Go gaga for Lady Gaga as brilliant laser light and visual effects perform to some of her hottest hits at 8:30 p.m. Saturdays Jan. 6-27 at Triton College’s Cernan Earth and Space Center, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove.

Jan. 3-7

Live-action Cartoon Festival
2 p.m.
Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston
Free

The library is showing cartoons during winter break. Scheduled cartoons include “Smurfs 2” Jan. 3, “Smurfs Lost Village” Jan. 4, “Jumanji” Jan. 5 (at 3:30 p.m.), “Speed Racer” Jan. 6 and “Space Jam” Jan. 7. For more information, call (847) 448-8800.

Jan. 3-Feb. 28

Seeing: A Photon’s Journey Across the Spectrum
2:30 p.m. weekdays, 7 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays
Cernan Earth and Space Center, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove
Various admission prices

Follow a photon of light across the galaxy and into the eye of a young stargazer. Once inside the eye, the audience will explore how the human eye works before taking a ride on the optic nerve. Images of people, wildlife, landscapes, and outer space from around the globe tell the story of the photon’s journey before we “see” the image ourselves. For pricing information, go to trition.edu.

Jan. 4

German is Fun
1-2:30 p.m.
Oakton Community Center, 4701 Oakton St.
Free

This is a group for all German language speakers, from native speakers to beginners. Share experiences, culture, memories and backgrounds while practicing German and maintaining or improving ability.

Jan. 5

“Dunkirk”
6 p.m.
Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston

Free

In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were methodically evacuated using every naval and civilian vessel that could be found. Through this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense war experience and some language.

Evening Snowshoe Hike
7 p.m.
Trailside Museum, 738 Thatcher Ave., River Forest
Free

Come for a moonlit hike on snowshoes if snow depth permits, or on boots if not. Warm up by a fire afterward. Snowshoes provided or bring your own. Adults only. Registration is required. Call (708) 366-6530.

Jan. 6-27

Laser Gaga
8:30 p.m. Saturdays
Cernan Earth and Space Center, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove
$10 for adults, 18-54; $5 for everyone else, free for members

Go gaga for Lady Gaga as brilliant laser light and visual effects perform to some of her hottest hits from “Bad Romance” to “Born This Way” and from “Paparazzi” to “Poker Face.”

Jan. 8

The Midwest Landscape in Art
1:15 p.m.
Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park
$10 donation

David M. Sokol, professor emeritus of art history at University of Illinois at Chicago, will present a program on how the farms, fields and waterways that define the Midwestern landscape have been depicted in art.

Jan. 9

Tell Me More: Chicago and The Great War
6 p.m.
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. North Ave., Chicago
$10, free for museum members

Men and women. Doctors and nurses. Captains and infantrymen. Learn more about the museum’s new exhibition, Chicago and the Great War, as senior curator Olivia Mahoney discusses the museum’s collection of photographs of Cook County residents who lost their lives in World War I. A question-and-answer session will follow the talk. For tickets, go to chicagohistory.org.

Jan. 13-14

Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah
7:30 p.m. Jan. 13
3 p.m. Jan. 14
Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy., Chicago
$38-$78

Taking place for the 13th consecutive year over Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend and inspired by King’s message of “beloved community,” Too Hot brings to audiences a joyous jazz, gospel, and blues treatment of George Frideric Handel’s famous 18th-century oratorio. Soloists, a choir of more than 100 members, an ensemble orchestra and a world-class jazz combo will perform. For tickets, go to auditoriumtheatre.org.

–Cook County Calendar of Events Jan. 3 – Jan. 13–