Name: Holly Jolly Concert 2026 – 1:00 pm
Start: 2026-12-20T13:00:00-06:00
Location: Gorton Center

Gorton Center

<h3>Holly Jolly is Back</h3>
Kick off the holiday season with the <a href="https://www.lakeforestcivicorchestra.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lake Forest Civic Orchestra</a>! This 80 minute family-friendly holiday concert is the perfect way to embrace the festive spirit. In a lively holiday program, enjoy beloved holiday classics performed by talented musicians.
This year our concert again features a performance by the Evanston Children’s Choir, singing “Marvin the Moose” by Martin McCormack (in a new choral version) and ECC Artistic Director Gary Geiger’s own arrangement of “Joy to the World,” which has been newly orchestrated for our event.
BUY YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS HERE: Win Brunch for 4 at Deerpath Inn! Purchase raffle tickets at checkout,  after your seat selection, in the checkout lane under the heading “You Might Also Like”….
Buy your tickets online. Don’t miss out!
Event Highlights
<ul><li><ul><li>Beloved holiday songs to set the festive mood</li><li>Special guest performance by the Evanston Children’s Choir</li><li>Visit from Santa Claus, candy canes, concessions for sale and more!</li></ul></li></ul>
Don’t miss this joyful event that’s perfect for the whole family.  Join in this community celebration of the season with music, sing a longs, and festive cheer.

Local Event: Holly Jolly Concert 2026 – 1:00 pm

Lake County

Rachel Barnes

Chicago Metropolitan Area

Lake Forest-Lake Bluff

Illinois

Holly Jolly Concert 2026 – 1:00 pm

Holly Jolly is Back
Kick off the holiday season with the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra! This 80 minute family-friendly holiday...

Lake Bluff Public Library

Visit the Library October 5th through October 10th for Banned Books Week! Browse displays of banned books, gather informational resources, and enter a raffle. About&nbsp;Banned Books Week: Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Held in the last week of September or first week of October, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.&nbsp;

Local Event: Banned Books Week (Oct. 5th - Oct. 10th)

Banned Books Week (Oct. 5th - Oct. 10th)

Visit the Library October 5th through October 10th for Banned Books Week! Browse displays of banned books, gather informational...

The Gallery

Join us at The Gallery of Lake Forest for a luncheon with author Catherine Grace Katz as she discusses her new book:
SHADOW BEFORE THE FLAME
Wednesday, October 7th, 2026, 1:00pm - 3:00pm (*Please note the lunch time)
202 Wisconsin Avenue
Lake Forest, IL 60045
$90 includes lunch and a copy of the book
Please call to RSVP: 847-234-4420
On the evening of May 6, 1937, the majestic German zeppelin Hindenburg arrived before cheering crowds in Lakehurst, New Jersey, when suddenly, a titanic inferno lit up the sky. Thirty-four seconds later, the greatest airship ever to take flight was gone, destroyed in a ferocious blaze and eternally seared into historical memory. Acclaimed historian Catherine Grace Katz unites groundbreaking research with thrilling narrative that situates this famous disaster squarely on the collision course between the decade’s two prevailing currents. The Hindenburg began as a symbol of hope and progress, a gleaming technological marvel in the nascent age of aviation. But soon, the airship of dreams became a propaganda tool powering the rising Nazi regime. In this sweeping drama, Katz illustrates the story of the Hindenburg through the captivating passengers and crew caught in the grip of fate: an adventurous heiress, a renowned vaudeville star, a Chicago industrialist with German Jewish roots, an esteemed zeppelin captain, and a young cabin boy on his first voyage to the United States. Meanwhile, on the ground, two intrepid journalists’ reporting on the Hindenburg fundamentally changed breaking news, paving the way for modern media. In this rigorously researched, ticking-clock account, Shadow Before the Flame offers a portrait of an era when illusions of peace, fueled by the hubris of invention, hovered in suspended time as the clouds of an inevitable war loomed on the horizon. Above all, it is a story of humanity and of lives forever changed by a moment that served as a harbinger for the global conflagration yet to come.
Catherine Grace Katz is a writer and historian from Winnetka, IL and the author of&nbsp;the acclaimed history, The Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War. She received degrees in History from Harvard and Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, and a JD from Harvard Law School. Alongside her work as an historian, Catherine is an associate at an international law firm in Washington, D.C.

Local Event: Luncheon with author Catherine Grace Katz

Luncheon with author Catherine Grace Katz

Join us at The Gallery of Lake Forest for a luncheon with author Catherine Grace Katz as she discusses her new book:
SHADOW...

Gorton Center’s John & Nancy Hughes Theater, 400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart presents “Fall Exploration Through Music and the Arts” at the Gorton Center’s John &amp; Nancy Hughes Theater, 400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest. All are welcome to attend this free community event on Wednesday, Oct.7, from 6 to 7 p.m. 
Enjoy an evening with Woodlands Academy’s orchestra and choir, along with a reception featuring a showcase of student artwork. The musical presentation will include selections from The Phantom of the Opera and a vocal potpourri. 
Snacks and refreshments will be served. 
For more information and to register, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/WAGorton" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">bit.ly/WAGorton</a>
Gorton Center is a premier destination for outstanding cultural and performing arts experiences serving the residents of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and the surrounding region. This nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is dedicated to enriching the community through an array of exceptional events and programs.
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic, independent, day-and-boarding, college-preparatory school for young women of all faiths in grades nine through 12. Founded in Chicago in 1858 and located in Lake Forest since 1904, Woodlands is part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools.

Local Event: Woodlands Academy presents fine arts showcase at Gorton Center

Woodlands Academy presents fine arts showcase...

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart presents “Fall Exploration Through Music and the Arts” at the Gorton Center’s John &...

Woodlands Academy presents fine arts showcase at Gorton Center

Bachata is a dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. Its infectious rhythms and inviting steps have contributed to its fast-growing popularity. No partner is required as we learn the foundations of this rhythmic and expressive dance.

Local Event: Let's Dance Bachata

Let's Dance Bachata

Bachata is a dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. Its infectious rhythms and inviting steps have contributed to its...

<h3>Shredding the Silence on Menopause</h3>
A silent epidemic affects millions of American women, resulting in billions in lost wages, upended careers, family disruptions, and emotional chaos. “The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause” confronts the neglected menopause crisis, challenging societal and medical shortcomings, and advocating for a revolutionary approach to women’s health in America where she’s prepared for midlife.&nbsp;Don’t miss this special screening of The (M) Factor followed by an engaging panel discussion featuring three experts in the areas of gynecology, sexual wellness and menopause care.&nbsp;Film Run Time: 56:46 minutes

Local Event: The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause

The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause

Shredding the Silence on Menopause
A silent epidemic affects millions of American women, resulting in billions in lost wages,...

History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff

<h5>A part of our Cornerstones of History lecture series.</h5>
&nbsp;Carol Summerfield, executive director at the History Center. This lecture looks at the unusual role that Frances Perkins, a Lake Forester, played in shaping significant policies and practices for President Franklin Roosevelt and how she helped build his legacy.
<hr>
<h3>Thank You To Our Sponsors!</h3>
Visionary Sponsor - Maude Glore&nbsp;
Patron Sponsor - Jim Phelps
Friend of America 250 - Tom and Sally Coyle
Friend of America 250 - Fred Jackson

Local Event: Frances Perkins & the Social Safety Net of the 1930s-40s

Frances Perkins & the Social Safety Net of the...

A part of our Cornerstones of History lecture series.
 Carol Summerfield, executive director at the History Center. This...

Frances Perkins & the Social Safety Net of the 1930s-40s

Citadel Theatre

In this hilarious 2025 Tony Award-winning satire, an elite private school is thrown into crisis when a mumps outbreak divides parents and board members over vaccines. As debates intensify and facts grow slippery, every solution only deepens the conflict. Eureka Day asks us to fully recognize the humanity of those we disagree with.

Local Event: Eureka Day

Eureka Day

In this hilarious 2025 Tony Award-winning satire, an elite private school is thrown into crisis when a mumps outbreak divides...

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Lake Forest-Lake Bluff|Local Event

Holly Jolly Concert 2026 – 1:00 pm

Event Details

Holly Jolly is Back

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