Turkey Trot Hike
There’s no better time to move your feet and get the blood flowing once again than a day after that giant turkey dinner, so head out to the Trailside Museum of Natural History, 738 Thatcher Ave. in River Forest, for this annual event.
Scheduled for Friday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m., a Forest Preserves of Cook County naturalist will lead this family friendly hike, although no strollers are allowed. Comfortable shoes and warm clothing are recommended.
Pre-registration is required by calling 708-366-6530.
Holiday Magic
The popular annual light display at Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, gets up and running Nov. 26 to Nov. 28 and continues, on a limited basis, throughout December.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the show that features more than 2 million lights, including a Sea of Lights that’s two miles long and a tunnel of lights that runs 600 feet, according to the zoo. The family friendly event of course features some of the zoo’s most popular animal attractions, along with an ice-skating rink, illuminated animal sculptures and more.
Holiday Magic hours are 3 to 9 p.m. and advance registration is required. Tickets can be reserved at csz.org/holidaymagic.
This year’s Holiday Magic dates are Nov. 26-28, Dec. 1-5, 8-12, 15-19 and 26-31. The zoo will not open before 3 p.m. on those dates.
STARS: The Powerhouses of the Universe
Check out this Mark Hamill-narrated educational film on one of the universe’s most incredible forces at Triton College, 2000 Fifth Ave. in River Grove, on Saturday, Nov. 27 from 7-8 p.m.
The screening at the Cernan Earth and Space Center is recommended for students in grades four through eight and is billed as a chance to “witness the explosive end of massive stars and the dramatic formation of others.”
Tickets are $8 for adults; $4 for seniors (55 and older), students (high school or non-Triton college) and kids (2-12); and free for Triton College students, faculty and staff.
Independents Day
Nearly two dozen local, independent authors will be at Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, 7419 Madison St., on Saturday, Nov. 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a special celebration of what they’re calling Independents Day.
The 22 featured authors, including the Review’s John Rice, will have their books available for sale as part of the bookstore’s celebration of Small Business Saturday, with a daylong author schedule available at centuriesandsleuths.com.
According to Centuries & Sleuths, this is “not like the usual signings,” with a chance for one-on-one (masked) conversations between guests and the authors, and at this event the authors themselves get a chance to interact with their peers to share stories, tips and contacts.
Switch gaming
Kids ages 8 and older are invited to the Forest Park Public Library to play in-person on one of the available Nintendo Switch gaming consoles on Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The consoles are available for solo play or visitors can reserve the game room for up to four total guests. Gaming slots are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. Gaming sessions are one hour long with an option to extend those sessions based on demand.
For more information, including to share any accessibility needs, call 708-689-6126 or email sfarnum@fppl.org. All attendees must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.
