Festivals Oct. 4-10: Northwest Celtic Fest, Oktoberfests, Morton's Fall Color Fest & more

This weekend

Fall Color Festival: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 31 at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. See brilliantly colored trees, sample taffy apples and other treats, walk along a scarecrow trail featuring creations by local Scout troops and more. $15 adults, $13 seniors 65 and older, $10 kids 2-17 and free for kids 1 and younger. www.mortonarb.org/special-events/fall-color-festival.

Didier Farms Pumpkinfest: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 31 at Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Hayrides, corn maze, pony rides, pig races, Animal Land Zoo, bird-feeding in the parakeet exhibit and more. Free admission; activities require tickets. didierfarms.com.

Farm Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 31 at Windy Acres Farm, 37W446 Fabyan Parkway, Geneva. Family activities along with a farmstand selling market goods, apples, cider doughnuts and more. Admission: Adults and kids 2-17: $12 Monday through Friday and $14 Saturday and Sunday; seniors 65 and older: $10 Monday through Friday and $12 Saturday and Sunday; free for kids younger than 2 and veterans and active military. windyacresfarmstand.com.

Pumpkin Fest: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31 at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Features children's rides, animals, a straw pyramid and more. Apples, gourds, pumpkins, cider, cornstalks and straw bales available to purchase. $7 nonresident adults 18-54, $6 nonresident adults 55 and older; free for members, Wheaton Park District residents, and kids 17 and younger. wheatonparkdistrict.com.

Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 27 at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Corn stalk maze, corn-bin play area, fall treats and pumpkins for purchase. Weekends only: Pumpkin Enrichment for the Animals, bonfires from noon to 5 p.m., face painting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $3-$5 and hayrides for $2. Zoo admission: $3.50 for residents; $4.25 for 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. 4-6, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Members-only bulb shopping from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4. Fest offers more than 250 varieties of daffodils, tulips, crocus and specialty bulbs. Also, live music, a harvest market and family activities. Free admission. Parking is $25 on Friday and $30 on Saturday and Sunday. www.chicagobotanic.org.

Pier Pumpkin Lights: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, through Saturday, Nov. 2, at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Explore six pumpkin pop-up installations scattered throughout the pier: Juggernaut of Jack-O'-Lanterns, Pumpkin Picasso, Garden of Totems, Jack-O'-Lantern Jamboree, Pumpkin Dancers and Arachnids and Skeleton Grave Dancers. The installations will be on exhibit during normal Pier hours but are best experienced after dusk. Free. www.navypier.org.

Sonny Acres Farm's Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Nov. 3 at Sonny Acres Farm, 29W310 North Ave., West Chicago. Features a haunted house, haunted hayrides, a farmers market, carnival-style rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, food and more. Free admission; some activities require fees. (630) 231-3859 or sonnyacres.com.

Stade's Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday in October at Stade's Farm & Market, 3709 W. Miller Road, McHenry. Farm animals, pumpkins, food, pumpkin-barrel train and other family activities. $10-$15; free for kids 2 and younger. www.stadesfarmandmarket.com.

Westmont Lions Oktoberfest: 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in the Metra station parking lot at 1 W. Quincy St., Westmont. Music, food, car show and craft show. Running for the Cause 5K and Fun Run at 8 a.m. Saturday. Fee: $35. Proceeds benefit programs for those with hearing and vision loss as well as diabetes. Free admission. www.westmontlions.org.

Oktoberfest: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Traditional German music, beer and food under a heated tent with family-friendly activities. Online ticket sales end at noon Thursday, Oct. 3. Tickets available at the door. $15; $10 for kids 4-12; free for members and kids younger than 4. napersettlement.org/.

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Oct. 5; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee. Daytime hours are family-friendly with trick-or-treat and Halloween crafts. Evening hours, starting at 7 p.m., include haunted mazes, roaming zombies, scary clowns and spooky shows. $59.99-$89.99. sixflags.com/greatamerica/special-events/fright-fest.

Moonlight Hayrides: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 4-19, at Primrose Farm Park, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. Thirty-minute tractor-drawn wagon rides at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Bonfire, marshmallow roast, hot chocolate and cider. $8 for residents and $12 for nonresidents. Kids 15 or younger must be accompanied by a paying adult. www.primrosefarmpark.com.

Elgin Food Truck Festival: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin. Twenty-five mobile eateries are expected to participate in the event, which also includes music and other vendors. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. General admission tickets are $10 on the day of the event, $5 if purchased online by midnight Thursday. Free for kids 10 and younger with a paying adult. Early entry tickets at 5 p.m. cost $15, $10 if purchased early online. downtownelgin.com/event/elgin-food-truck-festival-2019.

Island Lake Oktoberfest: 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, at Water Tower Park, 429 W. State Road, Island Lake. Food, German and American beer, music, games, crafts, vendors and more. Music by Jimmy's Bavarians Band and entertainment by Those Funny Little People. Free. www.villageofislandlake.com.

MainStreet Libertyville's First Friday: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, on Main Street in Libertyville. Music, refreshments while shopping, special discounts and more. Free. maintstreetlibertyville.org.

Ghost Stories in the Park: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4; 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Sindt Court, Naperville. Storytellers share ghost stories - some old, some original. Also features hot cider and cold "ectoplasm" punch and cookies. $7. Call (630) 355-8969 for tickets. www.summerplacetheatre.org.

Hofbräuhaus Chicago's Seventh Annual Oktoberfest Celebration: Hours vary through Monday, Oct. 28, at Hofbrauhaus Chicago, 5500 Park Place, Rosemont. Nightly entertainment, freshly brewed beer, food specials and more. On Friday and Saturday nights, patrons can participate in the "Maskrugstemmen" stein-holding contest. Free admission. www.hbchicago.com.

Trash to Treasure Fairs: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in Huntley's Town Square. Held in conjunction with the Huntley Farmers Market. Shop for antiques, flea market items, crafts, and gently used books and toys. Free. huntley.il.us.

Wheaton French Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in municipal parking lot 3 at Main and Liberty, Wheaton. Family-friendly event features fresh produce, meats and flowers, live music, foodie treats and gifts, crafts and freshly prepared delicacies from local vendors. Free admission. www.wheatonchamber.com/events.

Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce's 32nd Annual Apple Fest: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, on North Lincoln Avenue, between Lawrence and Eastwood, Chicago. Vendors, food, apple pie and apple-themed dishes, music, kids' activities and more. $5. www.lincolnsquare.org.

Community Hero Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 N. Broadway, Aurora. Family-friendly event features a variety of safety-related information, food trucks, free fire truck rides, Touch-A-Truck and more. Free. www.facebook.com/AuroraRegionalFireMuseum/.

Harvest Fest: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Glencoe Park District, 999 Green Bay Road, Glencoe. Family-friendly games, attractions and entertainment. Halloween pumpkins will be available for purchase. Free admission. www.glencoeparkdistrict.com.

Lake Bluff Rib Fest: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Lake Bluff Village Green, 40 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff. Presented by the Lake Bluff Barbeque Society. A friendly rib competition between teams of community members. Free admission. www.lakebluff.org.

Autumn Harvest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at North School Park, at East Eastman Street and Evergreen Avenue, Arlington Heights. Includes a petting zoo, a scarecrow-building contest, face-painting, crafts, food vendors, hay rides and all-day entertainment. Free. www.ahpd.org.

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

Northwest Celtic Fest: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. A showcase and celebration of all things Irish, Welsh and Scottish. Features craft beer tasting, food, music, Irish dancing, Celtic marketplace, clan representation, meet-and-greet with Irish wolfhounds and birds of prey, kids' activities and more. Free parking and admission. www.searscentre.com.

Pumpkin Weekends: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Family-friendly fall festivities include seasonal crafts, harvest decor, a giant corn crib, a professional storyteller, world's tallest scarecrow, trick-or-treating and more. $7. www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Trick or Trees: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Play tricky games, fashion fall crafts and plant a tree seed to take home. Small pumpkins to paint available for purchase. Costumes encouraged. Regular admission fees apply. mortonarb.org.

Hometown Hoedown Fall Fest: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in Kimball Hill Park, on Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows. Country-western fall festival features live music by Wild Earp, a cowboy cookout, horse-drawn hayrides, crafts, a harvest photo booth and more. Free. www.cityrm.org.

Kane County Flea Market: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Shop for finds from refurbished furniture and vinyl records to sports collectibles and handmade trinkets. $5 for adults and free for kids 12 and younger. www.kanecountyfleamarket.com.

Family Fall Fest: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Parkway Bank Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. The family-friendly event will feature a variety of free activities including bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, balloon sculptors and more. Free admission. parkwaybankpark.com.

Woodstock Ale Fest: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Clay and Bartlett streets, Woodstock. Sixth annual event features breweries within 100 miles of Woodstock. Proceeds benefit Independence Health & Therapy. General admission is $40 (includes 15 drink tickets and a commemorative glass); designated driver is $15 (includes complimentary pop and water and a commemorative glass). woodstockalefest.com.

College of DuPage Food Truck Rally & Sunset 5K: 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Food trucks and 5K to raise money to fund dedicated scholarships for each high school district served by COD and to assist local graduates who attend COD. Free entry to the Food Truck Rally; must register online for the 5K at www.cod.edu/5K.

Fall Classic All Wheel Car Show: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Lions Park, 500 S. Filmore St., Elburn. Elburn Lions Club fundraising event features 300 to 400 cars and motorcycles. Registration closes at noon with awards at 3 p.m. Free chili while it lasts. Other highlights include pumpkin decorating, a craft show, swap meet, DJ music by Carousel Sound, children's playground and concessions. Held rain or shine. Free for spectators. www.elburnlions.com.

Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Mount Prospect Train Depot, Northwest Highway and Emerson Street, Mount Prospect. Features fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and more. Free admission. mplions.org.

Geneva French Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, in downtown Geneva. Vendors at this open-air market will sell items such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, oils, cheeses, tea, baked goods, pasta, homemade soaps, apparel and art. Free admission. www.geneva.il.us/calendar.aspx.

Cider Fest: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at the McHenry County Historical Museum, 6422 Main St., Union. Experience a Civil War encampment, watch a flintknapper and blacksmith at work, view an early artillery piece, help raise a barn, make cider on an old-fashioned press and hear Charlie B & Friends at 12:30 p.m. Includes a White Elephant Sale and silent auction, hot cider, kettle corn, gourmet apples and cider doughnuts. Visitors can participate in an apple dessert contest. Free. (815) 923-2267 or www.gothistory.org.

Grant Township and Fox Lake Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Grant Township, 26725 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. Vendors, crafters, food, petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables, pie-eating contest, pumpkin carving and more. Pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at Fox Lake Fire Protection District Station 3, 26603 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. Pancake breakfast is $8 for adults, $6 for kids, and free for kids 3 and younger. Free festival admission and parking. www.foxlake.org.

The Grove Folk Fest: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview. Costumed interpreters relive local history while visitors celebrate autumn with folk music, square dancing, hayrides, food and more. $5 for adults and $1 for kids 12 and younger. www.glenviewparks.org.

Harvest Days: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Garfield Farm Museum, 3N016 Garfield Road, Campton Hills. Demonstrations of farm and household skills, 19th-century music and food. $6 adults; $3 for kids younger than 13. www.garfieldfarm.org.

This week

Glass Pumpkin Patch: Preview hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 9-10, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Sale hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13, at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Explore colorful, handblown glass pumpkins at the annual preview and sale. $10-$15 general admission fees; free for kids 1 and younger. mortonarb.org.

Historic Halloween, Return of the Dead: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the McHenry County Historical Society's Eckert Hall auditorium, 6422 Main St., Union. Learn about the case of a young child who drowned in the icy Kishwaukee River, the 1939 killing of a Riley Township farmer by a 14-year-old parolee from the St. Charles School for Boys, a fatal farming accident in 1922 and the infamous Billy Hamilton murder that dominated the headlines in 1939. Mary Ellen "Tickle Them Bones" Heelan of Cary will provide mood-appropriate music. Halloween refreshments follow in the Society's West Harmony one-room school. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. This program is not suitable for young children. $8 for historical society members, $10 for nonmembers. (815) 923-2267 or www.GotHistory.org.

Jack's Pumpkin Glow: Runs at various times and dates through Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Sensory Garden Playground, 2751 Navistar Drive, Lisle. Features thousands of hand-carved pumpkins, carving demonstrations, fall food and photo opportunities. $16.99-$27.99; prices vary by date and time. www.glowpumpkin.com.