Wraps are all the rage in kitchens and restaurants now, and children can learn how to assemble their own during cooking classes at the BEST OF THE MIDWEST MARKET hosted by the American Institute of Wine & Food at RAVINIA on Sunday. Whether it’s a wrap with a new Orleans flair or with a Grecian flavor, youngsters as young as 4 and 5 can taste ready-made wraps to find out how feta cheese or oregano can turn a wrap into an ethnic specialty. Then, choosing from a variety of cheeses and fresh produce and herbs grown with care that are a feature of the Market, they can make wraps of their own and enjoy them with a made-to-order smoothie. Older children between the ages of 6 and 7 and those 8 to 10 years old will make more sophisticated wraps, but the goal is always the same. Not only will they learn something about cooking, but they also will shape their palates to enjoy the flavors of top-quality ingredients.
Children’s Cooking Classes, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Best of the Midwest Market, Ravinia, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park, admission to the Market is $8 in advance for adults, free admission and cooking classes for children; 847-266-5100.
Children who come to the Field Museum for “Sharing Our Stories, Sharing Our Visions” will be able to learn how to play games with string that are played in different and similar ways all over the world. They will also be able to discover how cultures intertwine traditions by listening to stories from different heritages and watching artisans demonstrate their crafts. They can also watch the performers from the Red Sands Drum and Dance Group which represent tribes from the Plains, the Southwest, the Woodlands, the Great Lakes and Canada. The members of the group, wearing regalia that represents their regions, will share their music and dance movements in a style now called a pow wow. “The word comes from the Algonquin word pronouced pau pau and it’s a social gathering of people who visit each other and make new friends,” says the group’s coordinator Zeke Peynetsa. “It’s a time to cut loose and let go and forget about the outside world for a moment and be happy even if it’s just for a brief moment.”
“Sharing Our Stories, Sharing Our Vision,” 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., $7 adults, $4 children; 312-922-9410.
Illinois Parents Anonymous is asking families to pull together to prevent child abuse during the “Great American Wagon Pull.” They should bring their Radio Flyer wagons to Navy Pier (or buy one there), put on their free T-shirts and line up behind Bozo the Clown in a 1.5 mile walk. Afterwards they can enjoy a free lunch and entertainment, find out what’s in their goody bags and use discount coupons for attractions at the Pier and feel good about helping a worthy cause.
“Great American Wagon Pull,” 8:30 a.m. registration, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Navy Pier, $10 adults, $5 children; 312-424-6890.
It’s a marvelous kind of mayhem when families gather at the Sports Celebrity Carnival to stand in line for autographs from sports stars, try to win some prizes at the carnival games or watch entertainment that features such breathtaking performers as the Trinity Irish Dancers, the Jesse White Tumblers, and the Rope Warrior. The event benefits a good cause: the Illinois Special Olympics.
Sports Celebrity Carnival, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday, Rosemont Convention Center, River Road and Bryn Mawr Avenue, $6 in advance, $7 at the door for adults, $3 children; 630-955-3620.
