• The Downtown St. Charles Partnership recently announced that local businesses and nonprofit groups are invited to participate in this year’s Electric Christmas Parade. Nonprofit groups can participate for free, and businesses can enter in the business category for $250. The deadline for parade entries is Oct. 24. The parade will step off at 6th and Main Street in St. Charles at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29. For further information, call (630) 513-5386 or visit www.dtown.org.

• The University of Phoenix Chicago teams up with local law enforcement and criminal justice officials to present A Symposium on Criminal Justice in the 21st Century for Chicago residents. Honored guest speakers will give attendees an opportunity to learn from the best in their fields. This symposium is an opportunity to learn about criminal justice and how it goes far beyond that of policing and security in the 21st century. This will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the University of Phoenix Warrenville Learning Center, 4525 Weaver Parkway, Warrenville. For further information or to RSVP, contact Michelle Lawson at (847) 413-1922.

• The Naperville Heritage Society/Naper Settlement recently was honored with the American Cultural Resources Association 2008 ACRA Quality Product Award, Large Project, for the Joseph Naper Homestead Site archeological digs. Missouri-based SCI Engineering, Inc., which oversaw the digs in 2006 and 2007 in Naperville, nominated the project for the awards. For further information, call (630) 420-6010 or visit www.napersettlement.museum.

• Good Buy Travel is hosting an open house entitled Around the World in 80 Minutes. Journey with them from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, when representatives from major cruise lines and from several tour companies will describe the best ways to travel around the world. Based in Orland Park, Good Buy Travel has been planning leisure vacations, destination weddings, adventure travel, group travel and business travel for over 19 years. For further information, call (708) 403-4777.

• Midtown Athletic Club Willowbrook will host “Rally for the Cure Tennis Event and Buffet” to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The event is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Midtown Athletic Club Willowbrook and includes tennis mixers, Wilson racquet demos, contests and more. For further information, visit www.midtown.com.