Six Awesome Events at Westfield Old Orchard

From the community ~

Insect invasion at Old Orcahrd!

No need to be afraid of these creepy crawlers! From July 24 to August 14, Westfield Old Orchard shoppers at Westfield Old Orchard (Skokie Boulevard & Old Orchard Road) can experience the invasion of Xtreme Bugs at the gigantic, state-of-the-art animatronic bugon display near Nordstrom. If you can't get enough, Westfield will be offering two free admission passes to Brookfield Zoo, including two passes to see the Xtreme Bugs exhibit, to all shoppers who spend $200 or more on their shopping trip.

Bring the family back to Westfield's Xtreme Bugs exhibit from noon to 2 p.m. August 4 for some hands-on fun, where kids will enjoy making crafts and receive giveaways by the Brookfield Zoo.

North Shore Festival of Art Returns -

The fifth annual North Shore Festival of Art presented by Amdur Productions returns to Westfield Old Orchard 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 27-29. North Shore and other Chicagoland residents can come and enjoy the weekend-long festival celebrating more than 150 of the country's finest artists. Their one-of-a-kind-works will be featured throughout Westfield's inner court of the shopping center and will showcase works constructed from an array of mediums that include ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, paintings, drawings, photography, printmaking, wood and furniture. The open-air exhibition will span throughout the center.

Additional fun and prizes will complement the art festival as live music will be featured with performances from celebrated bands and musicians. Children will enjoy a train, crafting projects and more. To top things off, daily drawings will take place giving festival-goers the chance to receive "Art Buck$" to spend on a piece of art at any future 2012 Amdur Productions festival.

Admission and parking for the North Shore Festival of Art is complimentary.

"Dog Days of Summer" -

Westfield Old Orchard will be hosting its monthly WFamily program 11:30 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m. August 4.  Can you believe summer is drawing to a close? Come celebrate the Dog Days of summer with Westfield at Barnes & Noble where preschool aged children and their parents will enjoy a free story time and crafting session rejoicing all the best things about summer.    Westfield has partnered with The Skokie Public Library to offer this free event series to Chicagoland families to promote learning through literacy and creativity.  This event is complimentary and registration is not required. 

Sip & Shop Wine Series -

Get excited about fall fashion 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, August 30 with Sip & Shop STYLE. The third and final event of the series gets you ready for the upcoming fall fashion season with expert advice from notable Chicago stylist Julie Watson.  Julie will show you insider tips and tricks on how to update a wardrobe on any budget; how to maximize the clothes in your closet, and how to spend wisely without the threat of buyer's remorse.   Don't miss out on your last chance to Sip and Shop at Westfield Old Orchard!  Space is limited; guests must be 21 years or older. To RSVP, visit www.westfield.com/oldorchard.

Monday Night Car Shows -

Monday Night Car Shows at Westfield Old Orchard are every Monday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. As many as 200 classic and vintage cars will be on display in the West parking lot, and guests can come and enjoy a night full of great music, food, prizes, hourly raffles, and fun. Monday Night Car Shows run every Monday night through September 10.

Monday Night Car Shows, Inc. is a non-for-profit organization comprised of local businessmen and citizens dedicated to the Classic Car Hobby and the Community at large. The mission is to advance the Classic Car Hobby through community awareness, camaraderie, contributions to programs that teach automotive skills to the next generation through scholarships. To learn more about Monday Night Car Show, Inc., or if you want to register your vehicle, visitwww.mondaynightcarshows.com.  You can also 'like' the show on Facebook.

French Market Continues! -

he Westfield French Market is off to a rewarding start as the European-style, Bensidoun USA backed outdoor market adds new vendors and welcomes area patrons as they flock to enjoy the market's offerings. 

Added to the growing list of vendors including B True Bakery, Hahn Bakery, KAP Farm, Organo Gold Coffee, The Blue Olive, Fraternite and Notre Dame. Also joining the line-up are Provence Imports, featuring table linens direct from Provence; Twin Garden Farms, bringing to the market their Mirai Corn, and The Bakeman which will offer gluten free products, most notably the Zen Brownie. 

To make the trip to the market easier for shoppers, Westfield has recently added 'dots' to all the Maps and Directories around the shopping center to guide guests to the French Market area.  A-frame signs also have been placed at five of the major entrances to help navigate eager market shoppers through the center.

The Westfield French Market is open every Thursday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. through September and is located near Macy's by the Koi Pond. It offers a variety of local artisan products including fresh produce, breads and cheeses and gifts for the home and family.

New stores opening -

• Michael Kors
• C.D. Peacock
• Hugo Boss
• The North Face