Saturday, September 24, 2011

Uptown United Fundraiser

Photo courtesy of
UnderCity.org
We're excited about this fundraiser:  a chance to see the fabled interior of the Uptown Theater.  The rest sounds cool, but it's the lobby tour that has us twitterpated.

From Uptown United:

"Experience Uptown Like Never Before at Uptown Live!

Gala Evening Features Cocktails in Historic Bridgeview Bank Rotunda, Exclusive Tours of Uptown Theatre Lobby, Dinner at Authentic Local Favorites

Get an insider’s view of Chicago’s most entertaining neighborhood with an exclusive evening showcasing the grand architecture of Uptown’s entertainment district and the foodie haven of Argyle Street.

On October 26, gather for cocktails and light appetizers in the historic restored Bridgeview Bank rotunda – you might catch your Uptown alderman or State Rep pulling a shift as a celebrity bartender. During cocktails, local historians will lead exclusive tours of the magnificent Uptown Theatre lobby, normally closed to the public. Try your luck on our raffle as well: prizes include coveted reserved seats at the renowned Green Mill jazz club’s holiday show. For dinner, guests will dine in small groups on house specialties at a choice of local Argyle Street favorites, including Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Indian options.

Tickets are $100 per person, or $500 for a group of six and includes cocktails, Theater tour and dinner; sponsorship opportunities are also available. All proceeds will benefit Uptown United, Uptown’s community economic development organization, and Business Partners, Uptown’s Chamber of Commerce. Visit http://www.uptownbusinesspartners.com/ to register.

Participating restaurants include Furama Restaurant, Hon Kee Restaurant, Masala Indian and Thai Cuisine Restaurant, Pho 777, Pho Lily, Pho Viet, Sun Wah BBQ and Tien Giang. Restaurants are BYOB and a discount coupon for Foremost Liquor will be included in the evening’s program book."

6 comments:

  1. Is there any way to have my proceeds go to actually restoring the Uptown Theater? (I don't want that to sound rude, I just genuinely care a lot for the theater itself).

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  2. I wish there were $50 tickets...

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  3. Maybe the next fundraiser will be more inclusive with less exclusive pricing.

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  4. I wish there were $50 tickets, too. I have a pretty difficult time justifying $100 for this at just this point in time, and can't do and still be able to give to the food banks, which I put first.

    At the top of my LONG list of reasons to hate former Mayor Daley, is that he blew off the Ilich family of Detroit (founders of Little Ceaser's Pizza) back in the 90s when they purchased and wanted to shovel about $10m of their own money into renovating this fantastic place. Daley did not want the Uptown competing with the downtown theater district, even though the Ilichs weren't asking for a dime of taxpayer money. What right did Daley have to stop this?

    The Uptown Theatre is THE most fabulous movie palace in the country, even though the Fox in St. Louis (beautifully restored in the 90s by a local family)comes close. Nothing really approaches the scale or richness of the Uptown.

    Chicago has many wealthy old families. Let's hope the Uptown finds another angel, now that we have a mayor who doesn't hate the north side.

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  5. Based on what was written in this article (see link), the money raised during Uptown Live! will go to rehabbing the Uptown Theatre. I'm buying tickets and keeping my fingers crossed!

    http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2011/09/26/uptown-theater-fundraiser-to-feature-local-restaurants.php#reader_comments

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  6. Nicole - I believe the article is a bit misleading. At the end of the article it states that money raised with go to Uptown United and Business Partner, the Chamber for Uptown. The money isn't going to rehab the theater.

    The North Coast - the Illich family never actually bought the Uptown.

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