NEWS buyers, and potential clients. Participants will share arts and crafts, contributions, accomplishments, and professional services. Guests will be able to support Indigenous-owned companies through their purchases. The market will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. mitchellmuseum.org
DECEMBER 9
SCOUT ALL-OUT 5K WHERE: Lake Forest High School Lake Forest High School (LFHS) is holding its Scout All-Out 5K on December 9. This community fundraiser unifies staff, students, parents, and Lake Forest residents as they raise money for Student Council. The proceeds will help fund creative learning experiences and scholarships for LFHS students. Packet pickup and walk-up registration are at 7:30 a.m. and the run/walk begins at 9 a.m. Hot chocolate and a race mug will be
provided at the finish line. Donations and sign ups can be made at the following link. runsignup.com/race/ik/ lakeforest/scoutallout5k
DECEMBER 9
DÉGUSTATION DE VIN EVANSTON WHERE: The Wine Goddess Join Alliance Française for French conversation and a glass of wine at The Wine Goddess in Evanston. Nonalcoholic beverages will also be available along with light snacks and charcuterie boards. This event is open to all fluency levels for the French language and it begins at 3 p.m. RSVP on meetup.com or by emailing evanstonvin@AFnorthshore. org.
DECEMBER 9 TO 10
THE NUTCRACKER WHERE: Lake Forest Academy The North Shore School of Dance presents The
Nutcracker at Lake Forest Academy. Experience Clara and the Nutcracker’s journey to The Land of Sweets as they battle against the Mouse King. A portion of the proceeds are donated to organizations and charity groups. Tickets are $25. northshoredance.com
DECEMBER 9 AND 16 CHOO-CHOOS AND CHEW-CHEWS WHERE: History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff The History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff will host hot chocolate parties from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on December 9 and 16. The event will include cookies and desserts, scavenger hunts, and coloring activities for kids. The parties are free to attend and require an RSVP. lflbhistory.org
DECEMBER 9, 16, AND 21
DRIE-CEMBER WHERE: Driehaus Museum
Enjoy Drie-cember with several pop-up concerts at the Driehaus Museum. On Saturday, December 9, it will be hosting Hanukkah Songs with the Music Institute of Chicago. Saturday, December 16, will feature St. Lucia Day Songs with the Swedish American Museum. Thursday, December 21 will host the last pop-up concert with Kwanzaa Celebration with the African American Museum of Performing Arts. These concerts are free with admission and all from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. driehausmuseum.org
DECEMBER 10
GINGERBREAD HOUSES WHERE: Kenilworth Assembly Hall Decorate your own gingerbread house with frosting and candy at the Kenilwort Assembly Hall. For the ticket price of $40, you receive a complete gingerbread house kit. You
are welcome to purchase as many as you like for individual family members to create their own house. This event runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. kenilworth. parkdistrict.org
DECEMBER 10 TO OCTOBER 13
JOY AFTER THE HOLOCAUST EXHIBIT WHERE: Illinois Holocaust Museum In the late 1970s, photographer Andy Sweet took numerous photos of
Holocaust survivors living hopeful and joyous lives in South Beach, Florida. Through his images, it provides a hopeful display of life after a tragedy. The Illinois Holocaust Museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980,” celebrates Sweet’s work as a tribute to those who lived during that time. The exhibit will run from December 10 to October 13, 2024. ilholocaustmuseum.org
LIGHT PLAY
Kohlights at the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview offer kids not just the opportunity to see holiday lights, but to play with them. BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
‘Tis the season of lights and amid all the seasonal light shows on the North Shore, one in particular stands out—especially for kids. Children of all ages can immerse themselves Kohlights, an interactive light experience that runs on selected dates in December. Now in its fourth year, Kohlights allows children to interact with light and color as they explore hues and patterns in a safe and hands-on holiday light installation. For the first time, this year’s Kohlights will be an indoor/outdoor experience, with access to all of the Museum’s indoor exhibits as well as the outdoor “Winter Garden” and the popular Twinkle Train. “Kids don’t want to just look at holiday lights, they want to play with holiday lights,” says Kohl Children’s Museum Vice President of Marketing and Sales Michael Kormanik.
“Kids get dragged to a lot of places during the holidays but here, they are in charge so they can touch everything and interact with everything. They can be whoever they want to be.” This year’s Kohlights features a Rainbow Arbor where kids can work cooperatively to illuminate tree lights in the Museum’s courtyard; an Illumination Court, a frozen sculpture that kids can crawl into; a Winter Garden with oversized, illuminated flowers, dragonflies, and butterflies; and a Rainbow Caterpillar where kids can touch its body segments to change its hues. “We want to give kids a chance where they have the freedom to play and we want to elevate play both in the Museum and with Kohlights,” Kormanik says. “We want them to lead the charge, and from what we’re hearing this year’s Museum experience is the best one yet.” Kormanik says the Museum’s philosophy is rooted in placing a heavy emphasis on play.
It may seem trivial but offering kids an opportunity to learn by playing teaches lessons that will stick with them forever. “So much of what we do in our lives and later in our lives comes from the play that we do in early childhood and that’s what the Museum celebrates,” he says. “We like to joke that we don’t tell the kids play is healthy because it’s like the old Life cereal advertisement, ‘Mikey likes it but don’t tell him it’s good for him’.” The indoor museum is somewhat modeled on everyday life, as kids are prone to mimicking their parents. There’s a grocery store, where children can play cashier and other storefronts you’d find on a typical Main Street. “There’s no right or wrong order to do things; no time allotment,” says Kormanik. “It’s good for the parents because they can play with their kids if the kids want them to but the kids are in charge. Let them entertain you instead of the other way around.”
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The Kohlights event is scheduled for December 8, 9,15, and 16 but could be extended to the following week based on demand. The Museum closes each day at 4 pm for a deep cleaning and then reopens at 5 pm for the Kohlights event. For more information, visit kohlchildrensmuseum.org.
The Twinkle Train is part of Kohlights, an interactive light exhibit for kids at the Kohl Children’s Museum. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
