“Heroes on the Air,” which is devoted to some of the many heroes who made their way from comic strips (and later comic books) onto radio, will be presented by at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Elk Grove Village Public Library, 1001 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove Village by Steve Darnall, the host of “Those Were the Days,” which airs Saturdays on WDCB.

Sept. 13-14

AARP Drivers Safety Class
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Northbrook Senior Center, 3323 Walters Ave., Northbrook
$15

Sharpen your driving skills with a two-day class, geared toward drivers age 50 and older. Review rules of the road and safe vehicle operation, and learn about normal age-related physical changes. Preregistration is required, with checks payable to AARP on the first day of the class. Drivers must attend both days of the course in order to get credit. Call 847-291-2988 to register

Sept. 14-16

Maywood Fest
Various times
Veterans Memorial Park, 126 6^th Ave., Maywood
Free

The fest will kick off at dusk Sept. 14 with an outdoor showing of the movie, “Black Panther.” Sept. 15 activities will begin at 9 a.m. with the Maywood Fest Parade at Winfield Scott Park, 19th and Van Buren. Sept. 15 will also kick off two days of live music performances of jazz, R&B, blues, Latin, hip hop and more. A portable dance floor will be set up for the stepping crowd. Children can enjoy inflatable bouncy houses, horseback riding, gaming and glam trucks, multiple entertaining and educational activities. Sept. 16 will be gospel day, when top local gospel performers will perform. Live jazz, R&B, blues, Latin, hip hop and more will be performed later in the day. Food and drink will be available throughout the festival.

Sept. 16

Mid-Autumn Festival
3-4:30 p.m.
Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston
Free

The festival will have songs in Korean and Chinese, a retelling of the story of Chang-e in English and Chinese, and crafts of the season appropriate for children, 3 and up.

There Goes the Neighborhood – Gangster Tour
11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Visitors Center, 1010 Lake St., Oak Park
$30, $27 for military and senior citizens

This exterior tour visits 14 Oak Park-River Forest houses once owned by major hoodlums. Mob historian and author John Binder will give the history of the homes’ former owners, talk about their time spent there, and explain the features of each home, such as secret tunnels and hidden rooms. The two-hour tour uses a mini-bus and no walking is required. Tours depart from the Visitors Center. Call 708-848-1500 to purchase tickets.

Sept. 17

Old-time Radio Lecture
7 p.m.
Elk Grove Village Public Library, 1001 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove Village
Free

“Heroes on the Air” is devoted to some of the many heroes who made their way from comic strips (and later comic books) onto radio, including Little Orphan Annie, Buck Rogers and Superman – as well as a few heroes who took the opposite route and went from radio to the comics. Steve Darnall, the host of Those Were the Days, which airs Saturdays on WDCB, will speak.

Sept. 19

12-Hour Blood Drive
7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., Chicago
Free

The UIC Athletic Department, in conjunction with LifeSource, will host a Get Fired Up to Save Lives, marathon blood drive. The public is invited to join UIC students and faculty in what is hoped to be one of largest blood drives in Chicago. Donors will receive vouchers for free Lou Malnati’s individual pizza and frozen custard courtesy of Culver’s restaurants. Raffles will be held throughout the day. Reservations are encouraged, and interested people are encouraged to book an appointment by calling 877-543-3768 or by visiting lifesource.org/UIC. Use Group Code 375G when booking.

Yom Kippur Young Family Service
9 a.m.
Evanston Township High School Cafeteria, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston
Free

Temple Beth Israel will hold its Yom Kippur service for families with young children in the cafeteria of Evanston Township High School. For families with children age 5 and under. Non-members welcome. No tickets are required. For more information, call 847-675-0951 or visit tbiskokie.org.

–Cook County Calendar of Events Sept. 12 – Sept. 19–