Weekend picks: Sit, speak at Elgin Kennel Club dog show

Bow-wows

Cheer on your favorite canines at the Elgin Kennel Club all breed dog show this weekend at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. $6 parking. (847) 630-1943 or kanecountyfair.com. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27

Fan-tastic fun

Meet up with celebrities and costumed fans at Wizard World Chicago Comic Convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $40-$60 daily admission; $94.95 four-day admission. (847) 825-4404 or wizardworld.com/comiccon/chicago. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27

Lotsa pasta

Chow down on pasta and hear all kinds of Italian-American entertainers including the Bronx Wanderers and Sal Valentinetti ("The Voice") at the Little Italy Fest West this weekend at Centennial Park, Lake Street at Rohlwing Road, Addison. $10; $3 kids ages 15 and under. (630) 962-7000 or arcadalive.com. Noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27

Hot air

Marvel at all the competing balloons in the sky at the 5th Annual Grayslake Color Aloft Balloon Festival on Saturday at Central Park, 250 Library Lane, Grayslake. No admission charge. (847) 223-6688 or grayslakechamber.com. 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Bands in the Sand

Sideouts Bar & Eatery brings in some talent for its annual Bands in the Sands Weekend. Scott Stapp's "Make America Rock Again Tour" rolls into town with Saturday's musical acts, including Sick Puppies, Drowning Pool, Trapt and Adelitas Way. And Sunday features Sublime tribute act Badfish and Trippin' Billies, a Dave Matthews tribute band. Various VIP and meet-and-greet packages are available. Sideouts Bar & Eatery, 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. (847) 526-7174 or sideouts.com. 5:30 p.m. (4 p.m. doors) Saturday, Aug. 26, $22.50-$750; 5 p.m. (3:30 p.m. doors) Sunday, Aug. 27, $15-$360.

On the Penny Road

Thinner Teed, groove-driven rockers out of the Northwest suburbs, headline On the Penny Road, a full night of funk, rock and jams at Barrington music hideaway, the Penny Road Pub. Joining them are Zombie Mañana, Bodhicitta, Mooch, the Vanessa Pittas Band, Michael Holland and acoustic sets from Danny Biggins and Ryan Budyak. Penny Road Pub, 545 Penny Road, Barrington. $10. (847) 428-0562 or pennyroadpub.com. 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Zac Brown's country

The Zac Brown Band has brought home quite a few awards during its nearly 15 years making music. The Grammy and Academy of Country Music Award-winning band now brings its "Welcome Home Tour" to Chicago's Wrigley Field with young star Hunter Hayes for a night of country music under the Chicago skyline. Wrigley Field, 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago. $51.25-$91.25; VIP packages are also available. mlb.com/cubs/tickets/info/zacbrownband. 7 p.m. (5 p.m. doors) Saturday, Aug. 26

'All Night Long'

Rejoice in all the catchy top 40 songs of Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey in their "All the Hits Tour" on Saturday at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. $39.95-$217.75. (800) 745-3000 or unitedcenter.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

So sketchy

The Second City presents "Girls Night Out," a series of female-driven sketch comedy and improvisation shows, in a special residency this weekend at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $30-$35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25

'R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.'

John Mellencamp makes his Ravinia Festival debut with a two-night engagement also featuring country star Carlene Carter this weekend at the Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $130-$150; $44-$49 lawn seating. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27

Concert highlights

• Chapter 1 at Capannari's Concert in the Park: 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, Capannari Ice Cream, 10 S. Pine St., Mount Prospect. The band, made up of teenagers from the Northwest suburbs, performs pop/rock tunes from the 1950s to the present. Free. (847) 392-2277 or capannaris.com.

• Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. Pop, R&B, rock. Tickets start at $33. ticketmaster.com.

• John Mellencamp with Carlene Carter: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26-27, in pavilion at Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park. Rock. $130-$150. Lawn seats $44-$49. ravinia.org.

• Sky Machine, Face the Fire, Marwood's Fall, Consume the Divide: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

• Left Lane Cruiser: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $8-$12. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.

• The Heard, The Nightowls: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at FitzGerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $10. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

• The Blooze Brothers: 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Musical tribute to the Blues Brothers at an outdoor concert. Program includes music from the 1940s to the present, with R&B, Motown, classic rock and more. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or a lawn chair for seating. Free with paid $10 parking. cantigny.org.

• O Sole Trio with "Bravissimo Broadway": 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Group performs Broadway selections from the last 70 years. $25-$30. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

• The Almas, The Underclass, Lever, Monarchy Over Monday: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

• Gaelic Storm: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $23-$25; VIP for $140. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com.

• Lifehouse, Switchfoot: 6:30 p.m. (gates at 4 p.m.) Tuesday, Aug. 29, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park. $38-$80. (847) 266-5000 or ravinia.org. • Commonweather, Skylines, Yeti: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8-$10. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

• Depeche Mode: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland, Tinley Park. Rock. Tickets start at $29.50. (708) 614-1616 or livenation.com.

• Hi Infidelity at Rosemont's Rockin' in the Park: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, MB Financial Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Rock. Fireworks follow the concert. Free. (847) 349-5008 or rosemont.com.

• Tim McGraw and Faith Hill with Soul 2 Soul World Tour: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Tickets start at $25. ticketmaster.com.

• The Living End, The Dollyrots, Top Shelf Lickers: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $20. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

Information is provided by entertainment venues. Check with venue before purchasing tickets. For more concert listings, visit dailyherald.com/calendar.