Know any good dad jokes? This Sunday is Father’s Day, a time to honor patriarchs everywhere by eliciting groans with corny puns (e.g. What do you call a wizard who’s really bad at football? Fumbledore).
Once you (quickly) reach your tolerance level for that, take advantage of some of the fun family-friendly events happening nearby this weekend. Here’s a top-10 list of some options.
10. Start the celebration early with the Dad’s Day gathering from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Hinsdale Public Library. Enjoy doughnuts, coffee and spending time with your kids with different activities each month.
9. Check out some one-of-a-kind cars Sunday at Oakbrook Center’s 52nd annual Father’s Day Classic Car Show from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The show will feature over 80 antique, classic, vintage and specialty automobiles on display throughout the mall. Visit https://www.oakbrookcenter
8. Experience a book come to life on Story Walk: Daniel Finds a Poem on the grounds of Mayslake Peabody Mansion in Oak Brook. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., the large displays of Micha Archer’s lushly illustrated pages along a half-mile path encourage families to explore their surroundings and their inspirations. Visit https://www.dupageforest.org.
7) Head to Cantigny Park in Wheaton to hear the Two Beer Tommy Band play contemporary and classic country and rock from 3 to 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. Picnics are welcome to the outdoor concert, but alcohol is not allowed. Visit https://www.cantigny.org.
6) Learn why dragonflies and damselflies are aerial acrobats by watching their behavior on a 1-mile Dragonfly Walk at 1 p.m. at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center in Lemont, Ages 12 & up are welcome, and registration is required. Visit https://www.fpdcc.com.
5) Ribfest will take place starting at noon each day Friday to Monday, June 17-20, at the DuPage Event Center and Fairgrounds in Wheaton. The event features a carnival, live music, a family fun area and, of course, award-winning ribs. Visit https://www.ribfest.net.
4) In observance of Dairy Month, explore the home of an 1890s DuPage farm family on the guided Farmhouse Tour at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visit https://www.dupageforest.org.
3) Get a sense of what was like living alongside enormous animals that made Earth their home for millions of years before dying off in a mass extinction at Brookfield Zoo’s Ice Age Giants. The exhibit features more than 30 life-sized, animatronic re-creations, including a mastodon, giant ground sloth and saber-toothed cat. Visit https://www.czs.org.
2) Join the Willowbrook Happy Hour after-hours tour of Willowbrook Wildlife Center’s ambassador animals from 4 to 5 p.m. Deliver their dinners and learn how these wild residents are cared for. Registration is required. Visit https://www.dupageforest.org.
1) Learn skills and enjoy some quality time together at Fishing: With Dad from 4 to 6 p.m. at Herrick Lake in Wheaton. Visit https://www.dupageforest.org.
Whatever you decide to do, have a Happy Father’s Day!
