Weekend picks: Hear Haley at BG Days

Hear Haley at Buffalo Grove Days

“American Idol” season 10 finalist Haley Reinhart of Wheeling is one of the headlining musical performers at the annual Buffalo Grove Days festival, at Lake-Cook Road and Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove. Along with concerts, other fest highlights include a carnival, games, food booths, beer, a business expo and other family activities. Free admission. Concerts are free, too. Visit bgdays.com. 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2

So long, summer

Cram in as much summer fun as you can at Naperville's Last Fling, which features bed races, a carnival, inflatables, food, kids' activities and concerts by Goo Goo Dolls (Saturday) and Collective Soul (Sunday) all in downtown Naperville. Meet “Jessie” star Peyton List from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the family fun land at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. The Labor Day parade, starting at 10 a.m. Monday, steps off from Mill Street and 5th Avenue and winds through downtown Naperville. Free admission, though there are charges for carnival rides and main stage entertainment. (630) 961-4143 or lastfling.org. 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2

Vroom room

Gaze upon many models of American-made cars at a special Mustang and Ford Car Show at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 W. Volo Village Road, Volo. $15.95; $13.95 seniors; $8.95 kids. (815) 385-3644 or volocars.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31

Country Fair

Head back in time to the old-fashioned fun of the 1890s at the Country Fair festival at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. Highlights include Professor Marvel's Amazing Flea Circus, the juggling act of the Amazing Budabi Brothers, 1890s games, homemade pies and preserves, livestock exhibits and more. Free. (630) 933-7200 or dupageforest.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1

All that jazz

The 35th Chicago Jazz Festival features acts like Jason Moran, The Julie Wood Trio, The Robert Glasper Trio and more at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Free. (312) 742-4763 or cityofchicago.org. Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1

Killer kielbasa

You need just a few words in Polish to get the most of the Taste of Polonia, the largest Polish festival in the United States: pierogi and kielbasa should do it. Expect nonstop entertainment on five stages, rock, folk and polka music courtesy of Polish and American stars, dance, folk art and games galore at the Copernicus Foundation Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago.Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and free for kids 12 and younger. (773) 777-8898 or topchicago.org. Noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, and noon to 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2

Dancin' in the streets

The Bartlett Volunteer Fire Association hosts its annual Bartlett Street Fest/Dance & Raffle on Main Street in downtown Bartlett. The festival features the Taste of Bartlett, a classic car show, kids' activities, live music, a raffle and more. Free. bartlettvolunteerfiredept.com. 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31

Prepare to dance

Labor Day may be coming up, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy one last summer music festival. The North Coast Festival sets up shop in Chicago's Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St., all weekend, delivering a slew of electronic, pop and hip-hop acts guaranteed to get the crowd dancing. Among the prominent acts on the bill this year are the legendary rap outfit Wu-Tang Clan, local rising stars JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Chicago rapper ProbCause, Afrojack, Lotus and many others. A great way to send off the summer. Individual day tickets cost $55 and a three-day pass is $150-$225. Go to northcoastfestival.com or call (312) 432-1995. Starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1

Fringe benefits

Inject some big and bold into your summer during the fourth annual Chicago Fringe Festival. The festival features 50 performances including dramas, comedies, puppetry, radio shows and dance at venues throughout the Jefferson Park neighborhood, Milwaukee and Lawrence avenues in Chicago. How can you choose from shows such as “Lil' Women — a Rap Musical,” “Naked in Alaska” and “Punk Grandpa”? The festival requires a one-time $5 button purchase per patron and individual shows cost $10 each. (773) 428-9977 or www.chicagofringe.org. Showtimes vary Saturday, Aug. 31, through Sunday, Sept. 8

Be one with the Force, you will

Enjoy the unbeatable combo of pop culture and America's pastime at Star Wars night at the Kane County Cougars game at Fifth Third Ballpark, 1 Cougar Trail, Geneva. The event features a pregame costume parade, an appearance by the Midwest Garrison and a talk-like-Yoda contest, plus “Star Wars”-themed fireworks. Box seats cost $14, lawn tickets cost $10. (630) 232-8811 or kccougars.com. 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31

That's the ticket!

Comedian Jon Lovitz, famed for his stints on “Saturday Night Live” and “The Critic,” performs at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $19-$22. (847) 240-2001 orimprov.com. 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1

Rockford rock

The celebrated rockers of Cheap Trick trace their roots back to Rockford. So give them a home-state welcome at Ravinia, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $60-$70 reserved; $27-$32 lawn seating. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31

ABT salutes Hank

American Blues theater kicks off its Legends and Legacies season with “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” a bio-musical about the singer-songwriter by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik featuring 20 of Williams' classics, including “Hey, Good Lookin',” “Move It On Over” and “Jambalaya.” ABT ensemble member Matt Brumlow stars as Williams. Damon Kiely directs and Malcolm Ruhl serves as music director. See it at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $19-$49. (773) 404-7336 or americanbluestheater.com. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1; show opens Sept. 5

Chicago boy

Chicago native and comedian Jon Roy has played plenty of TV gigs ranging from “Conan” to “The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson.” Catch Roy live at Zanies at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. 8 and 10:30 Saturday, Aug. 31

Janus dreams on

Janus Theater celebrates its 15th season with “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” Shakespeare's bucolic comedy about two pairs of lovers whose romantic lives are upended by a pair of bickering faeries and their mischievous henchman. Sean Hargadon directs the production, which the company performs at the intimate Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin. $18. (847) 841-1713 or janustheater.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1

Behind the scenes

BrightSide Theatre goes behind to scenes during Hollywood's golden age with Ron Hutchinson's slapstick-filled comedy “Moonlight and Magnolias,” a fictionalized account of how studio head David O. Selznick, director Victor Fleming and writer Ben Hecht created the script for “Gone With the Wind.” Greg Kolack helms the comedy at the Theater at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville. $20-$24. (630) 637-7469 or brightsidetheatre.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1

Urban comedy

Comedian Eddie Griffin & Friends (actually Kym Whiley, G-Thang and Bruh Man) all take to the stage to share their funny wares Saturday at the Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. $55-$65. (800) 745-3000 or ariecrown.com. 8 p.m. Saturday Aug. 31

Preludes on piano

Pianist Dave Fung headlines a concert of preludes by composers Beethoven and Rachmaninoff in Bennett Gordon Hall at Ravinia, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. Tickets cost $10. No lawn seating is offered for the event. Visit ravinia.org. 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2