District 214 Community Education

Join CET in 2024 to see “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” at the historic Paramount Theatre in Aurora! Nominated for seven Tony Awards, winning two and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, it’s a show not to be missed! Before she was the Carole King we know today, she was a young songwriter from Brooklyn trying to make a name for herself. Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom as part of the hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin and going on to become one of the most successful singers, songwriters and musicians in popular music history. Her credits include songs such as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman,” “It’s Too Late,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “So Far Away” and many more. Lunch is included before the show in the impressive, newly renovated Meyer Ballroom located adjacent to the Paramount Theatre.

Experience a fantastic day in the Beloit, Wisconsin area, touring the region’s highlights. Step back in time at The Butterfly Club, one of Wisconsin’s famous supper clubs, which will be opening specially for our lunch. The restaurant’s rich history dates back to 1924; the original Butterfly Tea Room was named for the yellow and white butterflies in a nearby field. Before our supper club experience, we’ll tour Historic Auto Attractions just south of Beloit in Roscoe, Illinois. The name of this hidden gem is a misnomer: The museum boasts of one of the Midwest’s greatest private collections of all sorts of collectibles. Among the exhibits are one of the most extensive collections of John F. Kennedy & Kennedy Family artifacts & memorabilia in the country. The collection of TV and movie props include items from the 1963 movie "Cleopatra" starring Elizabeth Taylor, a chariot used in the 1959 film "Ben Hur,”props from the hit TV shows “Gunsmoke” and “Bonanza” and movie cars from blockbuster hits like “Batman,” “Back to the Future” and “Ghostbusters”! Our nostalgic tour wraps up with a visit to the DC Estate Winery. Nestled in the rolling countryside on the Illinois and Wisconsin border, you will feel like you are in Tuscany as you sample their delicious wines!

The city of Chicago sparkles with some of the greatest architecture in the world. Board this 90-minute cruise along the Chicago River to see and learn about these masterpieces from an expert narrator from the Chicago Architecture Foundation. The tour has been rated the top tour in Chicago and one of the top tours in the U.S. according to TripAdvisor users. Learn about the history of the masters: Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Trace the evolution of Chicago architecture from the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower and Merchandise Mart to the ultra-modern NBC Towers. Chicago’s First Lady Cruises will be our host. A delicious lunch at the renowned Weber Grill precedes our cruise.

Baseball fans- see the Chicago Cubs battle the rival Milwaukee Brewers for an afternoon baseball game in Milwaukee! Board the comforts of a deluxe motorcoach as we head to Milwaukee’s beautiful American Family Field (formerly Miller Park) to see the Cubs in action. Watch your favorite Cubs stars in this state-of-the-art ballpark where you can't help but feel the reincarnation of baseball's romantic past. With its natural grass, unique configuration and a retractable roof (no rainouts!) It separates this ballpark from any other in the league. From our great loge box seats on the first base side out of the direct sunlight, see your Cub favorites and enjoy the amenities of this modern stadium. See the famous Bob Uecker seat, the Racing Sausages in the 6th inning and the park’s statues which pay tribute to Milwaukee baseball legends such as Henry Aaron, Bud Selig and Robin Yount. Also, each fan on the tour will receive $20 in Brewers Bucks to use towards the park's renowned food items!

At the Fireside Theatre, the Midwest’s premier dinner theater, enjoy this madcap revue with a hysterical, anything-goes, good natured sense of fun. The Little Sisters of Hoboken are in dire financial straits. It seems they must raise enough money to bury the last four of 52 dearly departed nuns who were accidentally poisoned by the convent cook, Sister Julia. The five remaining sisters perform with quick-paced, comic flair and high-spirited singing. It’s an outrageous premise for a long-running hit show that’s “sinfully” hilarious and definitely habit-forming! Lunch precedes the show in the theater’s lovely restaurant.

At Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, Wisconsin, experience firsthand the rural past of America’s heartland in an engaging, authentic, and fun tour! Named as one of America’s Top Living History Sites by Group Tour Magazine, Old World Wisconsin offers a day in the life of the Danish, Finnish, and Norwegian immigrants who settled in the state. Each area at Old World Wisconsin showcases different stories from Wisconsin’s immigrant past and are reached by a tram running continuously throughout the grounds. You will find more than 60 restored homes, farms, stores, and workshops that you are free to explore. Costumed interpreters relive and share the day-to-day activities of Wisconsin’s early settlers. On any given day you may see demonstrations of cooking over a wood fire, spinning wool, a team of oxen being driven in the fields, or a blacksmith plying his trade. In the Museum store, you will be able to shop for favorites like lavender soap and yarn from Old World’s sheep, along with handmade textiles, leather goods, gifts, jewelry, and inspirations for your home. On our way to Eagle, we will stop in Lake Geneva for lunch at the Tuscan Restaurant.

Swing into spring at the Sanfilippo Estate with an afternoon filled with great music and joy! Upon our arrival at this magnificent estate enjoy an elegant luncheon in the Carousel Pavilion. See demonstrations of the estate’s incredible organs and the 1890 Eden Palais Carousel before roaming the pavilion collections, including its train cars. Afterward, we head over to the Sanfilippo Mansion and its spectacular theater for an 80-minute theater organ concert on the 7,000-pipe Wurlitzer Organ. Delight in Big Band favorites, swing, and music from the Great American Songbook as you relive the nostalgia of one of the greatest eras in music! Following the concert, guests may roam the Sanfilippo Residence and its collections of automatic music instruments, demonstrated by the Sanfillipo docents.

Just outside beautiful Lake Geneva, enjoy an enchanting Vegas-style performance of the Dancing Horses! This dazzling spectacle features an array of horse breeds that perform alongside their trainers in this fantastic cavalcade of equestrian artistry. Visually stunning, and performed in a state-of-the-art, indoor 300-seat theater, this live show is truly a must-see for any horse lover. A backstage tour is included after the show. A delicious roast chicken and BBQ ribs lunch will be served at the Dancing Horses Theatre.

Tour one of Chicago’s iconic neighborhoods as we visit the Ukrainian Village. Enjoy a guided tour of this Old World neighborhood, which will fascinate you with its beautiful churches, shops, and restaurants. The Ukrainian National Museum features an amazing collection of folk arts: costumes, musical instruments, artwork and the famous decorated Easter eggs that are a staple of Ukrainian folk art. Afterward, visit one of the neighborhood's majestic European-style churches. For lunch, we will travel a short distance to downtown Chicago for a spectacular meal at the Ukrainian-owned Russian Tea Time Restaurant in an elegant and intimate atmosphere.