The Village Chicago

Saturday Afternoon at the Movies
2025-09-20 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Members & guests–free
Streaming on Amazon & others
Every Saturday afternoon, join fellow film aficionados of the Village for an in-depth, organic discussion of films new and old.. Watch the selected film any time–or enjoy the discussion and be persuaded to view it after!
This week’s film is:
The Big Chill (1983), 103min

Such a fun film about seven college friends reuniting 10+ years later for a weekend. The cast and the energy they create are amazing: Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Tom Berenger, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Mary Kay Place, JoBeth Williams. The film and its soundtrack (mainly 1960s Motown) were a phenomenon when it came out in 1983 and was Oscar nominated for best picture, best supporting actress, and best screenplay. Written/directed by Lawrence Kasden (Body Heat, Accidental Tourist, Grand Canyon).

Conversational Spanish
2025-09-22 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-06 11:00 - 12:00 | Village Office, 2502 N. Clark, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Location: The Village Chicago office (2502 N Clark St)

Members & guests: free

Join member Ray Enriquez for a welcoming and informal Spanish conversation class. Various levels are welcome – this is a place to practice your spoken Spanish whether you are just beginning or more advanced. Space is limited – register now!

Weekly Walks around North Pond
2025-09-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Meet in front of North Pond Restaurant, 2610 N. Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL, United States
Online registration for this event is now closed. Please email info@thevillagechicago.org or call 773-248-8700 to register.
Enjoy some exercise and conversation every Thursday morning with new and established friends. Registrants receive ongoing reminders, including cancellation notices for inclement weather – no need to register each time. Path is paved and accessible for those using mobility aids.

Coffee Chat BYOC
2025-09-25 10:30 - 11:30
Online registration for this event is now closed. Please email info@thevillagechicago.org or call 773-248-8700 to register.
Location: via Zoom

Members only–free. To RSVP, please scroll down. The day before the discussion, a confirmation email will be sent to registered attendees with additional details to join via Zoom.
An informal ’round table’ morning coffee chat via Zoom with fellow Villagers to catch up on local issues, share your opinions, ideas, memories, have some laughs and increase your ‘people connections’ through laughter and fellowship. All are welcome!
OPEN TOPIC
Instead of selecting a predetermined topic, we invite members to pour yourself a cup, and let the conversation flow naturally! Registration required and space is limited.

Short Story Intergenerational Discussions
2025-09-25 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-02 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-09 17:00 - 18:00
Members & guests–free. To RSVP, please scroll down. The day before each discussion, registered attendees will receive a confirmation email with a link to join via Zoom.
RSVP to Join! This is an ongoing discussion group. After you register, you will receive weekly emails with Zoom details and a link to that week’s story. While the group meets weekly, members and guests are welcome to drop in for one or all discussions.

Short Story Intergenerational Discussions
2025-09-25 17:00 - 18:00
Online registration for this event is now closed. Please email info@thevillagechicago.org or call 773-248-8700 to register.
Members & guests–free. To RSVP, please scroll down. The day before each discussion, registered attendees will receive a confirmation email with a link to join via Zoom.
RSVP to Join! This is an ongoing discussion group. After you register, you will receive weekly emails with Zoom details and a link to that week’s story. While the group meets weekly, members and guests are welcome to drop in for one or all discussions.
This week the group is reading American history by Judith Ortiz Coffer

Conversational French
2025-09-26 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Chicago Public Library – Lincoln Park Branch, 1150 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Members & guests: free

Join member Beverly Livingston for a welcoming and informal French conversation class. This is a place to practice your speaking skills and learn some colloquial French. Various levels are welcome, but some experience is suggested. This event is accessible.

Memory Cafe
2025-09-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Chicago Public Library – Lincoln Park Branch, 1150 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
We are excited to invite you to attend this new program offering, in partnership with our local Lincoln Park Branch Library (1150 W Fullerton).
This monthly Memory Café offers a comfortable and supportive environment for individuals with memory loss and their care partners. Make friends, have lunch and have fun!
Activities at this event will be thematic and will include games, arts and crafts, music, and more. Friends, family members, and community allies also are welcome.

Saturday Afternoon at the Movies
2025-09-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Members & guests–free
Available on Amazon to rent for $4.29
Every Saturday afternoon, join fellow film aficionados of the Village for an in-depth organic discussion of films new and old. Watch the selected film any time–or enjoy the discussion and be persuaded to view it after!
Three Days of the Condor: 1975, 117min, 87% on Rotten Tomatoes

Celebrating Robert Redford. Here’s one from 1975. A CIA researcher (“I’m just a reader”) in Manhattan finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust. Also with Faye Dunnaway (what a sexy pairing), Cliff Robertson and directed by Sydney Pollack (The Way We Were, They Shoot Horses Don’t They, Tootsie, Out of Africa)

The Village Chicago Annual Fundraiser
2025-09-30 17:00 - 19:30
Click here to purchase tickets, raffles and sponsorships!
Get your Early Bird Tickets now – discount ends September 12!

Great Books, Great Conversations
2025-10-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Location: via Zoom

Members and guests – Free!
The Village’s Great Books Great Conversations program has been going strong for over 14 years! Our conversations are modeled after the shared inquiry of and uses short readings published by the Great Books Foundation.
October Readings:

“The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements” by Jane Addams
“The Drum Major Instinct” by Martin Luther King Jr.
“The Book of Ruth” Selection from “Specimen Days” by Walt Whitman
“The Lovers of the Poor” by Gwendolyn Brooks”
“What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t Talk About Service” by Adam Davis

Readings are in “The Civically Engaged Reader” published by the Great Books Foundation and available at its website store.

Weekly Walks around North Pond
2025-10-02 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-10-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Meet in front of North Pond Restaurant, 2610 N. Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL, United States
Enjoy some exercise and conversation every Thursday morning with new and established friends. Registrants receive ongoing reminders, including cancellation notices for inclement weather – no need to register each time. Path is paved and accessible for those using mobility aids.

Saturday Afternoon at the Movies
2025-10-04 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Members & guests–free
Available to rent for $2.99 on Amazon and others
Every Saturday afternoon, join fellow film aficionados of the Village for an in-depth discussion of films new and old, led by Village member Mel Washburn. Watch the selected film any time–or enjoy the discussion and be persuaded to view it after!
This week’s film is: Gunga Din: 1939, 117min, Rotten Tomatoes 89%
Army sergeants (Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen serve in India during the 1880s, along with their guide Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe). While completing a dangerous telegraph-repair mission, Gunga Din tells them about a secret temple made of gold. Greedy Cary Grant is captured by a native tribe and it’s up to his friends to rescue him. A huge hit for director George Stevens who went on make The More the Merrier, I Remember Mama, A Place in the Sun, Shane, Giant,

Monthly Intergenerational Trivia at D'Agostino's
2025-10-06 19:30 | D’Agostino’s Wrigleyville, 1351 W Addison St, Chicago, 60613, United States
Presented by the Bridging Generations Board

Members & guests: free; food & drink self-hosted

Test your trivia skills at this new monthly event! The first Monday of the month, BGB and Village members will be meeting at D’Agostino’s in Wrigleyville for a few rounds of trivia. All 21+ are welcome but RSVPs are required.

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Launched in 2019, The Bridging Generations Professionals Board is a group of young adults who firmly believe in the importance of multigenerational relationships at work and in the community. The events they have organized include book, short story and documentary discussion groups; intimate multigenerational dinners, community volunteerism, Trivia nights and more.

Health Hub: The Protein That Could Rewind the Mind
2025-10-07 12:00 - 13:00
Members & Guests: free.
Location: Via Zoom
Online registration for this event is now closed. to register call 773-248-8700 or email info@thevillagechicago.org.
Groundbreaking studies with mice found that elevated levels of FTL1 were linked to memory loss, weakened brain connections, and sluggish cellular activity. Remarkably, when researchers blocked the protein, the animals regained sharp memory and youthful brain function. This discovery positions FTL1 as a potential “master switch” for brain aging, opening the door to therapies that may not just slow cognitive decline, but actually reverse it. Join us as we explore the science, the promise, and the future implications of targeting FTL1 in the fight against neurodegeneration

Men's Group
2025-10-08 11:00 - 12:30 | Belmont Village Lincoln Park, 700 West Fullerton, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
Join the Men’s Group for their monthly meeting on October 8th.
All are welcome! This event is accessible.
The October meeting will be on Plastics.

Guest speaker Jordan Parker, friend of Village member Stefanie Clark will share her thoughts on plastic repurposing and her activities in support of the Chicago plastic bag tax.
The fossil fuel industry recognizes that the use of vehicles using internal combustion engines will decline over the years and is looking to plastics as a way of continuing the use of fossil fuels. It is expending huge sums of money on building new ethane crackers and other equipment that will generate plastics. And a similarly large amount of money on lobbying to sell governments around the world on allowing it to continue making plastics.
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Medicare Open Enrollment Again? Does This Affect Me?
2025-10-08 15:00 - 16:00
Members & Guests- Free! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Location- Virtual, Via Zoom
Yes, this may affect you. Or your friends. Or your family members. Don’t fall in love with your plan. Learn how to determine if 2026 current coverage will continue to work for you or those you care for or care about.
The Chicagoland Villages Collaborative recognizes the importance of providing updated information to help you with your 2026 Medicare decisions. Medicare’s “open enrollment” period runs every year from October 15th until December 7th. This is the time Medicare Beneficiaries look at their plans, ensure it meets their needs, and make changes. Most years there are changes that occur in most plans.
Join us to learn about changes coming to Medicare in 2026. We will give you tools to help you make the best choices for the year ahead. Bring your questions.
About the Presenter:

Karen Kolb manages the city of Chicago’s Senior Services division where she oversees in-home support and services for older Chicagoans and their caregivers.

Lunch & Learn - Cooking for 2, Presented by Humana
2025-10-09 12:00 - 13:00
Members & guests: free.
Location: Via Zoom
When you’re only cooking for one or two, it’s easy to fall into a food rut and wonder if it’s even worth the extra effort. But don’t sell yourself short! Home cooking—no matter the size of your household—is important and many times, the best way to nourish your body with healthy foods.

Short Story Intergenerational Discussions
2025-10-09 17:00 - 18:00
Members & guests–free. To RSVP, please scroll down. The day before each discussion, registered attendees will receive a confirmation email with a link to join via Zoom.
RSVP to Join! This is an ongoing discussion group. After you register, you will receive weekly emails with Zoom details and a link to that week’s story. While the group meets weekly, members and guests are welcome to drop in for one or all discussions.

This week the group is reading: The Devil in the Belfry by Edgar Allen Poe

Saturday Afternoon at the Movies
2025-10-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Members & guests–free
Available to rent for $5.99 on Amazon

Every Saturday afternoon, join fellow film aficionados of the Village for an in-depth organic discussion of films new and old. Watch the selected film any time–or enjoy the discussion and be persuaded to view it after!

This week’s movie is: The Life of Chuck: 2025, 1hr 50min, R.T. 80%

From the Stephen King short story of the same name, the film tells the story of Chuck’s life in three parts: the very end; one day in the middle; and a stint from his teenage years. His life, like most of ours, is simple and extraordinary. A line from Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself–“I contain multitudes” (stanza 51)–is repeated several times. Film critics’ most used word describing the film is “magical.” Do you agree? Don’t be afraid to watch it again when you’re done.

Brain Spa
2025-10-14 11:00 - 12:00
Members & guests–free. RSVP below!
This is a virtual Zoom session held every other week, open to anyone who would like to get connected to others, practice skills and exercise their brain. Join us for puzzles and challenges, storytelling and reminiscing in a comfortable and casual environment. These sessions will be an hour long and are meant to be fun and interactive. You don’t need to attend all sessions to participate, feel free to drop in whenever you would like!

Brain Spa - Feed Your Brain at Wilde
2025-10-14 12:00 - 13:30 | Wilde Bar & Restaurant, 3130 N Broadway, Chicago, IL, 60657, United States
Members & guests free to attend, meal is self-hosted
Join us at Wilde Bar & Restaurant for a lively lunch that’s good for both your body and your mind. Social connection is one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy, sharp, and stimulated and what better way to do it than over great food and conversation?
Along with a delicious meal and meaningful social time, you will also receive a take home brain stimulating activity packet that you can enjoy later on your own or with friends.

Happy Hour with the Life 3.0 Committee
2025-10-14 17:00 - 18:00
Members and guests: free.
Location: ZiZi’s Cafe (2825 N Sheffield Ave)
Join us for a casual, member-organized happy hour at a different location each month, with no agenda other than great conversation.
This is a recurring, in person event; once you sign up, you will continue to receive emails for upcoming events.
Life 3.0 is a lively, welcoming group who are exploring together how we want to live and work as we move into retirement and beyond. But mostly, we like getting together for some really good times!

Crossing the Bridge
2025-10-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom, Chicago, IL, United States
Location: via Zoom
Members & guests: free.

Death Cafe has evolved! Crossing the Bridge is a safe space to share personal feelings about death as we support and learn from each other. In addition to exploring our own thoughts, we talk about books, films, legislative developments, organizations, and other topics related to death and dying. All are welcome!

Daytrip to Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville
2025-10-15 12:30
Location: Meet at the Village office (2502 N Clark) to carpool to the Isle a la Cache Museum (501 E Romeo Rd)
Members & guests: free.
This event is accessible
Join us for this unique daytrip, organized by Village member Marcia Whitney-Schenck. The museum is located on the largest island in the Des Plaines river where the French voyagers would rest, trade with the Native Americans, and bury their implements in between excursions. An intriguing aspect of Illinois history, it is the exact site where all the voyagers and the Indians met. It’s also an area where you have all three waterways: Des Plaines River, Sanitation Canal, and the I&M. Learn about French voyagers, the Potawatomi and the beaver trade, which occurred on the island where the museum is located.
For those who are inclined, Marcia may lead a walk along the nearby Des Plaines river. One can also mosey around the grounds of the museum.
Carpooling is encouraged for this event. When you register, please indicate if you are available to drive and how many people you are able to accommodate . Please also let us know if you need a ride to this event.
Click here to register!
