Practice yoga on the prairie on Oct. 18 at Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area, in Cary.

Events @ a Glance: Mind & Spirit Calendar

There’s so much to do in our region! Here’s a look at upcoming lectures and educational enrichment.

Practice yoga on the prairie on Oct. 18 at Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area, in Cary.

September

Star Party
Sept. 16, 7-10 p.m. Look at stars, galaxies, nebulae and star clusters with the help of Northwest Suburban Astronomers’ telescopes. Dress for the weather; bring binoculars, insect repellent, and a telescope or a flashlight covered with red plastic or cellophane. Marengo Ridge, 2411 N. Ill. Rt. 23, Marengo, (815) 338-6223, mccdistrict.org.

Fermilab Open House
Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Celebrate 50 years of science at Fermilab’s biggest open house in decades. See the laboratory up close and tour areas not usually open to the public. Reg. online. Fermilab, Kirk Road and Pine St., Batavia, (630) 840-2787, fnal.gov/openhouse.

Bluff City Cemetery Walk
Sept. 24, 11 a.m. Meet costumed tour guides portraying residents from the city’s past, now interred on these grounds. Reservation req. Location: Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd., Elgin. Info/Tickets: Elgin History Museum, 360 Park St., Elgin, (847) 742-4248.

October

An Evening with Nelson DeMille
Oct. 2, 6 p.m. Metropolis Book Club presents the author of 15 bestsellers. Ticket includes a copy of his 20th book, “The Cuban Affair.” Metropolis Performing Arts Center, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.

Grave Reminders
Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Immerse yourself in the local history of St. Charles as you tour the gravesites and listen to the life stories of those who helped shape the community. Reg. online. North Cemetery, 1200 N. 5th Ave., St. Charles, (630) 513-6200, stcparks.org.

Geneva History Museum Cemetery Tours
Oct. 7 & 21, 2-3 p.m. Tour Geneva’s West Side Cemtery on Oct. 7 or Oak Hill Cemetery on Oct. 21 and learn about tombstone symbols and prominent settlers. Registration req. Tickets/Info: Geneva History Museum, 113 S. 3rd St., Geneva, (630) 232-4951.

Tap into Your Wild Side
Oct. 7, 6-9:30 p.m. Join your friends for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a wall of wine, live and silent auctions, live music and raffles at a benefit supporting McHenry County Conservation District’s special projects. Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road, Ringwood, (815) 338-6223, mccdistrict.org.

The Big Sit
Oct. 8, 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge week with an international, noncompetitive bird-a-thon. Find a good spot and count all of the species you see or hear. Stay as long as you like. Bring lawn chair, binoculars and layered clothing. Powers-Walker House, Glacial Park, Ringwood, (815) 338-6223, mccdistrict.org.

Barrington Area CROP Walk
Oct. 15, 12:30 p.m. An annual community hunger education and fundraising event sponsored by Church World Service. Begins at Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 909 E. Main St., Barrington, (847) 304-3400, crophungerwalk.org/barringtonil.

Yoga on the Trail
Oct. 18, 1:30-3 p.m. Hike through the prairie and past the pond, learning about the natural world while enhancing your love of nature through the practice of yoga. Bring mat and water. Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area, 1520 Crystal Lake Ave., Cary, (815) 338-6223, mccdistrict.org.

Creative Living Series: Judy Collins
Oct. 19, 9 a.m. coffee and conversation, 10 a.m. program. Famous worldwide for her sublime vocals and songwriting, this modern-day renaissance woman is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, social activist and author. Woodstock Fine Arts Association, Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock, (815) 338-5300, woodstockfinearts.org.

Ron Keaton as Churchill
Oct. 22, 3 p.m. “The British Bulldog” comes to life with an intimate view of the fierce statesman, as well as his humorous and human side. Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington, (224) 512-4284, barringtonswhitehouse.com.

November

Art Affair
Nov. 10, 6-8 p.m. The Geneva Cultural Arts Commission hosts its annual fundraiser, a salon-style cocktail party with live music, painting, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction and cash bar. Geneva Golf Club, 831 South St., Geneva, (630) 938-4530, geneva.il.us

Physics Slam VI
Nov. 10, 8 p.m. Some of the best and brightest students from Illinois Math & Science Academy compete at this highly anticipated event. Ramsey Auditorium, Fermilab, Batavia, (630) 840-2787, fnal.gov/culture.

DogFest Walk n’ Roll Illinois
Nov. 14, 11 a.m. At this family- and canine-friendly festival, walk along the riverfront, enjoy music, bid on prizes and raise funds to support Canine Companions’ mission of providing assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave., St. Charles, (815) 776-0102, support.cci.org.

Creative Living Series: Annie Polland
Nov. 16, 9 a.m. coffee and conversation, 10 a.m. program. The education and programming chief for the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, in New York City, features the stories of three immigrant families as they crossed international and cultural borders to become new Americans. Woodstock Opera House, Woodstock, (815) 338-5300, woodstockfinearts.org.

Clay Jenkinson
Nov. 18, 8 p.m. Appearing in costume and character, Jenkinson presents both sides in a debate between two of the country’s greatest presidents: Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt. Fundraiser for the Crystal Lake Library Foundation. Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.

Hertz Trout Valley 5K Turkey Trot
Nov. 23, 8-10 a.m. Trot out on Thanksgiving morning for a scenic run and bring a non-perishable item to support the Cary-Grove Food Pantry and the Trojan Track and Cross Country Association. Reg. online. Trout Valley Lodge, River Road, Trout Valley, (815) 382-2673, troutvalleyturkeytrot.com.

An Evening with C.S. Lewis
Nov. 24, 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. British actor David Payne offers a humorous, fascinating and enthralling insight into the life of a man who became a legend in his own time. Payne portrays Lewis speaking to a group of American writers visiting England in 1963. Metropolis, Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.