Things to do this Weekend Jan 1-3

By: Jonathan Jones 12/28/2015

Happy Early New Years!

The weekend opens up 2016. To see what's going on for New Year's Eve in Lake County continue here.

The weather outside today maybe frightful - and I mean really frightful, it doesn't mean you can't plan your Friday-Sunday  after a long (and much needed) holiday weekend.

Besides all of the holiday celebratories, this is what Lake County has in store for you for the weekend of January 1-3.

1. This is the final weekend you can experience the four main elf food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. If you have a sweet tooth appetite and a love of musical theater, take a journey with Buddy in, Elf, the Broadway Musical at Marriott Theatre. The show explores Buddy’s quest from the North Pole to New York to meet his biological father. Enjoy this heartwarming, fun-loving performance on Lincolnshire’s stage and watch Buddy instill holiday spirit in you and the family into 2016.

Friday-Sunday, January 1-3; Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire.

2. Tis the season for freezin.’  Even though Lake County has been hit with minimal snow and favorable weather, the 17th Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Waukegan is your way to kick off the New Year. This Waukegan Municipal Beach event awards an event shirt to the first 500 brave souls that take a dip in the drink. Water shoes or other footwear are required.

Friday, January 1; Admission: $20, $15 in advance. Waukegan Municipal Beach, 201 Sea Horse Dr., Waukegan.

3. The Civil War Journey: The Maps and Sketches of Private Robert Sneden exhibit has reached the end of its tenure at Lake County Discovery Museum in Wauconda. This national touring exhibition features eyewitness accounts and images from Union soldier Robert Knox Sneden’s memoir. Sneden served as a mapmaker for the Union Army during the Civil War. The Wauconda museum showcases 45 of his water color maps and drawings.

Friday-Sunday, January 1-3; Lake County Discovery Museum, 27277 N. Forest Preserve Rd., Wauconda.

4. Did you just get engaged? There is plenty of preparation ahead of you and the DoubleTree by Hilton Mundelein helps by hosting the Annual Lake County Bridal Show. The show will feature vendors from Lake, Kenosha and McHenry Counties to help you plan the wedding of a lifetime. The Mundelein event will also feature a fashion show, ballroom dance demonstration and the opportunity to win a grand prize. Contact Visit Lake County at 1-800-Lake-Now for assistance with venues, hotel rooms and more.

Sunday, January 3; DoubleTree by Hilton Mundelein, 510 E. Rt. 83, Mundelein.

5. Lake County is known for its majestic 30,000 acres of forest preserves and 170 lakes. Take a walk with a naturalist at Independence Grove as participants will journey on a one-hour guided nature hike. Lake County Forest Preserves will feature a different Lake County forest preserve once a month throughout 2016. No registration is required.

Saturday, January 2; 9-10 a.m. Admission: $1 for residents, $2 for nonresidents. Independence Grove Forest Preserve, 16400 W. Buckley Rd., Libertyville.