5 things to do in DeKalb County

1. Pumpkin Smash ‘N’ Bash at Hopkins Park Sled Hill, 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb.

The DeKalb Park District hosts this family-friendly event, inviting a creative way to get rid of Halloween pumpkins. Bring your carved pumpkin for a pumpkin roll competition. Have fun smashing your pumpkin and turning it into compost that will help nourish plants in the spring. There will be games and a composting program. Registration is required.

For information, go to dekalbparkdistrict.com.

2. Take a tour of Barbed Wire National Historical Site on Sunday, at the Glidden Homestead and Historical Center, 921 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb.

Glidden Homestead and Historical Center is offering Sunday tours of the National Register of Historic places site where barbed wire was invented.

From noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, visitors can tour the home where Joseph Glidden and his family lived when he created his most famous invention and see a working onsite blacksmith shop.

The center is taking reservations for tours. Admission is $4 per adult and free for children younger than 14.

For information, go to gliddenhomestead.org/events.html.

3. NIU’s 125th Anniversary Celebration Showcase of Southeast Asian Performing Arts at Boutell Memorial concert Hall, 550 Lucinda Avenue, DeKalb.

The show features Balinese shadow puppetry, Thai music and dance, Javanese gamelan, Vietnamese music and new works. A webcast is also available for those who wish to view the performances virtually.

For information, go to calendar.niu.edu.

4. Informational session on Facebook’s DeKalb Data Center at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St. in DeKalb on Tuesday, Nov. 9 and Wednesday, Nov. 10

Hard Hat in Hand: Informational session. Wondering what is being built on East Gurler Road right off I-88? Participants can hear from Mortenson and Construction Trade Partners, who are building the Facebook Data Center. Learn about the opportunity to gain entry into a paid training program that will be offered on the project site. Registration is required. Attendees must be 18 years or older.

For information, go to dkpl.org or call 815-756-9568.

5. Free Family Game Night in Cortland hosted by Epilepsy DeKalb on Saturday at the Cortland Lions Den, 70 S. Llanos St. in Cortland.

Games will include Texas hold’em, Lotería, Uno Attack, Clue, Jenga, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Monopoly Jr., Sorry!, spoons, checkers, chess, dominos and Mario Kart on the projector screen.

There will be walking tacos and loaded nachos for sale from Tinez Tacos. Bake sale items will be available for purchase from the Northern Huskies and Husky Pups Special Olympics Team. Drinks, popcorn and hotdogs will be available for purchase from the Epilepsy Advocacy Network.

Silent auction baskets can be bid upon throughout the evening from local businesses.

All proceeds will go toward program costs. All of Epilepsy DeKalb’s services are free for anyone with epilepsy or related seizure disorders.

For information about the event or Epilepsy DeKalb, email dekalbeap@gmail.com.

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Daily Chronicle’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature. Submissions to the community calendar are also printed in the Thursday edition of the Daily Chronicle.