
About us
CLICK HERE to see our main meetup events calendar http://www.socialfundation.com
All the best in one place!
Think of this as Summer Camp for Adults.
In our digital world the more online, plugged in and connected we become the more disconnected we become from others. This group, with intention uses social medial to be Social in Real Life.
The mission of this group is its name.
(quick legal note: this group name and all derivations are ™ Trademarked/Servicemarked and/or Copyright protected. Unauthorized used is NOT permitted. This group is part of a confederation of groups. You may NOT start a chapter without express permission. There is no charge or fee to be part. The group must be for the most part "non-profit." You may not charge organizers to list events. The group may NOT be a promotional front, or a venue for one person or entity. The group must be diverse and open Chapter Guidelines may be obtained by clicking the "Contact the Organizers" button)
Chicago is vibrant and diverse city. We have the opportunity to explore it and make new friends while doing so. Meetup is one of the few (maybe only) websites dedicated to having it's participants get offline and do things in reality.
There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met. (William Butler Yeats )
EVERYONE IS WELCOME INTO THE GROUP!
This is a place where everyone can just come as they are, and mingle with people who are like them AND who are NOT like them. We are not limited, restricted or exclusive by age, gender, gender preference, national origin, relationship status, etc. To put it more simply this group is open to all. All ages, all genders, all sexual orientations, all types - And that includes you!!!
There are plenty of meetups that exclude based of one reason or another. Or there plenty meetups where people self segregate. This meetup is neither of those. Diversity is coveted here. People are not monochrome and neither are we. You will fit in perfectly and find a lot of folks who just like you in certain aspect, and differ from you in others. It's the good kind of variety of life.
Some events on this group may specify limits at times. Those will be clearly noted when needed. At times they may be age delineated, or even gender related. Limits are placed often as a means to control size. The event can then be repeated/recycled with a different limit range. If there is an event you really wish to go to with a limit, . . . please contact me. You can be the impetus and the catalyst for the next event in the different limit/range. Other times the limit can be waived or bent as needed.
Challenge yourself and importantly, BE yourself and expand your horizons and comfort zone. Let your hair down! Go wild! Be open minded and be non-judgmental. The group is based off quality events to bring people together from positive social interaction. Anyone who wants to explore an alternative, bohemian, experimental, strange, obscure, weird, wild, absurd, bizarre, avant garde, unconventional, wild-at-heart side of Los Angeles is welcome!
In the interest of making events successful . . . I will spread events across other meetup groups to bump up attendance. For as you know, . . . sometimes people don't show up. Some Organizers get really bent out of shape about that. I do however know that life happens. Even if it's 10 mins before the event. Just change your rsvp. No worries. No harm-no foul. There is not any sort strikes or penalty system, and there is nobody keeping score. The exception will be if it is listed as a "no flake" event. On those you gotta give good notice of changes. It's about fun and community. What I have found is that by being mellow and and having good events more show up. We tend to have 80% or more attendance. I approach with compassion. So if you don't make one event or another. . . try and make it to the next, or the one after that. When you do make it, .. . . we will be glad you are there and all are welcome.
Here are the basics of group rules.
Do NOT contact members who you have not met in real life.
Avoid Put Downs.
Speak For Yourself.
Listen To Others.
You Have The Option To Pass.
Expect Unfinished Business.
While there are flexible attendance rules. There are sex/gender related rules. As a guideline do not message people you have not met in person. This is not an online dating place. Ladies: If a guy messages you please contact me. There have been problems with that happening over meetup in general. It's just not cool. Meetup is about real life and not virtual. Guys, . . . get off your computer and come to an event. Say hello in person. Smile, . . . be personable and decent. And just be there to get to know people and make friends of whatever gender. You can always use new good friends. And this is one way to make/meet them. Wingman tactics and and Pickup artist tactics are similarly not allowed in this group. Organizers of another group that are not an organizer or host here are also not allowed to solicit members.
The rest of the rule are just good ways to live and be.
These rules apply here AND on like-minded sister groups. So it also applies on the following
Photo and Name: You are allowed to join with whatever name and whatever photo. HOWEVER the main organizers may request you change either name or photo a their discretion. Names that are products, promotional, advertisements are red flags that will be requested to change or be removed. If you are using a photo that is not your face, a current face photo may be requested. Here is the rule of thumb. Fake name and fake photo will be requested to change to a real photo and a real name or face removal. Real photo and fake name is usually fine. Fake photo and real name is usually fine.
IF you need to maintain privacy of both then contact the main organizers and just ask. That's all it takes usually.
All organizers on the group do have different set of rules.
The rules simplified.
• No Emailing (do not use the bulk email feature in any way)
• No outside links
• Great Copy
• Great Pix
• 4 weeks notice is best.
• List any money costs in the first 2 or 3 lines.
Not too many rules. Not too complicated. They all have to do with respect for the membership.
Let's talk a little more about age: Are you in your 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s ? (btw some write 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's ). I am often asked "What age range is this group?" 20 40 maybe? 30 50 perhaps? Or even 60 70. Forties ( forty's forty ), Fifties ( fifty's fifty ) of sixties ( sixty's sixty ) or older does matter. 24-39 3000 20+ 30+ 50+ 60+ & under or over. We are just aiming at good community.
Yeah, . . . All that is great, . . . But I still have one question, . . . What age is your group?
Age is a state of mind. And our state (this group) has no borders.
If so then you may be looking for us!
We do NOT discriminate by age, sex or gender, gender preference, origin, religion, belly button lint, etc . . . .
Do you enjoy friendship, activities, key networking, casual socializing, parties learning, sharing, inspiration? You do!?!?! How about personal and professional development with active nerd adult ( adults ) who like adventure ( adventurers, adventures, adventurous ) stuff that may involve silly dance game ( games ) and cool nerds with addicting, amazing fun? Great!!!! There will be sweet things to discover while engaging in retro revival underground unique geeky exploration of fringe play plus speed punk quirky sophisticated spectacular geek socials with high society making savvy friends. It will be an offbeat odyssey of an outing to nerdy paradise and we will party at random places (see locations below). Come and share fine no flake ( flakes ) fun that is free or inexpensive and goes late into the lovely night. Left, right or center, we will live life together and enjoy.
We do some sports related events. Are you interested in teammates players for your sport or hobby? Such as bowling, trivia, camping, biking, hike, hikes, hiking, snowboarder, snowboarding, ski, skiing, kayaking? Or even related to bmi, exercise, fitness, healthy, lock pong, recreation, recreational, outdoor, york Halloween, mammoth mountain, St Patrick's, Ensenada, un scrabble solitaire poker or more!!! We run the range.
A bigger majority of what we are cultural ( culture ), language, travel, music, arts, festival, performance, crave, dining, exotic, restaurant, food, foodie, architecture, art, artistic, urban, or ballet. But it does not stop there. We also do comedy, concert ( concerts ), cook, cooking, theater, theatre, culinary, cultural, tours, sub-culture, subculture sponge ( sponges ), performances, dances, dancing, museums, musical ( musicals ), bars, foodies, dinner, dinning, bbq, beach, restaurants, trips, cruise ( cruises ), cuisine. And even with all that we still to even more!!! Including, flea n farmer (farmers) market ( markets ), boutique, burlesque, crafting, craft, create, creating, sushi, pho, pizza, tastings, tickets, kim chi, tai kimchi, deserts, eating, festivals, film, films, galleries, games, karaoke, movies, sutra kama karma.And now the important question. Did we miss one? Oh. . . OK then, . . Send that so we can add it to the list.
Aside from the High Brow we do engage in the Low Brow such as wine, beer, drink, bar hopping, dive bars ( dives ), rave ( raver ravers raves raving ), hip-hop hiphop, hole holes-in-walls, crawl crawls, trance techno, dubstep, night nightclub, nightlife, nights. As well as classic club clubbing, clubs eclectic, edm electro electronica, pubs, pub speak, speakeasy, drinks, meet meeting mix mixer mixers mixing, greet, happy hour hours haunts, Did somebody say volunteer mingle? Let's DoLA or make a Timeout and TimeoutLA. LAist anyone?
So the High Brow and the Low Brow get together and make up THE KNOW BROW and that is all about people and who makes us up.
By ethnicity we very much match the instagram ethnic makeup of Los Angeles with Caucasian and Non Hispanic Whites, Latino, Black or African American, Native American,Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and others such as Middle Eastern such as Arab or Israeli, and many more from across the global atlas.
Different than ethnicity is Nationality, or National Origin. And again . . . from that we run the range European, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Pacific Islander, Indian, Taiwanese (Taiwan), Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese ( China, Cantonese, Mandarin ), Hong Kong Mexican ( Mexico ), and more and more. Even USC or UCLA
And that makes for sooooooooo many languages. We like language and the culture it is able to unlock It brings English, Spanish second ESL and ELL and ASL are big here. Hebrew, Yiddish, German, French, And the gamut of others to translate ( translation translator ) with class (classes).
Tolerance is a main tenet here as we are Christian ( Catholic, Mormon, etc), Jewish (Jew Jews), Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, tech Scientology and more. And even Republican, Conservative, Liberal, Democrat, Libertarian, Bernie / BernieCrat, or even Trump or Trumpian or Scientologist. This is a big tent and since it's decent social we will all be decent.
What it comes down to is we are making new friends ( friend freind freinds ) and to be friendly. Almost like finding your entourage Made up of Men (man men's mens) and women ( woman women's ) and non-binary too. Members may be young or old, married, single ( divorce divorced separated and never married ) or coupled (couple as part of a committed relationship / relationships ). Many are likely singles and looking to date in one way or another. Going on dates or dating is fine. But it does NOT happen via using the group like Tinder, Match.com, POF or eharmony.
This group is about real life. So online messaging of people you have not met in real life is not allowed. Why such a rule?
Because it is heterosexist of you to assume that all people are interested in you. Like is says above there are married or those in committed relationships. There is is also the range of sexual preference in the group. Gay, lesbian girls lgbt lgbtq queer bi poly swing swinger swinging and any sort of variation such as transsexual and transgender. We do accept all. Even rs40 and rso40. We do NOT accept SpeedDating or Speedating or whatever you call it. It's forbidden.
Whoever you find cute, hot, sexy or find attraction to that comes in person. Plenty a match and romance or spark may happen. You may find your love (or lover). But you also may just make great friends girlfriend ( girlfriends ). It's just down to good decent social. Conscious communication and engagement that makes for self-improvement and improvement of others. Conversation and network or networking of professionals. That's just smart l33t leet api entrepreneur groupting that will lead to inspirational international consciousness.
We just added Game of Thrones GOT and The Walking Dead viewing parties.
Where do you do events? We do them ALL OVER!!!! I have taken the time to look at past events and the cities they have happened in and near and put it together with the upcoming location too. Our groups IS different, . . . we DO range all over the city. Here are where we HAVE BEEN, and where we are GOING!! All of it is obscure or obscura.
So I have gone in great detail to cover who we are and what we do. This is accurate and verifiable by going to our past events and looking that what we have done. This is all fact based on the breadth, scope and mission of this group.
If you have made it this far. Then watch this and then, . . .get off social media and on meetup. The social part of social media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEWnXmDfVZg
This group is also very Reddit and Redditor affiliated. As such redditors events will be doing activities that do involve meme memes dank redidit subeddit snu snoo lurker boardgames board gaming gamer video cardgames card cards against humanity computers anime internet upvote downvote vote secret santa harry potter wow world warcraft karma programming digg cheap low cost nsfw league legends wtf youtube hearthstone twitch csgo narwhals bacon bacons midnight overwatch lol bernie sanders front page reddiyt r/all homepage android apple iphone mac samsung s6 s7 s8 r mobile funny dota dota2 nba politics discussion pokemon aww askreddit app apps comicon comic con convention disneyland disney diy diablo rams dodgers raiders cosplay star trek wars trekkie scifi sci-fi science fiction gif troll thrones got comment comments ama til today i learned ask me anything steam pc independent yorker independents artemis jackbox jack box com firefly serenity citizen& something comedy urban nightlife foodies friendship sierra wine food drinks dining american ny karaoke
And the other members will have events involving cuisine recreation organizations snowboarding recreational fitness pubs eating culinary consciousness psychology philosophy growth conversation snowboarder theatre theater performances movies films creating galleries museums speak easy speakeasy opening nights music film festivals dancing street performance literature hikes greet tastings tours crawls outdoor activities beer * " ! +
left eclectic couple couples mel town mixing jason la professionals business lovers lover exercise referral hike boating boat hollywood adventurers ballet eow tips asian downtown dtla ladies lady socal oc orange county english esl korean strategy jewish yid yiddish jew hebrew catholic healthy california connect hot christian cute beach wednesday ivy south bay pasadena woodland hills men man male gay european realities parents americans newly inland empire southern thai japanese chinese vietnamese filipino service empowerment females female law badminton mountain biking cooking book zandra sub-culture holes-in-walls hidden haunts seminars art classes, 3,000 jan 2017 boutique twist organized welcome boxing line camping archery trivia architecture classes burlesque baseball beat flee kyaking chi early morning adventures skin walls deserts small venues farmers trips written spoken word soooo losangeles los angeles ucla usc cantonese westside west ass artistic arts citizen cook crafting dances dinning learning festival foodie girl jews mens organization snowboardingsocal tip wall hong kong
Social FUNdation is all about helping people build fun, platonic friendships on the cheap, enjoying Chicago culture and building an open accepting community to help foster the fun. We encourage an entertaining, laid back, open environment where people can come hang out, escape the voracious singles scene, and just be themselves. Obviously, if members develop something more than friendships, that's awesome, but we encourage members to think of this as an escape from the dating and networking scenes.
(quick legal note: this group name and all derivations are ™ Trademarked and protected. Unauthorized used is NOT permitted. This group is part of a confederation of groups. You may NOT start a chapter without express permission. There is no charge or fee to be part. The group must be for the most part "non-profit." You may not charge organizers to list events. The group may NOT be a promotional front, or a venue for one person or entity. The group must be diverse and open Chapter Guidelines may be obtained by clicking the "Contact the Organizers" button)
Social Events, Networking, Business Meeting New People, Food Lovers, Exercise, Fun, Referral, Active Singles, Adventurous , Dancing, Night Life, Hikes,Clubs, Chicago Mix Professionals with Fun Foodies, Party Mixers, Friendship,Amazing Event, Chicagou Friends, 友達,tomodachi, Savvy, Spectacular, Good Wine Food, Drinks, Parties, Stuff, Events Group, English as a Second language, Dining Out, American, Adventurers, Karaoke, Strategy, In Town, Making Friend, Odyssey, Outdoor Healthy, men, women, Connect 20s, 30s, 40s, 30’s 40’s, 20’s 30’s, Asian, Random Adventures, Culture, Cuisine,yesChicago, Chinese,Chicagoese,American,Indian,Russian, Young, Men, night,Downtown, Beach, Roppongi, Shibuya, Ginza, Shinjuku, Meetup Professional ,Culture,English, Men's Culture, Women's Social, Community Service,Male,Female, Strategy,Bars, Sports Recreation, Organizations, Fitness, Mountain Biking, Times, looking to Meet other Dinning Show, Hiking, Pubs, Salsa, Merrengue, Bachata, Reggaetone, Hip-hop, Jazz, music, Bars, eating out, Ethnic Dining, Cooking, Culinary Consciousness, Book Club, Psychology, Philosophy, Personal Growth, Conversation, Self-Improvement,Gakusei,Fun,Love, International Friends · Culture Exchange Expat Language & and Students Town Travel Young Singles Nightlife Times 30's Entrepreneurship Happy Hour Pubs Bars, Salsa, Merengue, Latin Dance, Lessons Dancing, Music Ballroom Dancing· Swing Fitness ·Zumba Classes Group Training Exercise Weight Loss Healthy Living Wellness· Drinking Craft Beer· Beer Tasting ·Community Building Organizations Volunteering Self-Improvement Service Spirituality Exploration Self-Empowerment· Social Coffee Tea ·Cooking· Cocktails Foodie Exploring Restaurants Singles· Vegetarian Vegan Potlucks Dineouts Organic Foods Wellness Potlucks·Board Games Card Strategy Gaming Out· Billiards Pool Players BAR POOL Club · Games· Yoga Meditation · Asian Entrepreneurs·Expat British Expatriate of ExPats Comedies Television Scottish·Expat · ESL practice English Spanish ·Canadian Expats Exchange· French Francophone Francophiles World Speaking Community, Teachers· Food· Chicagoese Chicagoese Anime Manga Pop·Animation·Singles Hiking Outdoors Out·Walking Tours Historical Adventure Weekend· Travel·Activities·Arts Culture·Career Business·Community Environment·Dancing·Education Learning·Fashion Beauty·Fitness· Games·Health Wellbeing·Hobbies Crafts·Students·Lifestyle·Music·Outdoors Adventure·Singles·Recreation· Socializing
Upcoming events
166

ONLINE FREE Saturday Night Trivia!
·OnlineOnlineJoin us for some Team Trivia on Ludio! We run the best Trivia nights ever :D Ludio (https://ludio.gg) is a videoconferencing platform with games built directly into it.
Our Team Trivia features 5 categories - the players who show up will veto 2 of them, leaving 3 categories for the game. Teams get shuffled after each category so that you get to play with as many people as possible, and a winner (or multiple winners) are crowned after each round. The game takes about 45-60 minutes; after the Trivia is over, we keep playing other lighthearted games with whoever sticks around.
If you’re looking for a more traditional Bar Trivia where you come with a team/stick to the same team for the whole game, we do those once a month for our regulars. Join our Discord (https://discord.gg/baPBbgQgBH) and ask about Bar Trivia to learn more!
We advertise this event in multiple groups and many of our regulars don’t RSVP anymore. RSVPs are not indicative of how many people will show up - we get a consistent turnout of at least 15 people.
Requirements:
- You will need a computer
- You need a Chromium-based browser on your computer (e.g. Google Chrome)
- You will need a webcam and microphone to participate in the games
1 attendee
🚂🏡 From Railroad Stop to Hidden Gem — Old Irving Park Walk! 🌳💎
4200 W. Irving Park, 4200 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL, US🚂🏡 From Railroad Stop to Hidden Gem — Old Irving Park Walk! 🌳💎
Walking Chicago's Historic Old Irving Park
Looking for something different to do on a Sunday morning? Join us for a leisurely stroll through one of Chicago's most charming and least-explored historic neighborhoods! Explore the beautiful tree-lined streets of Old Irving Park, where Victorian-era mansions, early suburban architecture, immigrant history, and hidden architectural gems come together to tell the story of one of Chicago's most distinctive
communities.✨ Step into Old Irving Park and discover a neighborhood built by affluent families, railroad entrepreneurs, and community visionaries during Chicago's boom years. Stroll past grand Victorian homes, historic churches, neighborhood landmarks, and hidden gems while hearing the stories of the immigrants, pioneers, and business leaders who transformed this once-quiet commuter suburb into one of Chicago's most treasured historic enclaves. 💫
Come walk, learn, and enjoy a beautiful summer Sunday with us — it's a wonderful way to experience Chicago and meet fellow history lovers! 🌇
🎤 Led by your passionate, ever-curious guide (that's me!) — perfect for architecture lovers, history buffs, photographers, and anyone who enjoys being a tourist in their own city! 😊
***
📍 LOGISTICS
🗓️ Sunday, July 12, 2026
⏰ 10:45 AM – ~1:15 PM (~2.2 miles walking)
📍 Start: Kumon Center (old Whistle Stop Inn) — 4200 W Irving Park Rd
🏁 End: Eris Brewery and Cider House — 4240 W Irving Park Rd
💰 $20 per person — due at start of tour
💵 Cash preferred (exact change appreciated) | PayPal, Zelle & Venmo also accepted
🌦️ Casual pace | Outdoors | Rain or shine***
Tour Highlights:
🏛️ Beautiful Victorian-era homes & early suburban architecture
🚉 Stories of Chicago's earliest commuter railroad suburb
⛪ Historic churches & beautifully preserved streetscapes
🌍 Immigrant history & neighborhood evolution
🌳 Rare small-town feel within the heart of Chicago
💎 Hidden gems you've probably passed — but never noticed!⚠️ IMPORTANT PARKING NOTE
The walk ends approximately 2 blocks from the starting point — plan your parking accordingly! 🚗***
🗺️ Route Highlights (stops subject to change):
🍺 Whistle Stop Inn
🏠 Charles Loucks House
🏡 C.O. Loucks House
🏠 The Race House
🏠 Nuveen House
⛪ Mt. Olive Church
⛪ Irving Park Methodist Church
🏫 Carl Schurz High School
🏛️ John Gray Mansion
🏠 John & Clara Merchant House
⛪ St. John's Episcopal Church
🏠 Emeril Jensen House
🏋️ Irving Park YMCA
🍺 Eris Brewery and Cider House🗺️ Route Map: https://tinyurl.com/3vu9f24r
🗺️ Route Map Part 2: https://tinyurl.com/4s4aczrh***
🌟 WHY OLD IRVING PARK?
Old Irving Park is often described as a "suburb within the city" — a peaceful, tree-lined enclave just seven miles from downtown that blends historic elegance with everyday livability.The neighborhood began in the early 1870s when real estate developers laid out a planned community centered around a stop on the Chicago & North Western Railway. Designed to attract affluent residents seeking cleaner air and more space, it quickly became one of Chicago's earliest commuter suburbs. Grand homes lined Irving Park Boulevard, many built by prominent families who helped shape the area's early identity.
Originally named "Irvington" after author Washington Irving, the name was later changed to avoid confusion with another Illinois town.The aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire accelerated the neighborhood's growth, as displaced families moved northwest in search of stability and opportunity. When the area was annexed into Chicago in 1889, new infrastructure — including paved streets, streetcar lines, water service, and fire protection — transformed it from a quiet suburb into a fully integrated urban neighborhood.
Today, Old Irving Park stands out for its remarkable preservation. Walking its streets feels like stepping through a timeline of Chicago architecture — from ornate Victorian mansions and Queen Anne homes to Craftsman residences and early 20th-century bungalows. Combined with its strong community spirit and leafy streetscapes, it remains one of the city's most distinctive and livable historic neighborhoods. 🏡🌳
***
📸 Not a dedicated photo walk, but you'll definitely want your camera!
***
💟 WHAT TO BRING
👟 Comfortable walking shoes
💧 Water bottle
🌤️ Weather-appropriate attire
💰 $20 tour fee (exact change appreciated; cash preferred but Zelle, Venmo & PayPal accepted)***
🍽️ OPTIONAL POST-WALK HANGOUT
Stick around after the tour and join us for a drink or bite at:
🍺 Eris Brewery and Cider House — right where the tour ends!***
🚇 GETTING THERE
🚇 CTA Blue Line & multiple bus routes nearby — use the CTA Trip Planner or Google Maps
🚗 Metered parking on Irving Park Rd, Keeler & Pulaski
⚠️ Watch for permit parking on side streets***
📱 LOST OR RUNNING LATE?
Call or text (312) 835-4259 and I'll point you in the right direction!***
⚠️ NO-SHOW POLICY
😬 3 no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month event ban
⏰ Update your RSVP before the event starts; after that, message the host directly
🚫 Continual no-shows = removal from the group***
🧭 Come discover where grand Victorian mansions, railroad history, hidden gems, and Chicago's immigrant heritage come together — and experience Old Irving Park in a whole new way! 🏡💎🌳
3 attendees
Past events
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