Welcome 2017 with suburban comedy, concerts or kid-friendly fun

If you haven't already made plans for New Year's Eve, the suburbs and Chicago are full of ways to celebrate.

Some need tickets, so a little advance planning now might save you from missing out. Others allow you to be more spontaneous.

Here are several last-minute suggestions for Saturday events. For others, check out dailyherald.com/calendar.

Laugh out 2016

• Comic ventriloquist Jeff Dunham goes big (and early) with his "Perfectly Unbalanced" tour at 3 p.m. at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Tickets are $36-$51. allstatearena.com.

• Actor/director Bobcat Goldthwait ("Police Academy 2," "Shakes the Clown") does standup comedy sets at 8 and 10 p.m. at the Comedy Shrine in Aurora. Tickets are $40-$45. comedyshrine.com.

• You can dine (or not) at comedian Lachlan Patterson's two shows at 7:30 and 10 p.m. at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg. Tickets are $28-$60 with a two-item purchase. chicago.improv.com.

• Pick your suburban location of Zanies to see Julian McCullough at 8 or 10:30 p.m. at Rosemont's MB Financial Park in Rosemont, or see Nick Vatterott at 7:30 or 10:30 p.m. at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. Tickets are $30-$40 plus a two-item purchase at both locations. zanies.com.

• If you want to support local comics, then catch Steve Cochran's New Year's Eve Comedy Tour. The first stop is a 1 p.m. show featuring Pat McGann, Tim Beneker and more at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. Tickets are $52-$57. rauecenter.org. Then the tour pops up at 6 p.m. with a lineup featuring Larry Reeb, Patti Vasquez and more at the Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. Tickets are $55. classiccinemas.com.

• The Second City's touring ensemble wrings the last laughs out of the holiday season with its "Holidazed" sketch and improv shows at 7 and 10 p.m. at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. Tickets are $50-$60. metropolisarts.com.

• There are dueling Comedy Jams in Chicago. You can see Nephew Tommy, Bill Bellamy, Capone and more at 8 p.m. at the Chicago Theatre. Tickets are $59-$125. thechicagotheatre.com. Or if comedians Leon Rogers, Michael Blackson and DeRay Davis are more your style (along with a co-hosting appearance by reality TV star NeNe Leaks), then head over to the Arie Crown Theatre in McCormick Place at 7 p.m. Tickets are $59-$250. ariecrown.com.

Join the crowds

• Chi-Town Rising is back, complete with its mix of outdoor and indoor party areas and fireworks along upper Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. With so much going on, be sure to find out exactly what is planned by visiting chi-townrising.com.

• Navy Pier is also doing its part to ring in 2017 with midnight fireworks and its fifth annual Resolution Gala starting at 8:15 p.m. There's also a party in the Crystal Gardens. For more information on tickets, visit navypier.com.

• Countdown twice at Naperville's Carillon. The first chance is at 6 p.m., with free hot chocolate at the Riverwalk Eatery and balloon artists. The second is at midnight, accompanied by music. downtownnaperville.com.

Show time

• You can imagine that you're celebrating New Year's Eve in 1960s Las Vegas since the Oak Brook Hills Resort is hosting the "The Rat Pack is Back" as part of its "Timeless" celebration. This is the only suburban location featured as part of ABC 7 Chicago's annual "Countdown Chicago" broadcast. Show and hotel packages range from $150 to $595. oakbrookhillsresortchicago.com.

• The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles offers a celebration complete with a buffet dinner, an open bar, a dance floor and entertainment from the tribute acts The Jersey Girls and Reflections of Motown performing 1950s and '60s pop hits all starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $90 and limited to 300 only. arcadalive.com.

• Blues guitarist Jimmy Nick is the headliner for the 8 p.m. New Year's Eve show at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. Also on the bill are WGN personalities Mike Toomey, Pat Tomasulo and Ana Belaval showing off their standup comedy chops. Tickets are $25-$30. rauecenter.org.

Classical Vienna

• The New Philharmonic's New Year's Eve concerts are so popular that there are three at 2, 5:30 and 9 p.m. to meet the demand at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn. Tickets are $65. atthemac.org.

• Get your orchestral fill of Strauss waltzes complete with ballroom dancers at the visiting "Salute to Vienna" concert at 2:30 p.m. at Symphony Center in Chicago. Tickets are $27-$115. cso.org.

Child's play

• The DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville will hold its 15th annual Bubble Bash, a morning New Year's Eve party featuring fish kites, sand painting, turtle shell weaving, live music, a countdown to noon and more. Admission is $25 for nonmembers and $20 for members. dupagechildrens.org.

• The Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview will have morning and afternoon celebrations with a DJ dance party, a countdown with a confetti drop, horns, hat-making and more. Tickets are $32 for nonmembers and $22 for members. kohlchildrensmuseum.org.

• Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg will have balloon drops at noon, 3 and 6 p.m. For details, visit legolanddiscoverycenter.com.

Celebrate at home

• Stay cozy and warm at home by switching TV channels to watch other revelers braving the elements. Tune in to ABC 7 Chicago's annual "Countdown Chicago 2016" hosted by Janet Davies and Mark Giangreco. Or there's NBC's coverage of the downtown Chi-Town Rising party.

• "New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin" on CNN should offer plenty of laughs, or you can go traditional by watching the ball drop in New York's Times Square on ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest."