Cheap fun: Singalong 'Sound of Music,' ECC's 60th, Fall Fest

$10 and under

Be prepared to sing along!

Guests of all ages are invited to sing along with the classic tunes of the 1965 film "The Sound of Music" at the "Sound of Music Sing-Along." Don't worry if you've forgotten a line or two - lyrics from the film's tunes will be flashed along the bottom of screen. Fun props will be handed out for interactive fun during certain scenes. And those who chose can dress up as a character from the film.

10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in the Baggett Auditorium at the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. Admission is $5. (847) 234-6060 or gortoncenter.org.

Halloween arrives early in Wauconda

Wauconda's Halloween Gala features carnival games, a haunted hayride, a duck race and contests. Kids can wear their Halloween costumes for the festivities.

5 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in Cook Park, at 600 N. Main St., Wauconda. General admission is free. Activity tickets are $5 for the first child; $4 for each additional child and free for adults. (847) 526-3610 or waucondaparks.com.

Musical evening

North Central College hosts its Choral Invitational, with classical/miscellaneous performances by the college's Women's Chorale, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and a guest ensemble.

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $3-$5. (630) 637-7469.

Free

Spooktacular Soiree

The Arboretum of South Barrington gets into the Halloween spirit with its Spooktacular Soiree. See performances by Radio Disney Road Crew DJs with music, dancing and prizes. Hunt for clues in the town center as part of the Trick-or-Treat Scavenger Hunt. The Arboretum also hosts a pumpkin farm with pumpkins in many sizes, pumpkin pies, gourds, haystacks, sweet corn, cider and crafts.

Spooktacular Soiree runs from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at The Arboretum of South Barrington, at Route 59 and Higgins Road, South Barrington. The Pumpkin Farm runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in the Arboretum's southwest parking lot. Free general admission. Visit shopthearboretumsb.com.

Celebrating 60!

Help celebrate the 60th anniversary of Elgin Community College with the Fall for the Arts event. Hands-on projects, behind-the-scene tours, visual arts, a haunted house, ceramics and printmaking, old-time radio shows and family-friendly performances.

Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Elgin Community College Galleries, Visual & Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Free admission. (847) 214-7405.

Mikhail and the Strings

Russian-born pianist Mikhail Yanovitsky, a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, joins the Highland Park Strings group for a classical concert. The performance features works by composers Schumann and Chopin.

3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, at Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Ave., Highland Park. Free. Visit hpstrings.org.

Lombard celebrates fall

All ages are welcome at Lombard's Spooktacular and Fall Festival. Other highlights include entertainment, food vendors, an exotic animal show, crafts, hayrides, ghost stories and a pumpkin patch. Youngsters can bring a bag for trick-or-treating at downtown businesses.

Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at North Park Avenue and West St. Charles Road, Lombard. Free admission. (630) 620-8063 or lombardtowncentre.org.

Fairs & festivals this weekend

All Hallows Eve, |Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville: Experience two of the darkest nights of the year haunted by scary creatures and characters from the 19th century from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24. Not recommended for young children. $9-$10. (630) 420-6010 or napersettlement.org.

"Boo at the Zoo" |Brookfield Zoo, First Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield: Not-too-scary fun awaits guests at Brookfield Zoo's annual Halloween celebration. Features professional pumpkin-carving demonstrations, animal Zoo Chats, scarecrow-making and other craft activities, a costume parade and haunted hayrides. Events begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25. (708) 688-8000 or CZS.org.

Fall Color Festival, |Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle: Walk the grounds to see scarecrows, decorated by Girl Scouts, on the Scarecrow Trail. The scarecrows each feature an animal theme. Other fest highlights include a taffy apple bar and family activities. Runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or sunset) daily through Sunday, Nov. 1. Admission is $8. Children under age 2 are free. Visit Web site for full schedule. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org.

Fall Festival, |Fourth Street United Methodist Church, 551 S. Fourth St., Aurora: Activities include a cakewalk, inflatable games, a fish pond and food from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. $3 per person. (630) 897-5257.

19th Annual Fright Fest, |Six Flags Great America, I-94 and Route 132, Gurnee: Weekends through Nov. 1. Features spooky activities for all ages - including haunted houses, shows and parades. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Visit sixflags.com for information.

HallowFest: A Garden of Good ... and Evil, |Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe: Features family events including music, Halloween crafts, fortune tellers, a spooky Model Railroad Garden, pumpkin decorating and more. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, and from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Tickets $14-$16. Children ages 2 and under are free. Parking is $20 per car; free for garden members. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org.

Halloween Fun Fest, |Sports Hub, 250 Civic Center Plaza, Glendale Heights: 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Games, music, food and more. Free admission; game tickets are 25 cents each; five for $1. (630) 260-6060 or glendaleheights.org/parksrecreation.

Halloween Gala, |Cook Park, 600 N. Main St., Wauconda: Features carnival games and a haunted hayride. Runs 5 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. General admission is free. Activity tickets are $5 for the first child; $4 for each additional child and free for adults. (847) 526-3610 or waucondaparks.com.

Halloween Trick or Treat Path, |Viking Park, Old Grand Avenue, Gurnee: 6 to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23. At least 50 different characters including the Big Bad Wolf will be part of the Halloween Trick or Treat Path. $6 for children ages 1-6 living within Gurnee Park District boundaries; $8 for nonresidents. Snacks and cocoa will be available. (847) 623-7788 or gurneeparkdistrict.com.

Harvest Weekend, |Susanna Farms, 24153 Town Line Road, Lake Villa: Celebrate the fall season with Harvest Weekends at a 55-acre working farm. Highlights include a 10-foot tall corn maze or a children's mini-maze, hayrides and animal exhibits. See Scottish Highland cows, horses, lambs and chickens. Harvest Weekend is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25. (847) 838-0798 or susannafarms.com.

Haunted Harvest, |Lambs Farm, 14245 W. Rockland Road, I-94 at Route 176, Libertyville: Runs 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Kid-friendly event transforms the farmyard with activities like graveyard golf, the train of terror and more. All night pass is $15 per person. Kids 3 and under free with purchase of adult pass. Individual activity pricing also available. (847) 362-4636 or lambsfarm.org.

Horribly Fun Holiday Happenings, |Along Main Street, West Chicago: Takes place Saturday, Oct. 24. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.; costume judging at noon; children's parade at 12:30 p.m.; downtown trick-or-treat from 1 to 3 p.m. Also includes Spooky Trail and a puppet show. Free admission. (630) 231-9474 or (630) 231-1552 or we-goparks.org or westchicago.lib.il.us.

Howlin' Halloween Fest, |Lions Memorial Park, 411 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. For ages 3-8. Kids games, Halloween hayride, face painters, express train, entertainment, crafts. Costumes encouraged. $4 per child; adults are free. (847) 632-9333.

Illinois International Film Festival, |Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles: Screenings from 1 to 7:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24; 9 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Presents a wide spectrum of filmmaking, including animation, documentaries, short film, feature film, experimental and more. Awards ceremony after final screening. $10 (cash only) at theater for full access. Visit illinoisinternationalfilmfestival.com or thearcada.com.

Itasca's Halloween Celebration, |Itasca Park District Recreation Center, 350 E. Irving Park Road, Itasca: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Games, pumpkin decorating, crafts, non-spook walk. $1 per child. Nonperishable food donations accepted for the Itasca Food Pantry. (630) 773-2257 or itasca.com.

Pumpkin Festival, |Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Prairie View: Petting zoo, carnival rides, horse-drawn hayrides, a pumpkin patch, games, baby chicks and piglets, food and family activities. Runs Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25. Hours and prices vary. Visit Web site for details. (847) 634-3291 or didierfarms.com.

Pumpkin Weekends, |Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora: Pumpkin patch, carousel, train and hayrides from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25. $3 residents of the Fox Valley Park District; $5 nonresidents. (630) 892-1550.

Pumpkin and Scarecrow Fest, |Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Tour animal exhibits, browse decorated scarecrows and more. Pumpkins, apples, cider, fall decor and more available to purchase. (630) 665-5534 or wheatonparkdistrict.com./cosleyzoo.

SpookFest, |Prospect Heights Park District, 110 Camp McDonald Road, Prospect Heights: Runs 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Events include hay ride, entertainment, two haunted trails, costume contest, trick-or-treat street. $8 for children; adults free. (847) 394-2848.

Spooktacular Fall Festival, |Park Avenue north St. Charles Road, Lombard: Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Trick-or-treating at downtown businesses, in-store activities and specials, entertainment, food vendors, exotic animal show, hayrides, pumpkin patch, games, Halloween safety classes and more. Free admission. (630) 620-8063 or lombardtowncentre.org.

Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, |Various sites in Sycamore: Features hundreds of decorated pumpkins, teen and kiddie carnivals, a scary-stories program, a house walk, pie-eating contest, antique craft and flea market and other activities. Runs through Sunday, Oct. 25. Free general admission. Visit sycamorepumpkinfestival.com for schedule.

Fairs and festivals beginning later in the week

FODfest, |Village Players Theatre, 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park: National interactive musical tour to honor life of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who died at the hands of terrorists in 2002. FODfest has toured 20 cities with more than 350 participating musicians from across the country and globe. The fest is part concert, part song-swap, part jam session. Musicians of all ages, musical genres and backgrounds can join together. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Interested musicians should go to Web site for information about performing. Visit fodfest.org.