1/Wednes­day

  • ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Ad­ver­tising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the November 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 November ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.

logo

October 30 – November 2, 2025

Only 174 more days! Join us for a fun, long weekend with hundreds of Mensans, their families, and friends at the Westin in Wheeling including a multi-track program plus games as well as beverages, snacks, and most meals. Register Now! (Rates increase after Monday, July 14th.) Book your room by October 9th to take advantage of our group discount.
Learn More

2/Thurs­day

Big-Ben.jpg

  • 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!!

4/Satur­day

music-notes.png

  • Downtown Musicians Meetup 11 AM. We are a group of hobbyist/amateur musicians who enjoy playing music together. We have also done a few open mics around Chicagoland. Open to all acoustic instruments and voices. All experience levels welcome. Join us at the Harold Washington Library Center Music Practice Room - Chamber Room, located at 400 S. State St. in Chicago (south loop). The Chamber Room contains a baby grand piano, music stands, and chairs. The purpose of the Chamber Room is to be a rehearsal area for small acoustic or vocal music ensembles of 3 to 10 people. Located on the 8th floor of the library. No amplifiers or drums are allowed. Feel free to bring a song to share or join in on ones we have been learning. For more details and to RSVP , visit Meetup. or contact Brian G. directly. He will host this event every other Saturday.

7/Tues­day

  • Supermoon Viewing tonight. This is the first of four consecutive supermoons. For more information about supermoons, visit earthsky.org.

9/Thurs­day

  • 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!!

  • WeeM 49: Hip to Be 72 Hotel Discount Deadline! Today is the last day you can book a hotel room at the WeeM discount rate of $129 at the Chicago North Shore Westin in Wheeling. So book now while this great rate is still available.

10/Fri­day

ThunderbayGrille.png

  • Rock­ford-Area Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for dinner at the Thunder Bay Grille lo­cated at 7652 Potawatomi Trail in Rockford (NE corner of State St. and Bell School Rd., in front of the Holiday Inn). 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.

  • Poetry Dis­cus­sion 7 PM. Our poetry group is using Zoom for meetings. Please send a poem or two to Joe D. by Monday, October 6th. 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!!

12/Sun­day

  • Ethnic Dining 1 PM. Join us for a GOBS-subsidized lunch at a venue TBA. Save the date—the RSVP window will open mid to late September. 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 usually recurs on the 2nd Sunday of the month.

13/Mon­day

  • columbus

    Indigenous People Day
    Columbus Day
    (Federal Holiday).
    The actual day that Columbus reached land in North America was the 12th.

14/Tues­day

16/Thurs­day

17/Fri­day

  • WeeM 49: Hip to Be 72 Preregistration Deadline Alert! Join the fun at WeeM at the Chicago North Shore Westin in Wheeling starting Thursday, October 30th through Sunday, November 2nd. Friday, October 17th is the last day you can preregister for WeeM and qualify for a discount. Preregistering means you won’t have to fill out any forms at registration, you’ll get a pre-printed badge, and you can pay via credit card . And best of all, it’ll be much quicker to get your registration packet when you arrive. Also, if you’re paying by check, it must be received no later than today or any discount for which you qualified at the time of registration will not be honored.

18/Satur­day

patioLombard.jpg

  • 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.

beverlyLibrary.jpg

  • 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.

  • Inquiring Minds: Lights, Camera, Chaos! Surviving and Thriving in a Very Crazy Business: Tales of a 35-Year Journey 1 PM. During this interactive session, we will delve into Bob Presner's journey through the film and television industry. We will follow a 16-year-old aspiring musician who evolved into a pivotal behind-the-scenes figure in numerous productions. The session will chart the unexpected career progression of this young folksinger who transitioned into a seasoned assistant director, production manager, line producer, and completion guarantor in the high-stakes world of show business.

    You will have the opportunity to ask Bob questions, in the Zoom Meetings format. You might want to know about his experiences rubbing shoulders and egos with acting legends such as Donald Sutherland, Angie Dickinson, and Russell Crowe. You will gain insight into the behind-the-scenes chaos and excitement of high-profile film sets, including tense and hilarious moments with rap icon Tupac Shakur and wrestling with the larger-than-life personality of Hulk Hogan.

    As the former president of Film Finances Canada and vice-president of Motion Picture Guarantors, as well as a line-producer, production manager, and assistant director, Bob Presner has been involved in over 500 projects, including feature films, TV movies and series, commercials, and documentaries.

    For all the details and to RSVP , visit the American Mensa Events website.
    Virtual Event!!

  • SFRM: Humans in Space 4:30 PM. Doctor Gary Kitmacher has worked for NASA at Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Center, and NASA Headquarters for 44 years. He was especially involved as a designer of the ISS and Mir space station modules. He has served as a Principal Investigator for several experiments and flight activities.

    For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

  • Irish Mensa Lecture and Discussion: Tatoos 1 PM. Irish Mensa meets virtually on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM Irish Time; a discussion then follows the lecture.

    Tattoos are one of the 'distinguishing marks' specified in police descriptions, and long recorded on British passports. They have also often been seen as a form of writing on the body that conveys deeper messages about the bearer’s identity, especially for criminals.

    This lecture will discuss the original debates about the tattoo as a sign of criminal identity among 19th century European police and criminal anthropologists. It will conclude the series with some final reflections on the subjective and objective dimensions of identity and identification covered by these lectures.

    Professor Jane Caplan is Visiting Professor at Birkbeck, University of London, and Emeritus Fellow at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. She is a world-renowned historian specialising in Nazi Germany and the history of the documentation of individual identity.

    For the full write-up and to join, visit the American Mensa event. One does not have to register for the event—simply click on the Zoom link at the appropriate date and time.
    Virtual Event!!

21/Tues­day

waffles.png

  • 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. 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.

RSVP for Northern Exposure no later than 10 AM. RSVP via Meetup preferred.

6.jpg

Northern Exposure

  • Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner 6:45 PM. Then you should have dinner with us. Join us for dinner at a venue TBD in Lake County. 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.

23/Thurs­day

  • Fear-Free Drawing with Pencils 7 PM. Let’s draw! We welcome newcomers. Art Studio of NY has amazing encouraging instructors—and many of us who thought we couldn’t draw at all have discovered that we can. The class is suitable for about age 8 and up—the kids who have joined us have had a great time. Supplies needed: B and 4B drawing pencils (or buy a set of 12 for about $6), a kneaded eraser (or regular eraser), a paper drawing pad (or just regular paper), and optionally, blending stumps. Participants will get the Zoom information prior to the event. This is a GOBS-subsidized event. The subsidized cost is $12.50 per person for one CAM member and one guest. To RSVPs and get payment information, email Beth W.. Payment required to hold your spot.
    Virtual Event!!

  • mole

    Mole Day
    Avogadro’s Number (6.02 × 1023)

23/Thurs­day

26/Sun­day

  • Theodore Talk: U.S. First Ladies: More Than the Women Behind the Men 2:30 PM. Since Martha Washington was greeted by her husband in New Jersey and was escorted to the nation’s first capital in New York on the presidential yacht with a multi-gun salute and cheers, the presidency has been a partnership between the president and his spouse. Because the U.S. President is both head of government and head of state, the head of state responsibilities to perform rituals and engage in social activities often requires the help of a spouse or surrogate. For over 200 years, presidential spouses have served the country through “soft power”—using social functions to bring people together and to even create a bipartisan environment. But they have done much more, especially since Eleanor Roosevelt took the role in new directions.

    Presidential wives were not always called “first lady” and they were not always able to use their influence publicly, but they exerted influence in other ways that shaped history. Little is taught in American History classes about the women who served their country in a role that is not legislated or constitutionally created, that has no rulebook, and receives no monetary compensation. Until Rosalynn Carter, they didn't even have official office space.

    Dr. Diana B. Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communication at Saint Louis University and co-author of Remember the FIRST Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Womenem>, will take you behind the scenes in the Washingtons’ President’s House and the White House and inform you how these women helped make history. See the full write-up and find contact info 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!!

28/Tues­day

HackneysLakeGlenview.png

  • 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.

29/Wednes­day

  • GOBS Request Deadline Noon. Today is the last day to submit a request for GOBS funds to be approved at this Sunday’s Business Meeting for any planned, eligible event, activity, or class taking place after Sunday, November 2nd and through Sunday, November 2nd 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 January. January events need to be submitted by the 1st of November to the activities editor to be included in the January ChiMe. An article must be featured in the January ChiMe for GOBS-subsidized February events with an RSVP deadline in January (same 1st of November deadline but article emailed to the editor; see editorial deadline).

30/Thurs­day

  • Conversation with London Mensans 9 AM. See Thursday, October 2nd.
    Virtual Event!!
    Time Change Due to Daylight Saving Time Change Difference!!

  • HalloweeM 49: Hip to Be 72 Starts! WeeM officially starts at 5 PM when you can pick up your registration information (but please come earlier if you want to help out with the setup—we need you). You can still register at the door if you chose not to preregister. The Games room opens earlier than registration, usually ~4 PM, based upon availability. Enjoy dinner, our program, tournaments, and more. Check out the PAAG (when it becomes available) for the starting times of today’s events. Donate books and media to the book sale at WeeM. Also, please consider donating an hour or two of your time—it’s the volunteers that make this RG so great. For those arriving early and interested in visiting some local sites—check out Things to Do Nearby. This year, all the bourgeois bohemians hang out at HalloweeM!

31/Fri­day

21.jpg

Kids Costumes

  • HalloweeM 49: Hip to Be 72 Continues! all day. It’s Halloween weekend and you want to dress up and go to a party tonight, or you just want to pretend to be someone else for the night. This is a fun opportunity to attend the largest Halloween party by coming to the RG today. See great costumes, participate in the contest (best & worst pun, traditional, best group, best theme-related, etc.), enjoy a delicious meal, imbibe if you like, meet Mensans from all over the world, and dance the night away. It’s the perfect party, so preregister today!

happyHalloween.png

* * * * *

1 November/Satur­day

  • ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for these submissions to the December 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 December 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.

21.jpg

Kids Costumes

  • HalloweeM 49: Hip to Be 72 Continues! all day. The program offers something for everyone and there are always games and tournaments. Check out the PAAG (when it becomes available) for the starting times of today’s events. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to be stimulated by everything WeeM has to offer. Evening events include Pretentious Drinking, the Epicurean Experience, dancing and more. And please consider donating an hour or two of your time especially in hospitality—it’s the volunteers that make this RG so great. Can’t decide where to go for dinner—there are a lot of dining options near the hotel.

Activities Bulletin
October 2025 (Tentative)

October
      1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31  

RSVPs - Always contact the CAM event host as specified in the event details—email , phone , text , or Meetup .

About
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

About
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

Top Join Contact Members
Only