COMEDY

CAMERON ESPOSITO

12/10 at 8 On a joint bill with her fiancée, fellow comic Rhea Butcher, the Chicagoan-turned-Angeleno riffs on domestic life and politics. $16–$156. Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport. thaliahallchicago.com

MIKE LEBOVITZ

12/26 at 7 His potty-mouthed jokes veer a little adolescent, but his delivery—sly and winking—makes up for it. $25. Zanies Comedy Club, 1548 N. Wells. ticketfly.com

JOHN OLIVER

12/30–31 Segments of his HBO show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, routinely go viral thanks to their muckraking-with-a-dash-of-humor sensibility. But the Emmy-winning writer has standup roots, which he’ll demonstrate here. $55–$79. Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. thechicagotheatre.com

FESTIVALS

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR

12/5–6 Find DIY and handmade products from select vendors. Participate in craft workshops and eat artisanal chow. Free. Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th. renegadecraft.com

WINTER WONDERFEST

12/5–1/10 Let the kids run rampant at the 15th annual fest, full of family-friendly activities, from ice-skating to carnival rides. $7–$25. Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. winterwonderfest.com

GARDENS, PARKS, ZOOS

BROOKFIELD ZOO

12/5–31 Holiday Magic. Gawk at more than a million holiday lights, plus ice carvings, interactive displays, and the resident talking tree. $11–$16. 8400 W. 31st, Brookfield. brookfieldzoo.org

CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN

Through 1/3 Wonderland Express. Follow handmade model trains as they wind through replicas of Chicago landmarks and decorated flora. Pick up a handcrafted wreath at the holiday market on the way out. $8–$12 (free for children under 2). 1000 Lake Cook, Glencoe. chicagobotanic.org

LINCOLN PARK ZOO

Through 1/3 Zoolights. Admire the holiday light displays on a brisk walk through the zoo. Free. 2001 N. Clark. lpzoo.org

READINGS

TONY HOAGLAND

12/10 at 7 The National Book Critics Circle finalist reads from his latest poetry collection, Application for Release from the Dream. Free. Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior. poetryfoundation.org

RECOMMENDED READING NIGHT

12/16 at 7 Aleksandar Hemon, Gina Frangello, and Christine Sneed are among the five local authors who will each chat about their favorite books for 10 minutes at this new quarterly event. $5 suggested donation. Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark. womenandchildrenfirst.com

SEASONAL

CHI-TOWN RISING

12/31 at 6 Check out the city’s first New York–style New Year’s Eve celebration. Free. Between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive along the Chicago River. chi-townrising.com

CHRISTKINDLMARKET

Through 12/24 Finish your last-minute shopping while chowing down on strudel, sausage, and spiced wine at this outdoor annual German market. Free. Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington. christkindlmarket.com