DateBook
Galas, concerts, lectures, and celebrations — the essential guide to Chicago’s social season
Theater of the Mind
Co-created by Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, and presented by The Goodman, Theater of the Mind is a new theatrical experience you’ll see, feel, taste and hear. Inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research, the show takes you on an intimate and immersive journey inside how we see and create our worlds. Peer behind the curtain of the physical realm as you move through a series of rooms with your guide, where you’ll participate in thought-provoking experiences—and marvel at the wonders of your mind.
CSO Chamber Music: Carving Out History
Inspired by our current exhibition, Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History, discover the music of elegance, passion, and innovation while exploring the remarkable lives and artistic achievements of these trailblazing women in the intimate setting of the Driehaus Museum and Murphy Auditorium. Your ticket includes admission to the Museum. The Museum will be open for program guests at 5pm prior to the event or you can visit later, during our public hours with your ticket. Presented by the Driehaus Museum, this concert is part of a series generously sponsored by the Zell Family Foundation.
Women Supporting Wildlife Luncheon
This event raises crucial funds for Lincoln Park Zoo’s animal care and welfare, conservation, and advocacy programs. Alicia Silverstone will be joined in conversation by Megan R. Ross, Ph.D., President and CEO of Lincoln Park Zoo. Test your luck in our raffle for a chance to win one of several fabulous packages including a shopping spree, tickets to the Windy City Smokeout, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with a Lincoln Park Zoo keeper! Raffle tickets will be available for purchase only onsite during the event.
La Bouteille Mystère Wine Discovery Night
Join the French Market team for an elevated evening to taste 20 fine wines - alongside a curated selection of cheeses and gourmet bites - discover your favorites, and donate a bottle to La Bouteille Mystère, all in one night.
Exhibition A Revolution of Values to be presented as part of third Veteran Art Triennial and Summit, Resisting the Long War
The Elmhurst Art Museum is honored to announce the participating artists and related programming for A REVOLUTION OF VALUES, a group exhibition presented as part of the 2026 Veteran Art Triennial and Summit, RESISTING THE LONG WAR, organized by the Chicago-based Emerging Veteran Art Movement. A REVOLUTION OF VALUES builds on the legacy ofVietnam Veterans Against the War through the work of cutting-edge contemporary veteran artists who are turning from militarism toward solidarity. Bringing together nearly a dozen local, national, and international artists, the exhibition celebrates the range of ways veteran artists examine their military experiences and critique militarism. A REVOLUTION OF VALUES will be on view from September 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
13th Annual Food Drive
WGN is proud to host its 13th annual drive-thru food drive. All proceeds will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository via the WGN-TV Family Charities, a fund of the McCormick Foundation, which will match $.50 on the dollar.
Preservation Awards
Join us for our annual awards ceremony recognizing exceptional efforts in preserving, restoring, and revitalizing historic places in Illinois! Our annual awards program honors exceptional preservation leaders and community-led preservation efforts that spark economic development, contribute to a sustainable built environment and improve the quality of life in communities across the state. The public event will feature a sit-down awards ceremony and cocktail reception.
The Winnetka Edit - Opening Night Party
We invite you to kick off The Winnetka Edit with A Night at the Estate — an unforgettable evening of entertainment, shopping and celebration. Guests will enjoy lively dueling pianos, craft cocktails, and elevated bites while connecting with friends and fellow supporters in a vibrant social atmosphere. Your Opening Night Party ticket also includes entry to the Saturday Show (10am-5pm 11/7).
Paul Marinaro Presents Mood Ellington
Hey Nonny will pay tribute to one of the most influential figures in American music, Duke Ellington, with a one-night-only performance marking the 80th anniversary of his historic 1946 concert at Chicago's Civic Opera House. Acclaimed Chicago jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro will present Mood Ellington, joined by a full nine-piece ensemble performing the timeless music of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The celebrated project was also featured at this year's Chicago Jazz Festival, making this an incredible opportunity to experience world-class jazz in an intimate setting. Tickets start at $38.
Revolutions
Guarneri Hall, a state-of-the-art, custom-built classical music venue in the heart of downtown Chicago, proudly announces Revolutions, a two-day music series exploring the intersections of political, social, technological, and musical change at two pivotal moments in world history. Audiences will hear works by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Ravel, Stravinsky and Janáček, paired with lectures that provide socio-political context of the eras. Adding to the intimacy, each musical evening includes a post-concert reception where audience members and performers can interact over quality libations and hors d’oeuvres.
Fur Ball
The PAWS Chicago Fur Ball is Chicago's premier pet-friendly black tie event! Set at the legendary Drake Hotel, this unique gala invites guests to dress their pets in four-legged formal wear and walk the red carpet for an exciting celebration to benefit PAWS Chicago. Guests will delight in the silent and live auctions with one-of-a-kind items, raffle, dancing, and dinner buffets. Lucky dogs in attendance will also be treated to an evening of indulgences - including a divine dinner served in crystal goblets at the special dog buffet.
Hyde Park Art Center Gala 2026
Hyde Park Art Center is delighted to invite you to a truly special evening, our 2026 Gala, on Saturday, November 14. This year the event will honor Candida Alvarez and Nora Daley. We are thrilled to celebrate these visionaries while bringing together artists and art lovers to support the Art Center’s unique creative ecosystem. From open studios and artist interventions, to conversations at your dinner table, this evening centers artists at every moment. We hope you will join us in celebrating and reaffirming the importance of the arts for us all.
22nd Lycée French Market
Get a head start on your holiday shopping with this beloved Ravenswood event! Browse more than 60 vendors, enjoy an authentic French Bistro, and take part in entertaining activities for children and adults alike. $5 suggested donation.
The Gilded Gala
The Driehaus Museum invites you to join us for The Gilded Gala, an annual celebration of artistic excellence and Chicago’s cultural legacy. This signature event benefits the Museum’s transformative public programming and mission of expanding access to extraordinary art, architecture, and design. The 2026 Gilded Gala will honor Mansueto Office, Inc. for advancing the well-being of communities through philanthropic support of holistic educational and cultural initiatives, as well as the stewardship of our architecturally significant built environment to ensure long-term social impact.
JoJo’s Feast Mode
Jewel-Osco is hosting JoJo's Feast Mode, an over-the-top Friendsgiving celebration at Rockwell on the River, featuring a celebrity chef showdown between James Beard Nominated Chef Joe Flamm and Food Network star Jeff Mauro! The two Chicago favorites will go head-to-head, putting their own spins on Thanksgiving classics, with guests sampling their creations and voting for the winner. Best of all, the competition supports an incredible cause, with $40,000 in charitable donations benefiting Northern Illinois Food Bank and Greater Chicago Food Depository, helping fight hunger during the holiday season. And there's plenty more to enjoy! This event is free to attend.
Poiesis Quartet: In the Listening
Nova Linea Musica an innovative chamber music series and new-music incubator, continues its 2026-27 season with a performance by one of the most promising up-and-coming string quartets today, Poiesis Quartet. The program will feature the world premiere of a newly commissioned Nova Linea Musica work by Iván Enrique Rodríguez.
Winter Wishes: Annual Holiday Cocktail Celebration
This festive celebration has become the official kick-off to Chicago’s holiday season. Guests gather to celebrate the holidays and help to make wishes come true for patients treated at Lurie Children’s. Proceeds benefit the Founders’ Board’s fundraising commitment to the Lurie Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
Allendale Youth Board Polar Plunge
Take the plunge in Lake Michigan, challenge yourself in the stair climbing competition, or cheer from the shore at Allendale Youth Board’s 2nd Annual Polar Plunge. Tickets are $25 and participants are encouraged to invite friends and family to sponsor their plunge or climb. All proceeds benefit Allendale in Lake Villa, a school and residence supporting the behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs of some of Illinois’s most vulnerable children.
Joy to the World: A Holiday Production
Join South Chicago Dance Theatre’s 10th anniversary season Legacy Builders Benefit Host Committee. Host committee members are ambassadors for SCDT’s biggest night of the season and gain exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the May 22, 2027 performance at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance!
181st Annual Saint Andrew’s Day Gala: “The Feast of the Haggis”
The Board of Governors cordially invites everyone who is Scottish by birth, by heritage or simply by inclination to celebrate Scotland, and the very best qualities of the Scots at Chicago Scots’ 181st annual Saint Andrew’s Day Gala. A Conversation with The Honourable Jim Webb will be followed by a cocktail reception with Scottish flair, an awards dinner program, awards, toasts, tributes, dance and bagpipe performances, and traditional Scottish ceilidh.
75th Annual Children’s Research Fund Children’s Ball
The 2026 Children’s Ball is the signature fundraising event of the Children’s Research Fund at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. This black-tie gala brings together philanthropic leaders for an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing pediatric research. Funds raised support the Children’s Research Fund’s commitment to Advanced Therapeutics at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, accelerating innovative treatments and transformative discoveries for children in Chicago and beyond.