1/Thursday

-
ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the June ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? Find out how by checking out our guide to hosting events.
-
ChiMe Editorial Deadline. Last day for editorial submissions to the June ChiMe. Please submit original articles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.
RSVP for Trivia in Willow Springs held on Saturday, May 3rd no later than Thursday, May 1st. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup since the event coördinator is not on Meetup.

-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. Join a video chat with our kin from across the big pond in London at 2 PM BDT. RSVP (via Meetup preferred) to local host Carey S. to receive the Zoom sign-in information. The London host is Ian David Moseley.
Virtual Event!!
-
54th Chicago Annual Pride Parade Registration Reminder. The Parade will be held Sunday, June 29th, the last Sunday of the month. The CAM contingent is sponsored by the Rainbow SIG. The Rainbow SIG will be marching and riding on their float again this year in the Chicago Annual Pride parade. There will also be a GOBS-subsidized meal nearby after the parade. For all details, visit the Parade Info webpage or see the articles in the April ChiMe or May ChiMe (when it becomes available). Register by Thursday, May 29th.

-
Annual Gathering (AG): All Fired Up Online Registration! Register for the AG, held Wednesday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 6th in Chicago, Illinois, in the Hilton Chicago on south Michigan Avenue. Due to all the 4th of July and weekend festivities in the area, it may be best to book a room. The link to the hotel block will be provided in your registration confirmation email.
2/Friday
RSVP for Ethnic Dining held on Saturday, May 3rd no later than 1 PM on Friday, May 2nd. RSVP via Meetup preferred.
3/Saturday

-
Ethnic Dining 11 AM. We’re avoiding Mother’s Day weekend but honoring the Mother North American Culture by participating a Pow Wow (4th Annual NAISA Traditional Spring Pow Wow) at Welsh Ryan Arena, 2705 Ashland Ave. in Evanston (about ½ mile from RTA or CTA trains). Educational, DEI event, families encouraged. More details on Meetup. Admission is free. Food will be subsidized by GOBS limited to 20 people. Each Chicago Mensa member may bring one guest. RSVP by 11 AM, Friday, May 2nd via Meetup (strongly preferred) or by emailing Carey S. directly and, for each person in your party, include 1) their full name and 2) their CAM membership status. If you need to cancel, let Carey know ASAP since your fellow CAM Ms may be waitlisted and would love your spot. Please try to avoid cancelling after the RSVP deadline, but if you must, contact Carey by mobile phone, which you may also use if you are lost or will be late. If possible, text first, then call, as he may not hear it ring. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, join the Mensa Connect Ethnic Dining Group, but do not use it to RSVP. This event recurs on the 2nd Sunday of the month.
Date Change!!
-
Trivia Night in Western Springs 6 PM. Due to the overwhelming positive feedback, we're thrilled to announce a repeat performance! Join us for another Trivia night at Ambi Bar and Grill, located at 8116 Archer Ave. in Willow Springs. We look forward to seeing you in Willow Springs for an evening of wit, wisdom, and fellowship! This is a GOBS-subsidized event. GOBS will cover half of your meal cost (including tax and tip, rounded up to the nearest dollar) up to a maximum of $15 per person (CAM member and one guest). Cash or Zelle will be accepted for the remaining amount. The subsidy increases to $20 if fewer than 16 people register. Limit is 20 people (first come, first served). RSVP by Thursday, May 1st to Dorin R. with the number of attendees so we can get a headcount.
4/Sunday

-
CultureQuest® XXXVI 3 PM. Today, all across the country as well as Canada, all at the same time, teams of Mensa members will participate in a 90-minutes-long contest to test cultural literacy administered by American Mensa. Prizes will be awarded to twenty “Classic” (no age restrictions) teams and one “Next Generation” (youth) team with the highest scores! Get all the details including, if you want your team to meet virtually, how to request your own Discord channel. After CultureQuest® has ended, you may use the Reimbursement Form to get your approved GOBS funds. We wish our teams the best of luck today!
5/Monday
-
Cinco de Mayo
8/Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, May 1st.
Virtual Event!!
-
Zoom Lunch 1 PM. Perhaps the longest running Mensa event anywhere, Chicago’s Zoom Lunch (formerly known as the Downtown Lunch) is held every week, alternating between Tuesday and Thursday. Join us for conversation, laughs, and attempts to define words you’ll never use again. The Zoom id is 836 1178 6315 and the passcode is 190710; it is also included as part of your host Jon G.’s contact information if you prefer a link. Questions? Contact Jon via email or call/text him. You may also RSVP via Meetup. We’d love to have you join us!
Virtual Event!!
9/Friday

-
Rockford-Area Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for dinner at Chavez Mexican Restaurante located at 5494 E. State St. in Rockford (on the north side of State Street just west of St. Anthony Hospital). To RSVP , for more information, or to get on our email list, contact Dave L., our Rockford-Area Coördinator. RSVP required in case of cancellation, time, or venue change. Do not RSVP via Meetup. This event usually recurs on the second Friday of the month.
-
Games & Conversation at the WWHfWM 7 PM. Let’s play some games! Mind Games attendees will have some new games to play (so bring them along) and, of course, our cabinets are full of games and card decks. (Euchre or DDCH anyone?) Please bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice. There are still some leftover Pretentious Drinking liqueurs in the garage refrigerator so we’ll finish those off. RSVPs are nice but not required. For more information or to RSVP , contact Beth; the address of the WWHfWM is included as part of her contact information. You may also RSVP via Meetup.
-
Poetry Discussion 7 PM. Our poetry group is using Zoom for meetings. Please send a poem or two to Joe D. by Monday, May 5th. Interested persons who are not currently members of the poetry group can contact Joe D. , and he will email the poems to be discussed. Contact Bill K. for the Zoom links or any help you might need. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup. This event is usually held on the evening of the second Friday of the month.
Virtual Event!!
11/Sunday
-
Mother’s Day
13/Tuesday
-
Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, May 8th.
14/Wednesday
-
GOBS Request Deadline Noon. Today is the last day to submit a request for GOBS funds to be approved at this Saturday’s Business Meeting for any planned, eligible event, activity, or class taking place after Saturday, May 17th and through Saturday, June 21st or later; to be eligible, events involving CAM members must be published in the issue of ChiMe corresponding to the month in which they occur. For CAM events, it’s recommended you submit the GOBS request and get it approved before submitting your event information for publication in ChiMe — so no later than today for events planned for July. July events need to be submitted by the 1st of June to the activities editor to be included in the July ChiMe. An article must be featured in the July ChiMe for GOBS-subsidized August events with an RSVP deadline in July (same 1st of June deadline but article emailed to the editor; see editorial deadline).

-
Sir Ernest Shackleton and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration 6:45 PM. Geneva Public Library, 227 S. Seventh St. in Geneva. This event is open to the public. To attend, you must make a reservation with the library. See the library’s website for more information regarding its photography policy and about the program.
Ernest Shackleton, an Antarctic explorer, is mostly well known for his Endurance Expedition, 1914-1916, when his bravery and leadership resulted in the survival and safe return of all 28 men from his ship, overcoming unimaginable odds. This expedition is considered the greatest survival story of all time. The program covers Shackleton’s biography, his four Antarctic expeditions, and interesting facts about other men on his expeditions. Slides will include actual period photos from these expeditions as well as Ken’s personal photos taken at these locations. For other information about the presentation, contact Ken L. or see Meetup, but do not use it to RSVP.
15/Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, May 1st.
Virtual Event!!
16/Friday
-
Central Indiana Mensa OMG! held today through Sunday, May 18th, at the Versailles State Park at 1387 U.S. 50 East in Versailles, Indiana. An outdoor excursion to a group of cabins in the woods. Reasonably described as “camping-lite,” the Outdoor Mensa Gathering (or OMG!) is a trip to the great outdoors of Indiana, with a campfire, hiking, board games, card games, guided discussions, and other activities. You get food, lodging, scenery, and more. For additional details and regisration rates, see their flyer, get the event info from AML, or visit the Mensa of Indiana website,
17/Saturday

-
Conservatives Lunch 11:30 AM. Join other members of the Mensan cell of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy for lunch and civilized un-PC conversation. No forbidden questions, no unchallengeable answers. This lunch happens on the third Saturday every month. The venue will be The Patio, 2780 S. Highland Ave. in Lombard (NW corner of Butterfield and Highland, but you can enter only from Highland). RSVP by emailing Jim Z. the event coördinator. You may also RSVP via Meetup. Open to non-Mensans; bring a curious friend.

-
Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) ~Noon. Spontaneous conversation in far SSW Chicago, approximate vicinity of 107th St. & Western Ave. Please contact Rick E. the Beverly Area Coördinator, for this month’s location and the exact time as well as more information; if emailing, put “BASS” in the subject line. This event usually recurs midday on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
Our next
Monthly Gathering
occurs on
April 19th.
at the
Rolling Meadows Community Center
3705 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
* * * * * *
Our April MG is free for all CAM members!
If you can’t attend the MG, please
vote now!
-
Monthly Gathering
It’s the 60th Anniversary of Chicago Area Mensa!! The location of our May Monthly Gathering is the Rolling Meadows Community Center
3705 Pheasant Dr. in Rolling Meadows.Games and hospitality are in the spacious auditorium, with overflow space in the lobby. The speaker event is in the Card Room. Park in the NW lot behind the building and use Entrance K (near inner corner). Please note that we have this venue only until midnight, so plan accordingly. This gathering is open to the public. So if you’re interested in learning more about Chicago Mensa, come join us. There is an admissions fee to help cover costs (major credit cards accepted). Members, RSVP via Meetup to let your friends know you’re going to be there.
Test:5 PM.Business Meeting:5 PM.Game room opens:6 PM.Program:7:30 PM.Refreshments:8:30 PM - Midnight.The CAM Executive Committee has allocated GOBS funds to be used for the reimbursement of either or Uber ridesharing services from/to the Arlington Park METRA station. Details are on our Monthly Gathering page.
* * * * *
Volunteer
Get involved! Hone your leadership, organizational, or web skills. We’re looking for volunteers to fill some of the open positions listed both near the back of ChiMe or on the List of Officers. Try your hand as a co-Program Officer, a website designer, web content creator, or a MG Hospitality Volunteer. You can view the job descriptions and the required qualifications for all the open positions and ones you may be interested in. Or consider supervising the children at the MG for some extra cash.
* * * * *
Express Yourself
Write an article, submit a photo, or create a puzzle for ChiMe; see our Submission Guidelines for contact information and deadlines. Host your own event or your own virtual event using Discord!Program Topic: TBA
18/Sunday
RSVP for Dinner Out West held on Tuesday, May 20th no later than Sunday, May 18th. RSVP via Meetup preferred.

-
SFRM: Escaping the Nazis: The Untold Story of the Kindertransport From Someone Who Was on the Train 4:30 PM. In the months prior to the Holocaust, 10,000 children left their parents and escaped the Nazis on the Kindertransport, a series of train rides to safe havens in Europe where good Samaritans took them in. One of those kids was 7-year-old Manny Korman who, along with his brother, made it to England and eventually to the United States. Korman will share his experience during those years away from his family, and the long journey it took to be reunited with his parents. Korman will be joined on the panel by Jason Camis, the grandson of another Kindertransport survivor, in a conversation moderated by journalist Benyamin Cohen.
Manfred Korman was born in Hamburg, Germany, in December 1931. He attended the Talmud Torah School for Kindergarten and in October 1938, was deported, with his family, to Poland. In August 1939, after being selected for the Kindertransport program, Korman left Poland and arrived in England just prior to the German declaration of war on Sept. 1, 1939. He left England on Sept. 1, 1939 and arrived in New York on Sept. 10, 1939. Korman attended the New York City school system, graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in June 1945. After graduating from Queens College, he was drafted into the Army and served for nearly two years. His teaching career began in 1956, and he retired as a principal of a junior high school in 1995.
For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
Virtual Event!!
19/Monday

-
GOBS NNW Dinner in Morton Grove: Indian 6 PM. Join us at Tava,. a fine Indian restaurant. located at 7172 Dempster St. in Morton Grove (in a strip mall on the NE corner of Dempster & Harlem). 307039604 This is a GOBS-subsidized event where ½ the total cost (including tax plus a 20% tip, rounded up to the nearest dollar) of a CAM member’s, and up to one guest’s, dinner will be covered for a maximum of fifteen people — for a maximum subsidy of 20/person; cash (no coins) or PayPal only for your portion. RSVP (and get more details) on Meetup, but if not on Meetup, email Ken L.. If you RSVP by email, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.
20/Tuesday
-
Dinner Out West: Mexican 6:30 PM. Join us for Mexican at El Mero Mero, 34 W. Schaumburg Rd. in Schaumburg. I’ve heard good things about their margaritas. This is a GOBS-subsidized event. GOBS will cover ½ of your meal cost, including tax and tip (rounded up to the nearest dollar), up to a maximum subsidy of $15, for each CAM member and their guest. Cash, Zelle, or PayPal for your portion. Limit 20 people. Reservations are required so Beth knows how big of a table to reserve. RSVP via Meetup (strongly preferred) or directly to Beth W. no later than Sunday, May 18th.
RSVP for Northern Exposure no later than 10 AM. RSVP via Meetup preferred.
-
Northern Exposure Dinner 6:45 PM. ZIP code fall within the Arctic Circle? Then you should have dinner with us. Join us at Stevens’, in Gurnee, a fantastic steakhouse with a varied menu. (The ribs, as well as the pot roast, are rumored to be epic.) . The address is 401 N. Riverside Dr. in Gurnee. Please RSVP on Meetup or via Janice’s email, jesser@chicago.us.mensa.org , so she can reserve a big enough table. Recurs on the third Tuesday of the month.
Permanent Schedule Change!!
22/Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, May 1st.
Virtual Event!!
-
Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, May 8th.
25/Sunday

-
Inquiring Minds: Man vs Elephant 1 PM CDT. While author Kim Frank was travelling in the foothills of the Himalayas, she came across a dramatic story of ongoing intense conflict, sometimes deadly, between humans and elephants, who compete for resources. Up to 500 humans die each year in their efforts to save their crops.
She was moved to write about this in her book: Elephants in the Hourglass: A Journey of Reckoning and Hope Along the Himalaya, which has just been published. Earlier this year Ms. Frank returned to Nepal to explore this issue further and will share with us fresh material and photos.
See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Events website.
Virtual Event!!

-
Theodore Talk: Sweet Home: The Storied History of Chicago Blues 2:30 PM. In this Theodore Talk you’ll journey through the rich history and evolution of blues music, tracing its origins from the deep Southern fields to the bustling streets of Chicago, where it found its modern-day home. You’ll explore the socio-cultural forces that shaped the blues, its migration during the Great Migration, and how Chicago became a beacon for blues innovation, producing legendary artists and iconic sounds.
Jacob Schulz, blues musician and historian, will discuss the current challenges facing the blues, including its fading mainstream presence and efforts to preserve its legacy for future generations. This talk will not only highlight the deep historical roots of the blues but also showcase how it continues to resonate as a timeless and influential art form today.
You might even learn about a few joints to visit while at the AG! To register for this Theodore Talk, visit the American Mensa Events website or, on or after Friday, May 23rd, tap/click on the Zoom link that will be available here on our website. See a list of all the Theodore talks on the American Mensa Events website. Even if you can’t attend the live talk, provided you register, you will receive a link to a recording of the event. Closed captioning enabled.
Virtual Event!!
26/Monday
-
Memorial Day
27/Tuesday

-
Breakfast in Mount Prospect 10 AM. Breakfast or lunch and conversation at Jelly Café located at 1784 W. Golf Rd. in Mount Prospect (northwest corner of Golf Rd. and Busse Hwy.), featuring a large and diverse menu. Dining might be indoors or outdoors, depending on conditions. Separate checks are available. Use Meetup, but if not on Meetup, RSVP to Ken L. via email. If you RSVP by email, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.
-
Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, May 8th.

-
MEANS (North Suburbs) Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Mensans Eating Around North Suburbs (MEANS) at Hackney’s on Lake located at 1514 E. Lake Ave. in Glenview. Free parking. Separate checks available. Limit 12. Please RSVP via Meetup (preferred) or email Brent B. Recurs on the 4th Tuesday of the month.
28/Wednesday
-
MWW: Nonfiction Book Discussion 4:30 PM CDT. Please join us in discussing The Evolution of Cooperation (revised edition), by Robert Axelrod. We generally discuss what we liked about the book or found challenging. We also discuss what we would like more or less of, what format we read the book in, and whether it was a recent read. Can’t make it this month? Future books will be: Advocate, by Eddie Ahn (June 25), Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (revised and updated), by Robert D. Putnam (July 23), The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan (August 27), and The Sirens’ Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource, by Chris Hayes (September 24).
See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Events website.
Virtual Event!!
29/Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, May 1st.
Virtual Event!!
-
54th Chicago Annual Pride Parade Registration Deadline. The Parade will be held Sunday, June 29th, the last Sunday of the month. The CAM contingent is sponsored by the Rainbow SIG. The Rainbow SIG will be marching and riding on their float again this year in the Chicago Annual Pride parade. There will also be a GOBS-subsidized meal nearby after the parade. For all details, visit the Parade Info webpage or see the articles in the April ChiMe or May ChiMe (when it becomes available). Today is the last day you can register!
31/Saturday
* * * * *
1 June/Sunday
-
ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the July ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? There’s bound to be an activity or a restaurant you want to try, but you just want some other people to experience it with you. So invite your fellow Mensans. Find out how by visiting our guide to hosting events.
-
ChiMe Editorial Deadline. Last day for editorial submissions to the July ChiMe. Please submit original articles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, photographs, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.

-
Annual Gathering (AG): All Fired Up Online Registration! Register for the AG, held Wednesday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 6th in Chicago, Illinois, in the Hilton Chicago on south Michigan Avenue. Due to all the 4th of July and weekend festivities in the area, it may be best to book a room. The link to the hotel block will be provided in your registration confirmation email.
Activities Bulletin
May 2025
RSVPs - Always contact the CAM event host as specified in the event details — email , phone , text , or Meetup .
Meetup
Chicago Mensa Meetup - All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications, and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the current calendar
Chicago Mensa Meetup - All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications, and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the current calendar