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Golden Ticket
The PAAG (including the floor plan) is now available.
Come to WeeM! If you didn’t preregister, register on-site.
Volunteer and get raffle tickets for gift cards! Plus 4 or more hours earns you this year’s coveted WeeM pin.
New this year: Add the program details to your personal calendar!
Interested in selling merchandise? Find out how from our vendor flyer and send in your application no later than Thursday.
Interested in sharing a room? Let our matchmaker help you.
A government-issued photo id is required to access any program serving alcohol—that includes Pretentious Drinking!
See All the Rates.
This site will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available.

Program
October 28: The Program Booklet (when it becomes available) is online. As always, the Program-At-A-Glance available on-site may reflect changes since the program book went to press. The information contained in the printed PAAG will supersede that in the Program Book.
As usual, there will be quite a few different programs available—
This year we have three alcohol-related programs: Thursday’s Whiskies Tasting, Friday’s Curative Cocktails, and Saturday’s Wine Tasting. Space at any alcohol-related programs is limited, and we want to give all our attendees an equal opportunity to participate in these events. As such, when you attend, your badge will be punched, and you will not be able to attend another unless there is still space available 5 minutes after the program has started. Please arrive early for your event, as they are expected to max out. This policy does not affect attendance at Pretentious Drinking, which, as always, is open to all WeeM attendees over the age of 21.
- Abundance: Native Plants, Indigenous Food Systems and Green Infrastructure
- AI Hysteria? Let's Get to the Bottom of It
- Amazing Race - WeeM Style
- Artificial Intelligence for Beginners, Updated
- Ashleigh Brilliant & His Wonderful Epigrams
- Awards & Announcements
- Be A Persuasive Communications Master!
- Beer School: Drink Your Chocolate!
- Betsy's 104th Birthday Party!
- Blood on the Clocktower
- CAM ExComm Business Meeting
- Candy is Dandy, But Liquor is Quicker; Curating Chocolate and Wine
- Chair Massage
- Chicago Jedi
- Container Gardening
- Don't Slow Me Down with that Calculator...Mental Math Methods
- Drag Queen Bingo
- Epicurean Experience
- Family Pool Time
- Finding Your Calm Through Grounding
- Friends of Bill W
- FroMMMage Cheese Exchange
- GenX M's Meet & Greet
- GenY Meet & Greet
- HalloweeM's Golden Anniversary: 50 Years of Puns & Fun
- Healing without Forgiveness: The Wisdom in Anger, Grief, and Resentment
- HELL's M's Meet & Greet
- Home Energy Savings with CUB
- The Infamous Costume Contest
- It's Only Money
- The Joy of Sprouts
- The Kids Costume Contest
- Kids Lego Time
- Lactofermentation: Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid!
- LDW: Leadership Roundtable: Questions, Ideas & Opinions
- Leadership Development Workshop: The Local Group Toolkit
- Logic Problem Tournament
- M-etaphysical SIG Meet up!
- The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Meet the AMC!
- Mensa Foundation Meet-&-Greet: Unleashing Intelligence for the Benefit of Humanity
- Mensa Test
- Mensans Making Music
- MMM Chocolate Exchange
- Name That Tune Music Trivia
- Numbers: They’re Just Too Darn Big!
- Off Our Rockers Improv Comedy Show
- Origami Toys for the Terribly Bored
- Our Future With AI
- Party at Sea: Southeast Asian Cruise
- Photo Booth
- Poker Tournament
- Pretentious Drinking
- Quilling Paper Art
- Remembering Cynthia Clampitt
- Resilient Women in Rock
- Saturday Night Dance with our DJ
- SCUBA SIG Meet and Greet
- Seeing Another Way
- 7 Wonders Tourney
- Shopping for Behavioral Healthcare
- Sir Ernest Shackleton and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration
- Smart Bar: Beer, Wine, and Mead Exchange
- Special Effect Makeup: Zombies and Wounds Workshop
- Subliminal Advertising—Real or Myth?
- Surf and Sun: Dick Dale to The Beach Boys and More
- Sustainable M’s Meet and Greet
- 10 Rules of the Road in Finances
- That New Car Smell
- There, an App Again: My Unexpected Journey into Software Development
- Twice Exceptional Neurodiversity: Giftedness as a Form of Neurodiversity & Its Co-Occurring Friends
- UFOs (UnFinished Objects)
- Urban Composting
- Voting Needs an Upgrade
- The Wacky World of Willy Wonka
- We're All Mad Here
- WeeM Pub Trivia
- Werewolves of WeeM
- What is a Megagame: an Introduction and Experience
- When Being Smart Isn't Enough: The Interpersonal Advantage
- World’s Most Interesting Design Mistakes
- Yoga with Tommy-Wan the Yogi
- Your Golden Dram Ticket Awaits! - A Whisk(e)y Adventure
While our Programs Chair continues to be hard at work planning out this year’s exciting offerings, you can learn about some of our traditional events and get a list of the most topics the Program and Tournament Chairs have approved. We find that presenters love to come to WeeM because the Mensa audience is so receptive, engaged, and interested. Some changes may occur between now and WeeM but you can expect most of the programs listed above and the HalloweeM Favorites listed below. Also don’t forget, there will be Tournaments in addition to the programs.
The Program Booklet (when it becomes available) and the
latest Program At A Glance (PAAG)
give you an idea of when many of the tournaments and programs have been
scheduled and helps you avoid volunteering during a time slot that may conflict
with something you wish to attend. As always, there may be last minutes changes
due to cancellations and/or conflicts. The daily printed PAAG at WeeM will always
supersede both the Program Booklet schedule and the information on our website.
The online PAAG will be in synch with the on-site printed copy—
Past Programs
Also, you can access our archives (pdf) to view the full program booklets for all past HalloweeMs with the exception of the virtual one in 2020.
HalloweeM Favorites
Thursday
Glass Blowing Excursion
Volunteer!
HalloweeM setup starts at ~3 PM at the hotel. As much as we’ve appreciated all the impromptu volunteers in years past, this year we ask you to sign up in advance for Hospitality either online or using the on-site sign-up sheet near registration because, for everyone’s safety, we need to tightly control the number of people who have access to the food preparation area and food in the serving area. Sign up to earn entries for the Sunday morning gift card drawings held during the Awards & Announcements Presentation. Winners need not be present Sunday for awards of $25 or more. Volunteer for at least 4 hours and receive the coveted WeeM pin.
Programs
Expect the first program to start no earlier ˜6 PM. (See the latest Program At A Glance (PAAG) for the actual times. Please keep in mind, of course, that this is a working copy, and offerings are subject to change.)
Tournaments
The first tournament will begin at ˜6 PM. (See the latest Program At A Glance (PAAG) for the actual times. Please keep in mind, of course, that this is a working copy, and offerings are subject to change.)
Dinner
Gather in the hospitality area and catch up with your friends while enjoying a great meal including tasty sides at ˜7 PM.
Friday
Costume Parades
The Friday night costume party is one of the unique events that sets the Chicago Area Mensa RG apart from all the others. Mensa grown-ups take dressing up to a new level. Costumes range from fanciful to funny to elaborate and elegant, but the thing for which Mensans are best known are the pun and word-play costumes. In all of them, Mensa-style creativity is obvious. Bring your sense of humor, and your wits, because our puns will keep you guessing and giggling all night long. Make sure to consider this year's theme, ripe for pun-filled humor! Puns, however, are not a requirement. View our pictures to see costumes from ’WeeMs past.
The kids costume parade will precede the adult costumes. As in past years we encourage more adults to attend and support our youth. For those of you who have younger children who might be overwhelmed by hundreds of strangers, who have children with early bed-times, or who simply want to avoid having to explain some of the (occasionally suggestive) puns, this will give kids a chance to dress up and compete for prizes at their own party. If you signed up for baby-sitting, your kids can then go to the Kids Room and you can stay for the adult costume contest.
Dance
Everyone on the dance floor! Requests taken.
Saturday
Mensa Test
If you haven’t officially joined Mensa, today’s your chance.
Plus you can take the in-person proctored test for only $30—
Pretentious Drinking
Liqueurs. The fancy stuff. Polished, cosmopolitan, perhaps even a bit snooty. The stuff you graduate to from beer and wine. You’d like to know more but, gosh, look at that price. What if that pricey potion isn’t quite the palate pleaser you expected? Rejoice! As in years past, you can sample some truly amazing liqueurs, and your money’s no good here! We will supply a wide range of weird and wonderful concoctions from around the world. You can determine which you’d like to own, which should be left on the shelf, and which you should give to your arch-nemesis as a thoughtful gift. Obviously, you must be of legal drinking age to join us and show proof at registration. Snobbish accents and extended pinkies optional.
Photo Booth
Once again the Photo Booth it will be located in the hallway near Pretentious Drinking. You can pose with friends wearing all sorts of fun and silly props. You’ll be given a copy of your photos as a keepsake. See some of the prior years’ photos (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015 or 2014) to get an idea of what to expect.
Werewolf of WeeM Tournament
For those under 21, in addition to the daily Social Deduction games, we will offer a special Werewolf tournament just for teens and tweens after the Epicurean Experience.
Epicurean Experience
Unusual food samples and, occasionally, unique beverages.
This event is alcohol free, so anyone not wearing
an “under 21” badge should visit before partaking of Pretentious
Drinking and show us your PD ticket. (You can keep it.)
Please note: we aren’t serving a meal, just samples and sips, so
come for curiosity, not dinner.
Contests
We’ve also had requests to bring back the Cookie Contest as well as the Scarecrow Decorating Contest from previous years. If you’re a local member or attendee interested in hosting or helping with either of those or another contest idea, please let us know by contacting our WeeM Chair or signing up to add it to the program list.
Dance
Everyone on the dance floor! Music and often karaoke!
Sunday
Chicago Area Mensa ExComm Meeting
CAM members are invited to attend. Submit any GOBS requests no later than Friday to give the GOBS liaison time to process it during this busy weekend.
Awards & Announcement
Join us in Hospitality to find out who won the various Volunteer
gift cards—
Amazing Race: WeeM Style Tournament
Join us for the “Amazing Race” for Mensans! Based upon the popular TV reality show, teams of 2-4 competitors complete a variety of tasks, some cerebral, some lighthearted, on their way to the final “Pit Stop” and victors’ bragging rights. Our version is designed for all ages and activity levels, and is sure to be one of the most memorable things you’ll do this weekend!
HalloweeM Breakdown
Please volunteer to help us pack up. We need people to put all the decorations away so they can be loaded onto the truck as well as all the kitchen items in Hospitality.
Deadlines
- Registration - Join the fun at WeeM. Register at the door if you haven’t preregistered. The deadline for online registration was October 16th.
- Vendor space - Please complete and submit a Vendor Application by Thursday, October 22nd. If you have any questions after reviewing the Vendor Flyer containing all the details, contact the WeeM Vendor Liaison .
- Lodging - The deadline set by the hotel for the WeeM rate was October 9th.
- Volunteer Now! Get involved and become a star. We have a great WeeM every year due to the many of you who sign up to help out for a few hours or more. Sign up as a volunteer and qualify for raffle tickets to win one of the gift cards. Earn the coveted WeeM pin when you volunteer for least 4 hours.
- Room Sharing - Let us help match you up with another attendee who is also interested in sharing a room by submitting your information by Wednesday, October 28th.
-
Speaker/
Meet & Greet/ - The deadline to submit your proposal for a Program, Meet & Greet, Swap, Exchange, or Tournament for inclusion in the WeeM Program Booklet and in the website's program list was Saturday, September 19th./Swaps/ Exchanges/ Tournament Submissions
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Add HalloweeM @Westin North Shore Hotel
2026 Volunteer Pin
(including floor plan)