Come down to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as it celebrates its 10th anniverary with 10 free days filled with special programming.  From October 23 - November 1 admission to the Nature Museum is free!  Take the Family to see Videos shot by the National Geographic Crittercam in The World Through Animal Eyes exhibit.  Get up close to exotic butterflies as they sit on your shoulder or perch on your arms in the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven.  Engage in a bit of waterplay while exploring the dynamics of rivers in the Riverworks display.  These are just a few examples of the variety of learning experiences you can enjoy with your family for free during the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum's 10th Anniversary celebration.  The Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:30pm and Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm.  It's located at  2430 N. Cannon Drive in Chicago, near Lincoln Park.

Hot, sticky and sweaty pretty much describes a typical August day in Chicago.   The airconditioner is broken, the kids are bored, the backyard is steamy, where can you get relief?  Pack your swimsuites and head over to the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park.  It's the coolest spot in Millennium Park.  Here you'll see kids of all ages keeping cool in the mists and sprays of the delightful Crown Fountain.  Giant faces smile down and occasionally spit fountains of water on people taking advantage of free, cool, refreshing entertainment.  This is one place where people are not only allowed, but encouraged to play in a public fountain.   If you don't feel like getting wet, it's a great place to people watch as mothers chase toddlers, kids play, and people of all ages keep cool on a hot summer's day.   If you want to be cool, head to Crown Fountain!   

July Fourth is a day to spend outside, with your family doing something fun.  Some people spend the day at the pool, others go to parades and many top the day off with a Barb-B-Que.  For something a little different, you might want to consider heading to Millenium Park.  Here you'll find plenty of free fun for the whole family all day long.

Get a healthy start to the day with a morning workout on the Great Lawn.  From 7:00am until 11:00 am a variety of work outs from yoga to arobics to workouts will be offered free to the public.

At 10:00am take the kids and head over to the Chase Prominade North. The  Millenium Park Family Fun Festival  will just be starting for the day.  Take part in musical games and interactive activities fun for kids of all ages.   

When everyone starts to get hungry, it's time to head to the Fourth of July Celebration Picnic on the Great Lawn of Millenium Park.  This isn't just an ordinairy picnic, it's a picnic inspired by the cartoons of John T McCutcheon.  From 11:00am until 1:00pm the Northside Southpaws, a mandolin and guitar duo will be entertaining picnicking people with ragtime, country, and turn of the century inspired waltzes.  You can bring your own picnic lunch or purchase a boxed lunch for $6.95.  The fun doesn't end after lunch!

At 1:30pm the Grant Park Music Festival will make history and present the first Independence Day Concert in Millenium Park's J Pritzker Pavillion.  The free concert will feature the Grant Park Orchestra performing traditional and patriotic favorites.  Chicago tapdance master Lou Alexander will be on hand as a special guest.   

My tastebuds are dancing with visions of melt in your mouth ribs, fresh off the barbecue.  I can't wait for the Chicago Ribfest this weekend on the corner of Lincoln Ave., Damen and Irving Park.  The combination of ribs, music, dancing, and family activities adds up to one heck of a party.  What started out as a neighborhood block party is now a fun festival where over 50,000 people are expected to attend and consume over 65,000 pounds of ribs.  Whew that's alot of ribs!  Along with the ribs, there will be two music stages set up so you can shimmy those ribs off your hips.  The music schedule includes around 25 bands playing from 5:00pm-10:00pm on Friday, and 12:00pm - 10:00pm Saturday and Sunday.  The kids are invited to the party as well.  Check out the Kids Square featuring sing alongs, dancers, music, crafts, and more on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  I'm drooling with anticipation for one of the best parties around.           

Wahoo!  I love donuts and my favorite kind is free!  Friday, June 5 is Donut Appreciation Day and Dunkin Donuts is celebrating by offering custumers a free donut of their choice with the purchase of a beverage.   The first National Donut Day was started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army to raise funds during the depression.  Now it is celebrated the first Friday of June every year by donut eaters everywhere.  On Friday, you can celebrate by purchasing a beverage at any participating Dunkin Donuts store and enjoy a free donut.  The limit is one per custumer.  This is one sweet deal!  

Start your summer with a bang with fireworks and music at Chicago's Navy Pier.  On Memorial day weekend you can catch two fireworks displays, one on Sturday, May23 at 10:15pm and the second on Sunday, May 24 at 9:30pm.  Both of the shows are set to songs both modern and classic.  Live bands will be playing on stage in the Navy Pier beer garden all weekend long.  The music starts at 5:00pm on Friday and Saturday, from 2:00pm on Sunday, and from 1:00pm on Monday.  The beer garden closes at 11:00 on all evenings.  What a great way to bring on the summer!

Get ready for the yard sale of the year this weekend at Soldier Field.  The Big Swap Bonanza is Chicago's biggest yard sale and it's taking place this Saturday from 7:00 AM till 3:00 PM.  Bargain hunters, collectors, or anyone looking for good finds will find deals on everything under the sun.  Bring your family and friends for food, entertainment, good music and hundreds of vendors offering deals.  The Big Swap Bonanza features a celebrity sell off fundraiser to benefit Chicago's Bottomless Closet.  Celebrities will be selling off anything from used sports equipment to housewares.  Come rain or shine and you just may find the bargain of your life.  Parking is $10.00 and enterance is $3.00 for adults and free for kids under 12.     

Although this event is a bit north of Chicago, in Highland Park, it's easy to get to and a great opportunity to experience the work and meet over 35 professional artists,  and 25 talented art students, all in one place.  On Tuesday, April 28 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM as part of the Focus on the Arts Program,  Highland Park Highschool invites the public to view works and presentations by a variety of artists including Cat Chow, Lara Miller, David Gista, and Matthew Lew.  Art mediums will include fashion design, photography, ceramics, painting, mixed media, sculpture, performance art and more.   Highland Park Highschool is easily accessible from Chicago either by car (a 20 minute drive) or by Chicago METRA.  Get off at the Highland Park stop and walk two blocks north on St. John.  Don't miss this chance to soak in the art of so many talented local and national artists at once!  The only cost to you is transportation.       

Celebrate our earth by taking part in Loyola University's North Shore Earth Day Celebration.  It takes place on Saturday, April 25th from 9:00AM till 4:30PM in the Quinlan Life Sciences Building at Loyola.  Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky will kick off the festivities with the morning address and State Senator Heather Steans will present the afternoon address.  The festival will feature guest speakers, presentations, workshops and displays.  Kids can keep busy at the kids corner for children ages four through twelve.  A green fair will be featuring displays and vendors selling enviro friendly items.  Local restaurants are donating food and diners are encouraged to bring their own reusable dining ware.  Visitors can ride their bikes, walk, or take public transportation to reduce gas usage.  Admission is free, although participants will be asked to commit to at least one activity to decrease their carbon footprint within the next year. 

Have you lost your job on or after March 31, 2009?  If you have been treated at one of Walgreens Take Care Health Clinics, you may be qualified to receive free health care through Walgreens Take Care Recovery Plan.  Walgreens Take Care Health Systems is providing free health care for families who have lost health insurance due to job loss.  It's free for patients who have been treated at one of the clinics prior to job loss.  Others must pay for the first visit.  For more information and to obtain an application visit www.takecarehealth.com.  The program runs through 2009.