EVENTS IN DU PAGE FOREST PRESERVES: FEB. 4 – 10

Wednesday, Feb. 6
“Blaze New Trails and Volunteer!” Q-and-A Session — Get details about Forest Preserve District volunteer programs. Ask questions, and decide which option fits your interests and schedule.
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the headquarters building at Danada Forest Preserve, 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton. All ages; under 14 with an adult. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7681.

Restoration-in-Progress Tours — Take a docent-guided tour through Mayslake Peabody Estate to learn about the past — and future — of this historic 1920s Tudor Revival-style mansion. Tours begin at
11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook. All ages. $5 per person. Registration required for group tours. Call 630-206-9566.

Friday, Feb. 8
Home-Schoolers “Closer Look” Field Trip — Learn about forest preserve flora and fauna in an interactive setting. During this session, “Life at the Bottom of the Food Chain,” learn about rodents, both real and fictional. 6:30 – 8 p.m. at Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 525 S. Park Blvd. in Glen Ellyn. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per family. Registration begins Jan. 25. Call 630-942-6200.

Saturday, Feb. 9
Blacksmithing Demonstrations — Stop by the wagon shed to see the blacksmith repair equipment and demonstrate the tools and techniques of the trade. Demonstrations ongoing. 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Hard-Water Classic Ice-Fishing Tournament — Take part in a competitive ice-fishing tournament on Blackwell’s Silver Lake followed by an awards ceremony and raffle. Anglers must bring their own bait and gear. Tournament takes place noon – 3:30 p.m. at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville on Butterfield Road one mile east of Route 59. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. All ages. $15 per person online registration; $20 per person at the event. Visit signmeup.com/86766, or call 630-876-5931.

Restoration-in-Progress Tours — Take a docent-guided tour through Mayslake Peabody Estate to learn about the past — and future — of this historic 1920s Tudor Revival-style mansion. Tours begin at
9:30, 10, 11 and 11:30 a.m. at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook. All ages.
$5 per person. Registration required for group tours. Call 630-206-9566.

Romantic Night Hike — Enjoy a lantern-lit self-guided walk through the woods with your sweetheart; then, warm up with hot cocoa around a cozy fire. 7 – 9 p.m. at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve,
3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook. Adults only. $10 per couple. To register, call 630-850-8110.

Taffy-Pulling Party — Tour an 1890s farmhouse, and learn how kids lived more than a century ago. Then, make taffy from molasses to take home during this one-hour program. Sessions at 9:30 and
10:45 a.m. and 1:15 and 2:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. Ages 6 and up; under 18 with an adult. $6 per person. To register, call 630-876-5900.

Volunteer Restoration Workday — Help restore a natural area by removing nonnative vegetation or planting seed. Two sessions: 9 a.m. – noon at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook. 9 a.m. – noon at Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve in Naperville on 83rd Street one-half mile east of Route 59. All ages; under 14 with an adult. Free. To register, call 630-933-7681 at least five business days in advance. Groups of five or more must call 10 business days in advance.

Wild Dogs of DuPage — Learn the natural history of wild dogs, including the foxes and coyotes that make DuPage home. 1 – 3 p.m. at Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 525 S. Park Blvd. in Glen Ellyn. Ages 12 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. Registration begins Jan. 26. Call 630-942-6200.

Sunday, Feb. 10
Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides — Enjoy a 15-minute ride through the prairies and woodlands of Danada Forest Preserve as you learn about its history. Wagons are used if there is less than 4 inches of packed snow on the trail. Noon – 3 p.m. at Danada Equestrian Center, 3S507 Naperville Road in Wheaton.
$5 per person ages 13 and up; $2 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Rides are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups of 15 or more are encouraged to reserve private rides. Call 630-668-6012.

Meet the Beekeepers — Learn about beekeeping equipment and the important role that bees play in our food supply. Then, ask the beekeepers your questions about honey and bees. Demonstrations ongoing. 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.