The Local Scene: Shop for Valentine’s Day gifts at local market in McHenry

Here are five things to do this weekend:

Shop Valentine’s Day crafts: The McHenry Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4600 is hosting an arts and crafts vendor show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. More than 25 local vendors will be selling jewelry, home decor, clothing, specialty foods and more. Puddle Puppy Bakery will be selling homemade dog treats, Sixth Avenue Sweets will have baked goods, and Rage Goods will have candles. There is no cost to attend the market. Proceeds go to support the McHenry VFW garden, local veterans and Gold Star Moms. The kitchen will be open for breakfast and lunch. For details, visit bit.ly/mchenryVFWmarket.

Girls’ night out: Celebrate Galentine’s Day from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday at The Quarry Cable Park in Crystal Lake. Both nights will have special cocktails, a mini-market of vendors selling arts and goods, hors d’oeuvres and unique photo opportunities with fun backdrops. A DJ will play music featuring women artists starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person, and the event is for those 21 and older. For details and to buy tickets ahead of time, visit thequarrycablepark.com.

Ballet Folklorico: Enjoy a performance of authentic regional Mexican dances from the Ballet Folklorico Nacional at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Woodstock Opera House. The dance company presents folklore and traditions from the Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Aztecas and Michoacan regions. Ritual dances are accompanied with lavish costumes, some with headdresses that reach more than 6 feet in length. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children. For details and to buy tickets, visit woodstockoperahouse.com/operahouse.

MobCraft grand opening: MobCraft Beer in Woodstock is kicking off its grand opening with a 1980s ski-themed party from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. The new bar, located in the historic Sheriff’s House on the Woodstock Square, will have contests, games and specialty drinks at the event. Come dressed in your best retro ski suit or winter jacket and try out shot-skis or “beer poking,” which creates new flavors after a hot steel poker caramelizes the beer. Visit facebook.com/mobcraftbeerwoodstock for details.

Nature research roundup: Learn about wetlands, bison and local plants with the McHenry County Conservation District from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Glacial Park in Ringwood. The Research Roundup will have three experts talk about recent findings in the area at this free event. Ornithologist Anastasia Rahlin will share research results conducted on Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Trickster Cultural Center ethnobotanist Gina Roxas will share information on her bison behavior observation study, and restoration ecologist Kevin Scheiwiller will discuss local plant genetics and restoration efforts. Coffee and light snacks will be provided. For information, visit mccdistrict.org.

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