Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales
Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales, produced by the internationally celebrated Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, comes to Gorton Center on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, from 10-11 a.m. Designed for children ages 3 to 7, this enchanting puppet performance reimagines three treasured stories—Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff—through Mermaid Theatre’s signature visual style and gentle storytelling. The show follows a brave raccoon and a clever mouse on a magical quest that intersects with familiar fairy-tale worlds, highlighting themes of kindness, curiosity, and cooperation. With vibrant puppetry, playful humor, and no traditional villains, the performance offers a joyful, uplifting family experience. Tickets are $15.
Rendezvous Arts: Kaia String Quartet & Fareed Haque
Rendezvous Arts presents an unforgettable Valentine’s Week concert featuring the Kaia String Quartet with renowned guitarist Fareed Haque on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Gorton Center’s Stuart Community Room. This intimate evening blends passion, precision, and artistry, highlighted by Haque’s Quintet for Guitar and Strings, Op. 60, a work rich with lyricism and fire. The program also includes expressive music by Astor Piazzolla, Ricardo Lorenz, and Eduardo Angulo, weaving together romance, rhythm, and playful energy. Enhancing the experience, visual artist Margie Criner’s sculptural works invite close looking and reflection. Tickets are $35 for this multisensory celebration of love, music, and art.
Monday, Feb. 2
Nature Babies (0-18 months with a parent or caregiver)
WHEN: 11-11:45 a.m.
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Sound Bath Meditation
WHEN: 7-8 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $39
Tuesday, Feb. 3
Lunch with author Mary Kubica in conversation with author Hannah Morrissey
WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Gallery of Lake Forest, 202 Wisconsin Ave., Lake Forest
PRICE: $85
Tuesday on the Trail
WHEN: Noon-1 p.m.
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Demo Cooking Class: Takeout Night with Chef Mickey Knutson
WHEN: 6-9 p.m.
WHERE: Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest
PRICE: $121
Wednesday, Feb. 4
Abraham Lincoln’s Doctor’s Dog
WHEN: 7-8 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Forest Library, 360 E. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest
Friday, Feb. 6
Senior Ministry: Pack Lunches for North Chicago & Waukegan Homeless
WHEN: 11 a.m.
WHERE: Faith Lutheran Church, 680 W. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest
Trivia Night at the History Center!
WHEN: 5 p.m.
WHERE: History Center Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, 509 E. Deerpath, Lake Forest
PRICE: $40-50
Palette & Pour: Happy Hearts
WHEN: 7-8 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $50
Saturday, Feb. 7
Eco-Crew: Baa and Mello’s Preserve at Westfork Savanna
WHEN: 9 a.m.-Noon
WHERE: Mello’s Preserve at Westfork Savanna, Old Mill and Route 22, Lake Forest
Cupid’s Valentine Workshop
WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHERE: Recreation Annex, Everett Park, 1191 Everett School Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $51-61
Monday, Feb. 9
Red Cross Blood Drive
WHEN: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
Nature Babies (0-18 months with a parent or caregiver)
WHEN: 11-11:45 a.m.
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Cooking Class: A Mezcal & Masa Experience with Ernesto Rodriguez
WHEN: 6-9 p.m.
WHERE: Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest
PRICE: $132
Vin et Chocolat: A French Wine & Chocolate Pairing Experience
WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $39
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Rock ‘n’ Kids Swingin’ Sweet-Hearts
WHEN: 10:15 a.m.
WHERE: Recreation Center, 400 Hastings, Lake Forest
PRICE: $13-15
Tuesday on the Trail
WHEN: Noon-1 p.m.
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Valentine Water Color Cards with Evelyn Phelps
WHEN: 1-4 p.m.
WHERE: Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest
PRICE: $84
The Neuroscience and Ethics of Beauty and Human Appearance
WHEN: 5-6:15 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Forest College, 555 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest
Valentine’s Day Desserts Demo & Tasting
WHEN: 7-8:15 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Forest Library, 360 E. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest
Wednesday, Feb. 11
HUMAN Seminar with Professor Josh Corey
WHEN: Noon-1 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Forest College, 555 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest
Sip the Love: A Valentine’s Champagne & Sparkling Wine Experience with Tim Clark
WHEN: 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest
PRICE: $79
PREVIEWS: Admissions at Citadel Theatre
WHEN: 7:30-9 p.m.
WHERE: 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Thursday, Feb. 12
It’s Galentine Tea Time in Europe
WHEN: 6-7 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Bluff Public Library, 123 E. Scranton Ave., Lake Bluff
Friday, Feb. 13
Friendship Fest: A Theatrical Valentine
WHEN: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
School’s Out: I <3 Wildlife
WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-Noon
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $55-66
Conservation Cocktails – Urban Forest Carbon Credits: Creating Local Climate Impact
WHEN: 6-7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $20-25
Saturday, Feb. 14
Eco-Crew: Baa and Mello’s Preserve at Westfork Savanna
WHEN: 9 a.m.-Noon
WHERE: Mello’s Preserve at Westfork Savanna, Old Mill and Route 22, Lake Forest
Hispanic Women’s Ministry
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Faith Lutheran Church, 680 W. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest
Sunday, Feb. 15
Blackkklansman
WHEN: 7-9 p.m.
WHERE: Gorton Center – John & Nancy Hughes Theater, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest
PRICE: $5-10
