HEADS UP  Forever Bloom is the Quincy Avenue taproom's charity ride and fundraiser on Saturday, September 19, held in memory of Emma Charlotte, a four-year-old who died of cancer. Registration is $25 with a 34-mile route and a family-paced 10-mile option, and the taproom side is open to everyone from noon: food, live music, and a silent auction, with net proceeds going to pediatric oncology at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage. This story really hit me so I'm taking my whole family for the ride and I'll be buying a few of the Forever Bloom NA 6-packs to support such a good cause. Sign up, or come by at noon and bid on something. |
Thursday night, August 27, the moon slides almost entirely into Earth's shadow, peaking at 11:12 p.m. with 96 percent covered; the partial phase runs from about 9:33 p.m. to 12:52 a.m. You need nothing but a patch of open sky, and it's a school night, so decide now which kid rules get suspended. |
| THE ROUNDUP  Paramount's Mean Girls is the show's Chicago-area premiere, running August 26 through October 11, 2026, with tickets at ParamountAurora.com. That theater is the best argument for driving to Aurora, and this is the show that will sell out before you get around to booking it. |
Paramount's Copley Comedy Series is back Saturday, August 22 with Larry Reeb, Laura Hugg, and host Tim Benker at the 165-seat Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., and $22 for adults-only stand-up in a room that small is a pretty good Saturday. |
Route 66 gets its DuPage due at the DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St. in Wheaton, where a free exhibit on the Mother Road runs through November 14, 2026 (closed September 17-21). Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends noon to 4 p.m., with a drop-in family craft program September 12 and a Leslie Goddard talk September 23; registration details are on Eventbrite. |
 On Thursday, August 27 at 11:00 a.m., the DuPage Children's Museum is hosting a Venardos Circus mini-performance, included with admission or membership. The Venardos Circus bills itself as an animal-free, Broadway-style show, and this preview is a reasonable way to see whether the full production is worth the ticket. |
 L.L. Bean put a date on the Westridge Court store: September 25. It's the retailer's fourth Illinois location, and they're hiring about 40 full- and part-time people if you know a teenager who needs a job. |
Saints Peter and Paul turns its Ellsworth Street campus into a fest Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m.: live music, food trucks, a beer tent, and a Kid Zone. It lands the first Saturday after school starts, which is either perfect timing or a dare, depending on your week. |
| THE EAT Dainty Dish, a Triple Berry Pie Sour Ale made with Bang Bang Pie, is back on tap at Solemn Oath after a four-year absence. Bang Bang Bingo runs Friday, August 21 starting at 5 p.m. at the brewery. |
| THE WEEKEND The Forecast Friday kicks off cool in the mid-60s, so layer up before you leave. By midday it's pushing 80 and you'll shed that layer, but keep it handy: there's a 55% chance of showers or thunderstorms rolling through, most likely in the afternoon or evening. Check timing before you commit to outdoor plans. Saturday needs no plan B. Sunny, 78 at peak, no rain. Grab sunscreen and go. Sunday stays pleasant and steady, mostly sunny and mild through the low 70s. Another easy day out. |
 The Park District's outdoor Shrek screening lands at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Honorary Sindt Memorial Ct., on Friday, August 21, with movie Bingo at 7:00 p.m. and the film at 8:00 p.m. It's free; bring chairs or a blanket. |
DuPage Children's Museum runs its Gabby's Dollhouse Meowseum Discovery Days Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23. Crafts, storytelling, and hands-on activities are covered by general admission, but the Gabby Meet and Greet requires a separate ticket, so book that before the weekend for the superfan in your house. |
 Nritya Natya Academy's HRIDUM 2026 is a full Kathak showcase at Center Stage on Saturday, August 22 at 4:00 p.m., tracing the form from classical roots through folk, contemporary, and film music, with kids and adults performing. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., and tickets are on sale now. |
 Noche de Familia at the Morton Arboretum on Sunday, August 23 celebrates Latin American cultures with music, food, crafts, and face painting from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., timed while the monarchs are active. Evening admission is $5 per person age 4 and older, free for kids 3 and under, and included if you already have general admission. |
Glen Ellyn is the weekend's easy answer: the Festival of the Arts turns Lake Ellyn Park into a 60-artist fair Saturday and Sunday, August 22-23, and on Sunday the MAC throws itself a free 40th birthday party at College of DuPage with Sixteen Candles headlining. Both are free, and Lake Ellyn Park is the prettier picnic backdrop of the two. |
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YOUR TURN Running an event, or know something happening around town? The best stuff out here spreads by word of mouth. Be the word, we read every submission. |
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