Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest, Lewis Black, New Philharmonic

Marvel at the thousands of carved pumpkins glowing this weekend during the Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival.
Thanks to Karie Angell Luc

Awesome Highwood Pumpkin Party

Expect lots of great pumpkins at the 14th annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest taking place this weekend in downtown Highwood between Green Bay Road to the west, Waukegan Avenue to the east, Highwood Avenue to the south and North Avenue to the north. The festivities include live music, all-you-can-eat pumpkin carving stations, a huge jack-o’-lantern show, costume parades for kids and pets, trick-or-treating, food vendors, a carnival, hay rides and more. Free. highwoodpumpkinfest.com. 4-10 p.m. Friday, October 4; Saturday, October 5 from noon to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, October 6 from noon to 9 p.m

Chicago Opera Theater launches its 2024-25 season with the North American premiere of “Leonora,” inspired by the same source material as Beethoven’s “Fidelio,” currently playing at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Season opener Chicago Opera Theater

Chicago Opera Theater launches its 2024-2025 season with the North American premiere of “Leonora,” an 1804 opera by composer Ferdinando Paër and librettist Giuseppe Maria Foppa, at the Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Based on the story that also inspired Ludwig van Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’, it is said to have had some influence on that work. The story centers on the titular Leonora, a devoted woman who disguises herself as a man to infiltrate the prison where her husband is wrongfully held. $59.50 – $159.50. chicagooperatheater.org. 7:30 PM Friday, October 4 and 3:00 PM Sunday, October 6

A picture says more than 1000 words

Matthew Murphy’s photography inspired ’35MM’, a multimedia musical that tells stories through photographs and songs. The performances will take place at 221 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $15, $25. threebrothertheater.com. 7:30 PM Friday and Saturday October 4-5, October 25-26 and November 1-2, and 2 PM Sunday October 6 and 27 and November 3

Latina Comedy Festival

The Den Theater, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, hosts a Latina Comedy Festival where rising Millennial and Gen Z Latina comedians talk about their lives. The lineup includes Chicago stand-ups Christina Gutierrez, Courtney Zelazny, Hilary Jimenez, Jess Martinez and Monica Andrade. $30. (773) 697-3830 or thedentheatre.com. 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM Friday, October 4

The candy-inspired, family-friendly Hershey Super Sweet Adventure opens at Chicago’s Water Tower Place.
Courtesy of Original X Productions

For candy lovers

The Hershey Super Sweet Adventure, a family-friendly attraction celebrating the candy brand, will debut at Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers are among the candies included in the interactive attraction. Tickets start at $24. hersheysupersweetadventure.com. Previews from Friday, October 4 to October 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; opens October 18

Spooky river tour

In keeping with the season, Chicago Seadog offers a 75-minute adult-oriented tour of the Chicago River, with guides recalling the city’s grisly and scandalous history. Tours depart from Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $50. cityexperiments.com. 5:15 PM and 7:15 PM Friday through Sunday, October 4-6, through October 27 and October 31

More than 30 local breweries and cideries will showcase their brews on Saturday, October 5 during the Cider and Ale Festival at the Morton Arboretum.
Courtesy of the Morton Arboretum

Beer in the Aboretum

The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, hosts the Cider and Ale Festival featuring more than 30 local breweries and cideries. The $75 admission includes samples and a commemorative pint beer glass; $85 VIP includes early admission at 11am and exclusive samples; $35 designated driver; $12 for children ages 4-17. mortonarb.org. Saturday, October 5 from 12 noon to 3 p.m

New Philharmonic conductor and conductor Kirk Muspratt celebrates twenty seasons with the orchestra this weekend.
Courtesy of the McAninch Arts Center

New Philharmonic Orchestra at The MAC

Pianist Winston Choi joins The New Philharmonic for a program featuring Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major and Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The performances mark artistic director/conductor Kirk Muspratt’s 20th season with the orchestra. $57. atthemac.org. 7:30 PM Saturday, October 5 and 3:00 PM Sunday, October 6

The KAIA String Quartet honors female Latin American composers as part of the season-opening Chamber Music on the Fox concerts.

Four female composers

Chamber Music on the Fox opens its season with “A Celebration of Latin American Women,” in which the KAIA String Quartet performs music by female composers from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela. $15, $25, $30. chambermusiconthefox.org. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6 at The Ballydoyle, 28 W. New York St., Aurora; 7:30 PM Monday, October 7 at The Haight, 166 Symphony Way, Elgin; 2:00 PM Saturday, October 12 at The Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock

The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts welcomes comedian Lewis Black for his farewell tour.
Courtesy of Comedy Central

Lewis Black says goodbye

Grammy Award-winning Lewis Black (“Inside Out,” “The Daily Show”) brings his farewell tour “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road” to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $48-$75. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org. 7:30 PM Wednesday and Thursday October 9-10