A free showing of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be held at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 15 at the York Theatre, 150 N. York St., Elmhurst.

Dec. 15

Bird Walk
8-10:30 a.m.
The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle
$14

Search the woods, fields and edges of the Morton Arboretum for birds. Walk with an expert guide, who will help you locate and identify species spotted along the way. See how things change with the month and season.

“It’s a Wonderful Life”
9:30 a.m.
York Theatre, 150 N. York St., Elmhurst
Free

James Stewart and Donna Reed star in this 1946 Christmas classic. An angel is sent from heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

Suzuki Strings Christmas Concert
10 a.m.
Wheaton College Edman Chapel, 401 E. Franklin St., Wheaton
Free

The Community School of the Arts at Wheaton College will present a Strings Christmas Concert, entitled “What Child is This?”. For more information, call the Community School of the Arts at 630-752-5567.

Snow Globe Family Craft Activity
12-3 p.m.
Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst
$4 per person for the activity; free museum admission

Families of all ages are welcome to the Elmhurst History Museum to see the ”It’s a Wonderful Life” exhibit and participate in a snow globe craft activity. Participants must register via phone. No drop-ins will be allowed. Call 630-530-6879 and leave a message with the number of participants.

Dec. 15-16

“The Nutcracker”
2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 15
1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 16
McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn
$34-$44

This popular holiday classic returns for four magical performances featuring a growing Christmas tree, a battle between mice and soldiers, a journey through the land of whirling snowflakes, a joyous visit to the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy and accompaniment by New Philharmonic orchestra. There will be pre-show opportunities to meet Santa and take photos in the lobby with a life-size nutcracker. Get tickets at atthemac.org.

Dec. 16

The Figure, Humor and the Chicago Imagists
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Schaible Science Center, Illinois Hall on the campus of Elmhurst College,
190 S. Prospect, Elmhurst
Free

The Figure, Humor and the Chicago Imagists is a full-day symposium that will explore works by the Chicago Imagists and their relationship to the tradition of American figurative art with specific emphasis on the ways in which the Imagists used humor in their depictions of the figure. The symposium will feature presentations on the topic and the opportunity to view the Elmhurst College Imagist Art Collection now on display at the Elmhurst Art Museum. The event will feature an introduction by original Hairy Who member and curator of the Elmhurst College Art Collection Suellen Rocca and a presentation by writer and curator Dan Nadel, who recently organized What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 to the Present. The viewing of the collection will be followed by a panel discussion with participants to be announced. Register at elmhurst.edu.

A Festival of Lessons and Carols
8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church, 715 N. Carlton Ave., Wheaton
Free

First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton will present its Festival of Lessons and Carols service. Both worship services will feature all generations, including the church’s Westminster Choir and Orchestra, Children and Youth, plus the 2-or-More Worship Band with many favorite carols and anthems of the season.

DuPage Symphony Orchestra Concerts
2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
North Central College, 71 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
$8 and $18

The DuPage Symphony Orchestra will perform its concert, Joy to the Holidays, a show of favorite holiday carols and popular songs, in new arrangements for full symphony orchestra. Short works by renowned 19th and 20th century composers George Chadwick, Ottorino Respighi, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and others will round out the program.

–DuPage County Calendar of Events Dec. 11 – Dec. 16–