On the road: 'Dress Up Visit' at Art Institute
Chicago
Let's play dress up
Looking for a reintroduction to the Art Institute? See how works in the collection connect to each other and the world with October's guide called, “The Dress Up Visit.” Included in the tour are a huge headdress from Guinea, armor from the Middle Ages, a Japanese kimono worn by unmarried women in the early 20th century and more. Each tour features six works of art with entertaining descriptions.
10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday; and 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Monday, Oct. 31, at 111 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago. Admission is $18 for adults, $12 for children, students and seniors; free for children under 14. (312) 443-3626 or download the guide at http://tinyurl.com/3gvneks. Creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky
Take Halloween back for children at the Spooky Zoo Spectacular at Lincoln Park Zoo. Young party animals can celebrate Halloween in a free family-friendly environment. Stop at trick-or-treating stations, enjoy live entertainment, enter the costume contest and visit the Spooky Zoo Education Zone to learn fun facts about animals. Other activities include a haunted house and arts and crafts.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago. Free admission. (312) 742-2000 or lpzoo.org.Get ready for your close-up
The 28th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival, the world's largest annual festival of films for children ages 2-16, offers 250 films and videos from 40 countries. More than 100 filmmakers, programmers and celebrities will be on hand and kids can register for in-depth filmmaking workshops in computer animation, stop motion animation or acting.
Screening and workshop times vary, Saturday to Sunday, Oct. 22-30, at Facets Cinema, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for individual films are $6 for children 2-16 and $9 for adults. (773) 281-9075 or cicff.org.
Midwest
Foodies forage for foie gras
If you know the difference between #8220;chiffonade#8221; and #8220;julienne#8221; take the short drive to Kohler, Wis., for a foodie encounter extraordinaire. At this year's Kohler Food and Wine Experience, you can sharpen your knives with nationally renowned chefs Alexandra Guarnaschelli, Jacques Torres, Charlie Trotter and Andrew Zimmern in addition to a lineup of regional restaurateurs, wine experts and mixologists.
Event times and prices vary Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 20-23, in Kohler. (800) 344-2838 or KOHLERfoodandwine.net. Carve out some fall family funThe city of Highwood will host the Great Pumpkin Fest of 2011, a four-day festival highlighted by an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most jack-o'-lanterns lit in one location. Plans call for lighting 32,000 pumpkins. Fun family festivities will include pumpkin carving, battle of the bands, pumpkin pie eating contest, trick-or-treating throughout downtown, children's play area, pony rides and petting zoo, live music, pet costume contest, costume contest and a gourmet farmers market. 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, Oct. 19-21; and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at City Hall Park, 17 Highwood Ave., Highwood. (847) 432-1924 or highwoodpumpkinfest.com.Train spotting
Get your caboose in gear for Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad antique steam train rides and a visit to the Silvercreek Museum. A 36-ton 1912 Heisler steam locomotive pulls three cabooses, including an antique red caboose and three passenger flat cars for a four-mile ride through farmlands and across a bridge 30 feet above Yellow Creek. The Silver Creek Depot is a turn-of-the-century replica filled with railroad artifacts. There also will be fall harvest demonstrations with horses and tractors. Museum open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23, at 2954 S. Walnut Road, Freeport, Ill. Railroad rides are $6 for adults, $3 for kids under 12, $7 evening Train of Terror rides. Museum admission is $3, free for kids under 12. (815) 235-2198 or http://thefreeportshow.com. Worth the trip
Adare Manor, near Limerick, Ireland, and just named #8220;Ireland's Leading Hotel,#8221; is one of the country's most exclusive, five-star Gothic castles and a place for Americans who want to get away over the holidays. The American-owned hotel is offering two- and three-day Thanksgiving getaways, which include a traditional holiday dinner. The Thanksgiving packages include two or three night in a deluxe room in the castle, full Irish breakfast each morning and Thanksgiving dinner for two Nov. 24.
Two-day package is $320 per person for two guests Nov. 23-25. Three-day package price is $420 per person. +353-61-605200, or adaremanor.com.