Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
What: Chicago’s top toques will present signature dishes at this year’s Cubaninspired Grand Chefs Gala. In addition to drinks, dancing, top-tier cuisine, and auctions, there also will be the highly anticipated presentation of the Jean Banchet Awards, given for excellence in the food and beverage industries.
When: January 27 at 6 pm
Where: Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Dr.
Tickets: grandchefsgala.com

Museum of Science and Industry Black Creativity
What: Celebrating African-American achievements and the Museum of Science and Industry’s innovative Black Creativity program. Enjoy special exhibits, dinner, dancing, and the musical talents of soul singers Freddie Jackson and Maurice Mahon. Proceeds benefit the Black Creativity exhibitions and programs.
When: January 28 at 6:30 PM
Where: Museum of Science & Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Tickets: msichicago.org

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
What: ArtEdge 2012, the annual winter benefit for MCA Chicago and its various programs, gets funky this year with a live performance from George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. The event, cochaired by Liza and Marc Books, Anne and Don Edwards, Penny Pritzker, and Bryan Traubert, will also feature dinner and a cocktail reception.
When: February 4 at 6 PM
Where: MCA Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
Tickets: 312-397-3868; mcachicago.org/artedge

Art Institute of Chicago
What: The third annual Uncorked: A Case for Wine event, held by the Auxiliary Board of the Art Institute of Chicago, brings together oenophiles and art aficionados for this high-end culinary event. A collection of wines from top purveyors will be paired with gourmet cuisine, and guests will also enjoy luxury travel-filled silent and live auctions. Proceeds benefit the Art Institute.
When: February 25, 6 PM
Where: The Casino, 195 E. Delaware Pl.
Tickets: Call 312-443-3674

Equality Illinois
What: The annual black-tie Justice for All event is the largest LGBT gala in the Midwest, bringing together more than 1,000 attendees, including elected officials, community leaders, and VI Ps. Enjoy a luxurious evening with dinner, cocktails, dancing, and an auction. Proceeds benefit the Equality Illinois Education Project.
When: February 11 at 6 PM
Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
Tickets: 773-477-7173; eqil.org

For the Love of Chocolate
What: A heavenly night of chocolate-centric cuisine from Chicago’s top chefs and confectioners. Also enjoy sweet-themed delights such as a Chocolate Spa and a Cocoa Candy Land, plus live music and entertainment. Proceeds benefit the For the Love of Chocolate Foundation.
When: February 25 at 7 PM
Where: Merchandise Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Tickets: fortheloveofchocolatefoundation.org

PHOTOGRAPY CINDY ORD/GETTY IAMGES (JACKSON); THINKSTOCK (WINE)

The Doobie Brothers will perform the JDRF Chance of a Lifetime Gala

Catholic Charities
What: The Spirit of Saint Nicholas Ball is a 22-year-old holiday tradition in Chicago. Join more than 1,000 other revelers for a night of cocktails, dinner, and dancing, with proceeds benefiting the nearly quarter of a million children who benefit from Catholic Charities family programming.
When: December 2, 6:30 PM
Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
Tickets: Call 312-948-6797 or visit catholiccharities.net/stnick.

Metropolitan Family Services
What: For its 30th annual Holiday Celebration, Metropolitan Family Services honors the Kneupfer family, longtime supporters of the organization. Enjoy dinner, cocktails, silent and live auctions, and a wine raffle featuring rare and distinguished vintages. Proceeds benefit the wide range of programs from Metropolitan Family Services.
When: December 3, 6 PM
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, 160 E. Pearson St.
Tickets: Call 312-986-4046 or visit metrofamily.org.

JDRF international
What: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s annual Chance of a Lifetime Gala features extensive live and silent auctions, drinks, and dinner. The night tops off with a performance by Grammy-winning band the Doobie Brothers. Funds raised benefit the JDRF ’s Fund A Cure program.
When: December 10, 5:30 PM
Where: McCormick Place and Arie Crown Theater
Tickets: Call 312-670-0313 or visit jdrfillinois.org.

Medical Research Institute Council of Children's Memorial Hospital 
What: A staple of the holiday-event scene for more than a half-century, the Medical Research Institute Council of Children’s Memorial Hospital’s annual black-tie gala—this year themed “Diamond: 60 Years of Brilliance”—celebrates the successes of the MRIC with a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and dancing. Proceeds benefit the MRIC ’s initiatives.
When: December 10, 6:30 PM
Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
Tickets: Call 773-880-6988.

Chicago Children's Charities 
What: The Holly Ball is an exclusive black-tie event that kicks off the holidays in style, with cocktails, dinner, dancing, a silent auction of luxury items, and a performance by the quartet Spoken 4. Funds benefit Chicago Children’s Charities, which supports local youth-focused organizations.
When: December 17, 8 PM
Where: Racquet Club of Chicago, 1365 N. Dearborn Pkwy.
Tickets: Visit chicagochildrenscharities.org.

Highsight 
What: A precursor to the most celebratory event of the year, the 18th annual Eve of the Eve is one of Chicago’s most exciting and extravagant holiday parties, set in the Great Hall of Union Station. Enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, raffles, and live music. Proceeds benefit the HighSight scholarship program.
When: December 30, 8 PM
Where: Great Hall in Union Station, 500 W. Jackson Blvd.
Tickets: Call 312-787-9824 or visit highsight.org.

Service Club of Chicago
What: For its annual gala, themed El Morocco, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago transforms into a 1940s supper club. Helmed by cochairs Toni Canada, Laurie Davis, and Dusty Stemer, the evening also features dinner, cocktails, auctions, and live music from the Ken Arlen Orchestra. Proceeds benefit a range of nonprofit organizations for at-risk Chicagoans.
When: November 4, 6:30 PM
Where: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Pl.
Tickets: Call 773-404-5858 or visit serviceclubgala.com.

	Former Mayor Richard Daley will deliver the keynote address at Little City’s Annual Dinner Gala

Columbia College
What: This year’s Open Doors Gala honors Linda Johnson Rice with the inaugural Chicago Legacy Award. Guests will enjoy cocktails and dinner, as well as music, dance, and spoken-word performances by the school’s talented students. Proceeds benefit scholarships for Chicago public school grads to attend Columbia College Chicago.
When: November 5, 6 PM
Where: Media Production Center, 1600 S. State St.
Tickets: Call 312-369-8188 or visit colum.edu/specialevents/gala2011.

PAWS Chicago
What: The pet-friendly black-tie Fur Ball is an annual favorite of Chicago’s gala goers. Humans will enjoy an evening of auctions, dinner, and dancing, while their canine friends will be treated to a doggie buffet, spa, and massages. Proceeds benefit PAWS Chicago.
When: November 11, 6 PM
Where: The Drake, 140 E. Walton Pl.
Tickets: Call 773-843-4884 or visit furball.pawschicago.org.

JCC Chicago
What: This year’s event commemorates the 90th anniversary of JCC Camp Chi (it’s one of the largest Jewish camps in the Midwest) and the 100th anniversary of the JCC Women’s Auxiliary. Celebrate alongside distinguished honoree Larry Goodman at the elegant Navy Pier Grand Ballroom and enjoy a night of cocktails, dinner, live music, and entertainment, courtesy of performers from The Second City. Proceeds benefit the Jewish Community Center of Chicago.
When: November 12, 7:30 PM
Where: Navy Pier Grand Ballroom, 600 E. Grand Ave.
Tickets: Call 312-775-1834 or visit gojcc.org/benefit.

Little City
What: Former Mayor Richard Daley delivers the keynote address at Little City’s Annual Dinner Gala, which also features drinks, dancing, and private access to the aquarium’s galleries. The event benefits Little City’s programs and services for people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
When: November 12, 7 PM
Where: John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Tickets: Visit littlecity.org/gala.

Girls on the Run Chicago
What: Whether you’re a fitness fanatic, a fan or a friend, come out to The Drake for the 12th annual Sparkle & Shine Gala. Savor specialty drinks, hors d’oeuvres, live music from the Spoken Four, auctions, and raffle. Proceeds benefit scholarships for needy families and promote program expansion in low-income communities.
When: November 18, 8 PM
Where: The Drake, 140 E. Walton St.
Tickets: Call 773-342-1250 or visit gotrchicago.org/gala.

Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans set the art world on a whole new course, but Robert Indiana hit it big with the general public in an easy-to-read way when The U.S. Postal Service slapped his lopsided LOVE image on a stamp in 1973. Created in the ’60s in the fissure of the generation gap, the image was like a visual haiku whose graphic punch and utter legibility camouflaged the arty gesture it was. Since then, the artist—born Robert Clark in New Castle—has explored again and again the power of words, most notably with HOPE, a stainless steel sculpture that he fashioned for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Like LOVE, the work has been executed in various media, including the small-scale, painted-aluminum edition KM Fine Arts brings to the widely respected International Expositions of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art (SOFA) fair. The artist, who will attend the opening-night preview November 3 on Navy Pier, is famous for referring to himself as an “American painter of signs.” It sounds like aw-shucks modesty, but it captures the essence of what he does: taking the pithy, revenue-generating, message-driven template of commercial culture and selling us all a product called “thought.” The SOFA Chicago 2011 preview is November 3 from 7–9 pm. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased in advance at sofaexpo.com or at the door.

A native of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, Bob Newhart fondly says, “I think growing up here influenced the way I worked in comedy. You can fool them in New York and San Francisco, but you can’t fool a Chicago audience. It’s a Midwest thing.” However, based on his incredible accomplishments, one might say he fooled everyone. The buzz around Newhart began when he started recording comedy sketches for radio in 1958 and appeared on local TV, which led to a contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood. When the comedian was approached about playing psychologist Robert “Bob” Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show, he pushed for the sitcom to be set in his hometown. “It offered a lot of sites other cities don’t have, like The Loop, Michigan Avenue and the Wrigley Building,” he says. The show certainly left a lasting impression on Chicagoans—in 2004 a statue depicting Dr. Hartley alongside his therapy couch was unveiled at Navy Pier. To this day, locals and tourists alike can be seen stretching out on that couch for a photo op with the famous therapist.

On October 22, Newhart takes the stage at The Chicago Theatre to celebrate his 50th anniversary in show business. “I keep hearing from people, some of whom I haven’t seen in 50 years, that they’re coming to my show,” says Newhart. And as for what the audience can expect, “I’ll perform one or two of the classics, and the rest will be observations about this weird planet we all live on,” says Newhart. “Something crazy is always happening.”

The Chicago Children’s Choir performing at Red Jacket Optional

Integrative Touch for Kids
What: The Butterfly Gala features silent and live auctions for luxury getaways and NASCAR racing sessions, with proceeds benefiting Integrative Touch for Kids, which enhances the well-being of children with special needs and their entire families through healing retreats and other therapeutic initiatives.
When: October 1, 7 PM
Where: East Bank Club, 500 N. Kingsbury St.
Tickets: Visit integrativetouch.org

Rush University Medical Center
What: Local celebrities and business leaders model the season’s best couture and ready-to-wear in The Women’s Board of Rush University Medical Center’s 85th Annual Fashion Show, the nation’s biggest and oldest continuous charity fashion show. It supports the Rush University Medical Center and its various programs.
When: October 6, 5:30 PM
Where: Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel, 17 E. Monroe St.
Tickets: Call 312-942-6513 or visit thewomansboard.com

Chicago Hope Dollars for Scholars
What: Recently awarded the National Chapter of the Year 2010 for its work in helping public school students attend college, Chicago Hope Dollars for Scholars celebrates its fifth anniversary with a silent auction, live musical entertainment and premium open bar at its We Must Be Dreaming Masquerade Ball.
When: October 8, 8 PM
Where: Germania Place, 108 Germania Place
Tickets: Visit chicagohope.org

Meals on Wheels Chicago
What: For the 23rd annual Meals on Wheels Chicago Celebrity Chef Ball, 60-70 top chefs from around the US contribute to this delicious feast, which also includes a silent auction and casino-style gaming, to benefit Meals on Wheels Chicago and its work to help seniors and people with disabilities live independently.
When: October 14, 6 PM
Where: Macy’s, 111 N. State St., 9th floor
Tickets: Visit celebritychefball.charityhappenings.org

Illinois Eye-Bank
What: The annual Aviators Night for Sight benefits the Illinois Eye-Bank and its mission to support the research of causes and cures to blinding eye conditions. The event promises to be a jet-set night of fun complete with live entertainment, couture fashion, worldy cuisine and cocktails.
When: October 15, 7:30 PM
Where: Schaumburg Regional Airport, 905 W. Irving Park Road
Tickets: Visit illinoiseyebank.org

MRJBF of Children’s Memorial Hospital
What: Enjoy live entertainment, auctions offering autographed sports memorabilia and, of course, cocktails, at the 19th annual Cocktails for a Cause. It’s all in the name of pediatric research for Children’s Memorial Hospital and Children’s Memorial Research Center.
When: October 14, 7:30 PM
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Tickets: Visit mrjbf.org

Chicago Children’s Choir
What: The renowned Chicago Children’s Choir performs at Red Jacket Optional, its fundraiser dinner, raffle and live auction event, which this year honors Jim and Ginger Meyer as it celebrates its 55th anniversary. Proceeds benefit the Choir, a multicultural organization that shapes youth through music.
When: October 21, 6:30 PM
Where: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Ct.
Tickets: Visit ccchoir.org

Museum of Science + Industry Chicago
What: The 31st Annual Columbian Ball highlights “Fast Forward…Inventing the Future,” a rotating exhibit of groundbreaking technology. There will be an exhibit preview before the dinner and auction to benefit the MSI Chicago’s exhibitions and educational programs through the Annual Fund.
When: October 22, 6 PM
Where: Museum of Science + Industry Chicago, 57th Street and Lake Shore Dr.
Tickets: E-mail denise.hicks@msichicago.org

Take a break from the stresses of everyday life and enter a world of make-believe at the Museum of Science and Industry’s upcoming exhibit “There’s Fun to Be Done! Dr. Seuss and the Art of Invention,” opening October 13. In addition to chronicling the multi-talented artist’s wide array of creations, the exhibit will also feature whimsical, hands-on activities in which visitors can interact with Seuss’ world of boundless, playful creativity.

Glossy magazine contributor and New York Times best-selling author Jill Kargman treads into new literary territory with her first children’s book, Pirates and Princesses—co-authored by none other than her eight-year-old daughter, Sadie. To celebrate the September release of the storybook, Jill and Sadie will be signing copies for a moms-and-kids story time next weekend (Sept. 17, 2­–4 pm). A portion of the event’s proceeds will go directly to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Rush University Medical Hospital. 900 Michigan Ave.; RSVP marketingdept@900nm.com

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps

The Real Housewives are coming to Chicago—but no, we aren’t getting our own version of the popular Bravo series. Instead, three cast members are making special appearances at the Macy’s In Fashion Lounge, the resting place for bag-laden shoppers during Chicago’s first-ever Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival. This Wednesday, LuAnn de Lesseps of New York will sign copies of her book, Class with the Countess, amid cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres (August 31, 6–8 PM). Gretchen Rossi of Orange County will be styling guests on Thursday (September 1, 6–8 PM). And to wrap up the festival Teresa Guidice of New Jersey will do a book signing for her best-selling cookbooks, Skinny Italian and Fabulicious, next Thursday (September 8, 6–8 PM). 835 N. Michigan Ave.; RSVP facebook.com/shopwatertower

Bruce Norris doesn’t pussyfoot around. Quick to poke (with cutting wit) any person or situation that to him reeks of idiocy or hypocrisy, the Northwestern University-trained play wright doesn’t mind appearing holier-than-thou as he cries, “Screw you!” to a world gone wacky. In language that is lean, mean and fiercely funny, he captures the way folks truly speak when times are tough—or when they can’t take the time to see beyond their own narrow vision of the way things are. As a character in his 2002 play, Purple Heart, observes, “What an astonishing volume of horseshit people expect you to swallow. Do you know what I mean? What a staggering, towering load of pure unreconstituted crap.”

This month Norris’ longtime champion, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, presents his Pulitzer Prize-winning Clybourne Park, a penetrating look at how race continues to define the American experience. Directed by Steppenwolf’s Amy Morton (who gave a star turn in the company’s smash hit, August: Osage County), the play is set in the fictional Chicago neighborhood that anchored Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 drama A Raisin in the Sun. Norris’ slam at sanctimoniousness and the inability to say what’s really on our minds moves from the Eisenhower era, as a white family leaves their home, to the present, when another white family arrives to take up residence in the now-black neighborhood. Between what is misstated and misheard, Norris’ characters expose the tribal core of behavior that seems to set the races so far apart. Clybourne Park runs September 8–November 6. 1650 N. Halsted St., 312- 335-1650; steppenwolf.org