It's Abby's World After All

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It's Abby's World After All

Helping families find the BEST things to do 💕
📍 Chicagoland + Family Travel
🗺️ FREE Field Guides, Itineraries + More
💌 [email protected]

09/05/2026

Get in loser, MEAN GIRLS are at the theatre! 💋💅AD

You can catch MEAN GIRLS at Paramount Theatre in Aurora now through October 11!

The Tony-nominated musical based on the iconic Tina Fey movie has officially hit the Paramount stage for its Chicago-area premiere. Tickets start at just $34! 🎟️

Who are you bringing?! 👀💕

📍 Paramount Theatre | Aurora, IL
🎭 Now–October 11, 2026
🎟️ Tickets + showtimes: Paramount Theatre

Save this for your next girls’ night or date night! 💗

Follow ABBY BILINSKI and my friends Lindy | Chicago & Travel Family Julia Randall Hilary Klein Keely Goshia for more things to do around Chicagoland!

08/30/2026

SEPTEMBER IS PACKED!🍻🎶🎡🍎

I found 109 festivals + events happening around Chicagoland and Northern Illinois this September and put them ALL in one place for you!

We’re talking Oktoberfests, huge community festivals, art fairs, food festivals, live music, cultural celebrations, county fairs and SO much more.

A few on my radar:
🎡 Sandwich Fair
🎶 McHenry Music Festival
🍻 Oktoberfest Nation in Fulton Market
🍎 Long Grove Apple Fest
🎷 Chicago Jazz Festival
🎉 Schaumburg Septemberfest
🍷 Festival of the Vine
🎨 Art on the Fox
🇩🇪 Oktoberfest Chicago
…and literally 100 MORE.

📌 SAVE THIS POST because September weekends are officially BOOKED.

🔗 Want more details? Check out my blog for my full September festival blog guide with even more information + additional events worth the drive!

🍂 Looking specifically for FALL FESTIVALS or FREE FALL FESTIVALS? I already have separate massive roundups for BOTH! Check out my page for the posts + head to my blog for the full detailed guides.

⚠️ As always, event details can change! Make sure to check each event’s individual website or social pages for the most up-to-date dates, times, admission information and details before going.

✨ Save this + follow ABBY BILINSKI for more Chicagoland family fun, weekend ideas, hidden gems + massive seasonal roundups!

Which September festival are you most excited for?!

08/27/2026

Oak Lawn families, add this dentist to your list! 🦷🪥AD

We recently got to celebrate iDENTical Smiles - Oak Lawn Smiles in Oak Lawn at their ribbon cutting, and while we were there, we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the office. I was SO impressed with how much thought they’ve put into making the dentist feel comfortable for kids.

My girls got to hop in the chairs, check out the different tools and see some of the technology they use during appointments. The staff was amazing about explaining everything to them and letting them see how it worked, which is such a great way to take some of the unknown (and nerves!) out of going to the dentist.

And can we talk about the TVs in every treatment room?! 🙌 Kids can stay entertained while getting their teeth cleaned or having other dental work done.

For the grown-ups, they also have some seriously impressive dental technology and offer preventative, cosmetic and restorative dentistry, Invisalign and more. 🦷

We loved getting to celebrate Identical Smiles and tour this beautiful Oak Lawn office!

📍 Identical Smiles | Oak Lawn, IL

Save this for the next time your family needs a dentist + follow ABBY BILINSKI for more Chicagoland finds, family fun & local businesses worth knowing about! 💕

08/27/2026

FREE FALL FUN AROUND CHICAGOLAND! 🍁🎃

You guys asked for a FREE fall festival roundup, so obviously I took that as a challenge and went a little overboard.

I searched ALL OVER Chicagoland and Northern Illinois for FREE fall festivals + events happening this season!

ALL FREE:
🎃 Fall Festivals
🍎 Apple Fests
🍂 Harvest Celebrations
🥨 Oktoberfests
🎃 Pumpkin Walks
🎶 Music + Art Festivals
👻 Halloween Events
🍁 FREE-admission pumpkin farms

And this list goes WAY beyond Chicago and the immediate suburbs. I included events throughout Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will and DeKalb Counties, plus Rockford and beyond.

IMPORTANT: “FREE” means free admission unless otherwise noted. Some events charge separately for food, drinks, pumpkins, carnival rides, hayrides or certain activities. There are also quite a few on this list with tons of activities included for FREE!

⚠️ PLEASE check each event’s website before heading out. Dates, times, activities and other details can change, especially with outdoor events.

🔗 Want MORE details? The full guide is on my blog with additional information to help you plan your fall adventures! Find it through the link in my bio.

🍁 SAVE this post because you’re going to need it ALL fall.

📲 SEND it to your fall adventure crew.

🎃 And FOLLOW ABBY BILINSKI because I have a LOT more Chicagoland fall fun coming your way!

Did I miss a FREE fall festival? DROP IT IN THE COMMENTS! I’ll keep updating the blog as we find more.

08/26/2026

I’m just going to say it: if you’re staying at Great Wolf Lodge, ADD THE WOLF PASS 🐺AD

We got SO much use out of ours, and I loved that it gave the girls plenty to do outside of the waterpark too!

Our Wolf Pass included:
💦 Swim goggles
🧸 A Great Wolf furry friend from Build-A-Bear Workshop
💎 Gemstone mining at Oliver’s Mining Co.
🪄 MagiQuest game for our entire stay + a wand or MagiQuest accessory
🕹️ 3 arcade games
🍬 A candy cup from Great Wolf Candy Co.
🍦 A kids ice cream from Bear Paw

Gemstone mining was a HUGE hit, and MagiQuest ended up being something we kept going back to throughout our stay.
Between full days at the waterpark and all of the Wolf Pass activities, there was seriously no need to leave the resort to keep everyone entertained. 🙌

🐺 SAVE this for your next Great Wolf Lodge trip!l

Follow ABBY BILINSKI for more family travel, staycations & kid-approved fun! ✨

08/25/2026

MagiQuest was a MUST during our stay at Great Wolf Lodge! 🪄✨AD

The girls upgraded to the light-up wands, got their certificates during the MagiQuest Ceremony, and then they were ready to start their quests!

They followed clues, searched for hidden items, opened treasure chests, and used their wands to make things come to life throughout the MagiQuest area. And I loved that this wasn’t a one-and-done activity. We could come back and keep working through their quests during our stay!

MagiQuest was included with our Wolf Pass, and after seeing how much the girls loved it, I definitely think the pass was worth it for our family.

📍 Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells • Wisconsin Dells, WI

Save this for your next Wisconsin Dells trip + follow ABBY BILINSKI for more family adventures, hidden gems & kid-approved fun! 💕

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