Feierabend | Cider Tasting
2025-07-18 19:30 - 23:00 (America/Chicago) | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Join us this July for a cozy evening of cider tasting in the 6th Floor Skyline Lounge at the DANK Haus. Sample a variety of traditional and modern ciders while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere and scenic views of Lincoln Square and beyond. Whether you’re a cider lover or just in it for good vibes and good company, this is the perfect way to wind down a summer evening. Prost!

Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday
2025-07-18 19:30 - 2025-07-19 00:00, 2025-08-15 19:30 - 2025-08-16 00:00, 2025-09-19 19:30 - 2025-09-20 00:00, 2025-10-17 19:30 - 2025-10-18 00:00, 2025-11-21 19:30 - 2025-11-22 00:00, 2025-12-19 19:30 - 2025-12-20 00:00, 2026-01-16 19:30 - 2026-01-17 00:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink!
Theme TBD
Food and drink will be available for purchase.
Free parking at 5/3 Bank after 6:00 PM located at Western and Gunnison

Frühschoppen Jazz Brunch on the Terrace ft. Pianist Thomas Gunther
2025-07-20 11:00 - 13:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Savor the sounds of smooth jazz and the flavors of a delicious brunch at our second Frühschoppen Jazz Brunch on the rooftop terrace of the DANK Haus!
This time, we’re excited to feature the incredible Thomas Gunther, a dynamic jazz pianist known for his soulful grooves and captivating style that will set the perfect tone for your Sunday.
Enjoy a hand-picked selection of German brunch favorites, refreshing drinks, and great company–all inspired by the beloved German tradition of Frühschoppen: a leisurely late-morning gathering with food, music, and conversation.

Neighborhood Nights
2025-07-24 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-08-28 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-09-25 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-10-23 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-11-27 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-12-25 19:00 - 23:00
Date:
Start
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Time:
Location:
Location
DANK Haus, 6th Floor Skyline Lounge

enjoy a beverage with a spectacular EXPERIENCE in our haus
A perfect place to meet your neighbors and socialize! All proceeds support the DANK Haus Museum
WHEN
Each 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month from 7-11 PM.
Location
Winter months – Brauhaus Room (2nd floor)
Summer/Fall months – Skyline Lounge/Terrace (6th floor)
Subject to change. Be sure to check elevator signs when arriving!

Neighborhood Nights
2025-08-14 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-09-11 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-10-09 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-11-13 19:00 - 23:00, 2025-12-11 19:00 - 23:00, 2026-01-08 19:00 - 23:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States

Vom Rhein Jailhaus Rock ft. Windy City Elvis
2025-08-15 19:30 - 23:30 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Join us for our August Open Haus, Jailhaus Rock am Rhein, featuring acclaimed Elvis impersonator Windy City Elvis (Michael St. Angel). We’re turning up the dial on nostalgia and honoring the King’s ties to Germany, where he spent time living in Friedberg during his service in the U.S. Army.
Shake, rattle, and roll the night away with live music, vintage vibes, and panoramic views of the Chicago skyline from our 6th floor lounge.
Think you know the King? Test your knowledge in our Elvis trivia challenge — the winner will receive drink vouchers and bragging rights.
Drinks and food will be available for purchase.
Suggested donation: $10
Online RSVP is appreciated to help us plan, but walk-ins are always welcome.
Free parking is available after 6:00 PM in the 5/3 Bank lot at Western and Gunnison.

Jazz Frühschoppen Brunch ft. Jim Holman Duo
2025-08-24 11:00 - 13:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Savor the sounds of smooth jazz and the flavors of a traditional German brunch high above the city. Join us on the rooftop terrace of the DANK Haus for a relaxing Sunday morning featuring live jazz by the Jim Holman Duo and stunning views of the Chicago skyline.
Enjoy a curated buffet of classic German breakfast offerings, including fresh Brötchen (crusty rolls), assorted deli meats and cheeses, soft-boiled eggs, marmelade and butter, yogurt with muesli, Bavarian Weißwurst with sweet mustard, and more.
Your ticket includes a European buffet breakfast, coffee, tea, and orange juice. Beer, Radler, champagne, and mimosas will be available for purchase.
Whether you’re a jazz enthusiast, a brunch lover, or simply looking for a unique way to spend your Sunday, this rooftop experience offers the perfect blend of culture, cuisine, and community!

DANK Haus Oktoberfest Celebration
2025-09-27 18:30 - 23:30 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Prost! Celebrate Oktoberfest at the DANK Haus on Friday, September 27th, from 6:30–11:30 PM with an indoor festival straight out of Munich! Our historic Marunde Ballroom on the 5th floor will be transformed with biergarten-style tables, traditional festival décor, and our signature vintage bar pouring imported German Bier like Spaten Oktoberfest and Würzburger, alongside other authentic German brews on tap.
Feast on German classics—Thüringer, Bratwurst, Leberkäse, potato salad, sauerkraut, pretzels, and Landjäger—while enjoying live entertainment, including the Alpine Thunder band, Schuhplattler dancers, and the mesmerizing Alphorn Duo!
Test your strength in our famous Stein Holding Contest, dance the night away, and come dressed in your finest Dirndl or Lederhosen.
We appreciate your RSVP, with special packages available when you reserve your spot. Don’t miss the Oktoberfest of the season at the DANK Haus!

"Chicago Homes" Book Launch
2025-10-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Celebrate the launch of “Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture,” the definitive guide to Chicago’s unique housing styles.
Co-authors Carla Bruni and Phil Thompson will share entertaining and illuminating stories of why our homes and neighborhoods look the way they do during the celebration of their book launch. This beautifully illustrated book is for Chicagoans and visitors alike, anyone who’s ever wondered how to spot a Foursquare, or where to find pre-Fire Italianate homes, or how two World’s Fairs revolutionized the way Chicagoans live. It chronicles the emergence of vernacular styles from the mid-1800s through the Second World War. Combining their decades of experience in historic preservation and illustration, Bruni and Thompson have created an evergreen resource for those with an interest in Chicago history and architecture.
Ticket holders are invited to enjoy light bites and refreshments from 5-6 p.m. outside the Lecture Hall. The program begins at 6 p.m. Following the talk, the authors will sign copies of their book, available for purchase at the CAC Design Store in person or online.

From Biergärten to Breweries: The Cultural History of Beer from Germany to Chicago
2025-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Raise a glass to history! Join us for an evening that blends scholarship, storytelling, and steins as we trace the rich cultural history of beer and brewing from its roots in Germany to its vibrant evolution in Chicago.
Northwestern University professor Robert Ryder will lead us on a fascinating journey through centuries of brewing tradition — from medieval monasteries and Bavarian beer halls to Chicago’s historic brewing giants and modern craft beer renaissance. Along the way, you’ll discover how German immigrants shaped Chicago’s beer culture and why beer has remained a cornerstone of community life on both sides of the Atlantic.
After the talk, enjoy a tasting experience featuring brews from beloved local breweries Dovetail and Seipp, alongside traditional German beers on tap at the DANK Haus. Compare old-world classics with new-world innovations, learn about unique brewing techniques, and savor the shared heritage in every sip.
Whether you’re a beer enthusiast, history lover, or just looking for a fun and flavorful night out, this event is sure to be a perfect pairing. Prost!

Soif Solstice: Photography Exhibition, Wine Tasting, and Fundraiser
2025-11-02 14:00 - 17:00 | Easy Does It, 2354 N Milwaukee AVE, Chicago, 60647
Join ART WORKS Projects (AWP) and Easy Does It for a special Soif Solstice event, in collaboration with local wine fair Third Coast Soif, featuring the debut of AWPs’ Emerging Lens Chicago exhibition, alongside a wine tasting that further connects us to people and places around the globe.
AWP is a Chicago-based visual advocacy organization that advances engagement through human rights-based storytelling, utilizing powerful documentary photography and film-based projects. Last shown at the 2024 Photoville Festival in Brooklyn, NY, “Emerging Lens: Safety, Visibility, Justice, and a Hope for the Future,” features eight global storytellers supported through AWP’s flagship fellowship program, Emerging Lens. Each of the artists (listed below) represents early-career documentary photographers who cover underrepresented stories across the globe, pushing the boundaries of traditional photojournalism and storytelling.
Easy Does It will lead a curated wine tasting of 12 wines, illuminating the enduring connection between land, identity, and resilience. The concept of terroir resonates uniquely in many of AWP’s visual stories, where natural elements like soil and climate shape and preserve cultural heritage. Photography and wine are living records, carrying layers of meaning that reflect the past and inform the present. This connection becomes the foundation of artists’ and winemakers’ narratives, as their resulting works remind us that land is more than just terrain, but a cultural identity.
This is a ticketed event, from which a portion from each ticket sold will support AWP’s Emerging Lens Fellowship, providing unrestricted grants, production support, and professional mentorship for new and early-career documentary photographers worldwide. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items that will help AWP meet critical funding gaps.
While the challenges of our current politically charged environment seem insurmountable, our stories, though personal, often traverse borders and understanding. Join us for an afternoon of building community as we share stories of the people, the places, and the wines that connect us all.
Ticket Prices:
General Tickets: $35

Photo exhibition and tasting of 12 wines

VIP Tickets: $75

Welcome glass
Photo exhibition and tasting of 12 wines
5 Raffle Tickets

*For guests who do not want to partake in the wine tasting, that’s okay! Please attend, browse raffle and silent auction items, and enjoy non-alcoholic and low ABV beverages available for purchase at the bar. Food by Motorshucker will also be available for purchase.
For event questions or sponsorship inquiries, please contact Bora Un, Managing Director, AWP: bora@artworksprojects.org

Host Committee:
Ivan Arenas
Meghan Bourke
Kelly V. Carter
Alex Cuper
Erin Kohn
Mark Lindzy
Elena Seligson
Featured Artists:
Astrig Agopian (2023-24 Fellow) is a French-Armenian reporter, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker based in Paris. Her work focuses on the intersection between geopolitics, territory, marginality, and memory. Agopian was a featured journalist in UNESCO’s 2023 exhibition: Safety of women journalists: the stories behind the faces of women journalists. Astrig’s project “Like There’s No Tomorrow” is featured in this exhibition.
Mark Anthony Brown Jr.(2021-22 Fellow) is a journeyman of sorts. Mark’s art practice is research-driven and interdisciplinary, utilizing photography, sculpture, drawing and painting with an interest in vernacular aesthetic practices and sensibilities, the manifestation of African retentions in the diaspora, semiotics, and archival practices. His work has been exhibited nationally and has received various fellowships and awards including the Nexus Grant from Atlanta Contemporary (2022), and a Visiting Researcher Fellowship at Wilson Special Collection Library at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2023). Mark’s project “Forest Cove: All of the Above” is featured in this exhibition.
Megan Farmer (2019-20 Fellow) is a visual journalist at Seattle’s NPR affiliate station, KUOW Public Radio. She previously worked at the Omaha World-Herald. Megan’s work has appeared in NPR, The Associated Press, The New York Times, Science Magazine, Bleacher Report, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Omaha World-Herald, and The Seattle Times. Megan’s project “Life After a Hate Crime” is featured in this exhibition.
Brittany Greeson (2020-21 Fellow) is a Detroit, Michigan based photographer and grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and in Western Kentucky. Her work examines the consequences of economic divestment and the daily life of the American working-class through long-form visual narratives and portraiture. Prior to working independently, she interned at The Oregonian, The Roanoke Times, The Flint Journal, The Washington Post, and the San Antonio Express-News. Brittany’s project “A City in Limbo” is featured in this exhibition.
Isadora Kosofsky (2016-2018 Fellow) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She began photographing at the age of fourteen, documenting individuals in hospice care. Isadora often takes an immersive approach to visual storytelling, spending months and years embedded in the lives of the people she shadows. She is a recipient of a 2018 Grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and the Royal Photo Society named her one of one hundred “heroines” in photography worldwide. Isadora is a TED Fellow, part of a network of 450 global change makers, and gave a talk at TED 2018 in Vancouver. Isadora’s project “Vinny and David” is featured in this exhibition.
Emmanuel Guillén Lozano (2016-17 Fellow) is a Mexican photographer and photo editor currently based in New York City. His work focuses on social issues, human rights, and the effects of violence. His long-term projects in Mexico document the toll of the Drug War and the consequences it has brought to communities around the country that have suffered forced disappearances and killings, both at the hands of the cartels and the Mexican state security forces. He currently works as a photo editor on projects for Google at Blink Media, and has taught photojournalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Emmanuel’s project “43: The Aftermath of a Disappearance” is featured in this exhibition.
Mustafa Saeed (2022-23 Fellow) is a Somali-born artist based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. His work combines different mediums including photography, graphics, and sound to explore socio-political issues including war, conflict and the environment. He is a contributor to Everyday Africa and the founder of Fankeenna, a youth-led art platform that houses a studio, gallery and workspace for local artists. His work has been exhibited at Addis Foto Fest (Addis Ababa), Lumières d’Afriques (Paris), and UNSEEN Photo Fair (Amsterdam). Mustafa’s project “Heavy” is featured in this exhibition.
Rachel Woolf (2018-19 Fellow) is a Denver-based independent visual journalist. She specializes in documentary photography, videography, and portraiture. Her work aims to intimately show aspects of humanity intersecting with economic and social issues. She has been published in The New York Times, CNN, US News and World Report, Bloomberg, Education Week, Detroit Free Press, and The Detroit News. Rachel’s project “Deported: An American Division // A Family Divided” is featured in this exhibition.

Architect Talk: Pascale Sablan
2025-11-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Don’t miss this powerful evening with trailblazing New York architect, activist, and author Pascale Sablan, named one of the most influential voices in design today.
Pascale will dive into how equity, sustainability and community can reshape our cities, sharing inspiring stories from her advocacy and practice. She will also shed light on some of the visionary practitioners from around the globe featured in her new book, GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture. The book celebrates those transforming the built environment through bold, creative design. Following her talk, Pascale will be joined in conversation by Chicago architect Danielle Tillman.
Come early at 5:00 p.m. for light bites and refreshments and stick around after the program for a book signing with Pascale. GREATNESS is available for purchase in person or online at the CAC Design Store.
This program is presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Biennial.
