Get out there and play

With all of the snow Chicago has been getting, boats and RVs and the great outdoors may not be on your mind, but they can be on your schedule. Today through Monday, the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show is bringing a little bit of summer to Chicago.

Not only will your family find plenty of boats and RVs to climb into, you’ll also have a chance to dock a radio-controlled boat as you race against the clock. Kids 12 and under can catch a fish at the Huck Finn Trout Pond; if watching them fish isn’t enough, head over to the Texas Bass Tank for fishing demonstrations in a 40-foot aquarium. Get in touch with nature at the Shedd Aquarium’s Listen to Your Lakes Space, where you can connect to local habitats with native animal encounters.

The Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show is held at McCormick Place in the North Building, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10, $4 kids 13-15 and free kids 12 and under. For more information, call (312) 808-2000 or visit chicagoboatshow.com.

Get out there and play some more

Celebrate African-American history and the life of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through music at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert Sunday and Monday.

In time for the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, the Chicago Sinfonietta is hosting its annual tribute concert with the 200-voice Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary, cellist Patrice Johnson and Maestro Paul Freeman.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert is held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Lund Auditorium at Dominican University, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest and Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall at the Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $26-$40 for the Lund Auditorium concert and $26-$96 for the concert at Orchestra Hall. Tickets are $10 for kids and students for both concerts. (312) 236-3681 ext. 2 or visit chicagosinfonietta.org.

Photos courtesy of the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Inside fun

Put on your pajamas, grab your favorite Teddy bear and prepare your singing voice for the Teddy Bear Hootenanny at the Old Town School of Folk Music Sunday. Sing your favorite Teddy bear songs with special Old Town School of Folk Music guests including Rob Newhouse, Charles Kim, Colby Maddox and Ann Torralba. The Chicago Children’s Theatre is also bringing along a special costumed character.

The hootenanny begins at 5 p.m. The Old Town School of Folk Music is located at 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $12, $11 members. For more information, call (773) 728-6000 or visit oldtownschool.org.

Piece of the prize

This week, one lucky Chicago Parent reader will win a Classic Cinemas Party at the new six screen North Riverside Mall Theatres, 7501 W. Cermak Road, North Riverside. The party package includes admission for eight children, a Kids Combo Package for each child, a current movie poster (please note this poster may not be for the same movie), VIP seating and a special treat for the birthday child—starting the movie and taking home a real piece of movie film. The party may be redeemed at any time through June 30, 2009. For more information on Classic Cinemas, visit classiccinemas.com. To enter, visit our discussion board. Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\article-detail.xslt