Mark your calendars: A month-by-month peek at the year ahead
The new year - a brand-new decade, in fact - kicks off today with parades, football games and much more.
When it comes to entertainment, 2010 offers a number of high-profile events from the opening of a new baseball stadium in the suburbs to big-name rock concerts in the city.
Here's a month-by-month look at some highly anticipated entertainment options in the year ahead.
January
If you've grown tired of fall's TV lineup, January brings good news: the return of some old favorites and even a new show or two. A Paula Abdul-less "American Idol" returns to Fox Jan. 12, and Jack's back soon after when the new season of "24" premieres Jan. 17. Other returning shows are FX's "Nip/Tuck" and "Damages" and TNT's "Leverage."
And new to prime time: "Life UneXpected" debuts Jan. 18 on The CW. It's the story of a teen who connects with her biological parents after bouncing around the foster care system.
Info: www.fox.com, www.fxnetworks.com, www.tnt.tv and www.cwtv.com
Also of interest to TV viewers: Food Network debuts "Worst Cooks in America" Jan. 3.
February
Broadway takes center stage in Chicago come February with two very different shows, both at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre. Fans of serious drama won't want to miss Tracy Letts' acclaimed "August: Osage County," winner of both a Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize. It runs Feb. 2 to 14.
Families wanting something a little - OK, a lot - lighter will high-tail it over to "The 101 Dalmatians Musical" Feb. 16 to 28.
Info: www.broadwayinchicago.com
Also of interest to Broadway buffs: Brian Dennehy wraps up his double bill of "Hughie" and "Krapp's Last Tape" at Chicago's Goodman Theatre before it moves on to New York.
March
"Matisse: Radical Invention 1913-1917" opens March 20 at the Art Institute of Chicago for a three-month run. The exhibition will include about 100 different pieces - paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints - from a pivotal period in the artist's life.
Info: www.artic.edu/aic
Also of interest to museumgoers: "Mammoths and Mastodons" opens March 5 at Chicago's Field Museum.
April
Mother Nature won't be the only one putting on a show at Lisle's Morton Arboretum this spring. The world premiere of the Steelroots sculpture series by artist Steve Tobin opens April 9 against the backdrop of the arboretum's 22-acre Conifer Collection. "Steelroots: Tobin at The Morton Arboretum" features 15 sculptures - some soaring up to 40 feet high - made of rolled and bent steel pipes.
Info: www.mortonarb.org
Also of interest to nature lovers: April is a great time of year to make your first spring visit to the Botanic Garden in Glencoe.
May
Six Flags Great America in Gurnee kicks off a new Glow in the Park parade on May 29. The 30-minute night parade will feature five custom-designed floats decked out in multicolored lights and 65 performers, including dancers, drummers, puppeteers, singers and stilt walkers.
Info: www.sixflags.com
Also of interest to families: Great Bear Wilderness opens at Brookfield Zoo.
June
The Lake County Fielders will play their first game at the team's brand-new Zion stadium in June. The $17 million stadium has an 8,000-person capacity, with 4,000 seats, decks, party areas, water slides, a hot tub and an all-you-can-eat area. The team will play in the Northern League with the Schaumburg Flyers.
Info: www.lakecountybaseball.com
Also of interest to suburban sports fans: The Chicago Sky continues its season in a new home - Rosemont's Allstate Arena.
July
Two major music tours - U2 and Bon Jovi - perform at Chicago's Soldier Field come July. Bono and the boys play on July 6, while Bon Jovi hits town July 30.
Info: u2.com and bonjovi.com
Also of interest to music fans: Stages at local festivals bring lots of big-name talent close to home. Last year, for example, Naperville's Ribfest drew Heart, Huey Lewis and the News and Sara Evans. No telling what 2010 will bring.
August
Feel like you're on vacation, even if you're minutes from home, by dining on the water come August. Really, summer in the Midwest is too short to waste, and enjoying dinner and a drink with a view is one of those experiences that transports you to another time and place - say the Greek Isles instead of Island Lake. Some waterfront watering holes worthy of a visit include Docks in Wauconda, Snug Harbor in McHenry and Herrington Inn in Geneva.
Info: www.docksbarandgrill.com, www.snugharbormchenry.com and www.herringtoninn.com
Also of interest to water lovers: The Chicago Air and Water Show returns Aug. 14 and 15.
September
Close out the summer by going fest crazy at various festivals throughout the city and suburbs. Two popular options: Naperville's Last Fling and the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Info: www.lastfling.org and www.explorechicago.org
Also of interest to festival freaks: Oktoberfests. (And yes, a lot of them are in September.)
October
Haunted houses scare up plenty of money come October, and the suburbs are home to several of the best. Visitors to hauntedhousechicago.com, for example, ranked Addison's Disturbia Torment of Fears as tops for 2009. The site's haunted house reviewers, meanwhile, named Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach as their No. 1 site.
Info: www.hauntedhousechicago.com
Also of interest to horror fans: "Saw VII" hits theaters across the country in October.
November
The Nov. 2 elections will determine whether Gov. Pat Quinn continues to lead the state, who will hold the Senate seat Illinois' former governor is accused of trying to sell and more congressional, state, judicial and county positions than we can count. Not entertainment, you say? Well then you haven't been following Illinois politics for long.
Info: www.elections.state.il.us
Also of interest to politicos: George Bush and Karl Rove have memoirs slated to be published in 2010.
December
"The Green Hornet" starring Seth Rogen is scheduled for release at the tail end of 2010. This one ought to be a multigenerational treat since the superhero crime fighter was a popular fixture on radio and TV long before Rogen - a big draw among younger moviegoers - was born.
Info: sonypictures.com
Also for movie lovers: Schedules are often in flux so it's tough to say exactly what will hit multiplexes when in the coming year, but plenty of blockbusters are set for late spring and summer. Among them: "Iron Man 2," "A-Team" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."