Get out there and play

Bring your game face this weekend to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. Play with the latest, greatest toys and games from designers from around the globe and your own backyard. Meet characters from the 501st Star Wars Legion and the Brookfield Zoo and hang out with the Radio Disney AM 1300 Party Patrol. Learn about the educational benefits and the importance of games at inventor and educator forums.

On Saturday your family can join the 501st Star Wars Legion for breakfast with Star Wars and Clone Wars characters or hang out with dolls at the Integrity Dynamite Fashion Doll Breakfast. The breakfast package is $20, $25 kids under 13 and includes fair admission. Don’t forget to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.

The Chicago Toy and Game Fair is held at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. The fair is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10, $5 kids, free for Boy and Girl Scouts in uniform. For more information and a full schedule of events, call (847) 677-8277 or visit chitag.com.

Sweet tickets

Each week for the next two weeks, we will award two Chicago Parent readers a family five pack of tickets to the Adler Planetarium. The tickets include general admission and the sky show, “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure.” The sky show, based on “Sesame Street,” joins Big Bird, Elmo and their Chinese friend, Hu Hu Zhu, on a journey to discover the North Star, the Big Dipper, the sun and the moon. To read Chicago Parent’s coverage of “One World, One Sky,” visit ChicagoParent.com. For more information, visit adlerplanetarium.org. To win, visit our discussion board.

Holiday tickets

Get your Christmas list ready for a little catch up time with the jolly big guy when you win tickets to Pictures with Santa at The Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn, 9600 E. Shore Drive, Oak Lawn. Three lucky Chicago Parent readers will win family five packs to the Dec. 6 event and receive a special surprise. Although the event runs from 9-11:30 a.m., the winning tickets will be good for the 9-10 a.m. time slot. This event is sponsored by Chicago Parent. For more information, call (708) 423-6700. To win, visit the discussion board.

Get out there and play some more

Bundle up and head to Michigan Avenue for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Festivities run throughout the day including free concerts with Jason Mraz, the Cheetah Girls, Justin Roberts and the Not Ready For Naptime Players as well as the Radio Disney AM 1300 Party Patrol.

Visit the Lights Festival Lane at Pioneer Court, located in front of the Chicago Tribune Tower, for family-friendly activities and a “Christmas Around the World” exhibit from the Museum of Science and Industry. Warm up your vocal chords to try and set a world record by participating in the World’s Largest Holiday Carol at the north end of Michigan Avenue by Water Tower Place. Share in the good cheer by bringing a nonperishable food item for the Greater Chicago Food Depository or donate money or mittens for The Salvation Army.

At 5:30 p.m. more than one million lights on 200 trees flick on for the start of the holiday season. Mickey Mouse will serve as this year’s parade grand marshal followed by dozens of festive floats. Following the parade, enjoy songs from American Idol contestant Paris Bennett and an appearance by Santa. For the grand finale, head over to the Michigan Avenue bridge for the ABC7 Chicago fireworks display at 6:57 p.m. The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival will air live on ABC7, check your local listings for airtime.
 
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival runs along North Michigan Avenue between Oak Street and the Chicago River. The festival is 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (312) 409-5560 or visit themagnificentmile.com.

Piece of the prize

This week, six lucky Chicago Parent readers will win the “Guinness World Records: The Videogame” for either the Nintendo DS or the Nintendo Wii. We have three copies for each game system. For more information, visit guinnessworldrecordsgame.com. To win, visit our discussion board.

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