This weekend, go wild with nature, dining, gaming and defense

It’s going to be a wild weekend, folks, but not with the weather. Get out there and play with these five ideas.

Wildlife photos

For those who want to capture incredible wildlife photos but just need a little help learning the hows and whys of the camera, try the Nature Photography Workshop at the Nature Institute. The course starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at The Nature Institute and is $15 a person. Proceeds benefit The Nature Institute at 2213 South Levis Lane, in Godfrey.

Three local area photographers — Tracy Day, Kris Kessinger and Jody Jedlicka — are teaching the beginner-level workshop, recommended for those age 13 and up.

Bring a camera, paper and pen, lunch and tripod, if you want. Sign up online at www.TheNatureInstitute.org or by calling 618-466-9930.

Wild wood

The ice storm a couple weekends ago pushed the Itchy Brothers to postpone their Chainsaw Art Event at the Confluence Tower, 435 Confluence Tower Dr. in Hartford, to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The Itchy Brothers — Luke Harris and Don Johnson — will create bald eagles using only raw wood and chainsaws. Finished wood sculptures will be available for sale. Admission to the event is free; a trip up the tower is $6 for adults, $4 for children 3-12 and $5 for seniors and military.

Whole hog and wurst

▪  Salem United Church of Christ is going whole hog for its 69th annual whole hog sausage supper from 2:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday. It’s all you can eat with sides like sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, green beans and applesauce and dessert for $10, or $5 for kids age 5 to 10. Carry outs and advance ordering is available by calling 618-488-3733. The Salem UCC is at 1117 West North St. in Alhambra.

▪  Down in Belleville, the Christ United Church of Christ is having its 38th annual wurstmarkt from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. They’ll have fresh pork sausage, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, applesauce and more. The cost is $11 for adults amd $5 for children ages 6 to 9. Carryouts are available, and cooked sausage for sale after 3 p.m. while supplies last.

Wild games

▪  The all music trivia night has attendance prizes, mulligans and more. The cost is $20 per person at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at St. Henry Catholic Church Parish Center, 5315 West Main St. in Belleville. Call 618-540-8383 for more information.

▪  Strategy board games for the family is an event for those learning to play strategy games. It’s free, and will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Fantasy Books, 1113 East Main St. in Belleville. For more information, go to www.meetup.com/metro-east-gamers.

▪  A trivia night sponsored by the St. Stephen Catholic Church Men’s Club has attendance prices, 50/50 and more. Cost is $12 per person, soft drinks and snacks included. Starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Voigt Hall, 901 S. Main, IL Route 157, Caseyville. For more information, call 618-604-0600.

▪  A trivia night sponsored by Corpus Chrisit Catholic Church Youth Ministry will benefit teenage orphans in Uganda. It’s $10 a person with a silent auction and more at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 205 Rasp St. in Shiloh. Bring your own snacks and drinks. For more information, call 618-920-3914

Go wild

For this class, leave the kids at home. The self-defense workshop is for those 18 and older because of the location.

Sugar & Spice Boutique, at 1401 Mississippi Avenue in Sauget, is offering a self-defense class from a martial arts and self-defense expert in one of its classrooms from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

The “sex positive clothing, shoe and sexual wellness products store” is offering the class for free, says owner Jackie Harris.

“I started (the store) because of a lack of education, especially in the LGBTQ population,” she said, referring to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans and queer people.

The class is open to anyone, she says, who is interested in basic self-defense.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 9:36 AM with the headline "This weekend, go wild with nature, dining, gaming and defense."