10 for '16: Exciting entertainment options for the year ahead

It's the dawn of the new year, which means many of us have resolved to exercise more, eat better, work harder and complete other improve-our-lives kind of tasks.

Such resolutions are worthy goals, of course, but it's important that we pencil some entertainment into our 2016 calendars as well. People can't live on low-fat diets alone.

The good news is that this year will provide plenty of opportunities for fun. From blockbuster films to rollicking reads, 2016 will be packed with diversions for just about every entertainment taste. To help narrow things down a bit, we have selected 10 happenings that suburbanites should keep in mind.

So read on and start thinking about all the fun that awaits between those extra visits to the gym!

Tomorrow Never Knows rock festival

The post-holiday winter months can be pretty grim - cold, gray and snowy. Fortunately, the Chicago-based indie-rock festival, Tomorrow Never Knows, provides the perfect musical antidote to the winter blues, bringing roughly 50 bands to a slew of the city's best venues.

This year's Tomorrow Never Knows lineup includes Wild Belle, an indie-pop band led by Barrington siblings Elliot and Natalie Bergman. Wild Belle broke through with the 2013 album, “Isles,” which incorporated a variety of world influences into a dreamy pop sound. The band expects to release a new record, “Dreamland,” later this year. The first single, “Giving Up On You,” has been released and is drumming up anticipation for the full album.

Among the other bands scheduled to perform at Tomorrow Never Knows are the noise-rock group Metz, alternative mainstay Lou Barlow and the '90s-influenced band, Bully. The shows take place Jan. 13-17 at Metro, Lincoln Hall, Schuba's Tavern, the Hideout and the Athenaeum Theater. Prices vary by show. For information, go to tnkfest.com.

Chicago Family Palooza at Pheasant Run

Families need a late-winter break, too. That's why suburban parents should circle the dates for Chicago Family Palooza on their calendars. The weekend-long event includes a wide range of activities that should offer something fun for just about every child: carnival games, a rock-climbing wall, a petting zoo, miniature golf, magicians and much more.

Chicago Family Palooza will take place Feb. 27-28 at Pheasant Run, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets start at $8. Go to chicagofamilypalooza.com for information.

'West Side Story' at Paramount

The Broadway Series at Aurora's acclaimed Paramount Theatre continues in 2016 with a production this spring of one of the most famous and beloved love stories of all time - “West Side Story.” Set in a gritty New York neighborhood, the musical presents the romance between Tony and Maria, who must battle ethnic prejudices as well as their ties to rival gangs in the middle of a turf war.

“West Side Story” is directed by Jim Corti, Paramount's artistic director.

The musical will run March 16 through April 24. Tickets start at $41. For information, go to paramountaurora.com. The theater is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora.

'Hazel' at Drury Lane

Meanwhile, another suburban playhouse will be unveiling its own Broadway-caliber musical this spring: “Hazel,” based on the character created by Ted Key and the hit television comedy series from the 1960s. The musical will make its world premiere at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.

Directed and choreographed by Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse, “Hazel” is set in the '60s and focuses on the Baxter family and their feisty maid, Hazel, who has to keep the family together during a time of great change. The production promises to deliver the same laughter that made the TV series a hit.

“Hazel” will run March 31 to May 29 at the theater, located at 100 Drury Lane. Ticket information will soon be available at drurylanetheatre.com.

'Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice'

DC Comics' chief rival, Marvel Comics, has enjoyed phenomenal success with its superhero movies, which “live” together in the same fictional universe, allowing characters to cross over from one franchise to another. DC appears to be trying to launch its own shared universe with “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the 2016 blockbuster-to-be which includes not just the titular superhero characters (played by Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, respectively), but also Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor and, according to early Internet buzz, additional characters such as Aquaman. The film will be the second Superman outing for director Zack Snyder, who scored a big hit with “Man of Steel” in 2013, but also angered some fans with the movie's relentlessly bleak and somber tone. Will “Batman vs. Superman” be DC's answer to the “Avengers” flicks? Find out in March, true believers!

“Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” is scheduled to open in theaters in the suburbs and all over the country on March 25.

'Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died'

July 12, 1979, is a date that lives on in Chicago-area infamy. That's when local radio personality (and longtime suburban resident) Steve Dahl led the “Disco Demolition” stunt at old Comiskey Park. After Dahl ceremoniously blew up a pile of disco albums between games of a White Sox-Tigers doubleheader, thousands of drunken fans rushed the field, tore up the grass, lit small bonfires and whipped disco LPs around the stadium. The White Sox had to forfeit the second game in the wake of the stunt.

Thirty-seven years later, Dahl will revisit that night in “Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died,” a book about the event co-written by local journalist Dave Hoekstra and famed rock photographer Paul Natkin. (The book, which is being published by local press Curbside Splendor, also will feature a forward written by TV star and former Naperville resident Bob Odenkirk.) Fans of Dahl, the White Sox or local pop culture should enjoy curling up with this book.

“Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died” is scheduled to be released on April 12 and will cost $34.95. For information and to pre-order, go to curbsidesplendor.com.

Justin Bieber at the Allstate Arena

For a while there, it seemed like Justin Bieber was heading toward irrelevance, as a series of strange run-ins with the law made him a punch line, rather than a pop star. But his recent album, “Purpose,” has fans and music writers trying to find new ways to say “comeback.” Irresistible singles such as “Sorry” and “What Do You Mean?” have put the Biebs right back on top of the pop heap and generated white-hot anticipation for his world tour, which brings him to Rosemont for two dates this spring.

Bieber will perform at the Allstate Arena, located at 6920 N. Mannheim Road in Rosemont, on April 22 and 23. Tickets, which range in price from $49.50 to $125, are going fast for both dates. For information, go to ticketmaster.com.

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis at Six Flags Great America

Getting back to the superhero theme for a moment: Six Flags Great America in Gurnee plans to open a new “4D” interactive ride for the 2016 season. Theme-park officials say that Justice League: Battle for Metropolis will deliver a complete sensory experience, putting riders in the middle of the fun.

The ride includes multiple environments and activities. Visitors will explore the 22,000-square-foot Hall of Justice, headquarters of the mighty DC Comics superhero team, the Justice League. Then they'll board a special vehicle and spin through the city of Metropolis, fighting lifelike animatronic villains including Lex Luthor and the Joker. The ride also will include gaming elements that allow different groups of riders to compete against each other.

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis debuted last year at Six Flags theme parks in St. Louis and Arlington, Texas, winning the industry's Brass Ring Award for best new ride. Great America is located at 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee. Ticket information will be available soon at sixflags.com/greatamerica.

Adele at the United Center

Is there a bigger pop star right now than Adele? The unassuming British singer has reached stratospheric levels of popularity with her contemporary take on roots and soul music. Her 2011 album, “21,” was a monster, selling 30 million copies and winning multiple Grammy awards. The follow-up, “25,” came out in November and quickly broke sales records in the U.S. and the U.K.

Adele will bring her powerhouse vocals to the United Center, 1901 W. Madison in Chicago, for three concerts this summer - July 10, 11 and 13. All three quickly sold out, but tickets may still be available on the secondary market. (Be prepared to cough up quite a few dollars for them, though.) No other shows have been announced, but for the latest information, go to unitedcenter.com.

'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'

Harry Potter fans, rejoice! J.K. Rowling's “wizarding world” returns to the big screen in 2016 with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a movie inspired by Rowling's 2001 book of the same name. “Beasts” is set in the same universe as all the “Harry Potter” stories, but it takes place during an earlier time.

The movie, written by Rowling, stars Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne as a young wizard named Newt Scamander who gets into a series of adventures in New York City in 1926. The film, rumored to be the first part of a trilogy, marks the first time fans will see the American version of the wizarding world. The cast includes other stellar actors such as Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton. Coming out roughly a year after “The Force Awakens” rejuvenated the beloved “Star Wars” franchise, it wouldn't be surprising if this film has a similar effect on Rowling's wizarding universe.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is scheduled to open in theaters in the suburbs and all over the country in November.