Weekend picks: Bruno Mars plays the suburbs Friday
FRIDAY
Patchy arts: Die-hard stitchers and quilters won't want to miss the International Quilt Festival Chicago 2014, which continues this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $10; $8 students/seniors; $25 full-show pass. (847) 692-2222 or quilts.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 20-21
Strawberry Fest: Dig in to fresh strawberries and assorted strawberry treats at the annual Long Grove Strawberry Fest, at Old McHenry and Robert Parker Coffin roads, Long Grove. Don't miss the live entertainment, children's activities and more. Admission is $5. See visitlonggrove.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 20; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 22
Plaid tidings: See competitions involving dancers, bagpipers and caber tossers at the 2014 Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games this weekend at Hamilton Lakes, Thorndale Avenue and Route 53, Itasca. $30 two-day ticket; adult admission is $12 at the gate on Friday and $20 on Saturday. Discounted tickets available for children. (708) 426-7127 or chicagoscots.org. 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 20, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 21
Set and serve: Cheer on the USA Men's Volleyball team as they take on Bulgaria this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $20-$22; $28-$45 courtside. $10 parking. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 20-21
Comedy chatter: Acclaimed comedian Chelsea Handler, soon to leave her talk show “Chelsea Lately” on E!, brings her Uganda Be Kidding Me Live Tour to Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $59.50-$75. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 7 and 10 p.m. Friday, June 20
Gone 2 Paradise: Gone 2 Paradise, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band, headlines the weekly Arlington Heights Summer Concert Series in Harmony Park, 99 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Free. For a complete schedule, visit discoverarlington.com. 7 p.m. Friday, June 20
Power pop heroes: Rockford band Cheap Trick burst onto the scene in 1977 with an acclaimed and influential debut record, but it was the live album “At Budokan” that sent the band to stardom. Cheap Trick's long career would produce a slew of power-pop gems, including “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police,” and influence bands like the Smashing Pumpkins and Urge Overkill. Cheap Trick will perform with classic rocker Peter Frampton at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. The event is free, with every single ticket being given away by radio station WDRV 97.1-FM. Go to wdrv.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 20
Break out: The acclaimed German break-dancing troupe Flying Steps is the star of the hip-hop-meets-classical show “Red Bull Flying Bach,” which begins performances tonight at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. $24-$88. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 20-21 and 27-28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 22 and 29
Gender wars: Peter Story stars in the one-man comedy “Men are from Mars — Women are From Venus Live!” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, as part of its comedy series. Made up of a series of vignettes, this stand-up inspired show examines the many humorous aspects of romantic relationships. $30, $35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 8 p.m. Friday, June 20
Riding high: Bruno Mars' infectious music moves easily from pop to R&B to reggae and back again, and as anyone who saw the most recent Super Bowl halftime show can attest, he brings it onstage. Mars will perform this weekend at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. Tickets start at $35.50; livenation.com. 8 p.m. Friday, June 20
Schaumburg standup: If you're in the mood for standup comedy with a side of relationship advice, comedian/writer Greg Behrendt's your man. A onetime script consultant on HBO's “Sex in the City,” Behrendt co-authored with Liz Tuccillo the self-help book turned film “He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Guide to Understanding Guys.” He headlines the Chicago Improv at 5 Woodfield Road, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg. $22, plus a two-item minimum. (847) 240-2001 or chicago.improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, June 20; 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday, June 21; and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 22
Crossover classical: The popular Italian operatic crossover act Il Volo teams up with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra for an outdoor concert at Festival Park adjacent to Grand Victoria Casino, 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin. $40-$165. (630) 962-7000 or oshows.com. 8 p.m. Friday, June 20
Ardent Arden: If you love Arden Myrin and her appearances on “Chelsea Lately,” then check out her standup gig this weekend at two Zanies locations: 1548 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 337-4027, then at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. $25 plus a two-item menu purchase. (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 20, in Chicago and 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21, in Rosemont
SATURDAY
Custer Fair: See the works of more than 350 artists, including antique dealers and local vendors at the 43rd Annual Custer Fair, Evanston's largest outdoor event, at Main Street and Chicago Avenue. Plus, see theatrical and musical performances or take part in children's activities, an Eco Village, food and more. Suggested admission donation is $1. (847) 328-2204 or custerfair.com. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 21-22
Jim Gill jams: It's time to get silly! Award-winning musician Jim Gill presents a family concert with interactive dancing, singing and a silly dance contest at Washington Junior High School, 201 Washington St., Naperville. Audience members can bring blankets or mats for seating (no chairs). Event is sponsored by the Restoration Community Church of Naperville, with proceeds benefiting the DuPage Children's Museum and the Bridge Communities not-for-profit organization for the homeless. $5; reservations are required. (630) 637-8000 or dupagechildrensmuseum.org. 10 a.m. Saturday, June 21
Character Caravan: Guests can meet and greet a number of mascots from Chicago-area attractions and sports teams at the Character Caravan event in the Grand Court at Woodfield Mall, Golf Road at Route 53, Schaumburg. Meet Coop, the prairie chicken from the Schaumburg Boomers baseball team, Arli the horse from Arlington International Racecourse, a train conductor from the Illinois Railway Museum and many others. The event, presented by Meet Chicago Northwest, also features contests, games and giveaways. Free. (800) 847-4849 or chicagonorthwest.com. Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21
Horse play: Marvel at the amazing training of the Tempel Lipizzans, specially bred horses that perform feats of agility and precision starting Saturday at Tempel Farms, 17000 W. Wadsworth Road, Old Mill Creek. $25-$30; $15-$20 kids ages 4 to 14. (847) 244-5330 or tempelfarms.com. 6 p.m. Saturday, June 21; various performances continue through Saturday, Sept. 13
SUNDAY
Brass Spectacular: The 30-member Illinois Brass Band presents its Brass Spectacular concert at the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. Euphonium player David Thornton, a native of Great Britain, is the concert's featured soloist. Tickets cost $6-$12 and are available at the door one hour before performance. illinoisbrassband.org. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 22
Vintage metal: Bret Michaels of the 1980s hair-metal band Poison will be joined by some key contemporaries at the Hair Band Heavyweights show at Grand Victoria Casino's Festival Park, 250 Grove Ave., Elgin. Performing with Michaels will be former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider and Tom Keifer of Cinderella. Head to the show to relive those long-ago days when headbangers wore hair spray, makeup and spandex pants! Tickets start at $19; grandvictoriacasino.com. 5 p.m. Sunday, June 22
Local stars: Watch the Top 20 contestants for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent perform for audiences Sunday — and lay the groundwork to move on to the next level in this summerlong competition — at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $10. (847) 895-3600 or prairiecenter.org. 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 22