Festivals: St. Charles Scarecrow Fest, Highwood Pumpkin Fest, Oktoberfests & more

This weekend

Fall Color Festival and Scarecrow Trail: 7 a.m. to sunset daily through Oct. 31 at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. See scarecrow creations from local Scout troops set up around Meadow Lake and vote for your favorite. Free with Arboretum admission: $15 adults, $13 seniors 65 and older, $10 kids 2-17; and free for kids 1 and younger. mortonarb.org.

Cosley Zoo Pumpkin Fest: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31 at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Animals on display, straw pyramid, children's rides and thousands of pumpkins on the zoo lawn. $7 adults; $6 seniors; and free for kids, Wheaton Park District residents and zoo members. cosleyzoo.org.

Didier Farms Pumpkinfest: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 30 at Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Hayrides, corn maze, pony rides, Animal Land, pig races, Pumpkin Playland, Sunshine Crafts and more. Free admission, activities require tickets. didierfarms.com/pumpkinfest.

Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 28 at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Hay bale maze, corn bin play area, fall treats and pumpkins for purchase and face painting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $3-$5. Weekends only: Pumpkin Enrichment for the Animals, bonfires from noon to 5 p.m. and hayrides for $2. Activities are included with zoo admission, with some exceptions. $3.25 residents; $4 nonresidents; free for kids younger than 2. (847) 428-7131 or dtpd.org.

Fall Bulb Festival: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 5-7, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. More than 250 flowers with expert staff on hand to answer questions and offer tips. Local vendors offer baked goods and more. Free. www.chicagobotanic.org/bulb.

St. Charles Scarecrow Festival: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, on Main and 4th streets and along the riverfront, St. Charles. See more than 100 handcrafted scarecrows and make your own to take home. Carnival, petting zoo, live music, food, and Autumn on the Fox arts and crafts show. Free. www.scarecrowfest.com.

Hofbräuhaus Chicago Oktoberfest: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to midnight Thursdays through Oct. 28 at Hofbräuhaus Chicago, 5500 Park Place, Rosemont. Nightly Bavarian entertainment, freshly brewed "Oktoberfestbier," daily food specials, celebrity keg-tapping ceremonies and more. hofbrauhauschicago.com.

Highwood Pumpkin Festival: 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, along Green Bay Road in downtown Highwood. All-you-can-carve pumpkins, trick-or-treating, costume contests, hay rides, petting zoo, carnival rides, crafts, music, food vendors and more. The event will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most pumpkins carved and lit at once. Benefits Make-A-Wish Illinois. $3 daily admission, $5 weekend pass. www.highwoodpumpkinfest.com.

Batavia MainStreet Oktoberfest: 4:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6; and 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, on North River Street, between Spring and Wilson streets, Batavia. Annual event features German food, music, German spelling bees, entertainment and beer. Official Sam Adams stein-hoisting contests on Friday and Saturday nights. New this year is a Family Day Sunday featuring games, kid-focused entertainment and the Xfinity Sports Zone viewing area for football fans. Free admission; purchase tickets for food and beverages. downtownbatavia.com/oktoberfest/.

Harvest Hop Down Beer Fest: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Park Grill, 11 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Guests receive a complimentary tasting glass and a beer cap to pick the 2018 Harvest HopDown winner. Includes live music and food. $40. www.eventbrite.com.

Oktoberfest 2018: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Heated tent with live music, German beer and cuisine, plus tours of the historic buildings. $15, $10 for kids 4-12; free for members and those younger than 4. www.napersettlement.com.

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest: 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 28; as well as 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8; and 6 to 11 p.m. Oct. 24-25 and 29-31, at Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee. Daytime hours are family-friendly, with shows and a trick-or-treat trail. Evening hours include haunted houses and costumed monsters. $57.99-$77.99 at the park. For admission deals, see sixflags.com/greatamerica.

Moonlight Hayrides: Thirty-minute tractor-drawn hayrides at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 5-20, at Primrose Farm Park, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. Bonfire, marshmallow roast, hot chocolate and cider. $8 for residents and $12 for nonresidents. Kids 15 and younger must be accompanied by a paying adult. www.primrosefarmpark.com.

MainStreet Libertyville's First Friday: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, on Main Street in downtown Libertyville. Music, refreshments while shopping, special discounts and more the first Friday of each month. Parking is free in the covered parking garage by Lake Street/Brainerd Avenue and the new Church Street parking garage behind Mickey Finn's. Free. mainstreetlibertyville.org.

Ghost Stories in the Park: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5; 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Sindt Court, Naperville. $7. www.summerplacetheatre.org.

Apple Fest 2018: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, on Lincoln Avenue between Lawrence and Eastwood, Chicago. Dozens of vendors will participate, selling everything from candy apples to scarves, at the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce's 31st Annual Apple Fest. Also features a Kid Zone, food and local musicians. $5. www.lincolnsquare.org.

Fall Arts and Crafts Show: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Exhibitors from seven states with 280 booths of handcrafted items. Presented by Step by Step Promotions. www.stepbysteppromotions.com.

Pumpkin Palooza: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at The Growing Place, 2000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. See giant pumpkins, make pumpkin crafts and play games. Enjoy hayrides, food, music and more. Free admission, some activities require fees. www.thegrowingplace.com.

Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at SEBA Park, 151 Water St., South Elgin. Pick out pumpkins for purchase ($1 for mini, $2-$5 depending on size), petting zoo, pyramid of hay, Touch a Truck, trolley ride (with the purchase of any pumpkin) and pony rides for $2. Free admission. (847) 622-0003 or www.southelgin.com.

The Trails Challenge Youth Obstacle Course Race: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Woodland Trails Park, 1500 E. Euclid Ave., Mount Prospect. The River Trails Park District Trails Challenge is a 1.25-mile (2K) obstacle course race for kids. The race has natural and man-made obstacles. All participants will receive a T-shirt, a medal and a goody bag. Registration ends 45 minutes prior to each race. $23 through Thursday, Oct. 4; $28 Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6. For race times and registration, see www.rtpd.org.

Arboretum Art Festival: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7, at the Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington. Art, live music, food and kids' activities. Sponsored by Amdur Productions. Free. amdurproductions.com.

German-American Friendship Fest: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St., Crystal Lake. Celebrate German language and culture with traditional German food and music, games, crafts, dance and a silent auction. Proceeds will benefit local families' efforts to send their students to Karlsruhe, Germany, for a student exchange. $10 activities and meal for kids 4-12; $7.50 meal ticket. www.eventbrite.com.

Harvest Fest: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Henry J. Kalk Park, 298 Park Ave., Glencoe. Family-friendly games, attractions and entertainment. Pumpkins will be available for purchase. All ages are welcome. glencoeparkdistrict.com.

Kingswood Harvest Fest: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Kingswood United Methodist Church, 401 W. Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove. Petting zoo, children's games, face painting, fire truck, playground, thrift store, pumpkin decorating, pumpkins for sale, a bouncy castle, Fair Trade Market, bake sale, food and more. Free. kingswoodumc.com.

Arlington Heights Autumn Harvest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at North School Park, East Eastman Street and Evergreen Avenue, Arlington Heights. Family festival includes a petting zoo, a scarecrow-building contest, face painting and crafts, food vendors, hay rides and all-day entertainment. Sponsored by the Village of Arlington Heights Special Events Commission and the Arlington Heights Park District. Free. www.ahpd.org/events/autumn-harvest-fest.

Fabulous Fall Fest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Lions Recreation Center, 411 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect. For kids 3-8; includes inflatables, hayride, petting zoo, art studio craft, games, prizes and goodies, face painting, balloon art, characters and a trick-or-treat bag. $5 for kids, free for adults. www.mppd.org.

Lake Bluff Rib Fest: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Lake Bluff Village Green, 40 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff. Presented by the Lake Bluff Barbeque Society, the fest is a friendly rib-only competition. Twenty teams will compete for bragging rights as Grand Champion. Free admission. www.lakebluff.org.

Northwest Celtic Fest: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. Craft Beer Extravaganza, live entertainment on two stages, Celtic Marketplace, clan representatives, plus tons of games, bouncy houses and more for kids. Free parking and admission. www.facebook.com/NWCelticFest.

Pumpkin Weekends: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Family-friendly fall festivities include the pumpkin princess, seasonal crafts, harvest decor, giant corn crib, professional storyteller, world's tallest scarecrow, trick-or-treating and a pony parade. $7. www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Trick or Trees: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Games, crafts and plant-a-tree seed to take home. Small pumpkins to paint available for purchase. $10-$15. www.mortonarb.org/events/trick-or-trees.

Cock-A-Doodle Brew Fest: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Hollywood Casino Aurora, 1 W. New York St., Aurora. Craft beer, wings and live music. www.enjoyaurora.com.

Das Bueno Oktoberfest: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Cruz Blanca Brewery & Taquería, 904 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Merging the cultures of Mexico and Germany with beer, bratwurst tacos, Mexican polka music, stein-holding competitions and more. $20, which includes a beer stein and two half-liters of beer. www.eventbrite.com.

Hometown Hoedown Fall Fest: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Kimball Hill Park, 3266 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows. Family-friendly event features music, a cowboy cookout, horse-drawn hayrides, crafts, a harvest photo booth and more. Free admission; $5 for Cowboy Cookout. cityrm.org.

Kane County Flea Market: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Up to 1,000 dealers display and sell antiques and collectibles indoors and outside. $5 for adults, free for kids 12 and younger. www.kanecountyfair.com/calendar.cfm.

Booktoberfest Author Fair and Family Lit Fest: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Forest Park Public Library, 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. Meet local authors and discover new reads for all ages. Storytime followed by a special music performance by Nick Davio from 2 to 4 p.m. www.eventbrite.com.

Parkway Bank Park's Family Fall Fest: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Parkway Bank Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Family activities include a petting zoo, bounce houses, pumpkin painting, balloon sculptors, face painting, magic acts and live music. www.rosemont.com.

Smoketoberfest: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Rack House Kitchen and Tavern, 222 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. Oktoberfest celebration includes German-style beer, food and pig roast; a stein-hoisting competition at 4 p.m.; live music; touch-a-truck, raffles and more. www.rackhousetavern.com.

Woodstock Ale Fest: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Clay and Bartlett streets, Woodstock. Fifth annual event features craft beer from breweries within 100 miles of Woodstock, bacon and bluegrass. Proceeds benefit Adult & Child Therapy Services. VIP tickets $70; VIP designated driver $30; general admission $40; designated driver $15. woodstockalefest.com.

Oktoberfest on the Beach: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Shore Club, 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Beer tastings, giveaways and more. $50. shoreclubchi.com.

Alter Fest: 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Alter Brewing Company, 2300 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 213, Downers Grove. Annual celebration of beer, music, food and more. $20-$25. www.alterbrewing.com/alterfest.

Harvest Blessings Fall Fest: 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Saint Mary of Vernon Parish, 236 Highway 45, Indian Creek. Carnival games, pie-eating contest, cake walk, photo booth, saint parade, hayrides, miniature golf, bouncy house, free food, pumpkin sale and more. Admission is one dozen doughnuts or one gallon of apple cider per family. bsa44.org.

Grant Township and Fox Lake Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at Grant Township, 26725 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. Vendors and crafters, food, petting zoo, pony rides, entertainment, inflatables, pie-eating contest, hay rides, Busy Brains Museum and more. Pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Fox Lake Volunteer Fire Department Station 3, 26603 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside; $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and kids, free for kids younger than 3. Free admission. granttownshipcenter.org or foxlake.org.

Cider Fest: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at McHenry County Historical Society Museum, 6422 Main St., Union. 41st annual event features Civil War re-enactors with the 36th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, music, food, old-fashioned cider making, barn-raising demonstration, apple bake-off contest and more. Tour the museum, the Gannon 1843 log cabin and the 1895 West Harmony one-room school. Free. (815) 923-2267 or www.mchenrycountyhistory.org.

Folk Fest at The Grove: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview. Costumed interpreters relive local history, plus folk music, square dancing, hayrides, food, Native American flute circle, crafts for purchase and more. Admission $4; $1 for kids 12 and younger. www.glenviewparks.org/event/grove-folk-fest.

Harvest Days: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at Garfield Farm Museum, 3N016 Garfield Road, Campton Hills. Continuous demonstrations of farm and household skills, 19th-century music and food. $6, $3 for kids younger than 13. (630) 584-8485 or www.garfieldfarm.org.

Taste of Clark Street: 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, along North Clark Street between Devon and Touhy, Chicago. Local restaurants will offer samples of their signature dishes. Sponsored by the Rogers Park Business Alliance. Tickets cost $15-$30, available at rpba.org.

This week

Glass Pumpkin Patch: Previews from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 10-11, and 10 a.m. to 12:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12; sale from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13-14, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Explore a collection of handblown glass pumpkins and autumnal and farmers market-themed designs at the eighth annual preview and sale. $7-$15 admission fee. mortonarb.org.

Autumn Brews: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Guests check in at the McGinley Pavilion and receive a wristband, tasting glass and tasting sheet. Breweries pour different seasonally selected beers in 2-ounce tastings. $27 for members, $32 for nonmembers by Oct. 10; $30/$35 on Oct. 11. www.chicagobotanic.org/beer.

Halloween Hoopla: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at Wildwood Nature Center, 529 Forestview Ave., Park Ridge. Carve a pumpkin, stuff a scarecrow, jump on a hayride, and enjoy s'mores and apple cider or cocoa around a campfire. Bring clothes to dress up your scarecrow. One scarecrow and one pumpkin per registration. A pumpkin and scarecrow judging contest will be held during the last 15 minutes of the evening, with prizes awarded. $31-$51 per family; additional pumpkin is $10; use activity #5150010-10 at www.prparks.org.