Windy City Wanderers!

🎶✨ Sing-Along Under the Bean: A Chicago Holiday Tradition! ❄️☃️

🎶❄️ Holiday Sing-Along at the Bean! ☃️🎄
Friday, December 19, 2025
Meet at 5:00 PM
🎟️ Free Admission
⏰ Concert: 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Location: Millennium Park, Cloud Gate (The Bean)

Bundle up and get ready to belt out some holiday classics as Chicago choral groups lead hundreds of celebrants in song! 🎤✨ Join us at Millennium Park by Cloud Gate for this festive Chicago tradition.

We’ve done this the last 5 years, and it’s always a crowd favorite — even if you’re not a singer! 🎵❤️

🎼 Songbooks will be distributed on-site, and large-print versions are available upon request from the volunteers handing them out.

🔗 Event Info:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park13.html

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### 📍 Meeting Plan — Please Read

🕔 5:00–5:10 PM — Meet at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St
➡️ Enter via the Washington Street entrance by the Bronze Bull sculpture.
🚶‍♀️ 5:10 PM — We will walk directly over to The Bean to secure a good spot before the crowd builds.
⏰ If you arrive late, please meet us at The Bean instead of the Cultural Center.

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### 🕔 Event Timing

• 5:00 PM: Meet at Chicago Cultural Center
• 5:10 PM: Walk to Cloud Gate (The Bean)
• 6:00–7:00 PM: Holiday Sing-Along 🎶❄️
• 7:00–9:00 PM (Optional): Warm up with festive holiday drinks nearby! 🍸🎄

Possible spots for the after-party:
✨ Chicago Athletic Association (Drawing Room or Game Room)
🍹 Miller’s Pub — famous for their classic Tom & Jerry holiday cocktail
🏨 Pendry Hotel
Final after-party location will be shared closer to the event.

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### ❄️ What to Bring & Expect

🧣 Dress warmly — we’ll be outside for 1.5–2 hours
🥃 Bring a flask with your favorite winter libation
🎄 Expect crowds — meeting early helps us stick together!

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### 🎵 Holiday Sing-Along Schedule

(Subject to change — this is last year’s lineup)
We’ll attend Friday, December 19.
🎤 Friday, December 5: Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC)
🎶 Friday, December 12: Leo High School
🎼 Friday, December 19: Chicago Chamber Choir
This year’s exact music lineup will be announced closer to the date — but it’s always a fun night! ✨

### 🚇 Getting There

Public transit is strongly encouraged due to Friday rush hour traffic.
CTA Trip Planner: https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
🚗 If driving:

• Limited metered street parking
• Use SpotHero or ParkWhiz for best rates and availability
• Watch for no-parking or permit-only signs 🚫

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### 🚫 No-Show Policy

❗ 3 no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month freeze from future events
⏰ Update your RSVP before the 5 PM start time
📩 If you arrive late, message the host
⚠️ Continued no-shows may result in removal from the group

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🎄✨ Looking forward to kicking off the holiday spirit with you under the glow of The Bean!

🎺🎄 Tubas Take Over the Palmer House! A TubaChristmas Concert! 🎅🎺

Brass, Bows & Ballroom Cheer: TubaChristmas Chicago (Annual Event!)

🚨 IMPORTANT NOTE: MEET TIME IS 8:00 AM! 🚨
The venue fills up FAST. If we want to sit in the main ballroom to watch 300+ tubas live, we must arrive early — otherwise we’ll end up in the auxiliary room.

You’re welcome to come later, but you will probably not be able to sit with the group, as they are very strict with lines and seating. Once main room reaches capacity, they seat the overflow in the auxiliary room

What’s it like to hear more than 300 tubas playing holiday music in the Grand Ballroom of the Palmer House Hilton?
“It’s like a warm hug.”

Join us for a long-standing Chicago holiday tradition where musicians from all over Chicagoland come together for one unforgettable concert! Last year, we experienced the whole thing — but learned we need to arrive early to get the best seats! 🎄✨

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## 🎼 Tentative Itinerary

8:00 AM – Meet at the Palmer House lobby bar. Grab coffee/snacks from the hotel café.
8:05 AM – Head to the 3rd-floor Grand Ballroom to secure great seats.
9:00 AM – Venue begins giving out assigned-seat tickets for the TubaChristmas concert.
9:05 AM – 11:00 AM – Grab breakfast nearby (or relax in the lobby with the early group).
11:00 AM – Return upstairs as doors open; attendees will be seated according to assigned tickets.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – TubaChristmas Concert featuring 300+ performers from the tuba family.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – Optional: Post-concert drinks in the beautiful hotel lobby bar.

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## 🎶 About TubaChristmas

Now in its 51st year, TubaChristmas will be conducted by Michael Colburn, former director of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band. Performers range from age 10 to 87 — and they rehearse together for only one hour before the show!

This worldwide event celebrates musicians who play, teach, and compose for the tuba family, including:
• tuba
• sousaphone
• baritone
• euphonium
• plus rare gems like the helicon, serpent, ophicleide, and double-bell euphonium

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## 🌟 A Little History

The first TubaChristmas was held in 1974, created by Harvey G. Phillips to honor his teacher, William Bell, who was born on Christmas Day. The inaugural performance took place on the Rockefeller Center ice rink — only after Phillips convinced them by offering references like Leonard Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski!
Today, TubaChristmas concerts are performed in over 300 cities worldwide, ranging from small quartets to massive ensembles.
More info:
🔗 https://tubachristmas.com/

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## 🚇 Transportation Tips

Parking in the Loop can be extremely challenging.
Highly recommended:
• CTA (train or bus)
• Metra
• SpotHero or ParkWhiz for better parking rates
CTA Trip Planner:
🔗 https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

***

## ❗ No-Show Policy (Please Read!)

• Three no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month suspension
• Cut-off to update your RSVP = event start time
• If you arrive late, message the host directly
• Not checking in with the host at walks/tours/festival events counts as a no-show
• Repeated no-shows may result in removal from the group

🎼✨ A Chicago Christmas Tradition: Tower Brass at Fourth Pres Church 🎺🎄

🎶 Christmas Concert with Tower Brass at Fourth Presbyterian Church

Christmas with Tower Brass is an annual holiday concert tradition performed by the Tower Brass ensemble at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Tower Brass, Fourth Church's resident brass ensemble and organist John Sherer perform a family friendly Christmas concert from classics to jazz, and a carol sing along for everyone. Beautiful church and lovely holiday event!

📅 Saturday, December 20, 2025
🕓 4:00–7:00 PM (concerts starts at 5 pm, go early for good seats)
📍 Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL
🌟 FREE — Suggested donation: $20
🌐Website: https://www.fourthchurch.org/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fourthchurch/

We’ll already be celebrating Tuba Christmas in the morning — so why not keep the festive vibes going all day? 🎺🎅 Join us later for this enchanting evening performance featuring Tower Brass, Fourth Church’s celebrated resident ensemble, and organist John Sherer, playing on their incredible 8,343-pipe Quimby organ.

Expect everything from classic carols to jazzy holiday favorites… and yes, a joyful carol sing-along for everyone! 🎶🕯️

This annual tradition is free, with a suggested donation of $20, and it’s one of the most cherished musical experiences of the season.

🎺 About Tower Brass
Founded in September 1997, Tower Brass performs monthly at Fourth Church from September through May, along with this special holiday concert. They are widely acclaimed as one of Chicago’s finest brass ensembles.
Learn more: https://fourthchurch.org/music/tower-brass.html

Their musicians have played with world-class organizations such as:
✨ Chicago Symphony Orchestra
✨ Lyric Opera of Chicago
✨ Grant Park Symphony
✨ Ravinia Festival Orchestra
✨ Israel Philharmonic
✨ Chicago Sinfonietta
✨ Minnesota Orchestra
✨ Illinois Philharmonic
… and many more!

Ensemble Members
🎺 Trumpets: David Inmon, Matthew Lee
📯 Horns: Gregory Flint, Neil Kimel
🎼 Trombones: Reed Capshaw, Ignacio del Rey
🛢️ Tuba: Charles Schuchat (Music Director), Matthew Comerford (Emeritus)

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🕍 About Fourth Presbyterian Church
Fourth Presbyterian Church was formed in 1871—and their first building famously burned down on the very night of the Great Chicago Fire.
Their stunning current home, designed by Gothic Revival architect Ralph Adams Cram, was completed in 1914 and remains one of the oldest surviving structures on Michigan Avenue, second only to the Water Tower. Additional campus buildings were designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw.

In 2015, the church installed one of the Midwest’s most impressive pipe organs:
• Quimby Pipe Organ
• 143 ranks
• 8,343 pipes
• Five manuals
A showstopper you’ll hear during the concert! 🎹🌟
Church website: https://www.fourthchurch.org/

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🚇 Transportation
Holiday traffic near Michigan Avenue can be intense — public transit is strongly encouraged!
CTA Trip Planner: https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

🚗 If driving:
• Limited metered parking
• Many nearby garages — use ParkWhiz or SpotHero
• Watch for permit-only zones and no-parking signs

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🚫 Meetup No-Show Policy
• 3 no-shows = 3-month restriction from future events
• Update your RSVP before the event begins
• Late arrivals must message the host directly
• Not checking in with the host counts as a no-show

🎄🌆 Mag Mile Morning Kickoff: Pancakes in the Gold Coast! 🥞

Breakfast at The Original Pancake House – Gold Coast
Before Hotel Lobby Walk (part 1 of 2)

📅 Saturday, December 21, 2025
⏰ 8:30 AM
📍 The Original Pancake House – Gold Coast location - 22 E Bellevue Pl., Chicago, IL 60611

Start your day with an EARLY MORNING breakfast before our fabulous Michigan Ave Holiday Hotel Walk, where we’ll explore the best-decorated hotels, lobbies, and storefronts along the Magnificent Mile! 🎄✨

The Original Pancake House has been a Gold Coast favorite since 1976 — cozy, nostalgic, and still going strong.

Menu & Info:
https://www.ophchicagoland.com/gold-coast/
https://www.ophchicagoland.com/gold-coast-menu/

Have a classic Chicago breakfast at one of the city’s most beloved institutions. TOPH first opened in 1958 and has since expanded across the U.S., into Canada, and recently into Japan and South Korea. Known for traditional recipes, quality ingredients, and legendary portions, it’s the perfect place to fuel up for our festive day.

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🍽️ Important Breakfast Details
⚠️ BRING CASH!
They do not offer separate checks for large groups.
⚠️ They will NOT seat us until the entire group is present.
Please arrive on time — or early!
🍽️ Seating:
Tables seat 4–6 people, and they do not take reservations. Expect to be split into small groups throughout the restaurant.
💵 Payment:
Bring enough cash to cover what you ordered plus 32%
(12% Chicago taxes + 20% gratuity).
Multiple credit cards aren’t accepted for groups of this size.

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🎄 Part 2 – Michigan Ave Holiday Hotel Walk
(Separate RSVP Required)
After breakfast, join me for our annual holiday stroll through the beautifully decorated hotels and lobbies along Michigan Avenue!
🎟️ RSVP here:
https://www.meetup.com/windy-city-wanderers/events/312080854/

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🚇 Getting There
Public transportation is strongly recommended due to heavy weekend holiday traffic.
CTA Trip Planner:
https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

🚗 If you drive:
• Parking in the Gold Coast can be limited
• Use SpotHero or ParkWhiz for the best prices
• Metered street parking exists but is limited — check signs carefully

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🚫 No-Show Policy (Please Read!)
• 3 no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month freeze from events
• RSVP changes allowed until event start time
• If you’ll be late, message the host directly
• Not checking in with the host counts as a no-show
• Repeat no-shows may result in removal from the group

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🥞✨ Looking forward to a delicious breakfast and a festive holiday adventure afterward!