Best Bets: Comedian Paula Poundstone plays Waukegan Saturday
Laughter on tap
Expect plenty of laughs when comedian Paula Poundstone (“Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me”) returns for a standup show with plenty of expected on-the-spot crowd work at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $35-$57.50. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11
Pavilion music
Get your fill of great outdoor music via the Chicago Blues Festival Thursday through Sunday and the return of the Grant Park Music Festival with guest soloist Michelle Cann performing Florence Price's Piano Concerto in One Movement at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Free admission to the Chicago Blues Festival; Grant Park Music Festival has $26-$100 reserved seating, but free access for lawn and unreserved pavilion seating. (312) 742-7647 or grantparkmusicfestival.com. Blues Festival: 2:40-9 p.m. Thursday, June 9, and noon to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, June 10-12; Grant Park Music Festival: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15
Modern moves
Giordano Dance Chicago showcases six 21st-century works including Ray Mercer's “Shirt Off My Back,” Christopher Huggins' “Pyrokinesis” and more at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. $38-$84. (312) 341-2310 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11
Studio & gallery tours
Local artists open up their galleries and studios for the Fox River Arts Ramble and the new Northern Illinois Pottery Tour this weekend in various locations in Aurora, Batavia, Elgin, Villa Park, Chicago and more. Free. For participating artists, galleries and locations, visit foxriverarts.com or northernilpotterytour.com. Both events: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12
Something fishy
Introduce kids to catch-and-release fun with the Just for Kids Fishing Derby at Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve, on Butterfield Road, in between Route 59 to the west and Winfield Road to the east, Warrenville. Free, but advance registration is required online by 11:50 p.m. Saturday, June 11. For kids 15 and younger with a guardian. (630) 933-7248 or dupageforest.org. 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 12
Railway fun
Train hobbyists won't want to miss the 46th annual Kane County Railroadiana & Model Train Show & Sale at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. $6; kids 12 and younger admitted free with guardian. (630) 584-6926, kanecountyfair.com or rrshows.com. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 12
Blue-suede tribute
Pay homage to Elvis Presley with the Artists Lounge Live tribute show “Elvis My Way starring Brandon Bennett” at two locations: first in a traditional proscenium setup at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan, $20-$30, (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com; then in an in-the-round setting next weekend at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, $55, (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, in Waukegan and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, and 3 p.m. Sunday, June 19, in Lincolnshire
Celtic dancing
The American Company of Irish Dance is on tour with its latest show, “Aisling,” which plays at two area locations starting on Thursday at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, $30-$65, (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org; then on Friday, June 17, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, $40-$50, (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 8 p.m. Thursday, June 16, in Crystal Lake and 8 p.m. Friday, June 17, in Chicago