Weekend picks: Take an express train to Wonderland

Little trains

The Wonderland Express is back with model trains, miniature Chicago landmarks, intricate ice carvings and more starting this weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. $13; $10 seniors and kids ages 3-12; half-price on Thursday. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Thursday, Dec. 15; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily Friday, Dec. 16, through Monday, Jan. 2, (early 3 p.m. closing Dec. 2, 9, 24; closed Dec. 25)

Green Friday?

Black Friday goes green at the Stillman Nature Center, which hosts two Green Friday hikes on its trails. Naturalists will guide guests on a tour of the center, on Penny Road, between Bartlett and Algonquin roads, South Barrington, with visits to see birds of prey, including a snowy owl. stillmannc.org. Free. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. Hikes at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Christkindlmarket Naperville

Step into an outdoor German holiday market at the new Christkindlmarket Naperville at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. The market features handmade holiday ornaments, woodcarvings, gifts and food like sausages, potato pancakes, Stollen, strudel and roasted nuts. Free admission. Opens at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 25. Through Sunday, Dec. 18, hours are: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Beginning Monday, Dec. 19, daily hours will change. For updates, visit napersettlement.org.

Home for the Holidays

Historic downtown Long Grove, at Robert Parker Coffin and Old McHenry roads, offers four weekends of holiday events with complimentary 30-minute carriage rides, costumed strolling carolers, a Christmas parade and more at the Home for the Holidays celebration. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make an appearance from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. Free. longgrove.org. 1 to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Nov. 25-27; 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10; 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11; and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18

Gingerbread town

Bring the kids for the Downers Grove Gingerbread Festival. There's a gingerbread man hunt, free carriage rides, a competition of cookie houses and more this weekend at various downtown locations near 933A Curtiss St., Downers Grove. No admission charge. (630) 725-0991 or downtowndg.org. 3:15 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27

Who was that masked man?

Schaumburg brothers Brian and James Serra - better known as the masked duo Face Time Police - and Des Plaines-based industrial rock band V Is for Villains are featured performers at this weekend's Kollision Con, an anime, cosplay, gaming and hobbyist convention at the Hilton Chicago Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. Face Time Police plays at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; V Is for Villains plays at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26. See kollisioncon.com for the schedule. Noon to 2 a.m. Friday, Nov. 25; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, at the Hilton Chicago Indian Lakes Resort, 250 W. Schick Road, Bloomingdale. $45 for three-day pass; $30 for Friday; $35 for Saturday; $20 for Sunday. kollisioncon.com.

Dust off your skates

Be ready to be dazzled when Rosemont hosts its Light Up The Park tree-lighting event and opens its NHL-sized Frozemont ice skating rink on Friday, Nov. 25, in MB Financial Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Festivities include visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, ice-carving demonstrations and horse-drawn sleigh rides. The Chicago Skates synchronized figure skating team performs at 5:30 p.m. prior to the lighting of more than 80,000 holiday lights. Open skating on the Frozemont rink is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during Light Up The Park. Skating continues daily through Monday, Jan. 2. Rink will also be open Sundays from Jan. 8 through Feb. 26. Bring your own skates or rent them there. All events are free; there is a rental charge for ice skates. rosemont.com. 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25

Humbug!

See Ebenezer Scrooge learn the true meaning of the holiday as he is visited by three ghosts when Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale “A Christmas Carol” returns to the McAninch Arts Center for its 15th season. The production, adapted by William J. Norris, features more than 50 cast members on stage at the College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $12-$15. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 26-27

Comedy insider

Fans of Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck,” “Inside Amy Schumer”) won't want to miss her standup concerts this weekend at two locations: first on Friday at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $39-$125; then at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., Chicago. $49-$124. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, in Rosemont; 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, in Chicago

LBC headlines Durty Nellie's

Lucky Boys Confusion is on a tear this year, playing more than they have in recent years and spending time in the studio on a much-awaited new album, their first since 2009's “Closing Arguments.” That renewed energy is carrying them to Durty Nellie's for a Black Friday show featuring Daniel Wade, Joey Marcantonio and Palatine's Ember Oceans, who are also working on a new album. Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $12-$14; VIP tickets are available. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25

Not so 'Broke'

Fans of the sitcoms “Whitney” and “Two Broke Girls” won't want to miss writer-actress-comedian Whitney Cummings performing standup starting Friday at the Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $31 plus a two-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or chicago.improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, and 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26

Food for your ears at Cubby Bear

EarFood specializes in hard-edged bluesy riffs and hard rock with bouncy reggae influences, but none of this overshadows the band's biggest strength - jamming. Catch them at Chicago's Cubby Bear along with a full lineup of local rock, including Lever, Blacklist Regulars and Joe Renardo. Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison St., Chicago. $7-$10. (773) 327-1662 or cubbybear.com. 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25

Fan-tastic fun

Collectors and costume-play fans of all kinds should make a plan to visit the Chicago Pop Culture Show & Sale this weekend at the Pheasant Run Resort Mega Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $10 one-day pass; $15 two-day pass. (715) 526-9769 or pheasantrun.com or chicagopopculturecon.com. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27

Something sweet

Learn how to make colorful hard candies and take home recipes at the Holiday Sweets program at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. Free. (630) 876-5900 or dupageforest.org. 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 26-27

Nutcracker of the week

'Tis the season for multiple productions of the Tchaikovsky classic Christmas ballet “The Nutcracker.” Salt Creek Ballet is one of the first companies out of the gate with performances at three venues featuring the Chicago West Chamber Orchestra. The production starts this weekend at Hinsdale Central Auditorium, Hinsdale. $18-$45; then at Governors State University, 1 University Parkway, University Park. $23-$43; $18 kids ages 16 and under; then at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $20-$42. (630) 769-1199 or saltcreekballet.org. 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in Hinsdale; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in University Park; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Sing and shout

Wendy & DB get kids singing, wiggling, jumping, dancing and having a great time. Their concerts feature original songs and emphasize imagination, music basics and fun with words. And their Saturday show includes an appearance from Santa with the Rose Queen at the Roselle Public Library, 40 S. Park St., Roselle. Free. (630) 529-1641 or roselle.lib.il.us. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26

Chill at Chillfest

More than 20 local storefronts and restaurants are throwing open their doors (well, maybe not literally seeing how chilly it's been) for the free Chillfest music festival in Wicker Park and Bucktown Saturday, Nov. 26. Shop, eat and enjoy more than 60 local musicians who will be playing acoustic sets all afternoon. See the website for the full schedule. Throughout Wicker Park and Bucktown. Visit wickerparkbucktown.com for a list of venues and artists. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26

Hepburn elegance

Swoon to Henry Mancini's Academy Award-winning score and song “Moon River” in special 55th anniversary screenings of “Breakfast at Tiffany's.” Director Blake Edwards' classic film starring the late actress Audrey Hepburn can be seen on Sunday and Wednesday at select cinema locations in Addison, Batavia, Bloomingdale, Chicago, Crystal Lake, Deer Park, Elgin, Evanston, Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Lombard, Naperville, Rosemont, South Barrington, Warrenville, Woodridge and more. Prices vary by venue, but largely $13-$15. Visit fathomevents.com for exact locations. 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 30

Concert highlights

Homegrown Encore featuring North of Eight, From the Start, Aaron Williams Band, Gallery-81 and Harlan Flo: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at BaseCamp Pub & Eatery, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. $10. (331) 777-4712 or homegrownartsandmusicfestival.com.

Turkey Testicle Festival: Features 7th heaven, Modern Day Romeos, Boy Band Review at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Parkside Pub, 11721 Main St., Huntley. $10, $60 for VIP. (847) 669-8496 or parksidepubhuntley.com.

Broken Oar's Turkeyball: Features DJ Brownie Byte, Bella Cain, Friction, Rumor Hazit, Lava Rock and SEMPLE at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Broken Oar Marina Bar and Grill, 614 Rawson Bridge Road, Port Barrington. No cover before 5 p.m.; $5 after 5 p.m. (847) 639-9468 or brokenoar.com.

Sealed with a Kiss: Features April Rose, DJ FLO, Bentley Dean and Matthias at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at QBar Glendale Heights, 2240 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights. $5. (630) 893-9346 or qbarglendaleheights.com.

The Crombies, Run and Punch, Beat the Smart Kids: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. No cover. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.

Cymatic, Waxwork: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Sideouts, 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. $5. (847) 526-7174 or sideouts.com.

Fletcher Rockwell: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Empire Burger Bar, 48 W. Chicago Ave., Naperville. No cover. (630) 355-9000 or empireburgerbar.com.

EGi., Frogleg: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Mackey's Hideout, 2601 S. River Road, McHenry. $10. (815) 363-7040 or mackeyshideout.com.

Frisky Taylor: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Fire Bar, 435 Angela Lane, Crystal Lake. No cover. (815) 459-3473 or amresults.com.

Mungion: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Coleman's in Cary, 645 Industrial Drive, Cary. No cover. (847) 516-2819 or colemans inthepark.com.

Wedding Banned: 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $7. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com.

13-Monsters: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at Metal Monkey Brewing, 515 Anderson Drive, Romeoville. No cover. (815) 524-3139 or metalmonkeybrewing.com.