Events & Activities Calendar

Get together virtually with others in our Center for Independent Futures community.

Please note that we will not meet on July 3. This activity is FREE.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Join Julie and Molly to cook lunch and bake a dessert together! When the cooking is done we will share our wonderful meal, clean up and hang out together!

Location: HUB 930, 930 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, 60202. Please enter through the gate on the side of the building.

$125 for 5 events

Minimum Enrollment: 7. Maximum Enrollment: 10

Because of Walking Club’s popularity, a new time and date has been added. This NEW Walking Club is with Molly Bulger!  Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am. The dates are: July 26, August 9, 16, 23 and 30, September 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Please note that we will not meet on July 5, 12, 19 and August 2.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $240 for 12 events.

Please note that we will not meet on July 5.

Minimum enrollment: 7

HeARTwords is a creative writing workshop facilitated by Joe Jackson and Paul Fields. HeARTwords is a safe space to express your emotions, thoughts, stories, etc. in a variety of formats. Be the ART. A playground for the mind, a sanctuary for the heart.

The fee is $60 for 6 events.

Saturdays, 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM. 

Questions? Call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5. You will be notified if the minimum is not met.

Sundays 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: July 14 and 21, August 4, 11, 18 and 25, September 8, 15, 22 and 29.

Please note that we will not meet on July 7 and 28 and September 1.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

Sundays, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM.

Please note that we will not meet on July 7 and 28, and September 1.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

Please note: We will not have class on September 2.

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

Please note: Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week.

“The Wishing Game” will be the next group.

Please note that Book Club now starts at 5:00 and lasts 1 and a half hours. Also please note that Book Club will not be held on Labor Day, Monday, September 2.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games, such as Uno, Yahtzee, or Bingo!

The location is 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL.

This activity is FREE.

Get together virtually with others in our Center for Independent Futures community.

Please note that we will not meet on July 3. This activity is FREE.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Would you like to watch movies with friends? If so, we have the event for you! We will have popcorn and beverages, banter about films and choose our viewing selections.

Thursday Afternoon Cinema will be in-person. The location is the CIF office, 1015 Davis Street, Evanston.  This event will be from 3:00 PM until the movie is over and we’ve  had a chance to hear everyone’s thoughts about it. 

Minimum enrollment: 6

Join Art Encounter teaching artist Val McCune at the Noyes Cultural Center, where she will coach you to channel your inner artist.  The activities will range from viewing and discussing art to engaging in hands-on, creative projects.

You will be presented with a theme of art exploration and will have the opportunity to display their interpretation of that theme followed by an explanation of their piece. All art materials will be provided by Art Encounter.

We will meet at the Noyes Cultural Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Sessions will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. 

On July 25, we will meet at the Noyes Cultural Center and then walk together to a nearby professional artist’s studio.

On August 8, we’ll meet at the CIF office at 5:30 pm. From there we will travel as a group to the Art Institute of Chicago. We expect to return to the CIF office between 8:30 and 9:00 pm.

If you would like help planning your way to the Noyes Cultural Center at 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Because of Walking Club’s popularity, a new time and date has been added. This NEW Walking Club is with Molly Bulger!  Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am. The dates are: July 26, August 9, 16, 23 and 30, September 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Please note that we will not meet on July 5, 12, 19 and August 2.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $240 for 12 events.

Please note that we will not meet on July 5.

Minimum enrollment: 7

Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5. You will be notified if the minimum is not met.

Sundays 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: July 14 and 21, August 4, 11, 18 and 25, September 8, 15, 22 and 29.

Please note that we will not meet on July 7 and 28 and September 1.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

Sundays, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM.

Please note that we will not meet on July 7 and 28, and September 1.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

Please note: We will not have class on September 2.

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

Please note: Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week.

“The Wishing Game” will be the next group.

Please note that Book Club now starts at 5:00 and lasts 1 and a half hours. Also please note that Book Club will not be held on Labor Day, Monday, September 2.