Best bets
Friends of Cook book sale: The Friends of Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville will hold an inventory clearance book sale today through Sunday.
The sale will take place inside the library's storage facility in Mundelein. The facility is located within minutes of Libertyville at 204-206 Terrace Lane, which is located at the first stoplight west of Butterfield Road on Allanson Road.
From today through Sunday, the sale will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Today, the sale is open to the public. A half-priced sale will take place on Friday, while a bag sale is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The Friends are hoping to clear the storage facility of all its books during the sale.
Featured will be collection of books the library is taking out of its inventory, including a selection of Chilton's books and others about boats, motorcycles and sports. Also at this sale, all coffee table-style books will be offered at the same prices as other books. Also available will be CDs, books on tape, VHS tapes and CDs.
Money raised from the book sale goes directly back into the library to buy equipment needed by the staff or to provide for such events as the summer reading program.
Visit the Friends' Web site at www.friendsofcook.org or www.booksalefinders.com for more information, or call the library at (847) 362-2330.
Fall fun in Round Lake area: The Round Lake Area Park District will hold its fall country festival and craft show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the park district sports center, 2004 Municipal Way, Round Lake Beach.
Experience a Native American pow-wow with James De Nomie, executive director of the Loonsfoot Center for Native American Studies in Milwaukee, Wis.
As a representative of the Chippewa tribe, he will present customs and culture of American Indians.
The pow-wow is sponsored by the Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks Foundation.
The festival also will include a craft show, children's trading post and pioneer crafts, free pony rides, hayrides and petting zoo and food and drinks to purchase.
There also will be performances by the Round Lake Area Community Band, storyteller Kai Simone-Issi and folk singer David HB Drake.
For more information, call Peggy Dohr at the park district at (847) 546-8558 or by e-mail at pdohr@rlapd.org.
Didier's ready again: Didier Farms will kick off its annual pumpkin festival Saturday that will run through Oct. 31.
Didier Farms is at 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Prairie View.
Activities include tractor drawn hayrides to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, corn maze, pony rides, children's rides, petting zoo and crafts.
The Pumpkin Patch Cafe also is open daily offering pumpkin doughnuts and apple cider doughnuts.
For more information, call Didier Farms at (847) 634-2391 or send e-mail to info@didierfarms.com.
Attention, birders: A free fall bird walk will be offered on Sunday at Ryerson Woods near Deerfield.
The program will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Ryerson, located on Riverwoods Road between Half Day Road and Deerfield Road, just west of the tollway.
Birding will be led by members of the Lake-Cook Chapter/Illinois Audubon Society.
Participants are asked to bring bird field guides and binoculars, and dress for the weather.
Car show: The Vernon Area Public Library will hold its second annual car show from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at the library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire.
Cars will be split into four divisions for the competition. Music, children's activities, a raffle and other events also are scheduled.
For more information, call (847) 634-3650.
Board games contest: Cook Memorial Public Library District facility in Libertyville will hold a "Battle of the Board Games" event for teens on Friday.
Contestants will compete starting at 4 p.m. at the library, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave. Admission is free.
Home show: The Fall Home Improvement Showcase will be held this weekend in Libertyville.
The show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Libertyville Sports Complex, located on the northeast corner of Route 45 and Peterson Road.
Featured will be hundreds of exhibits to help with home remodeling and repair. The show also will have live cooking demonstrations and drawings.
Admission and parking is free.
Concert tonight: The Village of Antioch has rescheduled its Blooze Brothers concert to take place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the William E. Brook Entertainment Center, 900 Skimore Drive. Lawn chairs are welcome.
Funny lady performs: Comic Paula Poundstone will kick off the 2007-08 season at the College of Lake County's James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at 8 p.m. Friday.
Poundstone is a regular on National Public Radio's "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me" and author of "There is Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say." After the show at CLC, Poundstone will sign copies of the book.
The show will be held in the Mainstage Theatre. Tickets cost $31, $36 and $46 for the general public. Discounts are available for CLC staff, seniors 65 and older and members of the CLC Alumni Association. The cost is $16 for CLC students.
Tickets are available at the college box office, by calling (847) 543-2300 or online at www.clcillinois.edu/tickets.
Legal issues workshop: A free informational workshop called "Turning a New Leaf Over: How to Expunge Your Record" will be presented at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus, 33 N. Genesee St., Waukegan.
The featured speaker is attorney Tamara N. Holder, founder of Rainbow /PUSH Coalition Expungement Clinic.
The educational opportunity will also include inspirational music, drama and motivational speakers. Participants will learn about expungements, seals, pardons and eligibility for voting rights. One-on-one consultations with Holder will be offered following the event.
For more information, call the CLC Multicultural Student Center at (847) 543-2649 or e-mail sdubose@clcillinois.edu.
Music at Gorton Center: North Suburban Symphony, under the direction of newly appointed Music Director Ron Arden, will have a Chamber Music Benefit Gala at Gorton Center in Lake Forest at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
This program will feature artists from the orchestra and a pre-concert chat with Maestro Arden. Following the program will be a wine and cheese reception. Tickets and information can be obtained through the Lake Bluff Park District at (847) 234-4150.
Gorton Community Center is located at 400 E. Illinois Ave, Lake Forest.