Best Bets: Morton’s Illumination and Chicago Botanic’s Lightscape light up the night
All aglow
• The Morton Arboretum at 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, has rebooted its popular Illumination light show for the holidays. For its 14th year, Illumination features four new large-scale installations including one inspired by the northern lights. There’s also a special IlumiBrew beer-tasting preview from 5:30-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. It’s $95 and $50 for designated drivers. Timed tickets for Illumination run $22-$31.50, with discounts available for members and on select dates. 630-968-0074 or mortonarb.org/. Timed entry runs 4:30-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, through Saturday, Jan. 2
• Marvel as nature is lit up with elaborate and colorful displays during the seasonal return of Lightscape to the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. $38-$49.50, with discounts for kids 3-12; $18-$25 parking. 847-835-6801 or chicagobotanic.org/. 4:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Jan. 3; last ticketed entry is at 7:45 p.m.
Suburban skating
Ice skating returns for the season at Block 59, 404 S. Route 59, Naperville. Regular hours: 2-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; different hours during Thanksgiving week, Christmas break and in January. $14; $12 for kids 10 and younger, first responders, nurses and military. theblock59.com/therink/. Open now through Jan. 18
Premiere dances
• Performances are nearly sold out for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and its Fall Series starting this weekend at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. On the bill are two world premieres: “Paulina Street Passage” billed to the late Bob Fosse and Linda Haberman, plus Fernando Hernando Magadan’s “Lumina.” Choreographer Aszure Barton’s “LubDub” is also being revived. $30. 312-850-9744 or hubbardstreetdance.com/ or steppenwolf.org/. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Thursday, Nov. 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15 and 21-22
• Compagnie Hervé Koubi from France tours its acclaimed dance piece “Sol Invictus” to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. The company’s namesake choreographer, Hervé Koubi, is renowned for making modern dance pieces that fuse Brazilian capoeira, urban movement and feats of athleticism. $40-$199. 312-334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org/. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14
Symphonic ‘Eggs’
Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his third solo album, “The Mysterious Production of Eggs.” Bird makes his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut with conductor Jacomo Bairos in a new orchestral arrangement of his album at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. $109. 312-294-3000 or chicagosymphony.org/. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13-14
Godmother of soul
Grammy Award-winner Patti LaBelle is set to perform plenty of R&B, soul and pop hits from her long and illustrious career at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Hear song hits like “New Attitude,” “Stir it Up” and more. $97.20-$121.40. 847-263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com/. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14
Mo’ blues
Grammy Award-winning blues musician Keb’ Mo’ performs songs from his latest album, “The Breakdown,” plus many of his past songs at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $55.35-77.95. 847-673-6300 or northshorecenter.org/. 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16
Generational Garfunkel
Art Garfunkel, one half of the famed duo Simon & Garfunkel, is a generational voice of the late 1960s thanks to hits like “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sound of Silence” and more. Catch Garfunkel on his “(What a) Wonderful World Tour” at two area venues: first on Wednesday at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, 630-962-7000 or arcadalive.com/, then on Thursday at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines, 224-354-2333 or desplainestheatre.com/. $132.70-$204.79 at both venues. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in St. Charles and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Des Plaines
Importance of being ‘Ernst’
Catch actor and veteran standup comedian Bret Ernst (Cousin Louie LaRusson on Netflix’s “Cobra Kai”) at The Comedy Vault, 18 E. Wilson St., Batavia. $31.99-$36.99 plus a two-item purchase. For 21 and older. 630-454-4174 or comedyvaultbatavia.com/. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20-21