Daily Herald's Weekend picks

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130522/entlife/705229938/

Tim McGraw

Starting off his Two Lanes of Freedom tour, country music star Tim McGraw headlines the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park, this weekend. $30.24-$70. For ticket information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.  7 p.m. Friday, May 24

Gretchen Wilson

Gretchen Wilson has garnered acclaim for following her own instincts in the occasionally conformist world of country music. She adds elements of soul and 1970s classic rock to her sound, and she records on her own label, Redneck Records. The Grammy-winning Illinois native makes a stop at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets start at $39. Go to www.oshows.com.  8 p.m. Friday, May 24

Bike Rodeo

The Hawthorn Woods Police Department hosts its Bike Rodeo at the Hawthorn Woods Community Park, at Quentin and Old McHenry roads, Hawthorn Woods. Events include free bicycle helmets, hot dogs and ice cream, free safety inspections and McGruff the Crime Dog. Free admission. (847) 847-2300 or www.vhw.org.  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 25

Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival

The annual Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival takes place on the grounds of the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center, 101 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. The outdoor fine art show and sale also showcases live entertainment, food vendors and children's activities. Free admission and parking. (847) 923-3605 or (847) 895-3600 or www.ci.schaumburg.il.us.  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26

Butterflies & Blooms exhibition

The Butterflies & Blooms exhibition returns this weekend with hundreds of butterflies from around the world on display in a special garden area at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. $6 adults; $5 seniors; $4 children (3-12), plus $25 parking per car. (847) 835-5440 or www.chicagobotanic.org.  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (weather permitting) from Saturday, May 25, through Sept. 2

Barrington Art Festival

See the work of artists from around the world at the Barrington Art Festival, now commemorating its 30th season at the Village Center, Cook and Station streets, Barrington. Free. (847) 926-4300 or www.amdurproductions.com.  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26

Vinyl Swap Meet

Browse antiques, fancy foods and global crafts, attend the Vinyl Swap Meet with your best LPs or see what's new at the Indie Designer Market. It's all going on the opening weekend of the Randolph Street Market Festival, 1350 W. Randolph St., Chicago. The European-flavored indoor and outdoor event offers unusual items from more than 200 dealers, gourmet foods, entertainment and a farmers market. Catch a free trolley from Water Tower Place or take advantage of free parking near the site. Admission is $10 at the door or $8 online, students $5 at the gate or $3 online, kids 12 and younger admitted free. www.randolphstreetmarket.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26

Susanna Farm's Memorial Day Weekend celebration

Featuring a variety of family activities including hayrides, kite flying, farm animals, obstacle courses and a plant sale. Two special ladybug releases will take place. Cups of lady bugs (who are beneficial to gardens) will be available for $3 a cup. Susanna Farms is at 24153 Townline Road, Lake Villa. Admission is $2; hayrides cost $5. (847) 838-0798 or www.susannafarms.com.  11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday, May 25-27

29th Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival

Chicago-area tribute bands are the stars of the day at the 29th annual Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival, on Sheffield Avenue, from Belmont to School Street, Chicago. Bands including Dot Dot Dot, 7th Heaven and Journey Recaptured will take to the stage. Crafts and food also available. $5 admission donation. (773) 868-3010 or www.chicagoevents.com.  Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26

Piccadilly Circus

See acrobats, clowns, contortionists and more when the Piccadilly Circus arrives this weekend at the DuPage County Expo Center, 4050 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 443-7158 or www.thefuncircus.com.  1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25; 1, 3:30 and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 26; and 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 27

Navy Pier Fireworks

You don't have to wait until the Fourth of July to celebrate summer. End your day in the city with spectacular fireworks displays over Lake Michigan synchronized to music. The summer schedule for Navy Pier fireworks officially kicks off on Memorial Day weekend, and there will be a synchronized show every Saturday through summer. See it from Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-7437 or www.navypier.com. 10:15 p.m. Saturdays, May 25-Aug. 31

Memorial Day Remembered

Experience the history and tradition of honoring fallen soldiers at the Memorial Day Remembered program at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. The program, which is co-hosted by the Center for History in Wheaton, includes songs and speeches reminiscent of ceremonies that took place in the 1890s. Free. (630) 876-5900. 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 27

The Local Tourtist.com's Weekend Picks

http://thelocaltourist.com/

Memorial Day Parade

Sat 12PM , Loop

State St. from Lake St. to Van Buren, FREE

Chicago's Memorial Day Parade honors all men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. The Chicago parade is considered one of the largest Memorial Day parades in the nation. Since 1870, Memorial Day parades have graced the streets of Chicago.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/memorial_day_parade.html

Dinosaur Petting Zoo

Sat 10am & 2P, Millennium Park

Wrigley Square, Free

You may not be petting a real dinosaur, but it'll seem pretty darn close! Only this one won't bite you. (We hope.)ERTH’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo™ is an experiential theatre production which takes audiences on a prehistoric journey into a new dimension where they get to meet a menagerie of insects, mammals and dinosaurs that once roamed the planet millions of years ago. Featuring a large-scale cast of dinosaur puppets brought to life by sophisticated design and theatrical presentation and puppet mastery, these life-like dinosaur recreations connect children to paleontology in a fun and informative setting. This monster production will feature up to 14 dinosaurs on stage which children of all ages can interact with in this fun, educational and unique performance.

Millennium Park Presents

Sun 6:30P, Millennium Park

Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Free

You can't go wrong with free concerts all summer long. The Northwestern University Brass Spectacular opens the season in a bombastic way.

http://thelocaltourist.com/event/millennium-park-presents-northwestern-university-brass-spectacular?utm_source=The+Local+Tourist%2C+Chicago&utm_campaign=38de131b52-10_Things_To_Do_In_Chicago_5_24_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aa259ad15e-38de131b52-37974573

Downtown Sound

Mon 6:30P, Millennium Park

Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Free

Return to Millennium Park on Monday for the first in this music series featuring an "eclectic mix of music discoveries".

http://thelocaltourist.com/event/downtown-sound?utm_source=The+Local+Tourist%2C+Chicago&utm_campaign=38de131b52-10_Things_To_Do_In_Chicago_5_24_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aa259ad15e-38de131b52-37974573

Bike The Drive

Sun 5:30am to 10:15am, Lake Shore Drive

Cyclists take over Chicago's most scenic drive - no vehicles with motors allowed! Follow the morning ride with a festival in Grant Park with live music, bike booths, and pancakes and hot dogs.

http://thelocaltourist.com/event/bike-drive?utm_source=The+Local+Tourist%2C+Chicago&utm_campaign=38de131b52-10_Things_To_Do_In_Chicago_5_24_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aa259ad15e-38de131b52-37974573

Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs

Mon 6:10P, Bridgeport

U.S. Cellular Field, $45+

The Crosstown Classic begins on Monday.

http://thelocaltourist.com/event/chicago-white-sox-vs-chicago-cubs?utm_source=The+Local+Tourist%2C+Chicago&utm_campaign=38de131b52-10_Things_To_Do_In_Chicago_5_24_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aa259ad15e-38de131b52-37974573 

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Epic (rated PG)

Amanda Seyfried stars in this CGI animated movie about a teenage girl who's recruited by tiny warriors for a battle to save Mother Nature after accidentally being shrunk down to their size.

Jason Sudeikis plays her dad, Josh Hutcherson is the rookie warrior who finds her, Colin Farrell is the leader of the leafmen, and Beyoncé plays their queen.

It's also got Steven Tyler doing the voice of a caterpillar, Pitbull as the voice of the toad, and Christoph Waltz as the villain.

The Hangover Part III (rated R) 

The third installment in the wolfpack trilogy picks up two years after the last film.  Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Justin Barthaare all living quiet lives now, but Zach Galiafinakis' character Alan has come off his meds and is still feeling lost.

The guys stage an intervention for Alan, but they're attacked on the way to rehab and Doug is kidnapped by John Goodman'sthugs.  And Goodman won't let Doug go until the wolfpack helps to get back the $21 million that Chow stole.

After Chow breaks out of prison, they catch up to him in Tijuana before the four of them return to Las Vegas to resolve their unfinished business.

The returning cast includes Ken Jeong as Chow, Jeffrey Tambor as Alan's dad, and Heather Graham as Stu's first wife, the ex-stripper Jade. 

Fast & Furious 6 (rated PG-13) 

The Rock asks Vin Diesel to reassemble his crew to help him take down a team of mercenary drivers who've been leaving a trail of bodies across 12 countries. 

Dom's not interested until he finds out that his dead girlfriend Letty is still alive . . . and that she's one of the mercenaries they're hunting.  Michelle Rodriguez plays Letty, and Luke Evans is the villain who's been exploiting her amnesia.

So, Dom agrees to help in exchange for full pardons for himself and the rest of his crew . . . Paul Walker, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson,Sung Kang, and Isreali minx Gal Gadot.  MMA minx Gina Carano is also in it as a member of The Rock's team.

OBAMAS TOP MOST POWERFUL COUPLE LIST

Forbes magazine has come out with their list of 2013’s World’s Most Powerful Couples, and President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama came out on top. But it’s not the president who helped them land at number one, it was his wife.  "With 67 percent of Americans viewing First Lady Michelle Obama favorably, she's more popular than her husband," Forbes states. 

Forbes Most Powerful Couples

1. President Barack & First Lady Michelle Obama

2. Bill & Melinda Gates

3. Jay-Z & Beyonce

4. Chinese President Xi Jinping & wife Peng Liyuan

5. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

6.  Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi

7.  Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer & husband Zachary Bogue

8.  Bill & Hillary Clinton

9. Shakira & soccer star Gerard Pique

10. Fashion designer Miuccia Prada & her husband Patrizio Bertelli

SAMBORA SAYS BON JOVI SHOULD SHUT UP

There has finally been a Richie Sambora sighting of sorts, the guitarist sitting down for an interview with UK’s Daily Mail in which he said he has no “major problems in life right now,” but did admit he had a problem with some of what Jon Bon Jovi said in a recent interview with the London Evening Standard. The Bon Jovi frontman seemed to address Sambora directly, saying, “You have a choice. You either figure it out, go and grow, not only survive but thrive – or you say, ‘I hate my brother and I’m gonna quit the band.’” In his interview with the Daily Mail, Sambora shot back, saying, “My opinion is Jon wants to see if he can pull off stadiums by himself. He is making it very difficult for me to come back. Enough with the trash talking! Jon needs to stop talking about me publicly.”

WATCH MORGAN FREEMAN FALL ASLEEP DURING A TV INTERVIEW 

MORGAN FREEMAN and MICHAEL CAINE were being interviewed by a Seattle TV station Wednesday morning about their upcoming movie "Now You See Me".

And it must have been too early for Morgan, because the whole time Michael was talking, he was nodding off. 

The video went viral yesterday, and Morgan joked, quote, "I wasn't actually sleeping.  I'm a beta tester for Google Eyelids.  I was merely updating my Facebook page."

flickr/dali137 

SOURCE: TimeOut Chicago 

Get your blankets and snacks ready, Chicago!

The Chicago Park District recently unveiled their 2013 Movies in the Park schedule, a lineup featuring dozens upon dozens of FREE movies ranging from current hits to tried-and-true classic films, all screened at a variety of 150 different parks located throughout the city June 13 through September 14.

The series begins Thursday night June 13 with "Rise of the Guardians" at Ken-Well Park and continues through Saturday night September 14 with "Stomp the Yard" at Marquette Park. All screenings begin at dusk (weather permitting) and admission is free.

Get the schedule and map at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or call the Movies in the Parks hotline at (312) 742-1134 for daily listings and updated weather-related cancellations.