Handel gets a jazz twist
Nice Handel bars
Breaking the classical sound barrier, the annual Too Hot to Handel: Jazz-Gospel Messiah will have you leaping to your feet and throwing in a few “amens.” This all-American version of Handel's beloved oratorio captures the essence of the famous piece and reinterprets it with soloists, orchestra, jazz combo and Too Hot Choir at the historic Auditorium Theatre.
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, at 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. Tickets cost $39-$69. Call (800) 982-2787 or visit auditoriumtheatre.org.
Skating up, up and away
It may no longer be the city's tallest (it's third after Willis Tower and Aon Center), but the John Hancock Building and Observatory on the 94th floor can certainly brag about having the world's highest ice skating rink. Offering 360-degree views of Chicago, the lake and even Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin on a clear day, the 900-square-foot skating rink has a synthetic surface so you don't even have to bundle up to make your figure eights. You can still have a hot chocolate or cocktail at the Lavazza Espression Café. Kids can snag a free lesson with Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey coaches from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays.
Open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily through March 31 at 875 N. Michigan Ave. Each 25-minute skating session is $5 (admission to the observatory is a separate fee) and skate rental is $1. Call (312) 751-3681 or visit hancockobservatory.com.
Midwest
Indy eats
It's not exactly the Bahamas, but a trip to Indianapolis during Devour Downtown Winterfest offers the comfort of great food at low prices. Add in stops at a couple of the town's world-class museums and you've concocted one nice little getaway. More than 30 restaurants offer three- or four-course meals for $30 each. Japanese, Greek and Italian eateries, ale houses and pubs, the famous St. Elmo Steak House and Ruth's Chris' are among the participating restaurants.
Monday, Jan. 24, to Saturday, Feb. 5, in downtown Indianapolis. Visit indyrestaurantweek.com.
Multitasking fun
It will be a riot of juggling, workshops, catching, demos, excuses, competitions, vendors, apologies, a raffle and more at the 47th Annual MadFest Juggling Festival in Madison, Wis. Juggling of all sorts ensues all weekend, and a mesmerizing public show includes plenty of juggling as well as other object manipulation, comedy, music, yo-yos, slapstick and more for the whole family.
5 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison. The public show will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Admission to the open juggling halls and workshop rooms is free. The public show costs $11 in advance and $14 on the day of the show. Visit madjugglers.com.
Worth the trip
The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a weeklong celebration of life in the rural West. Featuring contemporary and traditional arts, the 27th annual gathering in Elko, Nev., will overflow with thousands of cowboys and cowgirls, poets and musicians, artisans and scholars, rural people and city slickers. Performances run concurrently on several different stages throughout each day. This year's special guests are from the Hungarian puszta, the largest contiguous grasslands in Europe, and home to the legendary Hungarian horsemen.
Monday to Saturday, Jan. 24-29. A single-day pass for Wednesday, Jan. 26, costs $15, and single-day passes for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-29, cost $25 each. A four-day deluxe pass costs $75. Children younger than 12 are admitted free to all nonticketed daytime events. Call (888) 880-5885. For information about lodging, call the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority at (800) 248-3556 or visit elkocva.com.