5 Things to Do: Discover sugar maple trees in Marengo and celebrate Barbie’s birthday in Volo

Here are five things to do this weekend:

Sugar Maple Festival: The McHenry County Conservation District’s Festival of the Sugar Maples will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Coral Woods Conservation Area in Marengo, 7400 Somerset Drive. The free event will have tours, hands-on demonstrations and activities surrounding the process of turning sap from maple trees into maple syrup. Maple syrup and other maple products, including spiles to tap sap at home, will be available for purchase. The festival will run again next weekend, March 15 and 16. More information on the McHenry County Conservation District’s Festival of the Sugar Maples can be found here: Mccdistrict.org.

Family firelight walk: Enjoy a family-friendly evening stroll during the Firelight Family Walk from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Emricson Park in Woodstock, 1313 Kishwaukee Valley Road. The free event features an illuminated path through the park that ends with hot chocolate by a fire. Find more information on Woodstock’s Firelight Family Walk here: Woodstockrecreationdepartment.com/338/Recreation.

Veteran Spirit Pull: The Veterans Path to Hope fifth annual Spirit Pull fundraiser will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the McHenry Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4600, 3002 Route 120, McHenry. Sip on craft beverages created by local distillers and breweries while supporting veterans in need. Try gourmet popcorn, nuts and premium cigars, and participate in a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction. Tickets start at $20. Find more details on Veterans Path to Hope’s Spirit Pull and purchase tickets here: Givebutter.com/2025VPHspiritpull.

Vintage Shop Hop: The Spring 2025 Vintage Shop Hop continues Saturday at more than 400 participating locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. Explore antique malls, shops, boutiques and barn sales for discounts, raffles, games, music and food trucks. Some locations in McHenry County include Carriage House Antiques and Good Stuff in Crystal Lake, Starline Factory Market in Harvard, and Q’tiques in McHenry. More information about the Vintage Shop Hop and a full list of shops can be found here: Vintageshophop.blogspot.com.

Barbie Day: Celebrate Barbie’s birthday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road in Volo. Party with Barbie at the new exhibit, take photos in a Barbie box, partake in sing-alongs and join in on story time with the iconic character. The celebration is free for museum members and included in a general admission ticket. Tickets start at $13.95. Check out more details on the Volo museum’s Barbie Day and purchase tickets here: Facebook.com/volomuseum.

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