Chillax, dudes: Go to Oak Brook Winterfest

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Weather permitting, skating will be just one of the attractions at the 49th annual Oak Brook Winterfest taking place Sunday at Central Park in Oak Brook.

Updated: January 26, 2012 12:24PM

Depending on the weather, families will either be “dashing through the snow” or rolling along the pavement in carriages during Oak Brook Winterfest, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 at Central Park, 1450 Forest Gate Road. Lots of other fun is planned for this 49th annual free event.

“This Winterfest is special because it’s the first event in our 50th anniversary celebration,” said Jessica Alexenko, marketing manager of the half-century-old Oak Brook Park District, which is running Winterfest this year.

“If it freezes, we’re going to have a community ice rink,” Alexenko said. Darien Sports Complex will provide free skate rentals.

“We’ve got a snowman-building contest. If we don’t have snow, the kids will build snowmen inside with foam craft material,” Alexenko said. There will be three other children’s craft projects, live music for all ages at 1 p.m. and a children’s entertainer at 3 p.m.

For details, call (630) 990-4233 or visit www.obparks.org.

A treat, then a rock beat

Thomas Ford Memorial Library’s 80th Anniversary Celebration will get off to a sweet start with a welcome address and cake, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 at 800 Chestnut St., Western Springs. That will be followed by a performance by Ac Rock, an a cappella rock ’n’ roll group. Attendees will receive a commemorative gift.

For details, call (708) 246-0520 or visit www.fordlibrary.org.

See your shadow?

Kids will crawl through a tunnel, touch real fur, create a puppet show and make a pop-up groundhog during Groundhog Daze!, 11a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29 in the Children’s Garden at Morton Arboretum, I-88 and Ill. 53, Lisle. The event is free with arboretum admission.

For details, call (630) 719-2468 or visit www.mortonarb.org.

More groundhog lore

Flashing cameras make it impossible for Geoffrey to tell if he can see his shadow in Bruce Koscielniak’s Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather. Kids will hear the story during a Geoffrey’s Groundhog Day Storytime, make their own weather predictions and do a coloring activity, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Oak Brook Barnes and Noble, 297 Oakbrook Center.

For details, call (630) 684-0586 or visit www.barnesandnoble.com.

Win-win situation

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing will play together while their parents network during Illinois Guide by Your Side, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at Hinsdale Public Library, 20 E. Maple St. The event is planned as a Family Fun Day.

For details, call (630) 986-1976 or visit www.hinsdalelibrary.info.