'Meet the Bees' planned for Garfield Park Conservatory

Chicago

What's the buzz?

Don't be a drone - take the kids to "Meet the Bees," a free family event at the Garfield Park Conservatory. They'll learn that bees don't exist just to hamper your outdoor fun, but have a social network (no, not like My Space, honey), make sweet honey and build intricate homes called hives. Stop to chat with beekeepers posted at education stations throughout the garden who answer questions about the hard-working bugs, then design bee goggles, craft a nectar cup, listen to some live music, sample honey, learn a bee hive dance and join a special flower scavenger hunt. The queen bee of the family may want to purchase honey made by the conservatory's bees.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, July 25, at Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. (312) 746-5100 or visit garfield- conservatory.org.

Don't miss the boat

Bring the family downtown to the longest running event that the city of Chicago produces ­- Venetian Night - and be dazzled by 35 boats decorated to the hilt with lights, props and assorted decor sailing by on Lake Michigan. The evening begins with the Chicago Fire Department's air/sea rescue re-enactment followed by the boat parade. The 2009 theme is "Hollywood on the Lake," so the interpretations should be enjoyed by all ages. It wouldn't be a night in Chicago without fireworks, and the stunning display in the sky sets off right after the parade along with a thrilling music soundtrack. The 52nd annual Venetian Night should attract more than a half-million people to the lakefront, so you may want to stake out a spot earlier in the day to ensure a good view. Admission is free.

8 to 10 p.m., Saturday, July 25, at Monroe Harbor, 100 S. Lake Shore Drive. (312) 744-3315 or visit cityofchicago.org/specialevents for details.

Say what?

Remember those old school pastimes of reading and speaking face to face with another human being? Recall the days before e-mail, cell phones and even television by stopping by the Newberry Library's annual Book Fair and Bughouse Square Debates. It's been 25 years of inexpensive used books at the fair and this year's haul is coming in at a record number. More than 110,000 donated books will be sorted into 70 categories, from antiques to zoology, so it will be easy to browse your favorite topics. Admission is free and many books are priced under $2. Then, see the First Amendment in action when orators and debaters (literally) get up on their soapboxes and tell us what's on their mind. Feel free to heckle or jump up and throw in your two cents. Prizes will be awarded to the best speakers and hecklers. Relive the Lincoln-Douglas debates with orators taking the part of Abe Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. There will be musical entertainment and cool refreshments to quell all the hot air.

Book fair: noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 23-24; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26, at the library, 60 W. Walton St., Chicago. Bughouse Square Debates: 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday at Washington Square Park, 901 North Clark St., Chicago. (312) 255-3700 or visit newberry.org.

Midwest

Roll over, Chopin

Give Grandma and her orthopedic stockings a rest and take her to Pierogi Fest, a celebration of the yummy Eastern European dumpling and the hardworking ancestors who rolled out the handmade dough. Bring your favorite babushka and get ready to meet Mr. Pierogi while enjoying three stages of nonstop entertainment from polka bands and international dancers to clown antics and magic shows. Join in the "Barbie Busha" contest; Eastern bloc Jeopardy; the pierogi toss and pierogi eating contest; and watch the Polish-Turkish battle re-enactment. The Polka Parade features marching units such as the Lawn Mower Drill Team and the Babushka Brigade. A beer garden and over 40 food vendors can help you refuel for a round of "Who Stole the Kishka." A 25-minute drive from downtown Chicago, Whiting, Ind., offers a good number of budget-priced hotels, too.

11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, July 24-25; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 26; 119th Street at Indianapolis Boulevard in Whiting. (888) 659-0292 or visit pierogifest.net.

Get a Kickapoo out of an organic country fair

Looking for a great summer celebration that's free and also includes live music and dancing, author readings, local artisans and food vendors, kids' activities, farm tours and exhibits and workshops related to sustainability and organic cooking? Get to the Kickapoo Country Fair, a rural heritage festival, held in the Kickapoo River Valley in southwest Wisconsin. The sixth annual lifestyle event offers a Spoken Word Tent featuring authors, activists and innovators; green building and simple living workshops; farm tours and exhibits; free local and organic food; kids' activities; acrobatalists Nanda; and singer/songwriter Brett Dennen. Stop at the welcome tent to be eligible for prizes awarded hourly. Weekend passes, which provide access to all activities, are $10/adults, $8/kids 12 and under and for kids 5 and under. The Midwest's largest organic food festival, hosted by Organic Valley Family of Farms, is 100 miles from Madison and 40 miles southeast of La Crosse in La Farge, Wis.

8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26, on the grounds of Organic Valley's headquarters, 507 W Main St., La Farge, Wis. (888) 444-6455 or visit kickapoocountryfair.org.

That's a lot of baloney

No fooling: Once every summer, Yale, Mich., closes its streets and transforms the small community of 2,000 into a party of over 20,000 bologna lovers. The Yale Bologna Festival is three days of outhouse races, bologna ring tossing, street dancing, fireworks and more baloney than you can shake a sausage at. See the King and Queen of Bologna as well as the Prince and Princess; the Big Bologna Parade down Main Street; craft show and carnival; and dine on hot dogs and fried baloney sandwiches.

9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, July 24; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, July 25; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, July 26; Yale, located in the thumb of Michigan, is about a five-hour drive from downtown Chicago. (810) 387-YALE or visit yalechamber.com.

Worth the trip

Music lovers have Lollapalooza and film fans have their Sundance. Harley riders? Why that would be the 69th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, S.D. The population swells from about 6,500 to over 400,000 during the six-day event. About 100 couples get hitched at the rally every year, and riders love the area's roads like Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, the Wildlife Loop and Spearfish Canyon that take them to places such as Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park, the Badlands and Devil's Tower National Monument. Harley-Davidson and Victory introduce their new models each year during the rally and you can demo custom, V-Twin and metric bikes as well as take in concerts, organized rides, races, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame and bike shows.

Monday, Aug. 3, through Sunday, Aug. 9, in Sturgis, S.D. (605) 720-0800 or visit sturgismotorcyclerally.com.