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Midwest travel: Explore Chicago's MSI during free days in September

Chicago

Science rules

Brush up on your science smarts for free during the Museum of Science and Industry's upcoming free days. Take the opportunity to explore newer exhibits like "Robot Revolution," old favorites like the Baby Chick Hatchery and Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle and films like "Titans of the Ice Age." Show your Illinois ID to enter the museum for free during free days. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Free days are Sept. 5-8, 11-15, 18-22 and 25-29. The Museum of Science and Industry is at 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. (773) 684-1414 or msichicago.org/.

$5 pizza

If you're in the city on Tuesday, get to Dolce Italian, the Roman-inspired restaurant on the ground floor of The Godfrey Hotel Chicago when it will be slicing up pizza prices for one day only. In honor of National Cheese Pizza Day, Dolce Italian offers all pizzas for five dollars. The selection of authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas includes the bianca Tartufata with spicy salami, speck and truffle oil and the Primo Amore with burrata, arugula, grape tomatoes and parmigiana shavings. During lunch and dinner Tuesday, Sept. 5, for dine-in guests only at Dolce Italian, 127 W. Huron St., Chicago. (312) 754-0700 or dolceitalianrestaurant.com/chicago.

Chicago's premier wine event, Windy City Wine Festival, returns to Buckingham Fountain Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9.

Pick your grapes

Chicago's premier wine event, Windy City Wine Festival, returns to Buckingham Fountain for its 13th consecutive year featuring more than 300 wines from around the globe, local cuisine, live music and more. Munch on empanadas, pizza, tacos, grilled cheese and cupcakes in between sips and swaying to acoustic and modern rock tunes. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, and 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Chicago. Tickets cost $40 in advance or $50 at the event; VIP tickets cost $120-$140. (888) 695-0888 or windycitywinefestival.com/.

SafeHouse Chicago hosts a post-Brewers-Cubs game event as part of Travel Wisconsin's annual Wisconsin Weekend in Chicago Friday, Sept. 8. courtesy of Barry Brecheisen

Beat those Brewers

SafeHouse Chicago hosts a post-Brewers-Cubs game event as part of Travel Wisconsin's annual Wisconsin Weekend in Chicago. The original SafeHouse was founded in Milwaukee in 1966 and recently opened a second location in Chicago. The River North venue invites baseball fans to celebrate America's favorite pastime and a night of Wisconsin-themed fun with one signature drink and a buffet dinner featuring Wisconsin favorites such as cheese curds and CODE beer, along with trivia and prizes that includes a trip to Milwaukee. Attendees will be assigned their own unique Wisconsin-worthy spy names and will be given a SafeHouse "mission" to complete during the event. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at SafeHouse Chicago, 60 E. Ontario, Chicago. Tickets cost $34; order them at eventbrite.com/e/travel-wisconsins-brewers-cubs-game-after-party-tickets-37000307917.

Spy-themed SafeHouse Chicago hosts a post-Brewers-Cubs game event Friday, Sept. 8. courtesy of Barry Brecheisen

Midwest

Tasty sandwich

Since the first festival held on the fairgrounds in 1888, the Sandwich Fair has been a showplace for agricultural exhibits and family fun. Highlights include 185 acres of parklike grounds, historic buildings, carnival rides and a "Kiddieland," truck and tractor pulls, a demolition derby, food vendors and exhibitors from all over the Midwest. Music includes Woody James at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, and Old Dominion ($25) at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, and many more. Gates open at 8 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 6-10, at 1401 Suydam Road, Sandwich, Illinois. Daily admission is $9 for adults and $6 for kids 6-12. (815) 786-2159 or sandwichfair.com/index.html.

See stunning boats in a beautiful setting when the International Boat Show comes to Racine, Wisconsin, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9. Courtesy of Real Racine

On a boat

See stunning boats in a beautiful setting when the Antique and Classic Boat Society brings its International Boat Show to Racine, Wisconsin. As many as 150 restored watercraft from the 1920s through the '60s - Chris-Craft, Century, Hacker Craft, Shepherd, Aristo Craft and many other manufacturers - will dazzle fans of classic wooden and fiberglass boats. View the boats and participate in family activities that include toy boat decorating and boat rides (weather permitting) both days. Free admission, too. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9, at ReefPoint Marina, 2 Christopher Columbus Causeway, Racine, Wisconsin. (262) 633-7171 or greatlakefunhappenshere.com/.

See fruit farms, wineries, cideries and more in and around South Haven, Fennville and Saugatuck, Michigan, while participating in the sixth annual Bicycle Tour Saturday, Sept. 9.

Like biking?

How does a leisurely bicycle ride to the fruit farms, wineries and cideries in and around South Haven, Fennville and Saugatuck, Michigan, at the onset of the fall color season sound? Lakeshore Harvest Country offers its sixth annual Bicycle Tour: four routes ranging in length from 15 miles to 62 miles available to accommodate riders of varying abilities, starting in Douglas or South Haven. The tour includes lunch, snacks, water and SAG support. Rest stops and shopping are offered along the route, with concierge service to transport purchases from produce to artwork. Registration is open from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9; cyclists should be done with the ride by 3:30 p.m. It's $50 for an individual or $70 for a family. Advanced registration is required at lhride.com/. For details, call (269) 227-3195.

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