It’s October, and although it doesn’t feel quite like fall yet, you might want to consider spending some time at a pumpkin patch. They’re fun, family-friendly, and have amazing food! Plus, they’re only open until the end of the month so you definitely want to go before it’s too late!

Check out our Top 3 Pumpkin Patches. If you visit any of them, let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center:

35 miles from Chicago you can celebrate with Goebbert’s Fall Festival, which runs until October 31st! Your whole family can enjoy the exotic petting zoo (including the giraffe!), watch a pig race, see their famous Pumpkin Eating Dinosaur, have some lunch and pick out your favorite pumpkin! Plus, don’t forget to stop by and try out their famous Apple Cider Donuts and Pumpkin Cookies!
Visit their website here.

Address: 40 W Higgins Rd, South Barrington, IL 60010

County Line Orchard:

40 miles from Chicago you can pick your own apples, pumpkins, or sunflowers with their U-Pick game! Plus, you can watch the bee yurts, where hundreds of bees work and live, or you can even get lost in a corn maze! And if that’s not enough, you can book your own campfire and have the kids enjoy their time at the kids farm, featuring Peter the Pumpkin Eating Dino!

Visit their website here.

Address: 200 S County Line Rd, Hobart, IN 46342

Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm:

30 miles from Chicago you can find pumpkins, ponies, and hayrides to make this a perfect fall getaway! Make sure to try their apple cider donuts, award-winning barbecue, and funnel cakes. And keep the kids entertained with kiddie rides, pig races, and petting zoo!

Visit their website here.

Address: 13341 W 151st St, Homer Glen, IL 60491

This past Sunday, March 5^th, we had the pleasure of being a part of the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day Family Parade in Countryside. We drove a Cubs Toyota Tundra that was fully decorated for the theme, and were surrounded by vehicles from our dealer family, such as Continental Honda and Continental Mitsubishi.

We drove by multiple houses and saw lots of families and children enjoying the parade. Several dogs were being walked in front of us, and the children were very excited about seeing them and petting them. Since we were driving a Cubs vehicle, we played the ‘Go, Cubs, Go’ song, and had many people singing along. We also handed out Toyota tote bags, which came in handy considering all the candy that was being passed out.

Given that it is a St. Patrick’s Day parade, we saw a lot of people dressed up in all-green attire, as well as younger girls wearing a traditional Irish dancer costume. We also saw lots of green Blackhawks jerseys, as well as Southpaw, the White Sox’s mascot.

Overall, we had a great experience at the Parade and enjoyed the time we spent with families and other local businesses celebrating this holiday. To check out the videos of our experience, follow us on Facebook!

The City of Countryside will be hosting its second annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Sunday, March 5^th at 1pm. The Grand Marshal will be James Sweeney, the President-Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, and Continental Motors Group is part of the ‘Pot O’ Gold’ sponsors.

The parade will begin at 1pm on Kensington Avenue at 61^st Street and proceeds one mile – ending at 55^th Place & Edgewood. But that’s not the end of it! There will be an after-party event with FREE bus rides to participating establishments, offering Irish music, dance, and food. The buses will be stopping at each destination every 20 minutes – from 2pm until 6pm.

Some of the after-party locations include Kenny’s Irish Pub, Flagg Creek Golf Course, The Spot on 66, and Time Out.

For more details about the Parade’s route, rules and after-party locations, click here.

At the Brookfield Zoo, there is so much more to do than gaze at the wondrous varieties of animals inside. There is always a special event going on, as well as many educational programs and camps. Continental Toyota has compiled a list of many of the activities to take part in at the Brookfield Zoo.

Boo at the Zoo

Saturdays & Sundays

October 17-18, 24-25

Just in time for Halloween is “Boo at the Zoo”. Children of all ages will enjoy activities that include: corn maze, creepy decorated carousel, Pumpkin Smasher, professional pumpkin carvings, haunted hayride, scarecrow building, costume parade, pumpkin patches and animals eating pumpkins.

Family Play Programs

Children learn how to play through their parents during the family play programs. The activities have been carefully designed by nature educators, artists and early childhood specialists to connect families to nature and wildlife.

Habitat Africa! The Savannah

Habitat Africa! The Savannah, is just one of the many exhibits at the Brookfield Zoo. Here you will be immersed in African culture and experience the gentleness of giraffes, African painted dogs and the clever klipspringers. Keep your eye out for a red river hog or aardvark as you explore the exhibit!

Dolphins in Action

Weekdays 11:30 am

Weekends 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm

Dolphins in Action is one of the most popular spectacles at the Brookfield Zoo. Watch the aerial displays and shows the dolphins put on as you learn all about their adaptations and structures. These beautiful mammals will show off their intelligence and dexterity in and out of the water.

These are just a small sampling of what to expect at the beloved Brookfield Zoo, which includes places to dine for the whole family. Visit their website for pricing, specials, event tickets and membership fees.

Fall is the perfect time to get out and have fun with family and friends. The weather is cool and the foliage is starting to change into beautiful hues or orange and yellow. If you're looking for an activity in the Hodgkins area, we've got a list of a few places you will surely enjoy!

Galloping Ghost Arcade

9415 Ogden Ave

Brookfield, IL

For gamers of all ages, the Galloping Ghost has plenty to offer and is the largest arcade in the US! Enjoy over 440 games that do not use tokens or quarters. Instead, the Galloping Ghost charges $15 to enter and you can play all day for as long as you want. Take part in high score tournaments where more than 180 records have been set. Play games that range from the classics-Donkey Kong, Pac-Man-to the latest in arcade fun. You'll even find some rare games that are not seen in most traditional arcades.

Quincy Street Distillery

39 E. Quincy St

Riverside, IL

For a date night or an adult evening with friends, the Quincy Street Distillery has lots to do. Sip on their spirits that have been carefully crafted and inspired by history. Their artisanal distilling consists of unique whiskys, gins, ryes, vodkas, absinthe, moonshine and so much more. Visit the retail shop or Speakeasy Cocktail Bar and partake in one of their spirit tastings.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

951 Chicago Ave

Oak Park, IL

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American educator, writer, interior designer and architect who designed over 1,000 structures with 532 that were finished. Come visit his home and studio in Oak Park and experience where Wright experimented with design concepts that were the root of his architectural structure. Guided tours are lead by trained interpreters who shed light on Wright's career and family life.

There are plenty of fun things to do in the Hodgkins area this fall!

The beautiful thing about a city as populous and diverse as Chicago is that it is a cultural hub for the midwest. Enjoy food, theater, art, music and more from a number of diverse backgrounds. The Windy City has something for everyone, guaranteed to revitalize the end of the season. Don't let the rest of the summer slip by without checking out one of Chicago's many August festivals.

Hot Dog Festival

August 7-9

Clark & LaSalle Streets

The Chicago Hot Dog Festival has become so popular that it has expanded to three days this year. Celebrate America's most classic food that benefits the Chicago History Museum. There will be plenty of live music and activities for kids to keep you busy for the whole 3-day weekend!

Chicago Bears Family Fest

August 8

Soldier Field

Football fans can come and watch the beloved Chicago Bears practice on their home field. There will be entertainment throughout the day, including a youth football demonstration, giveaways, games for the whole family, live music, and autographs. Tickets for this event are a modest $8 - $12.

Summer Art Fair

August 16

Arlington Heights Rd & Eastman St

This summer art fair is an Arlington Heights Art Guild presentation and it features fine art to be juried from the local suburban art scene. Take in works of art from many mediums including: sculpture, jewelry, painting, ceramics and photography. There will be classical guitar and delicious catered food. This event is free and open to the public.

These are just a small sampling of the festivals going on in Chicago in August. Check out the Events12 web site for information on even more fun Chicago events!