Special Events

Philadelphia

Kennel Club of Philadelphia Dog Show Show dogs, high-flying athlete dogs, educational programs, vendors selling merchandise for & about dogs. 610-627-1911. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.; www.philadogshow.com. $12; $6 children under 12. 11/17-11/18 8 am-5 pm. Philadelphia Marathon 26.2-mile course past many of the city's historic areas. Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; 215-636-3300. Registration is now closed. 11/18 7 am.

*FREE* Philadelphia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo Find running-related apparel & products at this Philadelphia Marathon home base. Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.; 215-204-8499; www.liacourascenter.com. 11/16 noon-7 pm. 11/17 10 am-6 pm.

*FREE* Run With Olympians Run a 4-mile course along with Olympic vets Tim Broe, Carrie Tollefson & Todd Williams. Fairmount Park, 4231 N. Concourse Dr.; 215-685-0060. www.phila.gov/fairpark. 11/17 9 am.

Pennsylvania suburbs

*FREE* Grand Illumination Celebration & Open House Weekend Light display switched on at 6:15 pm Fri. Free cider & toasted marshmallows served. Peruse the shops for holiday gifts. Peddler's Village, Rtes. 202 & 263, Lahaska; 215-794-4000. www.peddlersvillage.com. 11/16-11/18.

Philadelphia Travel Show Travel presentations, local, national & international exhibitors, cultural dance performances, prizes & more. 925-701-0225. Valley Forge Convention Center, 1160 First Ave., King of Prussia; www.phillytravelshow.com. $9; $7 seniors; free for children under 18. 11/17-11/18 11 am-4 pm.

New Jersey

*FREE* Fall Colors in the Pines Hike Guided nature hike. Wharton State Forest, Nesco Rd., Hammonton; 609-561-0024. 11/17 10 am.

Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Rides Trolley ride through the historic district featuring holiday-themed ghost tales. Closes 12/31. Downtown Cape May, Downtown Cape May, Cape May; 609-463-6415. www.capemay.com. $10; $5 children. 11/16 7 & 7:45 pm. 11/17 8:15 & 9 pm.

Santa Trolley Rides Train ride around Cape May featuring treats & a holiday guest. Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1048 Washington St., Cape May; 609-884-5404. www.capemaymac.org. $5. 11/17 11:45 am-7:30 pm. 11/18 11:45 am-1:30 pm.

Delaware

Kids' Stuff

Children's performances

Mr. Ray Fun pop/rock songs about aliens, dinosaurs & other colorful topics. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400; www.mrray.com. $10; $7 children 1-12; free for children under 1. 11/17 11:30 am.

Children's Events

Mini Basketball Basics With Coach Dan Children will learn some of the basic skills & rules of basketball. Warminster Parks & Recreation, 1101 Little Lane, Warminster; Registration required: 215-443-5428. www.warminstertownship.org. $25. 11/19 4:30-5:15 pm.

No Place Like Home Children's class on animal dwellings. Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown; 610-277-3825. www.elmwoodparkzoo.org. $12. 11/20 10:30-11:15 am.

Visit Mr. & Mrs. Claus Storybook Land, 6415 Black Horse Pike, Cardiff; 609-641-7847. www.storybookland.com. Included in admission. 11/17 2-9 pm. 11/18 2-9 pm.

Children's museums & attractions

Garden State Discovery Museum 2040 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill; 856-424-1233. www.discoverymuseum.com. Hands-on children's museum featuring an activity wonderland for infants through age 10. Cinderella - Live performance of the classic fairy tale. 11/17-11/18 1 pm. Open Arms - Evening of open play & resource information for families with autistic children. Free. 11/18 6-8 pm. $9.95; $8.95 seniors; free for children under 1. Sun.-Fri. 9:30 am-5:30 pm; Sat. 9:30 am-8:30 pm.

Insectarium 8046 Frankford Ave.; 215-335-9500. www.insectarium.com. Ongoing: Arachnid Alley - Exhibit about spiders; Cockroach Kitchen - Live cockroach exhibit; Insect Museum - Thousands of mounted & live specimens, interactive exhibits; Working Beehive - Live bee exhibit. $7; free for children under 2. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm.

Kix & Giggles Children's Playground 9356 Old Bustleton Ave.; 215-677-4140. www.kixandgiggles.com. Attractions include a wrap-around gym, a rock wall, soft-play section for babies & toddlers, an outside seating area & more. Mondays 10 am-3 pm are reserved for children with special needs & their families. See website for more details. $6.95. Tue.-Thu. 10 am-8 pm; Fri.-Sat. 10 am-9 pm; Sun. 10 am-8 pm.

The Please Touch Museum 210 N. 21st St.; 215-963-0667. www.pleasetouchmuseum.org. Arts & crafts, stories, theater, interactive exhibits, hands-on activities & more. Eat Like a Pirate - New theater show about good nutrition & exercise to be staged daily through 11/25 & free with museum admission. $10.95; free for children under 1. Daily 9 am-4:30 pm.

Sesame Place 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne; 215-752-7070. www.sesameplace.com. Family amusement park where beloved Sesame Street characters come to life through parades, rides (including the roller coaster, Vapor Trail), live shows, play areas (Big Bird's Court, Elmo's World, etc.), meal times with furry friends (Breakfast with Cookie Monster, Lunch with Big Bird, etc.) & more. $44.50; $39.50 seniors; free for children under 2. Weekends only.

*FREE* Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse Intersection of 33rd & Oxford Sts. in E. Fairmount Park; 215-765-4325. www.smithplayhouse.org. Three-story "play mansion" for children 0-5 yrs. old & huge outdoor play park for children 0-10 featuring the Giant Wooden Slide, the giant net climber, the Apollo spinner climber, the Biggo Duo swing & much more. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm. Children must be accompanied by adult.

Literary Calendar

Book signings & readings

Barnes & Noble - Rittenhouse Square 1805 Walnut St.; 215-665-0716. www.bn.com. Dave Brown: Philly Jock: The Best Philadelphia Pro Athletes of Our Time. 11/17 4 pm.

Borders Books & Music 4010 Dearborn Circle, Mount Laurel; 856-866-9090. www.borders.com. Bob Birdsall: People of the Pines. 11/16 7 pm.

Borders Books & Music 515 Rte. 73 South, Marlton; 856-985-5080. www.bordersstores.com. Yvonne Stephens: Say Cheese. 11/17 1 pm.

Free Library of Philadelphia - Central Branch 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. www.library.phila.gov. Tommy LaSorda: I Live For This: Baseball's Last True Believer. 11/16 noon. James Rosin: Philadelphia: City of Music . Special book signing event also featuring music from Unforgetable. 11/19 7 pm.

Har Zion Temple 1500 Hagys Ford Rd., Narberth; 610-667-5000. www.harziontemple.org. Martin Lemelman: Mendel's Daughter. 11/19 11:30 am.

Mishkan Shalom 4101 Freeland Ave.; 215-508-0226. www.mishkan.org. Dr. Alice Rothchild: Broken Promises, Broken Dreams. 11/18 1 pm.

Poetry & lectures

Free Library of Philadelphia - Central Branch 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. www.library.phila.gov. J. Craig Venter: A Life Decoded - Author appearance & lecture. $14; $7 students. 11/20 8 pm.

Glen Foerd on the Delaware 5001 Grant Ave.; 215-632-5330. www.glenfoerd.org. Evening Tour - Learn about the history of Glen Foerd, the community of Torresdale, & the city of Philadelphia. Reservations required. $8. 11/20 7 pm.

House of Blues 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City; 609-236-2543. www.hob.com. M.I.C. Nights - Variety show with spoken word, singers & more. 11/19 9:30 pm.

Jardel Recreation Center 1400 Cottman St. Philadelphia Poetry & Literary Forum - Guest poet followed by an open reading for those who love poetry, prose, short stories, etc. For more info, call 215-329-4793. $1 donation accepted. 11/17 1:30 pm.

Lower Merion Township Building 75 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore; 610-649-4000. www.lowermerion.org. Life After Brain Injury Panel Discussion - Psychological & social aspects of recovering from major brain trauma, impact on marriages, financial concerns, more. 11/18 2 pm.

Painted Bride Art Center 230 Vine St.; 215-925-9914. www.paintedbride.org. Rock The Pen! - Poetry reading by local high school students. $5. 11/20 10:30 am-noon.

Stenton 4601 N. 18th St.; 215-329-7312. www.stenton.org. Bawdy House - Discussion of 18th-century prostitution. 11/17 1:30 pm.

The University of Pennsylvania - Kelly Writer's House 3805 Locust Walk; 215-573-9748. www.writing.upenn.edu/wh. Three Heretics - Paul Grimstad of Yale University speaks. 11/20 6 pm.