Windy City Events

West Suburban Humane Society to Host 17th Annual Barkapalooza Dog Walkathon and Expo (9/26)

(DOWNERS GROVE, IL) – The Seventeenth Annual Barkapalooza, a fundraiser for the West Suburban Humane Society, will take place on Sunday, September 26, 2010, from 10am to 2pm at Patriot Park at 55th Street and Grand in Downers Grove, Illinois. This dog-friendly event allows pet owners, prospective pet adopters and all-around pet lovers to raise money for homeless pets through a Dog Walkathon. Participants are encouraged to collect pledges for the walk, and all proceeds will support the West Suburban Humane Society.
 
Visitors may also explore the Pet Expo, where a group of pet-focused vendors such as the K9 Cookie Company, The Happy Dog Barkery, Mark Pastor Photography, Belle Aire Kennels and Fabien’s Paw Station and others will be featured along with breed specific rescue groups. Owners may also have pets micro chipped for a discounted rate of only $35. A blessing for the animals will be given at 10am to kickoff the event, and the Frisbee Sky Dog Team will also do a demonstration. For the kids, there will be clowns, face painting and balloon sculptures, all free of charge, along with a “Kids and Kindness Zone”. › Continue reading

The Smashing Pumpkins To Perform Benefit Concert 7/27 For Matthew Leone, From Madina Lake

The Smashing Pumpkins will perform a benefit concert next Tuesday, July 27 at Chicago’s Metro to raise money for medical care for Matthew Leone, bassist for Chicago band Medina Lake.  Tickets will go on sale Wednesday July 21 at noon and the information is below.

Last month, Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone was hospitalized with severe brain trauma after intervening to stop a woman he passed on the street from being beaten by her husband.  Matthew had left twin brother Nathan’s Chicago apartment to meet a friend at a bar a few blocks away when he walked past the man beating his wife on the 1300th block of Ohio St. Even though the attacker was twice his size, Matthew immediately intervened and managed to subdue the attacker but as he waited for police to arrive, the attacker suddenly turned on Matthew, beating him severely.  He then walked away with his wife, leaving Matthew unconscious on the street.  Matthew was taken to UIC Hospital for emergency brain surgery wherein a third of his skull was removed to alleviate swelling.  He’s currently in stable condition awaiting an additional brain surgery to reapply the removed portion of his skull.  Alleged suspect Justin Pivec is currently charged with Aggravated Battery Causing Serious Bodily Harm and out on bail pending a forthcoming hearing.  As a musician, Matthew spends most of his life on tour and unfortunately his medical insurance had lapsed just two months prior to the incident.   Friends of the band and the Chicago music community are rallying to help provide for Matthew’s medical needs.

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Sweet! Is Winter almost over? Registration for Humana Race to Taste Opens February 12!

Photo From: www.chicagoracetotaste.us

Registration for Humana Race to Taste Opens February 12!
18th Annual Race to Taste 5K Run/2-Mile Walk
Sunday, June 27 in Grant Park

Ready, set, race … your way to the Taste of Chicago. Humana Race to Taste 5K Run/2-Mile Walk is a Taste of Chicago tradition and is set for Sunday, June 27. Run/walk through Chicago’s beautiful Grant Park and lakefront, and stay for activities and great food at Taste of Chicago.

Registration for this annual event is available on-line beginning Friday, February 12 at www.chicagoracetotaste.us and is $35 per participant. There is no race day registration. The 5K Run/2-mile Walk will begin at 8:00 am at the corner of Balbo and Columbus and will be timed on d-chip. All participants will receive a commemorative NIKE Dri-FIT t-shirt in both men’s and women’s sizes. Also receive a complimentary strip of Taste tickets to enjoy the entire festival! › Continue reading

Erie-LaSalle Body Shop presents “A Night in Support of Haiti” at Martini Park (Fri. 2/26 )

In honor of its 75th anniversary, Erie-LaSalle Body Shop is hosting a charity event “A Night in Support of Haiti” 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 at Martini Park (151 W. Erie St.). Guests enjoy complimentary appetizers and an open bar with a $40 advance admission fee ($50 at the door), from which 100 percent is donated to Partners in Health, a charity that has been working on the ground for more than 20 years.

“As soon as I heard of the tragedy in Haiti, I felt compelled to my lend support. I was already planning Erie-LaSalle’s 75th anniversary party, so it seemed like a great opportunity to tie the two together,” says Erie-LaSalle Body Shop’s owner Bob Gottfred. “Partners in Health is a natural fit for me because they have been established in Haiti for two decades. As a longtime business owner myself, I know the importance of going to someone you can trust.” › Continue reading

Rock and Raise for Darfur at Metro On February 14

It will be a different Valentine’s Day at Metro this year, as students from across Chicago join together on a day that celebrates caring for others in order to Rock and Raise money for the children of Darfur Sudan’s refugee camps.  Youth United for Darfur, a Chicagoland student coalition formed to help the people of Darfur, Sudan, caps off a month-long campaign in February to raise funds and awareness for Darfuri refugee children called Rock ‘N’ Raise for Darfur with a concert at Metro on February 14 to celebrate the efforts of students across Chicago and to raise additional funds.  Chicago musicians Madina Lake, The Blisters, Big Science and Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms will perform at the event. › Continue reading

Flirting for Disaster, A Heart Filled Celebration (Wed. 2/10, 6-9pm)

This social networking event, hosted by the Auxiliary Board of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, is the perfect place to meet new people and support a great cause.  The crowd is typically full of philanthropic-minded, classy professionals and the up-scale venue provides the perfect setting for this Valentine’s Day themed installment of the Flirting for Disaster series.  Tickets are $20 and include free hors d’oeuvres, raffle prizes, live jazz entertainment, tarot card readings, $5 Effen martinis, and Remy Martin Cognac drink specials.

Where: Close Up 2-Live Smooth Jazz Club [website]
416 S. Clark [google map]

Polar bear keepers to act like polar bears for charity (Sat. 1/16)

The Lincoln Park Chapter of the American Association of  Zoo Keeper’s is starting a new tradition on Saturday January 16th at 12:30pm.  Actual polar bear keepers will be jumping into Lake Michigan to benefit Polar Bear International and bring awareness to polar bears.

I have to tell you, I would NEVER do this! Brrrrrr…. But, I would certainly go and watch what happens when they do!  So grab your heavy winter coat, hat, mittens, scarf and thermos of hot chocolate and head over to North Avenue beach on the 16th to watch these crazy bear keepers jump into the water in their swim suits for the inaugural Polar Plunge!

When: Saturday January 16th, 2009
Where: North Avenue Beach [google map]

Fashion Frost- An Evening of Holiday Fashion (Fri. 12/18)

There aren’t many more holiday shopping events to take advantage of this season, but this Friday presents a big one: Fashion Frost, an evening of holiday fashion.  On Friday the 18th from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Chicago Center For The Performing Arts, this high end fashion show will take place featuring models strutting the runway in looks from incredible Chicago designers  (including the inspired looks of Rosina~Mae, Soledad Designs, Elda De La Rosa, Stiletto Squad, Horacio Nieto Jr., Yana Collection, Melanie Saldivar, Cobar, and Duvall).

There will also be live entertainment at this event from Chicago artists. It’s also offering gift bags (which are currentl valued at $300 each–and rising), raffles, complimentary cocktails and appetizers, and a silent auction. Oh, and you know it has awesome holiday deals on unique and innovative items from our talented local designgers.

The price for a ticket to the most likely last holiday fashion event of the year is $25. All proceeds to towards the Chicago Toy Drive.

The event will happen at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts at 777 N. Green Street

Buy tickets here or call 1-800-838-3006 to experience to gift-buying, gift-giving (to the Chicago Toy Drive) fashion show-viewing and muuuuuch more. Get all the holiday cheer while you still can!

World of Chocolate: Hilton Chicago (Thurs. 12/3, 6-10pm)

Commemorate World AIDS day and enjoy special treats from over thirty chocolatiers, restaurants and caterers.  This charity event, held at the Hilton Chicago in West Loop will include cocktails, an appetizer buffet, a holiday bazaar featuring unique, handmade gifts from Zimbabwe, and raffle prizes.  DJ Mark Picchiotti will provide the entertainment for the evening.  Tickets are $75-$100. › Continue reading

Essay Fiesta at The Book Cellar (Mon. 11/16)

The store front of the Book Cellar; a quaint, sophisticated and downright adorable Lincoln Square bookstore.

Although I really wish I was, I am just not a reader. This is, at long last, not a huge problem. The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square has a bazillion events for the book enthusiast or wannabe-book enthusiast, like myself. Among the events, the Essay Fiesta stood out to me.