Hello, 2018! Kick off the new year (and get out of the cold!) by learning new skills, exploring a local museum, and seeing Steppenwolf’s latest play before it closes.
Old Town School of Folk Music’s New Year Kickoff
Jan. 3-6
Chicago
Did you resolve to try something new this year? Then head out to Old Town School of Folk Music for four days of drop-in classes, music jams, and workshops (most of which are free!) to sample a variety of music, dance, and art courses.
Demonstration Cooking: Slow Cooker
Jan. 6
Glencoe
Professional Culinary Instructor Mary Kay Gill will show you how to make the most of your slow cooker all winter long during this demonstration at Chicago Botanic Garden. Featured recipes include braised steak with spicy parsley tomato sauce and crème brûlée.
Indoor Winter Farmers Market
Stock up on farmers market favorites all season long at Evanston Ecology Center’s Indoor Winter Farmers Market. This weekend’s vendors include Alden Hills, Wright Way Farm, and Chicago Marshmallow.
Winter Break at Illinois Holocaust Museum
Through Jan. 7
Skokie
Make the most of winter break by visiting the Illinois Holocaust Museum, where kids and students can visit for free through Jan. 7. It’s the perfect time to see the popular “Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution” exhibit before it leaves Jan. 7, or the groundbreaking Take a Stand Center.
“The Minutes”
Closes Jan. 7
Chicago
This is your last chance to see Pulitzer and Tony Award-winner Tracy Letts’ “The Minutes,” a comedy about “small-town politics and real-world power,” at Steppenwolf.
More from Make It Better:
- 12 Can’t-Miss Plays in Chicago This Winter
- 6 Ski Resorts 3 Hours or Less From Chicago
- 17 Podcasts and Audiobooks That Will Make Family Road Trips Fly By
Anna Carlson writes the weekly 5 Things to Do column and monthly Recommended Events. A graduate of Glenbrook South High School and the University of Missouri, her work has been published in Chicago Parent, Inside Columbia Magazine and Central California Parent Magazine. She is a proud supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.