This fair offers families, teachers, toy and game enthusiasts the chance to preview new toys and games, compete in tournaments, meet toy and game inventors and shop for the holidays. Also featuring live entertainment and roving characters. Includes giant-sized games, Settlers of Catan North American Catan Championship, Speed Stacks sport stacking demo and tournaments, meet the Moshi Monsters, Star Wars lunch (Sat.) and Pony Royale Princess Party (Sun.).

Various activities held throughout the holiday season including light parade and lighting ceremony, entertainment, demonstrations and giveaways.

Lincolnwood Thanksgiving Turkey Trot and Drumstick Dash  | Lincolnwood

5K and 10K run, 5K walk and Drumstick Dash.

Featuring horse-drawn carriage rides, visits with Santa and entertainment. Check website for detailed schedule. Weekends from Nov. 10-Dec. 23, 2012.

Santa visits on Saturday-Sunday and there are special activities each weekend.

The festival kicks off at 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 in Pere Marquette park. Featuring live music, fireworks and the ceremonial lighting of the downtown lights. The light festival features thousands of lights and holiday displays.

Settlers' Day  | South Holland

FREE

Visit with costumed living history demonstrators, representing American history from French fur trading days, pioneer times, and the Revolutionary and Civil War periods.  Activities include joining an imaginary wagon train, guided history hikes, trying your hand at a two-person buck saw, and making a craft.

Visitors can walk inside the two-story silo and turn the crank of a silage machine, watching "corn plants" delivered to the top of the silo. Plus, learn about the history of silos and silage, build miniature silos with building blocks simulating wood, brick and metal and much more.

With small solar lights to guide their way, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can traverse the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville or the 1.65-mile hilly section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Starting Sunday, Nov. 4, the trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open until 9 .m. daily until March 9.

Play with toys and games from all around the world and meet their inventors, stage events, characters, Radio Disney, Top Trump Tournament, KenKen Tournament, Star Wars Breakfast, mascots and more. New in 2012, toy and game fashion show on Nov. 14.