International Women Associates upcoming events

Literature Discussion: The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater (08/10/2026)

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Book: The Listeners
Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Discussion Leader: D. Clancy

Literature Discussion Chairs: Teresa Kennedy and Barbara Herzog

The Literature Group offers members an international perspective in literary fiction by introducing acclaimed, if sometimes lesser known, writers and books. Members are invited to attend by Zoom, although we request that only those who have read the book participate in discussion.

Grant Park Orchestra Concert, Dvorak’s New World Symphony (08/12/2026)

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Date: Wednesday, August 12

Time: 5:00 p.m. Social time

5:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk (optional)

6:30 p.m. Concert

Location: Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 East Randolph Street

Enjoy a summer evening of classical music and IWA friends listening to Dvorak's New World Symphony, music by John Adams and Philip Glass.

We will start our get-together as near as possible to the NE corner of the lawn, closest the stage, toward the Lake (east). Look for the inflatable earth globe!

The optional pre-concert talk will be held in the Chase Promenade North Tent, just outside of Pritzker Pavilion.

You may want to stay on the lawn for the concert or move to the free seats in the back of the Pavilion.

Recommended: Bring something to sit on, and, if you like, refreshments to enjoy or share.

Allow time for parking, security, etc.

Concerts are rain or shine!

Guests welcome!

Contact: Allisa Gam

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (08/13/2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (08/14/2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Bridge (08/17/2026)

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This monthly event is for all interested Bridge players, and includes members who play Basic Social Bridge as well as Intermediate/Advanced Bridge players.

(Please be aware that you need a basic knowledge of

Bridge in order to participate).

Board of Directors Meeting, August 2026 (By Invitation) (08/18/2026)

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Labor Day - Office Closed (09/07/2026)

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT

The IWA Office will be closed Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day.

Thank you for understanding!

French Language: Fall Gathering (09/08/2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

10:30am Social; 11:00am Program in French

IWA Office, 17 N State St, Suite 1760

Fall gathering; a chance to reconnect and share some special memories of the Summer. Come and bring some photos, if you can, to share with the group your Summer experiences. It will be great to meet in person again.

Refreshments are welcome!

RSVP by September 6

Note: Our gathering will take place on the 2nd Tuesday of September due to the Labor Day weekend vacation.

Contact: Nadej Mercier

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (09/11/2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

North Shore Potluck (09/11/2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Friday, September 11, 2025

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Gillson Park, Wilmette

Enjoy Autumn weather, stroll along the beach and park, bring food to share, and socialize with friends!

If it rains - we are under the pavilion roof.

Let us know what food you are bringing.

Meet at the pavilion by the beach. East off of Lake Ave and Michigan Ave, and down the hill.

Directions: North Entrance- take Sheridan Road to Lake Ave, go east on Lake Ave down the hill on Overlook Dr. South entrance –take Sheridan Road north past the Baha'i Temple turn east on Harbor Drive, continue to east Upper Drive and around and down to covered picnic area. Parking by the Beach House on the southern portion of the lot or limited parking along Overlook Drive.

Volunteers for hosting our pot-lucks, restaurant suggestions and walking location ideas are always appreciated. Join us for friendship and fellowship. IWA North Shore area events are open to all members and their guests.

RSVP online by Wednesday September 9th.

Contact: Alice Chow

Literature Discussion: The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (09/14/2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Book: The Mountains Sing
Author: Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

Discussion Leader: Yoko Kusama

Literature Discussion Chairs: Teresa Kennedy and Barbara Herzog

Board of Directors Meeting, September 2026 (By Invitation, Evening Meeting, Zoom Only) (09/15/2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Evening Meet and Greet (09/16/2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Wednesday September 16, 2026

4:00 - 6:00 PM

Lizzie McNeill's Irish Pub, 400 North McClurg Court

You are invited to join IWA friends for our monthly IWA Meet and Greet: Happy Hour at Lizzie McNeill's on the Chicago Riverwalk.

www.lizziemcneills.com

In case of inclement weather we will meet indoors at Lizzie

Maximum: 25 IWA members and prospective members

Contact: Rabia Degand

Bridge (09/21/2026)

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This monthly event is for all interested Bridge players, and includes members who play Basic Social Bridge as well as Intermediate/Advanced Bridge players.

(Please be aware that you need a basic knowledge of

Bridge in order to participate).

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (09/25/2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Foraging Tour at Lincoln Park (09/26/2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Saturday, September 26, 2026

10:30 a.m. SHARP

2610 N Cannon Drive, Chicago (in front of North Pond restaurant)

Dave Odd, founder of Odd Produce Inc and Eat the Neighborhood public tours, will lead a foraging tour at Lincoln Park, where we will learn about numerous plants and trees that have food and medicinal value. The tour runs between 1.5 - 2 hours, walking through Lincoln Park and identifying at least 50 different edible/medicinal wild plants/mushrooms usually within only a block or two radiuses.

Dave Odd is Chicago's only full-time professional forager. He has been providing foraged local products to Chicago's finest restaurants since 2009. He provides foraging walks and tours of local Chicago neighborhoods and parks to teach people about nature's bounty right in their own backyards.

We will meet in front of North Pond restaurant 2610 N Cannon Dr, Chicago 60614, or the north end of the North Pond. Note that the restaurant is not affiliated with the tour, and no harvesting of plants is allowed on Chicago Park District properties.

Contact: Pat Naparsteck

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (10/02/2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Morning Meet and Greet (10/05/2026)

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Monday October 5, 2026

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Coffee at 10 a.m., Walk starts at 10:30 a.m.

Ipsento Coffee, 1813 North Milwaukee Avenue

Meet at Ipsento Coffee!

Coffee and walk on Chicago's 606 Trail! We will walk for about one hour. Ipsento is adjacent to the PARK 567 entrance to the 606 Trail. The 606 trail is named after the first three numbers of Chicago zip codes (606xx). It is an elevated trail built on a former rail line through Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. YouTube has several informative videos about the beautiful and popular 606, also known as the Bloomingdale Trail.

Suggestions: comfortable shoes and water bottle! IWA members and guests welcome.

Street parking nearby. Short walk from CTA Blue Line Train, Western Avenue station, or CTA buses 72, 73, 56. (See Google Maps for all options.)

Contact: Katarina Andersson & Dell Harmsen

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (10/08/2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (10/09/2026)

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (10/16/2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Literature Discussion: The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (10/19/2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Book: The Paris Express
Author: Emma Donoghue

Discussion Leader: Susan Engelhart

Literature Discussion Chairs: Teresa Kennedy and Barbara Herzog

Bridge (10/19/2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This monthly event is for all interested Bridge players, and includes members who play Basic Social Bridge as well as Intermediate/Advanced Bridge players.

(Please be aware that you need a basic knowledge of

Bridge in order to participate).

Tiffany & Co. and the Tiffany Studios of New York (10/20/2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Tuesday, October 20

10:30am - 11:30am

Zoom

Most of us have heard of Tiffany, the luxury jewelry design house that has been in business for 189 years, selling to Presidents, Heads of State and the common man. But few know that originally there were two separate Tiffany empires: Tiffany & Co., founded in 1837 by the jeweler Charles Lewis Tiffany, and Tiffany Studios, founded in 1900 by son Louis Comfort Tiffany. Ann Leslie will tell us the story of these two separate Tiffany empires, only one of which survives today.

Presenter: Ann Leslie is an instructor at Harper College, Barrington, and previously was a television producer and director. She has also written articles for various newspapers and magazines.

Contact: Nicola Crowe

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (10/23/2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, October 2026 (By Invitation) (10/27/2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Committee Meeting: 2026 Annual Fundraising Celebration (Invitation Only) (10/30/2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Literature Discussion: The Granddaughter by Bernhard Schlink (11/09/2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Book: The Granddaughter
Author: Bernhard Schlink

Discussion Leader: Barbara Herzog

Literature Discussion Chairs: Teresa Kennedy and Barbara Herzog

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (11/12/2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Bridge (11/16/2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

This monthly event is for all interested Bridge players, and includes members who play Basic Social Bridge as well as Intermediate/Advanced Bridge players.

(Please be aware that you need a basic knowledge of

Bridge in order to participate).

Board of Directors Meeting, November 2026 (By Invitation, Evening Meeting, Zoom Only) (11/17/2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Lost Treasures of the Titanic (11/19/2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Thursday, November 19, 2026

5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Zoom

Join art historian Mallory Mortillaro on Zoom to travel back to April 14, 1912, when tragedy struck the RMS Titanic. James Cameron's Titanic told the invented story of the Heart of the Ocean, a fictional blue diamond necklace lost tragically in the ship's famous sinking. Learn the true story of how, in addition to the incredible loss of life, a nearly incalculable amount of treasure plummeted into the ocean, never to be seen again.

Mallory Mortillaro is an art historian and educator. As a researcher, she consults for private collectors, museums, and organizations in the New York metropolitan area. Her discoveries in the art world have garnered her international attention, including the Rodin Bust of Napoleon in the Hartley Dodge Memorial Building. She lectures across the country and lives in New Jersey. She studied at Drew University.

Contact: Nicola Crowe

Thanksgiving Day - Office Closed (11/26/2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT

The IWA Office will be closed Thursday, November 26 in observance of Thanksgiving Day.

Thank you for understanding!

A Taste of Poland: Flavors, Stories, and Life (12/04/2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Friday, December 4, 2026

12:00pm Social, 12:30pm Program

IWA Office, 17 N State St. Suite 1760

Program: Discover the heart of modern Poland in this engaging lecture. Explore its geography, location, and people, while uncovering key moments in history and meeting some of the country’s most famous figures. Journey through Poland’s major cities, vibrant culture, and culinary traditions, and gain a lively snapshot of everyday life in this dynamic European nation.

Q&A and refreshments from Poland will follow the presentation.

Presenter: Agnieszka Oskiera is an IWA member and is a Polish linguist and lecturer, born in Łódź, Poland, where most of her life unfolded and her academic career began. She worked at the University of Łódź in both the Department of Polish Philology and the Department of Journalism and Social Communication, and earned a PhD in Polish linguistics before moving to the United States 13 years ago.

Since then, she has taught at Loyola University and the University of Pittsburgh. She currently serves as a lecturer at the University of Michigan, where she teaches Polish language as well as courses on Polish culture and society in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.

Outside the classroom, her interests include traveling, hiking, cooking, exploring Chicago, and promoting Polish culture. She also delivers lectures and leads workshops on teaching Polish as a second language for Polish schools and community.

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (12/10/2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Private Tour of Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (12/10/2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Thursday, December 10, 2026

Arrival 12:45 p.m. Tour begins promptly at 1:00 p.m.

University of Illinois Chicago Campus, 800 South Halsted Street

Founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr, Hull-House was a welcoming social settlement, initiated to serve the needs of recently arrived immigrants. It was a place where immigrants from diverse backgrounds gathered to become acclimated to their new country…and to put down roots!

Hull-House became our nation’s most influential social settlement, expanding to encompass thirteen buildings. Here, Addams and her circle of social reformers provided kindergarten and day care facilities; an employment bureau; an art gallery; libraries; English and citizenship courses; and theater, music, and art classes. They championed immigrant rights and improvements to public health. They worked to end child labor, instituted juvenile justice, supported unions, built playgrounds, and advocated for public housing.

Despite resistance from fervent activists, in 1963 the City of Chicago bulldozed most of the original Hull-House structures. The two surviving nationally-landmarked buildings became the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, which is where our wonderful guided tour will take place.

Reservations: Tour is limited to 20 IWA members.

Directions: The Museum is easily reached by public transportation using the UIC Halsted stop on the Blue Line or the Halsted Bus (#8), or via the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90).

Parking: Available at Halsted and Taylor Street (760 West Taylor Street), the garage across the street. Visit the UIC Parking Services website for more details.

Contact: Barbara Champion

Here, Addams and her circle of social reformers provided kindergarten and day care facilities; an employment bureau; an art gallery; libraries; English and citizenship courses; and theater, music, and art classes.

Literature Discussion: The Women by Kristin Hannah (12/14/2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Book: The Women
Author: Kristin Hannah

Discussion Leader: Teresa Kennedy

Literature Discussion Chairs: Teresa Kennedy and Barbara Herzog

Board of Directors Meeting, December 2026 (By Invitation) (12/15/2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Bridge (12/21/2026)

Mon, 21 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

This monthly event is for all interested Bridge players, and includes members who play Basic Social Bridge as well as Intermediate/Advanced Bridge players.

(Please be aware that you need a basic knowledge of

Bridge in order to participate).

Christmas Day - Office Closed (12/25/2026)

Fri, 25 Dec 2026 06:00:00 GMT

The IWA Office will be closed Friday, December 25 in observance of Christmas Day.

Thank you for understanding!

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (01/14/2027)

Thu, 14 Jan 2027 15:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, January 2027 (By Invitation, Evening Meeting, Zoom Only) (01/19/2027)

Tue, 19 Jan 2027 23:00:00 GMT

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (02/11/2027)

Thu, 11 Feb 2027 15:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, February 2027 (By Invitation) (02/16/2027)

Tue, 16 Feb 2027 16:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (03/11/2027)

Thu, 11 Mar 2027 15:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, March 2027 (By Invitation, Evening Meeting, Zoom Only) (03/16/2027)

Tue, 16 Mar 2027 22:00:00 GMT

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (04/08/2027)

Thu, 08 Apr 2027 14:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, April 2027 (By Invitation) (04/20/2027)

Tue, 20 Apr 2027 15:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (05/13/2027)

Thu, 13 May 2027 14:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, May 2027 (By Invitation, Evening Meeting, Zoom Only) (05/18/2027)

Tue, 18 May 2027 22:00:00 GMT

Board of Directors Meeting, June 2027 (By Invitation) (06/08/2027)

Tue, 08 Jun 2027 15:00:00 GMT

This Board Meeting will be held in person. If you are going to be out of town but plan to attend, please contact Celia for registration.

Program Committee Meeting (By Invitation) (06/17/2027)

Thu, 17 Jun 2027 14:00:00 GMT