Chicago Finance Exchange upcoming events

A Night at Ravinia with Harry Connick Jr. (07/15/2026)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Spend a summer evening with fellow CFE members at Ravinia, enjoying a live performance by Harry Connick Jr.

A prolific career that spans music, film, theater, and television, Harry Connick Jr. has exemplified jazzy charm and musical excellence. This summer, the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist returns to Ravinia for an evening of jazz standards, big-band classics, and New Orleans sound, and we have a seat waiting for you!

The Details:
To attend, you must purchase a general admission ticket (lawn) through the Ravinia website and register on the CFE website, so we know who is attending. Note: Public ticket sales start April 23.

Chairs and a table will be provided for those who register on CFE's website.
Please bring food and/or drink to share.

Gates open to the public at 5:00 pm. We will meet at 5:30 pm. The concert starts at 8:00 pm. Attendees will receive an email and text with the meeting location the day of the event.

About Harry Connick Jr.:

The foundation of Connick’s sound is the music of his native New Orleans, where he began performing as a pianist and vocalist at the age of five. Speaking on the city’s inescapable influence, Connick shares, “I’d be completely different if I hadn’t grown up in New Orleans – there was music everywhere. You feel its energy in the air” (The Guardian). He was schooled by two of the city’s greatest musicians: James Booker and Ellis Marsalis—legends who deepened his understanding of the jazz traditions that continue to define his distinctive sound.

With 30 million albums sold worldwide, Connick has recorded 32 studio albums, including When Harry Met Sally, Blue Light, Red Light, When My Heart Finds Christmas, Come By Me, and Only You. He has performed on Broadway (The Pajama Game), on television (Will & Grace, American Idol) and film (P.S. I Love You, Find Me Falling). One of his latest projects, the Grammy nominated True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter, was released in 2019 in conjunction with a production on Broadway which he wrote and directed.

Book Club: West Suburban (07/22/2026)

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Join fellow Chicago Finance Exchange members on Wednesday, July 22, for dinner and a social discussion of the book, The Displacements, by Bruce Holsinger. The novel is a suspenseful read plotted on a vast national tapestry that thrillingly explores what happens when privilege is lost and resilience is tested in a swiftly changing world. Enjoy great company, delicious food, and a lively discussion. Whether you've finished the book or are just curious, all are welcome to join the conversation!

About the Book

To all appearances, the Larsen-Hall family has everything: healthy children, a stable marriage, a lucrative career for Brantley, and the means for Daphne to pursue her art full-time. Their deluxe new Miami life has just clicked into place when Luna, the world’s first category 6 hurricane, upends everything they have taken for granted.

When the storm makes landfall, it triggers a descent of another sort. Their home destroyed, two of its members missing, and finances abruptly cut off, the family finds everything they assumed about their lives now up for grabs.

Summer Social (07/29/2026)

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Join us for CFE's beloved Summer Social, this year at a new venue: RPM Events, one of downtown Chicago's premier event venues featuring sweeping views of the Chicago River and a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor space.

Come enjoy dinner, cocktails, and great conversation as we gather to connect and celebrate the season together. Whether you're catching up with familiar faces or forging new connections, this is an evening you won't want to miss.

Free of charge for members.

Pre-qualified prospective members are welcome to attend. Email membership@chicagofinanceexchange.org to submit a candidate for membership.

Bright Endeavors Volunteer Candle Event (08/26/2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT

You've seen their candles at our events, and maybe even purchased a few. Now, the Philanthropy Committee invites you to participate in a volunteer session at Bright Endeavors, where together we'll join in their mission through a unique, hands-on experience co-led by young moms in their job training program.

Through the art and science of candle making, you'll see firsthand how innovative practices, informed by brain and behavioral science, help everyone build a strong set of professional skills at any stage of their career.

Space is limited.