Arts and Entertainment

Music

“WDCB’s Jazz Wednesdays” From 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays at Carlucci, 1801 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove. No cover. (630) 512-0990, www.CarlucciRestaurant.com.

“The Nutcracker” Midwest Ballet Theatre, 1:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 22 and 23, Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Guest artists are Anne Milewski and Sean Stewart, soloists with American Ballet Theatre. Tickets for Nov. 22 and 23 are $14 adults, $13 seniors and students age 12 to 18, $12 children under 12. For ticket information, call (630) 971-9751.

“The Nutcracker” Salt Creek Ballet, 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 29 and 30, Hinsdale Central High School, auditorium, corner of 55th and Grant streets. Guest performers are Gillian Murphy and Gennadi Sveliev from the American Ballet Theatre. Tickets for Saturday are $27.50 adults, $24.50 age 12 and under. Tickets for the Sugar Plum Party Benefit Performance on Sunday are $34.50 adults, $29. 50 age 12 and under. For tickets, call (630) 769-1199.

Holiday concert “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” Sweet Adelines chorus, Choral-Aires Chorus and the Brotherhood of Harmony Chorus, 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, Addison Trail High School, 213 N. Lombard Road. $18 adults, $15 seniors, children and groups. Tickets available at the door or in advance by contacting Connie Harr at ch1234@att.com.

Holiday chorale concert 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, Redeemer Lutheran Church, 139 E. First St., Hinsdale. Features the Hinsdale Chorale, the Hinsdale Chorale Orchestra and the Allegro Handbell Ensemble. Free-will donation taken. For more information, visit www.hinsdalechorale.org.

Chorus seeks new members The Choral-Aires, an award-winning Sweet Adelines Chorus, invites local women who like to sing, to attend a series of guest nights to prepare for the group’s Dec. 13 Christmas show, “Let There be Peace on Earth,” presented with the Brotherhood of Harmony Chorus. Guest nights are held from 7 to 10 p.m. each Monday, through Dec. 8, at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church, 367 Spring Road. Community members are invited to join the chorus during its practice. For information, call Jane Toftey at (630) 665-8387, www.choral-aires.org.

theater

“A Christmas Carol” 10 a.m. Nov. 21, 24, 28 to 30, Dec. 1 to 4, 6, 9 to 12, and 15 to 20; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 and 17, Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. All ages. Dinner or breakfast buffet offered before performances on Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 10, 17 and 20. Show only tickets are $9. For tickets, call (630) 530-0111.

Museum

Fine artisan boutique “Christmas at the Mill,” Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 to 23, Graue Mill and Museum, 3800 York Road, Oak Brook.  Handmade gifts, decorative items, strolling carolers and decorated Christmas trees. Friday features a wine and cheese preview party from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is $6. Saturday and Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no admission charge. www.grauemill.org.

Museum tours Take a tour of the Hinsdale History Museum, 15 S. Clay St., during November and receive a free Hinsdale Historical Society cookbook. Museum hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

nature events

Wild Wednesday Walks Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays, Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. Register at (630) 850-8110.

FullersBird Fridays hikes Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 7:30 to 9 a.m. Fridays, Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. Adults only. Register at (630) 850-8110.

“Going on a Gnome Hunt” 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Feb. 28, Morton Arboretum, Children’s Garden, Interstate 88 and Route 53, Lisle. Children can search for gnomes hiding among the trees. Free, drop-in activity. (630) 725-2066, www.mortonarb.org.

Miscellaneous

”Coffee and Crosswords” Drop-in program at the Clarendon Hills Public Library, 7 N. Prospect Ave., will be offered the first and third Mondays of each month from 10 a.m. to noon. The meeting room will be set up with puzzles, card and board games, coffee and treats. No registration necessary. For more information, call (630) 323-8188.

Polar Express trip Clarendon Hills Park District train ride to the Aurora Metra Station, 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, from the Clarendon Hills Metra Station. All ages. Storyteller, hot chocolate and cookies on the train. Santa Claus will board train in Aurora for ride back to Clarendon Hills. $20 per person. Children one-year-old and younger are free. Tickets required at Community Center, 315 Chicago Ave. For more information, call (630) 323-2626.

Library silent auction Friends of the Oak Brook Public Library holding a holiday silent auction of fine used and rare books through Dec. 7. Selections of books are being offered in themed lots, which can be viewed in the library’s lobby display cases, 600 Oak Brook Road. Books include architecture, chefs, flowers, holidays, hunting, investing, lyric, quilts and others. Instructions for bidding and a full listing of the books offered can be viewed online at www.oak-brook.lib.il.us. Bids will be accepted at the library and by e-mail until 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Bidding is by a minimum of $1 increments. Bid status will be updated on the library’s Web site each week.

Clubs

Toastmasters Club No. 7446 Noon to 1 p.m. Mondays, McDonald’s Corp. Headquarters, 2111 McDonald Drive, Oak Brook. Call Alex Pronove, (630) 337-0597.

Rotary Club of Downers Grove 12:15 p.m. Mondays. For meeting location, call Joe Kenny, (630) 334-2858.

Rotary Club of Darien 12:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Argonne National Laboratory Guest House, Cass Avenue, Darien. (630) 434-5075, www.darienrotaryclub.org.

Oak Brook Speakers Toastmasters 5:30 to 6:35 p.m. Tuesdays, FOCUS, 430 W. 22nd St., Lombard. Call Bob, (312) 401-8614. Oakbrookspeakers@cs.com.

Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Kiwanis Club 5:30 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday, Hinsdale Public Library, 20 E. Maple St. (630) 323-4234.

Chorus of DuPage All-male barbershop chorus, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 815 S. Washington St., Naperville. Call Jerry Broz, (630) 964-3139.

Kickstarters Toastmasters Club 6:30 a.m. Wednesdays, Panera Bread, 1400 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove. Call Bill, (630) 248-4099.

Infant Welfare Society Downers Grove chapter, every fourth Wednesday, September through May, at members’ homes. Call Sue Mazeika, (630) 985-5240.

Faithful Circle Quilters 7:30 p.m. every fourth Wednesday, First Presbyterian Church, 4th and Fairview, Downers Grove. Call Sue Grimm, (630) 668-8099.

WHBCD Kiwanis Breakfast Club For Willowbrook, Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills and Darien, 8 a.m. every second and fourth Wednesday, Holiday Inn-Willowbrook, 7800 Kingery Highway. Call Dorothy Catinella, (630) 887-7737.

Ellsworth Park Toastmasters Club 7 p.m. every second and fourth Wednesday, Downers Grove. For meeting locations, call Mike Baker, (630) 795-0180. groups.msn.com/EllsworthParkToastmasters.

Downers Grove Kiwanis Club 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1125 Franklin St., Downers Grove. Call Gloria Caracello, (630) 968-6300.

Walking club Contours Express, 10 a.m. Wednesdays, 70 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove. Free. (630) 810-9777.

Leads Club of Oak Brook 7:30 a.m. Thursdays at DuPage Club, 1901 S. Meyers Road, Oakbrook Terrace. Call Jeff Wambold, (630) 573-8990, Ext. 304.

Naperville Networkers Business networking, 7:01 a.m. Thursdays, Big Apple Pancake House, 2799 Maple Ave., Lisle. Call Matt Ewald, (630) 678-1700.

Western Lights Chorus 7 p.m. Thursdays, Seventh Day Adventist Church Hall, 201 N. Oak St., Hinsdale. Guests welcome. (773) 631-2466, www.westernlightschorus.com.

Sales Professionals of Illinois Inc. 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Thursdays, Pancake Delight House, 75th Street and Fairview Avenue, Darien. Call Eve Dunn, (630) 852-0580.

Lodge Leads Organization Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce executives group, 7:15 a.m. Thursdays, First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Ave., Downers Grove. Networking begins at 7 a.m. Call Keith Hoffman, (630) 306-5626.

Golden “K” Kiwanis Club 10 a.m. Fridays at King-Bruwaert House, 6101 S. County Line Road, Burr Ridge. All seniors welcome. Call Bonnie Kohout, (630) 323-2250.

Hinsdale Rotary Club 12:15 p.m. Fridays at Oaks Hotel and Conference Center, County Line and Frontage roads, Burr Ridge. (630) 654-8045, www.hinsdalerotary.org.

Support groups

Depression & Bipolar Support For adults only, 1 p.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Oak Rooms near the cafeteria, 39th Street and Highland Avenue, Downers Grove. $2 suggested donation. (630) 415-1480.

Nar-Anon Family Group “Stepping into Serenity,” support for family and friends who are close to someone with a drug addiction problem, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays, Linden Oaks Hospital, Room 105, 852 S. West St., Naperville. For more information, call the NarAnon Helpline at (312) 409-0598.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly 6:30 p.m. Mondays, First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Ave., Downers Grove. (630) 964-2043.

Lactation/breastfeeding support group 11 a.m. to noon, Mondays, Antares Institute of Integrative Health, 545 Plainfield Road, Suite E, Willowbrook. (630) 321-2296.

National Association for Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders of Glen Ellyn Eating disorder support group, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 751 Roosevelt Road, Building 7, Suite 115, Glen Ellyn. Bilingual services offered. For more information, call Dana Castellano, (312) 882-0494, www.anad.org.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Greater Illinois Chapter, 7 p.m. every fourth Tuesday, Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 815 S. Washington St., Naperville. Call Alice Chlumecky, (630) 852-4295, or Gayle Schweinert, (630) 420-8548.

New Mothers Support Group 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. To register, call Advocate’s Health Advisor at (800) 323-8622 and ask for class code 4B10.

Postpartum Depression Support Group 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. $15. To register, call the Health Advisor, (800) 323-8622, www.advocatehealth.com.

Al-Anon 8 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Faith United Methodist Church, 432 59th St., Downers Grove. Participants should enter the rear of the church and go to Room B-6.

Postpartum support group 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, Antares Institute of Integrative Health, 545 Plainfield Road, Suite E, Willowbrook. (630) 321-2296.

Alzheimer’s caregiver group 2 to 3:30 p.m. every last Wednesday, Room 264 at Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st Street and York Road, Oak Brook. Call Jim Toler, group facilitator, (630) 964-9797.

Al-Anon family groups “Courage to Change,” 1 p.m. Wednesday, Community Presbyterian Church, Room 8, 39 N. Prospect Ave., Clarendon Hills.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly Two Westmont chapters meet Thursdays, Park Federal Bank, 21 E. Ogden Ave., Westmont. Chapter 1748, 9 a.m. Call Lesa Hips, (630) 887-7725. Chapter 1855, 5:30 p.m. (630) 995-5036.

Overeaters Anonymous Newcomer/speaker meeting, 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. Thursdays, St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, 3910 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. (630) 653-8608.

Garden Foundation Domestic violence support group, 7 p.m. Thursdays, Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss St. Call Michelle Roty, (630) 379-9427.

Depression and Bipolar Alliance Caregivers support group, 7 p.m. Thursdays, Oak Rooms of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. $2 donation suggested. (630) 415-1480.

Mental illness support group National Alliance on Mental Illness, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, North Pavilion, Community Education Room, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Free. Call Susan Piasecki, (630) 752-0066.

Reformers Unanimous Addiction program, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays, Marquette Manor Baptist Church, 333 75th St., Downers Grove. Call Joel Dedic, (630) 800-6540.

AA/Alanon 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, St. Andrews Church, 1125 Franklin St., Downers Grove. Call Bruce/Sharon, (630) 852-7142.

seminars/workshops

“First Holiday Season After a Loss” workshop 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, Brown and Associates Counseling and Mediation, 102 S. Washington St., Hinsdale. $55. To register, call (630) 455-4655.

“Getting Through the Holidays” workshop 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, Brown and Associates Counseling and Mediation, 102 S. Washington St., Hinsdale. $55. To register, call (630) 455-4655

Family Matters group classes Held on a weekly basis at Wellness House, 131 N. County Line Road, Hinsdale. Programming for families who are experiencing cancer in the family. To register, call Betsy Rubenstein at (630) 654-5118.

Cake decorating school Wilton School of Cake Decorating, 7511 Lemont Road, Darien, offers 50 courses throughout the year. Fees range from $75 to $950. (630) 985-6077, www.school.wilton.com.

fundraisers

“Mistletoe Medley” fundraiser Oak Brook Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society Auxiliary, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Includes gift boutique, luncheon, raffles and fashion show. Mistress of Ceremonies is Allison Rosati of NBC 5 News. Preview party, “Martini Medley,” at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, with a silent auction, appetizers, entertainment and raffle. Tickets for “Martini Medley” are $40; “Mistletoe Medley” are $80. For reservations, call Carolann Nemec, (630) 323-9487.

Interest groups

St. Eulalia Elementary School reunion Class of 1971. Plans being made. If interested in attending, call Noreen Collins Kuenster, (708) 442-2628.

Harper High School 50th reunion Class of January and June 1959. Plans being made for summer of 2009. If interested in attending, call Cliff Gustafson, (815) 372-9937.

Morton East High School 33rd reunion Class of 1975, 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, Michael Anthony’s Restaurant, 6434 W. Ogden Ave., Berwyn. No cover. Cash food and bar. If interested, call Jeannie Mizerka Mikota at (708) 601-2248, jmikota@aol.com.

Bowen High School 40th reunion Class of 1969, 6 p.m. Saturday, July 25, 2009, Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 350 N. Orleans St., Chicago. $110 per person, $195 per couple may be purchased by sending a check to Phyllis Volk, 250 E. Pearson St., Unit 906, Chicago, IL 60611, payable to Phyllis Volk and indicate Bowen Reunion in the memo section. For more information and “lost classmates” addresses, visit www.freewebs.com/bowen1969reunion, or call Brett Weiss at (630) 248-5405.

Morton West High School 20th reunion Class of 1989. Plans being made. Looking for “lost classmates.” For more information or to register for the reunion, contact mortonwest89@gmail.com.

Downers Grove North High School 50th reunion Class of 1960. Plans being made for 2010. Send addresses to Rolfe Sick, 8003 Fairmont Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60516.

religion

Music conservatory Christ Church of Oak Brook hosts a music conservatory for students of all ages, preschool to adult. Openings in all areas of instruction for fall: voice, piano, flute, oboe, Suzuki and traditional violin, guitar and all brass instruments. All instructors go through an interview and background check process. For more information, call Susan Busch at (630) 321-3926, www.cc-ob.org.

Holly Market Women’s Association of the Union Church of Hinsdale, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, Union Church, 137 S. Garfield St., Hinsdale. Includes Ten Thousand Villages, Hinsdale Historical Society, Equal Exchanged Coffee, Tea and Chocolate, Harambe and handcrafted doll clothing. Jingle Bell Cafe features lunch and baked goods. Rudolph’s Boutique for children to shop at. Proceeds benefit the Bridgman Centre of Soweto, South Africa. (630) 323-4303.

“When Happy Holidays Bring You Down” workshop 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st St. and York Road. Barbara Miklos, counselor, will speak. To register, call Lorri Winter at (630) 321-3936.

Service of Lessons and Carols 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st St. and York Road. (630) 654-1882.

Taize Service of Prayer and Communion 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st St. and York Road. (630) 654-1882.