Cheap stuff: Scarecrow Fest, Wizard of Oz, green egg feast
Free
Scarecrows galore!
The 24th annual St. Charles Scarecrow Festival features more than 100 handcrafted scarecrows, a juried craft show with 150 crafters, a carnival, talent show, food, children's activities and live entertainment.
Info: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Main and 4th streets, St. Charles. Free admission and parking with shuttle. (800) 777-4373 or scarecrowfest.com.
Jazzy guitar
Guitarist David Ness performs jazz music at Antioch Music as part of Antioch's Fall Fest. Ness will play original compositions from his "Sketches by the Dave Ness Trio" CD, along with other jazz standards.
Info: 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Antioch Music, 911 Main St., Antioch. Free. (847) 838-3635. Visit daveness.net.
Helping to harvest
Get ready to work at Kline Creek Farm's Corn Harvest event. Guests can help with the real farm work of harvesting and storing corn that will feed the farm's cows and sheep this winter. Use authentic tools of the pioneer era to shock (stack) bundles of corn to let them dry; shuck (remove the ears of corn from the stalks) and shell (remove corn kernels from the cob). Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic lunch for an afternoon break. Work gloves are recommended for the event.
Info: 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 12, at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Raod, Winfield. Free. No registration is required. (630) 876-5900 or visit dupageforest.org.
The Big Green Egg October Feast
All ages are invited to the Cedar Hill Nursery for its Big Green Egg October Feast. The event features chef demonstrations, with chefs from the Big Green Egg smoker and grill company, a barbecue contest, prizes and raffles. Guests must pre-register to enter the barbecue contest.
Info: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Cedar Hill Nursery, 21854 Route 22, at Quentin and Route 22, Lake Zurich. Free admission. (847) 540-8474.
Follow the yellow brick road - to the Arcada Theatre
The classic 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. Enjoy free screenings of the film on the Arcada Theatre's 50-foot screen.
11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Arcada Theatre at 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. No reservations are necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Visit thearcada.com.
$10 and under
Swing your partner!
Put on your dancing shoes for the Fermilab Folk Club's Barn Dance at the Kuhn Village Barn in Batavia. Participants can take part in American contra New England line dances and square dances, with live music.
Info: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Kuhn Village Barn, Fermilab, Kirk Road and Pine Street, Batavia. $3-$6. Dress is casual. All ages are welcome. (630) 840-2061 or fnal.gov/orgs/folkclub.
'Magical Exploding Boy'
Chicago Physical Theater presents "Magical Exploding Boy," Dean Evans' one-man show that turns the conventions of mime and clowning on their heads. In the program, Evans mimes everything from an amoeba to a man floating in outer space.
Info: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, at Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 387-8766.
Musical evening on campus
Wheaton College hosts its "Conservatory Homecoming Concert," with musical performances by the college's Concert Choir, Men's Glee Club and Women's Chorale.
Info: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Edman Memorial Chapel at Wheaton College, 401 E. Franklin Ave., Wheaton. $4-$6. Call (630) 752-5099.