 plus a two menu-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Snow Days Chicago

Watch 14 professional sculptors create works of art from 10-foot blocks of man-made snow during the Snow Days Chicago event at Polk Brothers Park at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Sculptures can be viewed both day and night, with special nighttime lighting. Other highlights include snowboarding for kids, snow painting and more. Free. Hours of events vary. navypier.com. Sunday, Feb. 8

Murder, they wrote

Zoe Sharp, Denise Swanson and Robert Goldsborough are just some of the authors leading seminars at the Love is Murder XVI Murder Mystery Writers Conference this weekend at the Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel, 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont. $369 all-session and meals weekend package; $99-$254 Friday only; $199-$418 Saturday only. (847) 544-5300 or loveismurder.net. 8:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, Feb. 8

Home sweet home

Get some tips from Kelly Edwards of HGTV's “Design on a Dime” and other experts at the North Shore Home and Garden Show this weekend at the Westin Chicago North Hotel, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling. No admission charge. (847) 777-6500 or homeshownorthshore.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

FREEze Day

Guests receive free admission and a chance to join in many winter-themed activities at Brookfield Zoo's annual FREEze Day. Events include dog-sledding demonstrations by the Green Valley Dog Drivers on the zoo's West Mall, crafts in the Hamill Family Play Zoo, birds of prey Zoo Chats with staff members and more. Admission is free (parking is $10 per car). For information, visit czs.org. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Truck stunts

There's plenty of racing and free-wheelin' stunts in the Monster Jam at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $22-$60. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com. 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Symphonic Shakespeare

Guest conductor Michael Christie leads the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in concerts this weekend called “Much Ado About Music,” which prominently feature Korngold's “Much Ado About Nothing” Suite along with other works by Mozetich and Brahms. Hear the music at the Hemmens Cultural Center, Elgin. $25-$60. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Matrimonial musical

Williams Street Repertory brings back Sean Grennan and Leah Okimoto's popular regional four-actor musical “Married Alive” focusing on married life for a run starting Saturday at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $32.50-$38.50. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Russian and French

Award-winning pianist Winston Choi joins forces with the New Philharmonic to perform music of Ravel, Rachmaninoff and other composers at Belushi Performance Hall at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $46. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8

Kelly Edwards of HGTV's "Design on a Dime" is set to appear at the North Shore Home and Garden Show on Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Westin Chicago North Hotel in Wheeling.

Author Zoë Sharp appears at the Love is Murder XVI Mystery Conference in Rosemont.

The “Grave Digger” is featured in The Monster Jam coming to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

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