Arts and Entertainment
Music
Open mic 9 p.m. to midnight, Thursdays, except last Thursday of the month, Brian’s Charhouse, 27W371 North Ave., West Chicago. Hosted by Debe Welch. Sound and drums provided. Call (630) 876-2000.

Mega Winterfest 2009 concert Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16 and 17, Pheasant Run Resort, Mega Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Features several national country acts hosted by GAC’s Storme Warren. Performers include The Road Hammers, Kellie Pickler, Phil Vassar, LeAnn Rimes and more. One and two day tickets available. Tickets start at $54 and are available by calling (630) 584-6342, www.pheasantrun.com..

nature events
“Keeping Warm” Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, through Jan 26, Kline Creek Farm, County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Ave., Winfield. Discover ways families kept warm in the winter during the 1890s. Tours begin on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (630) 876-5900.

Ice harvesting Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday,Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 22, 24, 25 and 29, Kline Creek Farm, County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Ave., Winfield. See exhibit of ice-cutting tools and inspect ice house where families stored the ice. Weather permitting, visitors can help cut and transport ice from the lake. Call (630) 876-5900.

Blacksmithing demonstrations Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Kline Creek Farm, County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Ave., Winfield. Watch the blacksmith repair equipment and demonstrate the tools and techniques of the trade. Call (630) 876-5900.

Pie baking class Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Kline Creek Farm, County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Ave., Winfield. Learn the basics of making pie and bake different recipes to take home in a wood burning oven. $25 per person. For reservations, call (630) 876-5900.

“Pies for the Farmer” Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Sunday, Jan. 25, Kline Creek Farm, County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Ave., Winfield. Demonstrations of baking in a wood burning stove every hour from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Receive recipes to take home. Call (630) 876-5900.

Library
Fairy Tale puppet show 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 16, Winfield Public Library, 0S291 Winfield Road. All ages. Drop-in event. (630) 653-7599.
 
Pizza Double Feature Noon, Saturday, Jan. 24, Winfield Public Library, 0S291 Winfield Road. Ages 13 to 18. Movies are "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 and 2." Register at (630) 653-7599.
 
Tail Waggin' Tutors 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Winfield Public Library, 0S291 Winfield Road. Children allotted 15 minutes of reading to a dog from Glenbard All Breed Obedience Club. Register at (630) 653-7599.
 
Princess Party in a Winter Wonderland 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Warrenville Public Library, 28W751 Stafford Place. Girls ages 3 to 8. Dress up in your princess outfit and come for stories, crafts and games. Register at (630) 393-1771.
 
Knights in Training 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Warrenville Public Library, 28W751 Stafford Place. Boys ages 3 to 8. Create a shield and sword. Learn about knightly chivalry, play games and do crafts. Register at (630) 393-1771.
 
Drop-in storytimes Through April 29, Warrenville Public Library, 28W751 Stafford Place. Family storytimes meet at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Includes stories, rhymes, movement games, songs and fingerplays. Registration not required. (630) 393-1171.

CLUBS
Widows or Widowers Club 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, Elks Lodge, 711 W. St. Charles Road, Elmhurst. Entertainment includes a performance by Those Were the Days Radio Players and music by the Johnny Matt Trio. $5 admission. Call Ron at (630) 653-5721.

WildOnes Greater DuPage Chapter, 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, Naperville Municipal Center, lower level, Room C, 400 S. Eagle St. Jack MacRae, naturalist with the DuPage County Forest Preserve, will present “Prehistoric Elephants of DuPage County.” Call Pat Clancy, (630) 964-0448.

Fish and chicken buffet Fox River-Geneva American Legion War Veterans Post 75, 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, 22 S. Second St., Geneva. $9 for adults, $8.50 for seniors, $5.50 for children 9 and younger. No reservations are necessary. (630) 232-2171.

Fox Valley African Violet Society Every third Friday, Warrenville. For meeting location, contact Micheline Engljand, (630) 244-4490, meeze@wowwat.com.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Coffee klatch, 7 to 9 a.m. Saturdays, Post 5036, 119 N. Third St., St. Charles.

Fox Valley PC Association 9 a.m. every third Saturday, meeting location changes by month. Check www.fvpca.org or call (630) 554-1225.


Geneva Lions Club Noon Mondays, Mill Race Inn, 4 E. State St., Geneva. Call Bill Weckler, club president, (630) 208-1422.

Wayne Art League 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays in the parish hall of Little Home Church by the Wayside, 32W128 Army Trail Road, Wayne. (630) 232-7638 or (630) 377-7705.

Open gym walk 8 to 10:30 a.m. Mondays, Salvation Army, 1710 S. Seventh Ave., St. Charles. Call Cathy Winters, (630) 377-2769.

Snowdrifters Ski Club 8 p.m. every third Monday, except June, July and August, McNally’s Irish Pub, 210 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-4207.

St. Charles Mother’s Club 6:45 p.m. every third Monday, Hosanna! Lutheran Church, corner of Randall and Crane roads, St. Charles. (630) 217-MOMS.

Network Exchange Business networking group, 7 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Colonial Café, 1625 E. Main St., St. Charles. Membership limited to one per business category. Call Dr. David Gursky (630) 372-6599, Mike Kajani at (630) 393-3030.

Tri-Cities Exchange Club Child abuse prevention group, 7 a.m. Tuesdays, Colonial Restaurant, 2036 W. Route 38, St. Charles. Call Don Haines, (630) 377-7328.

St. Charles Kiwanis Club Noon Tuesdays, National City Bank, 2600 E. Main St., St. Charles. Call Paul Doud, (630) 584-0954 or (630) 584-0955.

Batavia Rotary Club 7:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Apple Villa, 1961 W. Wilson St., Batavia. www.bataviarotaryclub.org.

Geneva Rotary Club 7 a.m. Tuesdays, Mill Race Inn, 4 E. State St., Geneva. www.genevarotary.org.

St. Charles Rotary Club 7 a.m. Tuesdays, Hotel Baker, 100 W. Main St., St. Charles. Call Peter Smith, (630) 377-7760.

LeTip International Business networking group, 7 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Comfort Inn, 1555 E. Fabyan Parkway, Geneva. Call Shawn Arbid, (630) 240-3052.

DuPage Libertarians 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, Panera Bread, back meeting room, 25 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton. Call (630) 200-9527, www.DuPageLibertarians.org.

Batavia American Legion Post 504, 7 p.m. every third Tuesday, Batavia VFW Post 1197 Canteen, 645 S. River St., Batavia. Call Don Nallenweg, (630) 406-9331.

Batavia Plain Dirt Gardeners 7 p.m. every third Tuesday, Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. (630) 879-7578. 

Refer Network Business networking group, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. every first and third Tuesday, Panera Bread, 1492 S. Randall Road, Geneva. Call Debra Tucholski, (630) 587-5551, www.refernetwork.org.

Newcomers and Neighbors Club Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. every third Wednesday, at different locations. Call Janet, (630) 587-5585, Carol, (630) 443-0379, or Lorrie, (630) 584-9368.

Institute of Management Accountants Fox River Valley Chapter, 5:30 p.m. every third Wednesday. Includes networking, dinner and presentation. For location, call Julie Broman, (630) 906-2308.

St. Charles Kiwanis Golden K 9 a.m. every first and third Wednesday, National City Bank, 2600 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 513-9350.

West Chicago Masonic Lodge 7 p.m. every first and third Wednesday, 181 W. Washington St. (630) 231-9551.

Geneva Historic Homeowners Association 7 p.m. every third Wednesday, Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St. (630) 232-4951.

St. Charles Chess Club 7 to 11:15 p.m. Thursdays, Baker House Community Center, 101 S. Second St., St. Charles. (847) 818-8913.

Premier Referral Team Business networking group, 7:30 a.m. Thursdays, Panera, 154 W. Wilson St., Batavia. Call Brenda Tiedke, (630) 363-1134, or Bill Cummings, (630) 650-9200.

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

Bingo for seniors 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. Thursdays, The Salvation Army, 1710 S. Seventh Ave., St. Charles. Golden Diners lunch afterward, $2.75, if registered by 9 a.m. the day before. Call Pauli, (630) 377-2769.

Kane County Genealogical Society 7:30 p.m. every fourth Thursday, Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva. (847) 697-1029.

Americans for Fair Taxation 7 to 9 p.m. every fourth Thursday, St. Charles City Hall, 2 E. Main St., St. Charles. Call Pete Malone, (630) 584-4548.


WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS
Women’s classes “Women Who Wonder Why,” 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wayne/Winfield Area Youth/Family Services office, 27W031 North Ave., West Chicago. Discussion of concerns and issues important to women. $25 per session. Pre-class consultation, $13. Register at (630) 231-7166.

Art classes Professional fine artist, Duane Geisness, teaching art classes in the Campbell House Art Gallery, Kane County Events Center, 33W848 Cherry Lane, Geneva. Classes meet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Watercolor, acrylic and oil painters welcome. For more information, call (630) 587-8526.

NAMI Basics class National Alliance on Mental Illness, 7 p.m. starting Jan. 21, NAMI DuPage office, 2100 Manchester Road, Wheaton. Course for parents with children under age 17. Free. Register at (630) 752-0066, Ext. 210.

First time homebuyers workshop 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, Wheaton Park District, 1777 S. Blanchard Road. Professional panel of speakers along with a local lender, real estate agent and attorney. Learn how to purchase a foreclosure. Reservations required at (888) 513-9152, Ext. 43.

Teen anger class 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Wayne/Winfield Area Youth/Family Services office, 27W031 North Ave., West Chicago. Ten sessions, $25 per session. Register at (630) 231-7166.

special event
Nicht Wi’ Burns Dinner Saturday, Jan. 24, Hilton Oak Lawn, Grand Ballroom, 9333 S. Cicero Ave. Begins at 5:45 p.m.; dinner at 6:30 p.m. Commemorating the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth. Midlothian Scottish Pipe Band will play at 6:15 p.m. Entertainment includes Thistle and Heather Highland Dancers, and the Evanston Scottish Country Dancers. Tickets are $55 to $60 for adults and $15 for children. Reservations are due by Jan. 20 and are available by e-mailing at NichtWiBurns@aol.com.

interest groups
Volunteer tutors needed Literacy DuPage seeking volunteer tutors to provide one-to-one and small group tutoring for adults learning to read, write and speak English. Tutors need not be experienced in teaching or be bilingual. Comprehensive training provided in a series of six workshops, preparing for English as a Second Language or Adult Basic Literacy instruction. Next training series is held from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Jan 20, 22, 27, 29, Feb. 3 and 17, at the Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss St. For more information or to register for the training series, call (630) 416-669, or visit www.literacydupage.org.