Weekend picks: Jeff Garlin rants his way to Rosemont
'Goldberg' guy
Celebrate a local guy who has made good in Hollywood by spending "An Intimate Evening with Jeff Garlin" ("Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Goldbergs") this weekend at Zanies at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. $25 plus a two menu-item purchase. (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Free Comic Book Day
Participating comic book stores are giving a free comic book to fans during the annual Free Comic Book Day on Saturday. Check freecomicbookday.com to find participating stores. Runs throughout the day on Saturday, May 2
Reading Rockstars
"Mother Goose" will make an appearance to perform some of her stories and rhymes to kids ages 3 to 8 and their families attending the Reading Rockstars event in the Wellness/Recreation Hall at Midwestern University, 555 31st St., Downers Grove. Other highlights include interactive games, educational booths and learning activities to promote literacy. The event is organized by the university's Speech-Language Pathology program and the MWU Chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. midwestern.edu. 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 2
Kids and Kites
Let's go fly a kite at the 17th Annual Chicago Kids and Kites Festival at Cricket Hill at Montrose Harbor, at Montrose Avenue and Wilson Street, Chicago. Children can build and decorate kites with complimentary kits, while supplies last. Guests can also buy a kite on-site. Don't miss the Big Kite Candy Drop, with a pinata-style kite that drops treats from the sky, and demonstrations by professional kite fliers. Free. (312) 744-3316 or chicagokidsandkites.us. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Workout central
TheFitExpo Chicago promises a slew of top-tier fitness celebrities, executives and industry veterans along with more than 200 companies with discounts and complimentary samples this weekend in Hall G of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $25 daily admission; $40 two-day admission; $10 kids ages 6 to 12. (818) 545-0290 or thefitexpo.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 2; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3
Special-needs carnival
Children with special needs and their families are invited to attend a two-hour private carnival in the parking lot of the Westfield Fox Valley shopping center, 195 Fox Valley Center, Aurora. Admission is free and includes rides, popcorn, cotton candy and stuffed animals. Rides will run at slower speeds. To attend, families must RSVP to Angelique Barthel at angelique@varietyofillinois.org with the family's name and the number of attendees. The carnival opens to the public after this private event. The carnival is presented by Variety the Children's Charity of Illinois. (312) 822-0660 or varietyofillinois.org. Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, and again on Saturday, May 9
Drink up
Sample all kinds of beers and hard ciders at the Bigby's Pour House-sponsored Ballpark Brew Fest on Saturday at the Schaumburg Boomers Stadium, 1999 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. $75 VIP early admission; $40 general admission with 25 samplings; $10 designated driver admission. (847) 650-2333 or ballparkbrewfest.com. 1 p.m. VIP session Saturday, May 2; 2 to 6 p.m. general admission
Young at Heart
Celebrate the legacies of husband-and-wife comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen in the tour of Rupert Holmes' Broadway comedy "Say Goodnight, Gracie" on Saturday at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $34-$42.50. (800) 982-2787 or geneseetheatre.com. 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Spring symphonic concert
The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band presents its spring concert "The Power of Two," featuring selections ranging from classical to contemporary with everything from Broadway hits to jazz tunes, at Stevenson High School, 1 Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire. Adult tickets cost $12 at the door. Advance tickets cost $10 (from band members at the Buffalo Grove Village Hall or at bgsb.org). Senior and student tickets cost $8. 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Solo Byrd
Join Chicago native Roger McGuinn, solo folk musician and co-founder of The Byrds, for "An Evening With Roger McGuinn" at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. McGuinn promises stories of his time on the music scene, along with the expected classics like "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn." Tickets cost $32. (847) 622-0300 or tickets.elgin.edu. 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Ode to joy
Mahler's "Totenfeier" and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 are the featured works in the Elgin Symphony Orchestra concerts "Season Finale: Full Sound … Full Joy!" conducted by Andrew Grams this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $25-$60. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3
Deceptive swan
The Russian National Ballet Theatre performs the quintessential Tchaikovsky dance tragedy "Swan Lake" on tour this Saturday at North Central College's Pfeiffer Hall, 310 Benton Ave., Naperville. $20-$35. (630) 637-7469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2
Celebrating Mother Nature
Get your green thumb ready for spring planting at the Backyards for Nature Fair and Native Plant Sale, at the Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Gardening experts will be on hand to discuss tips, and a large variety of native shrubs, wildflowers and grasses will be available for purchase. Bring the kids for special gardening activities and birdhouse building. Free. (847) 985-2100 or parkfun.com. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3
Torah scribe
Yochanan Nathan, a Chicago-area Torah scribe, demonstrates how a Torah scroll, featuring the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is created. He also discusses rituals and laws that govern the writing of a Torah and demonstrates how the Hebrew letters are written in a public program at the Geneva Public Library, 127 James St., Geneva. Tickets cost $8-$10 in advance and $12 at the door. Event is sponsored by the Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors of Geneva. (630) 465-0356 or fvjn.org. 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3
Rock out
Very few tickets remain to see the American rock band Paramore and their "Writing the Future Tour" with Copeland on Sunday at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. $37.50-$73. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3