Category: Events & Announcements

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Events & Announcements

An Exciting Year Ahead in Graceland West!

We’re thrilled to announce our 2025 event calendar, packed with activities and opportunities to connect with your neighbors and community. From seasonal celebrations to unique experiences, there’s something for everyone this year. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and event reminders. Don’t forget to subscribe to our online calendar to stay in the loop and never miss a moment (Google, iCal, Outlook). Let’s make 2025 a year to remember together!

JANUARY • FAMILY BOWLING PARTY
Saturday, January 25 • 3-5 pm
Timber Lanes, 1851 W Irving Park
$50/family, pre-registration required contact info@gracelandwest.org

FEBRUARY • ADULTS-ONLY TRIVIA NIGHT PARTY
Saturday, February 22 • 7-9 pm
4200 North Block of Greenview
$50/person, pre-registration required contact info@gracelandwest.org

MARCH • Q1 COMMUNITY MEETING
GRACELAND CEMETERY & ARBORETUM HISTORY 
Thursday, March 13 • 7-8:15 pm
Quantum Leep Academy, 1447 W Montrose
Graceland Cemetery history, Former 7Eleven update by Access Contemporary Music., Alderwoman Clay update & more.

APRIL • EARTH WEEK: BIKE MAINTENANCE & SAFETY
Saturday, April 26• Time TBD
Lake View High School Parking Lot

MAY • NATIVE PLANT POLLINATOR + STORM WATER ABSORPTION SITE WORKDAY 
Saturday, May 10 • 10:30 am
Work at 1 of 6 new neighborhood street parkway corners

JUNE • KIDS POLLINATOR SITE PROJECT
Sunday, June 1 • 10:30-11 am
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

JUNE – SEPTEMBER • YOGA IN THE PARK
Saturdays June 7, July 12 & September 6 • 9:45-10:45 am
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

JUNE • Q2 COMMUNITY MEETING: ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
Thursday, June 19 • 6-7:30 pm
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner
Neighborhood updates & Council elections. Join the Summer Solstice potluck with a dish to share. BYOB.

JULY • 43RD ANNUAL GARDEN WALK
Sunday, July 27 • 1-5 pm
Throughout neighborhood, start at Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

AUGUST • Q3 COMMUNITY MEETING: TOPIC TBD
Thursday, August 14 • 7-8:15 pm
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

SEPTEMBER • 45th ANNUAL GRACELAND WEST NEIGHBORHOOD FEST 
Saturday, September 13 • 3-8 pm
4100 block of Greenview between Belle Plaine & Warner
Our annual fundraiser including a DJ, magic show, games, raffle, silent auction, creation stations, Five Square Pizza, beverages, treats & more!

OCTOBER • CHILDREN’S HALLOWEEN PARTY
Saturday, October 25 • Time TBD
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

NOVEMBER • CITY PUMPKIN SMASH
Saturday, November 8 • Time & Location TBD

NOVEMBER • Q4 ANNUAL MEETING 
Thursday, November 13 • 7-8:15 pm
Location TBD
Bylaw vote, alderpeople & representative visits & Council election

NOVEMBER • VOLUNTEER NEIGHBORHOOD STREET LEAF CLEAN-UP 
November 15-23 • Kickoff Saturday November 15 at 10 am
Greenview & Belle Plaine, Berteau & Cullom

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Events & Announcements

Lake View High School German Market Fundraiser: January 25th

Support our local students and enjoy a morning of crafts, food, and community spirit!

Lake View High School is hosting a German Market Fundraiser on Saturday, January 25th, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the school’s cafeteria at 4015 N. Ashland Ave.

This festive market will feature handmade crafts and delicious treats, all available for purchase at this cash-only event. Every dollar raised will help fund a life-changing opportunity for 8 Lake View High School students as they prepare to embark on a Cultural Exchange Program in Germany, starting in less than two months.

German MarketDownload

Let’s rally together to support these young ambassadors and celebrate the incredible programs Lake View High School offers. Whether you’re stopping by for unique finds, tasty snacks, or just to show your support, your participation makes a big difference!

Mark your calendars, and we’ll see you at the market!

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Events & Announcements

GWCA’s 2nd Annual Next Gen Bowling Party!

Get ready for another afternoon of strikes, spares, and family fun at Timber Lanes (1851 W Irving Park)! The Graceland West Community Association is thrilled to host our second annual Next Gen Experience Bowling Party on Saturday, January 25, from 3:00–5:00 PM.

We’ve reserved the entire venue, so there’s plenty of space for kids and parents alike to enjoy bowling, light snacks for the little ones, and an all-around good time. Parents, please note: the bar at Timber Lanes is cash only.

Cost: $50 per family (up to 5 people)
RSVP Required: Spots are limited, so don’t wait! Email sarah.maxwell@gmail.com to reserve your lane.

Payment Options:

We can’t wait to see you at the lanes!

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Events & Announcements

Welcome Access Contemporary Music to Graceland West!

Graceland West Community Association, GWCA, is pleased to welcome Access Contemporary Music, ACM, to the neighborhood at 4116 N Clark. This will be their newest class and performance space.

Seth Boustead, ACM Executive Director, let us know that ACM received their building permits the week before last and began construction on Monday, December 2nd at the Clark and Southport site previously rented to 7eleven.  They hope to do a soft open in July with a grand opening in September.

From their website:

ACM turns 20 this year! Over the last twenty years we’ve commissioned hundreds of composers, taught musical creativity to thousands of students in our storefront music schools, produced hundreds of concerts throughout Chicago and beyond, created a nationally syndicated PBS series featuring newly commissioned music inspired by architecture and produced innovative programs like the Thirsty Ears Festival, Sound of Silent Film, Composer Alive and Meditative Mondays.  

Their interior space will be all new and include four teaching rooms and seating for performances.  ACM is now offering sign-up for summer lessons in piano and voice at this location through their website.   

Boustead was one of over 400 applicants who applied for Chicago’s Community Development Fund grant, and one of just 40 total grant recipients city-wide.  ACM is now fundraising for staffing, programming, construction costs not covered by the grant, and hopefully a small cash reserve to ensure that they are sustainable.  Here is a link to their fundraising page, fundraiser.

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Events & Announcements

Announcement: Q4 GWCA Community Meeting Cancelled

GWCA Logo

We regret to inform you that the GWCA community meeting originally scheduled for this Thursday, December 5, 2024, has been cancelled.

Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

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Events & Announcements

Street Leaf Cleanup Off to an Amazing Start

A huge THANK YOU to all the incredible neighbors who joined us for the kickoff of the 2024 GWCA Street & Crosswalk Leaf Cleanup on Saturday, November 16.

Together, we tackled key Greenview intersections at Cuyler, Belle Plaine, Berteau, and Cullom, and even mid-block areas along Belle Plaine, Berteau, Warner, and Hutchinson. By 11 AM, more than 40 bags of street leaves were already ready for pickup—what an amazing start to this annual tradition.

But we’re not done yet! Let’s keep up the momentum through November 24. Rake and bag street and crosswalk leaves in your area to:

  • Prevent street flooding.
  • Keep sidewalks and crosswalks safe for everyone.
  • Ensure a cleaner, more beautiful neighborhood this fall.

How to Help:

  • Place bagged leaves on the closest crosswalk.
  • Streets & Sanitation will do a special pick-up after November 24.

Your hard work makes a real difference—let’s keep the energy going and make 2024 our best cleanup yet.

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Events & Announcements

Graceland West Green Events – Nov 9th and 16th

Pumpkin Smash at Lake View High School

Saturday, November 9, 10 AM – 2 PM
LVHS Parking Lot, 4000 block of N Greenview

Give your pumpkins a smashing send-off! Join us to compost old Halloween pumpkins—over 1,000 were smashed last year! Costumes welcome (again), just remove any candles, paint, or decorations first. Sponsored by U of I Extension Services, USDA, and Streets and Sanitation.

Photo: Teddi Burgess

GWCA Annual Street & Crosswalk Leaf Cleanup

Saturday, November 16, 10 AM – Noon
Meet at Greenview & Belle Plaine, Berteau, or Cullom

Bring a rake and help us clear street leaves to reduce flooding and keep crosswalks safe. Last year, we filled 400 bags—let’s top that! Can’t make it on Nov 16? Clean up any time from Nov 16-24 and leave bagged leaves on your parkway for our special pick-up.

Reminder: Leave yard leaves as winter homes for pollinators!

Why do we do this? Our 47th Ward 4th and final scheduled street sweeping was in early October. All our leaves now fall after that last sweeping and removing them will reduce stormwater and snow-melt flooding. This effort also reduces falls by making crosswalks and streets less slick for pedestrians.

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Events & Announcements

Final Reminder: Graceland West Halloween Party is This Saturday!

Halloween is almost here, and we’re so excited for our Graceland West Halloween Party happening this Saturday, October 26th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Warner Park!

Here’s what you can look forward to:

Costume Contest – Show off your Halloween costumes and compete for a fun prize!
Scavenger Hunt – Take part in our first-ever scavenger hunt and see how many spooky decorations you can find around the neighborhood.
Games & Activities – Mummy races, pumpkin decorating, spider maze, pinata, and more!
Create Your Own Candy Apples – Get creative and make a delicious treat!

We can’t wait to see you all on Saturday at Warner Park for a fantastic Halloween celebration. Bring your costumes, your scavenger hunt forms, and plenty of Halloween spirit!

Photo credit: Teddi Burgess Photography

Don’t Trash It, Smash It!

After the Halloween fun is over, don’t forget to save your pumpkins for the Pumpkin Smash happening on Saturday, November 9th from 10 AM to 2 PM at Lake View High School (4015 N Ashland Ave). This is a great way to green your Halloween by composting your pumpkins instead of throwing them in the trash.

How it works: Bring your pumpkins (with all candles, paint, and decorations removed), and they’ll be smashed and composted. It’s a fun, eco-friendly way to dispose of your pumpkins!

Let’s all help keep pumpkins out of landfills and do our part for the environment!

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Events & Announcements

How Many Spooky Decorations Can You Find? Graceland West Scavenger Hunt Begins!

Calling all ghosts and goblins! Our first ever Graceland West Halloween Scavenger Hunt is officially live, and we invite you to join the fun!

Explore the neighborhood and see how many spooky decorations you can find within the area north of Irving Park Ave, south of Montrose Ave, west of Clark St, and east of Ashland Ave. There are 15 decorations to hunt for—how many can you spot?

How it works:

  1. Download the scavenger hunt form HERE or create a copy on your phone.
  2. Take a walk through the neighborhood and find as many of the listed decorations as you can.
  3. Bring your responses to the Graceland West Halloween Party at Warner Park on Saturday, October 26th between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

The participant with the most correct answers will win a prize!

This is a great chance to enjoy the Graceland West Halloween spirit and the beautiful weather, so grab your friends, family, and little ones for a spooky stroll. We can’t wait to see how many of you rise to the challenge!

Happy hunting!

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Events & Announcements

Get Ready for Spooky Trivia Night & Our Halloween Party!

We’ve got two fun Halloween events coming your way this October.

Spooky Trivia Night
Saturday, October 19
7:00 PM
Maxwell-Hutchinson House (4200 Block of Greenview)

Calling all Halloween enthusiasts and trivia buffs! Join us for a fun-filled Spooky Trivia Night at the Maxwell-Hutchinson House. This adults-only evening will test your knowledge of Chicago and neighborhood history while you enjoy drinks, bites, and great company.

Cost of attendance: $50 per individual (adults only). Sign up here: Graceland West Experience Parties.

Dust off your thinking caps and come ready for a spooky good time. We can’t wait to see you there.

Halloween Party at Warner Park
Saturday, October 26
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Warner Park & Gardens

Bring the whole family to our Halloween party in Warner Park. There will be fun activities, treats, and festive Halloween vibes for kids and adults. Costumes are highly encouraged.

We’re also looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. Whether you can lend a hand with setting up, running games, or helping clean up, your time will be much appreciated.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to info@gracelandwest.org.

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