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Upcoming events (4+)
See all- 🏛️🕰️ Strolling Through Kenwood: Mansions, Myths & Megastars 🚶♀️🎩Blackstone Branch, Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IL
🏛️🕰️ Strolling Through Kenwood: Mansions, Myths & Megastars 🚶♀️🎩
🏠📜Kenwood Treasures: A Walk Through Chicago’s Historic South Side
Step into one of Chicago’s most elegant and storied neighborhoods! From Gilded Age mansions and Prairie School gems to Civil Rights icons and President Obama’s former home, this walking tour reveals the rich legacy of Kenwood through architecture, activism, and culture.
📅 Saturday, August 2, 2025
🕛 12:00 PM – approx. 2:00 PM
📍 Start: Blackstone Branch Library, 4904 S. Lake Park Ave
🎯 End: Isidore Heller House, 5132 S. Woodlawn Ave (approx. 6 blocks from start)
💰 Cost: $20 (cash preferred; Zelle, Venmo, PayPal accepted)
🚶♀️ Distance: About 2.5 miles outdoors
⚠️ Tip: Walk Ends about 6 blocks from the start — if driving, consider parking midway
***🔎 What You’ll See & Learn:
✅ Stately Gilded Age homes & early Prairie-style architecture
✅ Sites tied to Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, and Julius Rosenwald
✅ Hidden gems by Frank Lloyd Wright, Shaw, and other local legends
✅ Historic houses of worship, activists, educators & entrepreneurs
✅ Insightful storytelling and great company across multiple meetup groups!📸 It’s not a photo walk but trust us—you’ll want your camera!
🎤 Led by a passionate, knowledgeable guide (that’s me!), this walk is perfect for architecture buffs, history lovers, and curious Chicagoans.
***🏛️ Featured Stops & Highlights Include:
🏛️ Blackstone Branch Library
🧱 George Blossom House (FLW)
🧱 Warren McArthur House (FLW)
🏠 Former Elijah Muhammad House
🏡 Howard Van Doren Shaw House
🥊 Former Muhammad Ali Residence
🏠 Charles Adams Goodyear House
🏠 Ezra S. Brainerd House
🏢 Rainbow PUSH Coalition HQ
🏛️ Julius Rosenwald House
🧱 Gustavus F. Swift Mansion
🧱 Moses Born Residence
🏛️ Martin A. Ryerson House
🧱 McGill House
🦅🏛️Former Obama Family Home
🕍 KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation
🏠 Isidore Heller House (FLW)
***🍽️ Optional Lunch After the Tour
Stick around and grab a bite at one of these local favorites:- 🥗 Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat (vegan)
- 🥪 Cafe 53
- 🍕 The Sit-Down Cafe
💵 Bring cash for lunch—some spots don’t split checks!
***👟 What to Bring:
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Water bottle
• Weather-appropriate attire
• $20 tour fee (exact change appreciated; cash preferred but Zelle, Venmo, PayPal accepted)🚗 Transit & Parking Tips:
• Free & metered street parking available on Lake Park, Woodlawn & side streets—watch signs
• Park midway if you’d like to be close to both start & end
• CTA-accessible – use the CTA Trip Planner for the best route
***📌 RSVP & No-Show Policy
✔️ Please keep your RSVP current
🚫 No-shows make future planning tough
🕛 RSVP updates close at the tour start time
***✨ Discover Kenwood — where elegance, activism, and architectural beauty converge. Come explore the stories behind the stones on this engaging neighborhood walk! 🏛️🌳👟
- Introduction to Voice Acting - online workshop (free)Link visible for attendees
You have to sign up here to get a link.
This is a taster class for our Voice Acting Foundation course.
Join if you want to experience voice acting for yourself.
We’ll talk you through the different worlds of voice acting (it’s not all Disney and Pixar) and the unique opportunities they hold for voice actors.Join this free class and discover:
- How to read from the page and sound like you’re not
- Simple tricks to make your read more interesting
- How your own voice responds to instructions and prompts
- And so much more …
You will even get a chance to read a script out loud and get to improve your reading.
We will have a short Q&A session at the end of the class so bring any questions you might have about voice acting.The workshop is led by voice actor Shaun Mendum.
Hi, I'm Shaun,
Ironically, I started my journey as a ballet dancer!
But I now have many years of experience as an actor, performer, and, of course, a voice actor.
I performed in video games, animation, audiobooks, audio drama, documentaries, and more…
I also produce audio and am currently creating a six-part audio series.
I occasionally give talks about getting started in voice acting at Comic Con London and EGX London.
As a teacher, I’m patient, generous, honest, and will create a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment.
I can’t wait to work with you
Watch Shaun talks about the workshop hereYou don’t need any experience in voice acting/ acting
You don’t need to be a native English speaker
& you don’t need a fancy microphone
Just come and discover this new way to be playful and deliver a messageIt’ll be great if you’re in a quiet space with no interruptions.
Ideally, a space where you feel comfortable enough to read a silly script aloud.This 60min session is packed with interesting stuff and we will start on time.
Please arrive a few minutes early so you don’t miss anything.You have to sign up here to get a link
RSVPing to the event on Meetup isn't enough to access the workshop (but it will be nice).
If you have any questions, please email tal@theatregym.co.ukYou won’t be there on your own!
This event is posted in a few places and announced to Theatre Gym's own community So, even if the event looks empty, please know that more people are always signed up.Feel free to get in touch if you’re not sure about something :)
tal@theatregym.co.uk - 🏙️🛤️ Milwaukee Ave Uncovered: Trails, Towers & Treasures 🚶♂️🌆Germain House, Chicago, IL
🏙️🛤️ Milwaukee Ave Uncovered: Trails, Towers & Treasures 🚶♂️🌆
A Sunday stroll through River West, Noble Square & Wicker Park
Walk the old Native path, check out iconic Polish churches, and discover stories of long-gone shops that made this street famous.
Ready to step off the grid and onto one of Chicago’s oldest, boldest streets? Join us for a guided walk down Milwaukee Avenue — a diagonal slice of city life with layers of history. From Indigenous trails and Polish cathedrals to long-lost department stores and reborn landmarks, we’ll explore how this vibrant corridor keeps reinventing itself.
***
🗓️ Sunday, August 3, 2025
🕚 11:45 AM – ~1:45 PM
📍 Start: Germain House, 729 N. Sangamon St.
🎯 End: The Robey Hotel, 2018 W. North Ave. (~2.5 miles total)
💰 Cost: $20 (cash preferred; Zelle, Venmo, PayPal accepted)
🚶♀️ Casual pace | Outdoors |
⚠️ Note: Walk ends 2.5 miles from the starting point — if driving, consider parking near the midpoint! Or take the bus or the L train back☀️ A casual, curiosity-filled outing for lovers of Chicago stories, old and new.
***
🔍 What You’ll See & Learn:
✅ One of Chicago’s oldest trails — from Native path to Polish main street
✅ Grand churches, vanished businesses, reborn banks, and funky artist spaces
✅ A mix of architectural eye candy and deep neighborhood stories
✅ The ever-evolving story of immigrant hustle, urban reinvention, and civic pride📸 Not a photo walk, but you’ll want your camera
🎤 Led by your passionate, ever-curious guide (that’s me!) — this one’s for architecture buffs, history lovers, and anyone who wants to be a tourist in their own city.
***
🗺️ Route Highlights:
🏠 Germain House – Queen Anne gem
⛪ St. John Cantius – A Polish baroque beauty
⛪ St. Boniface – Towering twin-spired ghost
🌳 Eckhart Park – A community anchor
🏛️ Polish Museum of America – A cultural time capsule
🕍 Holy Trinity – Where grandeur meets grit
⛪ St. Stanislaus Kostka – The original Polish cathedral
🌿 Pulaski Park – WPA charm in a leafy square
🧠 National Alliance – Mid-century mission hub
🏦 Home Bank & Trust – Financial strength in stone
🏬 Wieboldt’s (former) – Lost department store legend
🎨 Indigo Lofts – Wallpaper meets art lofts
🎭 Flatiron Arts – Boho central
🏛️ Noel State Bank – Walgreens with a dome
🏨 The Robey – A tower of transit turned trendy hotel***
🏙️ Fun Facts Along the Way:
💬 Milwaukee Ave started as a Native trail, then a plank-lined toll road
🚌 Streetcars once zipped through what’s now rush-hour traffic
🎨 Wicker Park’s art scene exploded here in the ‘80s
🍺 Expect tales of beer barons, preservation fights, and colorful characters***
📌 Quick Logistics:
✔️ Start near Grand Blue Line
✔️ End near Damen Blue Line
✔️ Wear good walking shoes & bring water
✔️ DM or email with any questions
✔️ Tour runs rain or shine 🌦️***
👟 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 Lunch After the Tour
Stick around and grab a bite at one of these local favorites after the walk:
• 🥗 Sultan’s Market (Wicker Park) – casual Middle Eastern eats
https://www.sultansmarket.com/
• 🥪 CAVA (Wicker Park) – build-your-own Mediterranean bowls
https://cava.com/locations/1611-n-damen-ave-chicago-il
• 🍕 Paradise Park – funky patio vibes + pizza
https://www.paradiseparkchi.com/
• 🌮 Big Star – beloved taco + whiskey joint
https://www.bigstarchicago.com/💵 Bring cash for lunch—some spots don’t split checks!
🧭 Come walk where the old city still hums — Milwaukee Ave is calling.
