Gorton Center

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Gorton Center Resident Partners:
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A nonprofit community arts center with live performances and movies in the John & Nancy Hughes Theater, classes for all ages, event rental space, nonprofit office space and a children's learning center. Waukegan
CenterStage
The Community Church of Lake Forest & Lake Bluff
Deer Path Art League
Lake Forest Preservation Foundation
Lake Forest Civic Orchestra
Mothers Trust Foundation
Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali Orthodox Church
Suite Escape

⏰ More time to learn. More room to grow. More of your day back. 🩵When preschool lasts just two and a half hours, it can ...
10/13/2026

⏰ More time to learn. More room to grow. More of your day back. 🩵

When preschool lasts just two and a half hours, it can feel like you’ve barely made it home before it’s time to turn around and head back. At Gorton Children’s Learning Center, our shortest day is four hours, and we make every minute count:
📚 Building early literacy skills
🔢 Exploring numbers, counting, and patterns
🤝 Learning to share, take turns, and solve problems together
🎨 Creating, building, singing, and discovering through hands-on play

With caring teachers who know each child and support their individual growth, our curriculum helps little learners develop the skills they need to step into kindergarten curious, capable, and confident. 🌱

And while your child is learning, growing, and making friends, you get a little more breathing room in your day. 🙌

Ready to see the difference? Our classrooms fill quickly!

📍 Schedule a tour at gortoncenter.org
📞 Call 847.234.6060

Come see what four hours of thoughtful, purposeful preschool can do! 🩵

🍂🌭 Hot dogs, fall crafts, and family time? Now THAT’S a happy hour! 🩵Before the grown-ups head into Oktoberfest, bring t...
10/13/2026

🍂🌭 Hot dogs, fall crafts, and family time? Now THAT’S a happy hour! 🩵

Before the grown-ups head into Oktoberfest, bring the whole crew to Fall Family Happy Hour at Gorton! 🎉

We’re kicking off the festivities with an outdoor family celebration featuring:
🌭 Left Bank hot dogs
🥔 Chips and a drink
🎨 Hands-on fall crafts led by our Gorton CLC team
🍁 Seasonal activities and plenty of autumn fun!

📅 Sat, October 17 | 5–6:30 PM
📍 Gorton
🎟️ $15 per person

🎉 Bringing a group of four or more? Use code FallFamily for $10 off!

And the fun doesn’t have to end at 6:30! Adults 21+ can keep the evening going with a separate ticket to Gorton’s Oktoberfest, featuring German-inspired food, drinks, live music, and more. 🍻🥨

Make it a family night, make it a fall tradition, and make it a Gorton kind of evening! 🍂

🥨 PROST! Your Oktoberfest menu from has entered the chat. 🍺😋Brats with all the fixings? ✔️Chicken schnitzel sliders on ...
10/12/2026

🥨 PROST! Your Oktoberfest menu from has entered the chat. 🍺😋

Brats with all the fixings? ✔️
Chicken schnitzel sliders on pretzel buns? ✔️
Warm Bavarian pretzels with b**r cheese? ✔️
Potato pancakes, German potato salad, and mini German chocolate cake bites? Oh, ja! 🇩🇪❤️

We’re serving up all the Oktoberfest favorites at Gorton’s Oktoberfest 2026, and trust us, you’re going to want to come hungry!

🍺 Sat, October 17 | 6–10 PM
📍 Gorton
🎟️ $85 per person or grab a four-pack for $300

Your ticket includes food, b**r and other beverages, live music, and Oktoberfest games—including the always-competitive Hammerschlagen! And best of all, every ticket supports the arts, classes, and community programs that make Gorton special. 🩵🍻

So gather your crew, loosen your appetite, and get ready for a night of great food, cold drinks, and even better company. 🥨

Good food. Good friends. Gemütlichkeit. (That’s German for cozy, cheerful togetherness!) 🍻 We can't wait to see you!

🍻 THIS WEEK, WE PROST! 🍻 The countdown is officially on. Gorton Oktoberfest is this Saturday! 🇩🇪So grab your friends, ga...
10/12/2026

🍻 THIS WEEK, WE PROST! 🍻 The countdown is officially on. Gorton Oktoberfest is this Saturday! 🇩🇪

So grab your friends, gather your crew and get ready for an evening of:

🥨 German-inspired food
🍺 B**r & beverages
🎶 Live music
🔨 Hammerschlagen
😂 Plenty of laughs
❤️ A whole lot of community

Whether you're coming with your neighborhood crew, your favorite people, your work besties or simply looking for a great night out—there's a place for you at the table.

And if you're thinking, “Maybe we should get tickets…”
This is your sign. 👀

📅 Sat, October 17 | 6–10 PM
📍 Gorton
🎟️ $85/person | $300 for a four-pack

Come hungry. Come thirsty. Come ready to get a little competitive with a hammer. 🔨😉

Prost to good food, good friends and a community that knows how to have a good time.

🎻 A little music, a little art, and a whole lot to appreciate. 🎨✨What a wonderful evening at Gorton with : Strings Attac...
10/10/2026

🎻 A little music, a little art, and a whole lot to appreciate. 🎨✨

What a wonderful evening at Gorton with : Strings Attached! From the rich sounds of an expanded ensemble to the artistry of featured visual artist Fred Draper, the evening brought music and visual art together in a truly special way. 🎶🖼️

With 11 musicians, a world premiere, and musical favorites reimagined, there was something new to discover around every corner.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make Gorton a place where the arts bring people together. 🩵

This is what community looks like when creativity takes center stage. We can’t wait to welcome you back for more nights of music, art, and connection at Gorton!

🎒 School’s out. Adventure is IN. 🎶🌎 Give the kids a day off they’ll actually want to tell you about!On Mon, October 12,...
10/08/2026

🎒 School’s out. Adventure is IN. 🎶🌎 Give the kids a day off they’ll actually want to tell you about!

On Mon, October 12, Mr. V. is taking over Gorton for a full day of music, history, stories, creativity and adventure for kids ages 4–11.

They’ll explore great explorers and ocean voyages, discover Native American history and culture through original songs and stories, and spend the day singing, moving, creating and making new discoveries. 🎹✨

Plus: hands-on activities, live piano music and multimedia presentations that turn learning into an experience.

Choose your adventure:
🌟 Half Day: 9 AM–12 PM | $60
🌟 Full Day: 9 AM–3 PM | $120

Because a day off from school doesn't have to mean a day off from learning, imagining and having fun. 🩵

📅 Mon, October 12
📍 Gorton
👧🧒 Ages 4–11

🎨 No school? No problem. More time to get creative? YES.Give your young artist a few hours to make, experiment, play and...
10/08/2026

🎨 No school? No problem. More time to get creative? YES.

Give your young artist a few hours to make, experiment, play and think outside the paper. ✨ At Mini Art & Craft Camp with Vee, kids ages 7–13 can dive into hands-on art experiences that go beyond the basics:

🖼️ Morning: 3D Arts & Crafts — think layers, texture, dimension and mixed media that make artwork literally pop off the page.

💡 Afternoon: The Creativity Hack — playful tricks, techniques and creative shortcuts that help kids see—and make—art in new ways.

Choose a half day or make it a full day of creativity. 🙌

📅 Mon, October 12
⏰ 10 AM–12 PM and/or 1–3 PM
🎨 Ages 7–13
💰 $50 half day | $90 full day

Because sometimes the best way to spend a day off is to make something you didn't know you could make. 🎨

Sign up & get creative

👻 Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS. 🎬Grab your proton pack, round up your crew and get ready to revisit one of the most ...
10/07/2026

👻 Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS. 🎬

Grab your proton pack, round up your crew and get ready to revisit one of the most beloved comedies of the ’80s on the big screen at Gorton.

When three eccentric parapsychologists find themselves out of work, they decide to start a little business of their own: ghost removal. What could possibly go wrong? 👀

Come for the nostalgia. Stay for the laughs. And prepare to have “Who you gonna call?” stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

📅 Sun October 18 | 3–5 PM
📍 John & Nancy Hughes Theater at Gorton
🎟️ $5 students | $10 adults

Proton packs optional. Popcorn highly recommended. 🍿

🍻 PROST! Oktoberfest is almost here. 🇩🇪 Gather your crew, grab a stein and get ready for one of Gorton’s favorite fall t...
10/06/2026

🍻 PROST! Oktoberfest is almost here. 🇩🇪 Gather your crew, grab a stein and get ready for one of Gorton’s favorite fall traditions.

On Saturday, October 17, the tent comes alive with everything you want in an Oktoberfest celebration:
🥨 German-inspired food
🍺 Cold b**r & beverages
🎶 Live music
🔨 Hammerschlagen
🍻 Four hours of food, drinks, games & good times
🩵 And a whole lot of neighbors coming together

Your ticket covers food and drinks all evening, so come hungry, come thirsty and come ready to have some fun. And yes, Hammerschlagen gets surprisingly competitive. 😉

New this year: Bring the kids for our Fall Family Happy Hour from 5–6:30 PM with crafts, Left Bank hot dogs and fall fun before the 21+ celebration kicks off.

📅 Sat October 17 | 6–10 PM
📍 Gorton Center
🎟️ $85/person | $300 for a four-pack

Because the best Oktoberfest tradition of all? Getting together.

Grab your tickets & raise a glass with us 🍻

Address

400 E Illinois Road
Lake Forest, IL
60045

Telephone

+18472346060

Website

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