Recall times of no cell phones or e-mail at Newberry Library fair

Remember those old-school notions of reading and speaking face to face with another human being? Recall the days before e-mail, cell phones and texting at the Newberry Library's annual Book Fair and Bughouse Square Debates. This year's haul of used books for sale has more than 120,000 donated items, with most checking in for under $2. There also will be orators and debaters on their soapboxes. Feel free to heckle or jump up and throw in your two-cents. Musical entertainment and cool refreshments will quell all the hot air.

Noon to 8 p.m. Thursday to Friday, July 29 and 30, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 31 to Aug. 1, at the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St., Chicago. Bughouse Square Debates will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Washington Square Park, 901 N. lark St. call (312) 255-3700 or visit www.newberry.org.

Let go of my Lego

Get out of the house and into the cool at the Mammoth Lego event hosted by the Field Museum. Your little blockheads can meet a master builder and help build Lego murals inspired by the exhibition "Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age."

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, Aug. 6-8. Free with basic admission to the Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Call (312) 922-9410 or visit fieldmuseum.org.

A fiesta with sol

The streets of Pilsen sizzle when Fiesta del Sol erects its tents filled with live music, interesting wares and authentic Mexican food. Celebrating its 38th year, Fiesta del Sol started as a one-block festival, and today it's one of the largest Midwest festivals of its kind. Bring the kids for their own activities in the children's area, browse the art pavilion and college fair, and enjoy entertainment from Mariachi music to Spanish pop tunes.

5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 29; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday to Saturday, July 30-31; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1. 1400 W. Cermak Road, Chicago. Call (312) 666-2663 or visit fiestadelsol.org

Midwest

Smile and say 'cheese'

You better believe that cheese, brats and beer take starring roles at the second annual Taste of Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Michigan in Kenosha, Wis. All things tasty and uniquely Wisconsin line the promenade along Kenosha's lakeshore including artisan cheeses, organic meats, homemade pies and ice cream, fresh produce, brats, pulled pork, Buffalo wings, gourmet spices and sauces, home-baked dog treats and more. Twenty live bands on three stages provide music and culinary demonstrations, cookbook signings and family-friendly exhibits and activities ensure a good time for all ages.

3 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 30; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 31; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1, at Kenosha Harbor, 6th Avenue and 54th Street in downtown Kenosha. Call (800) 654-7309 or visit tasteofwi.com.

Lake effect

An ideal time to visit the charming town of Bayfield, Wis., is during the 48th annual Festival of Arts. Nearly 100 artists from throughout the Midwest set up shop in Memorial Park on the shores of Lake Superior as visitors browse through pottery, painting, jewelry, sculpture, glass works, wood carvings, photography and more. Expect tasty festival food, on-site entertainment and a dazzling view of Lake Superior from the festival grounds. Bayfield artists open their studios and galleries with open houses, demonstrations and special sales as part of the Festival of Arts Gallery Tour.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 31, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1. Call (800) 447-4094 or visit http://bayfield.org

Savory small town

Where is the Restaurant Capital of the World? New York? Rome? Paris? Actually, it's a mile and a half off the highway that connects Park Rapids to Walker, Minn. A virtual bump in the road sort of town, Dorset, Minn., boasts a restaurant for every six citizens (population around 24), and the Taste of Dorset offers food, entertainment, games and socializing with friendly folks. Choices range from fried chicken and home-baked pies to spaghetti balls and pork on a stick. Take the wheels along to ride the 27-mile paved Heartland Trail, a scenic route for bicyclists, joggers and skaters.

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday Aug. 1, in Dorset. Contact the Dorset General Store at (218) 732-0275 or visit dorsetmn.com.

Worth the trip

Winnipeg in Canada is the place to be in August for Folklorama, a two-week multicultural festival that features more than 40 pavilions of ethno-cultural entertainment, activities and food. Meet friendly volunteers dressed in their traditional ethnic attire, learn about cultures and countries from around the world, experience dynamic shows that feature entertainment from Africa to the Ukraine. See Belgian folk dancers, Caribbean Calypso bands, Chinese gymnasts, Irish folkies and Scottish high-steppers. Try an appetizer at the first pavilion, dinner at the second and a dessert at the third. Most areas offer family-friendly activities, so bring the kids to the largest and longest-running multicultural event in the world.

Sunday, Aug. 1, to Saturday, Aug. 14, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Single admission is $6 per pavilion (adult/senior/youth); family pack is $54 for 12 tickets; children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Call (800) 665-0234 or visit folklorama.com.