NORTH CENTER — For every person crying over the end of summer there's another person thrilled with the prospect of cooler (but not cold) temperatures and the sound of crunching leaves (but not snow) underfoot.
Here are just a few ways to to celebrate the first weekend of fall:
• St. Ben's OktoberFest is in its 50th year. Drink German beer, eat German food, listen to German music and let the kids go to town on carnival rides. 3-10 p.m. Friday, 1-10 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday; 2215 W. Irving Park Road. Free admission.
• Experience all the fun of going back to college without going back to school at Northeastern Illinois University's homecoming bash, 4-10 p.m. Friday. Open to the community, the party features a Goose Island beer garden, music from Funkadesi among others, food vendors, kids' games and more. Admission is free, food and drinks are cash only. Event will be held in Parking Lot F, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
• The Cornelia Arts Building is throwing its quarterly open house, 6-10 p.m. Friday. Explore two floors of artists' studios, meet the makers and maybe buy some stuff. Added bonus: live music and the Pierogi Street food truck. Free, 1800 W. Cornelia Ave.
• Nothing screams "fall" like a pumpkin patch. Get your gourd on at Cornucopia, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Eugene Field Park's annual harvest fest also includes an art fair, music, food trucks, pony rides, bouncys and more. Free admission, activities cost $2-$5. 5100 N. Ridgeway Ave.
• Browntrout is back ... as a one-time pop-up. Chef Sean Sanders will be serving up brunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday at the Long Room, 1612 W. Irving Park Roa. Menu options include fried chicken and S'mores cake.
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