The Candlelight Christmas concert, 4 p.m. Dec. 9 at Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest, will feature sacred holiday music for 32-voice choir, string quartet, oboe, flute and continuo organ.

Dec. 6-7

Annual Wheeling High School Holiday Extravaganza Concert
7 p.m.
Wheeling High School, 900 S. Elmhurst Road, Wheeling
$10

This 14th annual concert will feature the Wheeling Symphony Band, the school’s award-winning Jazz Band 1, and its nationally renowned Wind Symphony. The concert will also feature percussion ensembles, incoming 8th grade students and a guest appearance from the high school’s Wildcat Marching Band. For tickets, contact Michael Malek, director of bands, at 847-718-7111 or michael.malek@d214.org.

Dec. 7

Caroling at Cloud Gate
6 p.m.
Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago
Free

Various groups from throughout Chicago are performing during the holiday season at Cloud Gate, aka The Bean. The Chicago Chamber Choir will perform next. The King’s Singers, Apollo Chorus of Chicago and ChiArts –  The Chicago High School for the Arts, in collaboration with Harris Theater – will perform Dec. 14; and the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus will perform Dec. 14.

Dec. 8

Fremd Holiday Craft Fair
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
William Fremd High School, 1000 S. Quentin Road, Palatine
Free

The Viking Booster Club of Fremd High School will hold its 2018 Holiday Craft Fair. The Viking Booster Club supports all Fremd High School students, and proceeds will go to Booster Club activities. For more information, send an email to fremdcraftfair@gmail.com.

Police Gun Buyback
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Unitarian Church of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave., Evanston
Free

The Evanston Police Department will pay $100 for every gun turned in by residents of Evanston, Skokie and the north side of Chicago. This is an amnesty-based program; no arrests will be made. Guns must be unloaded, complete and operational, and should be transported in a case, bag, box or other supporting item or in the trunk of a vehicle.

Holiday Tree Lighting
5-7 p.m.
Fountain Square, Davis Street at Sherman and Orrington avenues, Evanston
Free

Celebrate the holiday season at the annual Downtown Evanston Tree Lighting event with holiday cheer, hot chocolate and the lighting of Fountain Square’s new live tree at by Mayor Stephen Hagerty at 5:30 p.m. Afterward, watch an ice sculpture demonstration at Fountain Square, visit with Santa at Pete Miller’s and Mrs. Claus at Becky & Me Toys. 

Ballet Legere’s “The Nutcracker”
7 p.m.
Dominican University’s Lund Auditorium, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest
$24-$29

Ballet Legere presents its 34th annual production of “The Nutcracker” ballet in its entirety. Follow Clara into a dream world of mischievous mice and waltzing snowflakes in this holiday classic. The performance will feature guest artists Marcus Romeo and Bella Ureta, appearing courtesy of the Cincinnati Ballet. Order tickets online at events.dom.edu. For more information, call 708-488-5000.

John Prine Tribute Night
8 p.m.
Ed & Joe’s Pizza, 17332 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park
Free

Sing along to your favorite John Prine songs during an evening paying tribute to the 72-year-old songwriter and singer, born and raised in Maywood, who recently has been nominated for both the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dec. 9

Find Your Read Like a Librarian
11:30 a.m.
Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights
Free

Join librarians and advisers in a discussion about their favorite ways to find books to read and recommend. Come prepared to share your favorite methods as well. Great for book clubs. Register at ahml.info.

Christmas Candlelight Concert
4 p.m.
Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest
$25 adults, $20 senior citizens, $10 students

The Candlelight Christmas concert will feature sacred holiday music for 32-voice choir, string quartet, oboe, flute and continuo organ. The Chicago Choral Artists will be joined again by the Kontras String Quartet, recent artists-in-residence at WFMT 98.7 FM; Christine Janzow Phillips, oboe; and Ann Lueking Anderson, flute. Michael D. Costello, organ, conducts. The repertoire comprises varied works from four centuries. Tickets are available online at chicagochoralartists.org, by phone at 773-658-9799 and at the door.

–Cook County Calendar of Events Dec. 5 – Dec. 9–