Weekend picks: Get your green on at parades, special events

Irish for a day (or night)Get in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day Saturday at The Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, with traditional and Irish dance music from Áthas, comedy from Bob Rumba and Irish dancers from The Rebecca McCarthy School of Dance. Tickets are $20 and available at rauecenter.org, (815) 356-9212 or at the theater. 8 p.m. SaturdaySt. Paddy's parades#8226; Naperville #8212; The West Suburban Irish's St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St., Naperville. The parade heads down Mill Street to Jefferson Avenue, then moves east to Main Street and south to Water Street, with parade dispersal near the Naperville Municipal Center. Visit wsirish.org. 10 a.m. Saturday#8226; East Dundee #8212; The Thom McNamee Memorial St. Patrick's Day Parade begins on Water Street in East Dundee. It travels south to Barrington Avenue, then east to River Street and ends at Bandito Barney's at 10 N. River St., East Dundee. For information, visit banditobarneysbeachclub.com. 11 a.m. Saturday #8226; Palatine #8212; The parade begins at the corner of Wood and Oak streets in downtown Palatine and continues west to Brockway, then south to Wilson. Visit stpatspalatine.com. 11 a.m. Saturday#8226; Lake Villa #8212; The Lake Villa parade starts at Peter J. Palombi School, 133 McKinley Ave. A corned beef and cabbage meal with entertainment follows at the Lake Villa VFW, 130 E. Grand Ave. Tickets are $4-$8 and available at door. (847) 356-6100. Noon Saturday #8226; Downtown Chicago #8212; The downtown parade starts at Balbo and Columbus streets and then proceeds north on Columbus. The viewing station is located in front of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, at Columbus Drive and Congress Parkway. Visit chicagostpatsparade.com. Noon Saturday#8226; St. Charles #8212; Parade participants step off on Main Street/Route 64 in downtown St. Charles. (630) 443-3967 or downtownstcharles.org. 2 p.m. SaturdayPet headquartersHead to the 21st Annual Chicagoland Family Pet Expo at Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, for entertainment, demonstrations, presentations, and the latest products and services for pets. There also will be pets on hand to meet and touch. Peruse more than 300 exhibits of pet-related products and services including food, clothing, toys and cleaning supplies plus information about veterinary services. pet boarding, sitting and training, breed clubs and animal rescue organizations. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3-12. www.petchicago.com. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 16, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17Sugar Bush FairEat a hearty breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup and watch demonstrations of maple syrup production at the annual Sugar Bush Fair at the Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Other event highlights include puppet shows, hayrides and more. General admission is free. There is a charge for breakfast. (847) 985-2100 or parkfun.com. 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17Egg Fido on Why should kids have all the fun when it comes to egg hunts? The Elk Grove Park District holds a special Doggy Egg Hunt and spring costume parade Saturday at the Al Hatterndorf Center, 225 E. Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove Village. $10-$15 per dog; advance registration is required. (847) 364-7224. Dogs less than 30 pounds from 9 to 9:45 a.m.; dogs more than 30 pounds from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday, March 16Mucha beautifulView beautiful and rare Art Nouveau objects by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, considered the father of Art Nouveau, at the Lake County Discovery Museum, 27277 N. Forest Preserve Road, Wauconda. The exhibition showcases 70 works of art that show the range of Mucha's work through magazine covers, decorative tins, folio plates, jewelry, currency, book illustrations and other objects. Admission is $6, $3 for students (18-25) and seniors, $2.50 ages 4-17. (847) 968-3400 or www.lcfpd.org/discovery_museum. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 17; runs through Aug. 25 Parade day in PalatineThe St. Patrick's Day parade begins at the corner of Wood and Oak streets in downtown Palatine and continues west to Brockway, then south to Wilson. Visit stpatspalatine.com. 11 a.m. Saturday, March 16Maple Syrup HikeTake a one-hour hike and learn how the sap of sugar maple trees can become syrup at the Maple Syrup Hike in Ryerson Woods, 21950 N. Riverwoods Road, Riverwoods. Participants can follow the process from sap to syrup and then taste the final product. $6; children ages 3 and under are free. Registration is required. (847) 968-3321 or lcfpd.org. Hikes run every half-hour from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17Fly a kite!The Great Lakes Naval Museum, 610 Farragut Ave., Building 42, Great Lakes, hosts a Kite-Making program, featuring a discussion about the science behind wind and how kites take flight. Participants can also learn to make a simple, durable kite out of household items. All craft supplies are provided. Free and open to the public. (847) 688-3154. 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16Musical MickeyCharacters from #8220;The Little Mermaid,#8221; #8220;Aladdin#8221; and Disney/Pixar's #8220;Toy Story#8221; show up in the Disney Live! show #8220;Mickey's Music Festival#8221; at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. $15-$35; $70 limited VIP tickets. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com. 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16; and 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17Jazz guitaristLarry Carlton, an acclaimed jazz guitarist and multiple Grammy winner who started recording in the 1960s, will make a special stop at the Montrose Room, located inside the InterContinental Chicago O'Hare hotel, 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont. Carlton has split his time between being one of the most in-demand session musicians in the industry and working on his own material. Tickets start at $49. Go to montroseroom.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16Monster magic?Who knew that monster trucks could intermingle with magic tricks? See for yourself when Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals presents #8220;Monsters and Magic Tour#8221; this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $17-$38. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, and 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17Spring preview The West suburban a cappella chorus Acappellago sings songs to welcome warmer weather in the concert #8220;Escape to ... Blue Skies,#8221; performed at two locations: Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook; also the Congregational Church of Batavia, 21 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia. $17; $15 students/seniors. (708) 484-3797 or acappellago.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, in Oak Brook; 4 p.m. Sunday, March 17, in Batavia Stiff upper lipIt's a murder mystery of very British proportions in #8220;Doomsday Abbey,#8221; featuring an interactive script by Rob Pileckis and renditions of Gilbert and Sullivan songs, this weekend at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, $20; $10 post-show dessert reception. (847) 895-3600 or prairiecenter.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 16On their toesHubbard Street Dance Chicago teams up with San Francisco-based Alonzo King LINES Ballet to form a supergroup in AZIMUTH. On the bill are works by King and Alejandro Cerrudo this weekend at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $25-$99. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 16, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17Punk o' the IrishThe Tossers, Chicago's very own Celtic-punk band, will celebrate the band's 20th anniversary and the release last week of its new album, #8220;The Emerald City,#8221; with a show at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., Chicago. The Tossers emerged from the South Side in the early 1990s with a driving sound that paired traditional Irish instrumentation #8212; accordion, violin, mandolin #8212; with the energy and jagged edge of urban punk. Kevin Flynn the Avondale Ramblers, the Blind Staggers and Continental will also perform. $20. Go to metrochicago.com. 9 p.m. Saturday, March 16When Trolleys Rode the Prairie PathThe West Chicago Historical Society hosts its When Trolleys Rode the Prairie Path program at the Wayne and Helen Fox Community Center, 306 Main St., West Chicago. Historian Steve Hyett presents a multiprojector show about the electric interurban railroad, known as the #8220;Roarin' Elgin.#8221; The line's major stops in DuPage County were in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Villa Park, Elmhurst, West Chicago and Warrenville. Light refreshments will be served. Free. Visit krusehousemuseum.org. 1 p.m. Sunday, March 17The pipes are callingA perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's takes place during the Sunday Salon series at the Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago. Brendan McKinney, an Irish and Highland piper, flute player and All Ireland Piping Champion, will perform. (312) 744-6630 or tinyurl.com/alvcn3n. 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17'Flanagan's Wake'Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, celebrates St. Patrick's Day with #8220;Flanagan's Wake,#8221; the interactive comedy about the residents of a small Irish burg who come together to send off one of their own with stories, songs and a couple of pints. $35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 5 and 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17Choral kidsThe Vienna Boys Choir dates back to 1498, and they're still going strong. Catch these musically gifted boys between the ages of 10 to 14 Sunday at North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $50-$60. (630) 637-7469 or northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. 6 p.m. Sunday, March 17 28493403Ethan Simpson of Park Ridge rides in the Bauer's Brauhaus car during last year's Palatine St. Patrick's Day Parade.JOE LEWNARD/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, March 2012 20642737The Elk Grove Park District holds a special Doggy Egg Hunt and spring costume parade at the Al Hatterndorf Center on Saturday, March 16. 35052333Youngsters are invited to the free Kite-Making program Saturday at the Great Lakes Naval Museum. 35052337Take a one-hour hike to learn how the sap of maple trees becomes maple syrup at the Maple Syrup Hike in Ryerson Woods in Riverwoods. 30012401Disney Live! presents “Mickey's Music Festival” at the Rosemont Theatre from Friday through Sunday, March 15-17. 34772318Hubbard Street Dance Chicago teams up with San Francisco-based Alonzo King LINES Ballet to form the supergroup AZIMUTH at Millennium Park’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago.Courtesy of Margo Mortiz 721481The interactive Irish funeral comedy “Flanagan’s Wake” returns Sunday to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. 23632390The Vienna Boys Choir performs at North Central College’s Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville on Sunday, March 17.