This Thursday, June 13, please join us at 7:30pm at DS Tequila, 3352 N Halsted, for our June 2013 BYOC “Bring Your Own Cereal” Donation Party benefiting Lakeview Pantry.  We have already collected and donated over 850 Boxes of Cereal in 2013, We will have special fun prizes if you bring 3 or more boxes of cereal to donate, including TBOX Sunglasses, Fun T-Shirts, and Gift Certificates from Lakeview Bars and Restaurants. You will also be able to enjoy $9.99 all you can eat tacos at the event! We’re told too that this month’s cereal game will be our Cereal Variation on a game called “BOZO BUCKETS” – you won’t want to miss it!

 RSVP HERE on Facebook!

Festa Parties, a Chicago-based event planning company known for its festive pub crawl events including TBOX, their popular Twelve Bars of Xmas Pub Crawl in Wrigleyville, held its 4th successful “BYOC” Bring Your Own Cereal Charity Donation Party, which took place on May 16th, 2013 benefiting the Lakeview Pantry.  In addition, the theme for TBOX 2013, which will take place on Saturday, December 14th, 2013, was revealed. Festa Parties has been planning and organizing great Chicago party events since its first TBOX back in 1996.

Taking place at Roadhouse 66 in the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago, and featuring specials by Festa Parties sponsors Miller Lite and Pinnacle Vodka, the Cereal Party was part of a continuing nod to Festa’s longtime devotion to all things cereal-related, and cereal’s central role in the charm of the TBOX pub crawl. Christopher Festa, Owner and Founder of Festa Parties, helped reveal the 2013 theme, “Air TBOX”, adorned in a pilot’s costume provided courtesy of Chicago Costume Company, proving this will be the wildest airlines of 2013! As Festa said, “This year’s TBOX will combine the fun of the Holiday Season with the Majesty and Adventure of Air Travel and Flight – Get Yourself in the Full Upright Position, Secure those Tray Tables, and Dust off that Landing Strip, because we will be TAKING OFF for the Flight of your Life in just 211 Days!” Close friends assisted in the unveiling of the TBOX 2013 poster featuring the new logo to the excited attendees at the party. Colleen Fleming was in attendance for the reveal for her second year in a row and exclaimed, “The TBOX themes are always creative and unique. I can’t wait to fly ‘TBOX Air’ and I’m sure it’ll be better than any other flight I’ve ever taken!” Participant Julie Wong also agreed, “Another successful Festa Parties cereal party! Everyone attending was pumped for the big reveal of this year’s annual pub crawl – Air TBOX 2013! And more importantly, it was so exciting to be a part of an event that brings together such a generous bunch, donating 136 boxes of cereal to the Lakeview Food Pantry. It’s a wonderful feeling that this event allowed us to support my own neighborhood’s non-profit so generously.”

Festa also created several exhilarating “Air TBOX” theme related contests, including chugging Fruity Pebbles from a leaf blower to simulate cereal going through a jet engine, giving attendees the chance to win prizes from the bars that participate in Festa Parties pub crawls. One of the contest winners, longtime TBOX participant Laura Stange, commented, “I was really excited to participate in the contests at the party and contribute to a great cause. Festa always keeps everyone involved with their fun activities, and last night’s was the best party happening last night!”

Each month, Festa Parties rewards the BYOC participants with a special gift if they bring in cereal to donate at the party. For May 2013, Festa made special, limited-edition t-shirts illustrating the TBOX theme, with the word “SOON” in giant letters above the outline of a jet plane. Festa Parties likes to adapt internet memes and other playful and humorous anecdotes into their event marketing, and they made these shirts with their TBOX “super fans” in mind. “Even though we want to enjoy a long, warm, fun summer in Chicago, we want to remind people that the coming winter will bring the joy of another TBOX,” commented Christopher Festa, Owner and Founder of Festa Parties. “Last year, we made t-shirts that said ‘Wait for it… Wait for it…’ and we thought ‘SOON’ would be a great followup for this year’s TBOX countdown.”

In the end, Festa and friends donated 136 boxes of cereal to the Lakeview Pantry for the month of May. To date, Festa Parties has collected and donated over 850 boxes of cereal to benefit the food pantry, and will continue to do so every month through their BYOC parties. In addition to their cereal donations, Festa Parties enjoys being an active member of the community and contributor to local and national charities. Festa Parties is a member of the Central Lakeview Merchants Association as well as the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce. They have been a Silver Sponsor of the CHICAGO Dance Marathon benefit for Lurie Children’s hospital the last 3 years, and in 2013 won the Top Fundraising Team award. Festa Parties has also donated to the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, have been a leading donor and sponsor of the Lakeview School Street Park project to build a new children’s playground on School Street in Lakeview, and contribute to many other causes listed on their web site.

Along with TBOX, Festa Parties holds the annual BeadQuest Mardi Gras Celebration and Cover Your Bases Pub Crawl in Wrigleyville, as well as Everyone Gets Leis, its Hawaiian themed pub crawl in Wicker Park taking place on August 24th, 2013.

About:

Festa Parties is a Chicago-based company founded by Christopher Festa that produces creative and popular nightlife and cultural events including TBOX, BeadQuest, and Cover Your Bases, which include popular Chicago establishments in neighborhoods such as Lakeview and Wicker Park. These include John Barleycorn, Moe’s Cantina, The Irish Oak, Red Ivy, Stretch, Fatpour, Rockwood Place, Fifty/50, Boundary, Sluggers, DS Tequila, Casey Moran’s, Full Shilling, Trace, Murphy’s Bleachers, Rebel, and many others. Festa Parties also contributes extensively to local charities and community organizations including CHICAGO Dance Marathon, School Street Park, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and Lakeview Pantry.

Thank you once again to everyone that came to Cover Your Bases on April 27th! Here are the winners from Round 2 of the Cover Your Bases contest! Congratulations to all of the winners.

Winner of  $25 Casey Moran’s Gift Card- Anthony Murphy

Winner of $25 Dark Horse Gift Certificate - Kevin Wladyka

Winner of $25 Yak-Zies Gift Certificate - Derek Griffin

Winner of $25 Wrigleyville North Gift Certificate - Kaylie Rettig

Winner of $25 Bar Celona Gift Certificate – Tamara Dunham

Winner of $25 El Jardin Gift Certificate – Diana Huerta

Winner of $25 Redmond’s Gift Certificate – Stephanie Chavez

Winner of $20 Big G’s Pizza Gift Certificate – Nastasia Mora

Winner of $25 Deuce’s & The Diamond Gift Card – Sabina Walczyk

Thanks everyone who came to Cover Your Bases!!  We had just 6 people who sent us pictures in time for the Noon Monday deadline for the Prizes, and we did a drawing from a hat of the 6 entrants for the Rooftop Tickets and these prizes!  Congratulations — we will be having ANOTHER CONTEST for the OTHER PRIZES LISTED HERE – Stand By – When we post up all the pictures!!!

Winner of Pair #1 of Rooftop Tickets – Elsa Hernandez

Winner of Pair #2 of Rooftop Tickets – John Benesch

Winner of $35 Gift Card from Roscoe’s – Lynette Boria

Winner – $30 Gift Card for O’Malley’s Liquor Kitchen – Brian Kille

Winner of $25 Gift Card for Rebel – Brandon Draper

Winner – Annette Santana – $25 Gift Certificate from Fiesta Cantina

Cover Your Bases 2013 is Saturday, 4/27, starting at 1pm, and we have tons of fabulous prizes, including these below… WOW!!!!  Really!!!!

Anyway, to be entered to win, get all 11 stickers from our Sticker Bitchezz and Bastardzzzz, then walk the catwalk at O’Malley’s Liquor Kitchen to “Score” and walk to the side to take your picture in our frame – you’ll then be given a card to SEND US YOUR PICTURE BY MONDAY AT NOON, and we’ll post all the pictures up for voting on our page! 

• Pair of Rooftop Tickets for May 5 Game at Wrigley Field Rooftop Club, 3617 N Sheffield
• ANOTHER Pair of Rooftop Tickets for May 5 Game at Wrigley Field Rooftop Club, 3617 N Sheffield
• $25 Gift Certificate from Houndstooth
• $25 Gift Certificate from Dark Horse
• $25 Gift Certificate from Fiesta Cantina
• $20 Gift Certificate from El Jardin
• Tailgate Chair from Jim Beam
• $25 Gift Certificate from Cubby Bear
• 6 Pisarski Love Coupons
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from Cubby Bear!
• $25 Gift Certificate from Rebel
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from Rebel
• $25 Gift Certificate from Bernie’s
• Goze will come to your house and recite all of “Tombstone” verbatim
• $25 Gift Certificate from Moe’s Cantina
• Cooking with Nutella Lesson from Joanna Siciliano
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from Moe’s Cantina
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from Bernie’s
• $25 Gift Certificate from Yak-Zie’s
• $35 Gift Certificate from the Bucktown Uberstein
• Jason Landman will take you camping
• $10 Gift Certificate from Big G Pizza
• Pub Crawl Beauty Makeover with Antoinette
• 3 Free Hours of Tutoring from Michael Hughes (*Redeemable in Carbondale only)
• McDonald’s Breakfast with Mr. Christopher Festa
• $30 Gift Certificate from O’Malley’s Liquor Kitchen
• $35 Drink Certificates from Roscoe’s
• $25 Gift Certificate from Rockwood Place
• $25 Gift Certificate from Bar Celona
• $25 Gift Certificate from Casey Moran’s
• Vicki Brown will fill your bathtub with Whipped Cream
• Fred Tompkin will sing 1-877-KARS-4-KIDS song at your child’s birthday party
• $25 Gift Certificate from Deuce’s & Diamond
• $25 Gift Certificatefrom John Barleycorn
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from John Barleycorn
• $25 Gift Certificate from The Stretch
• 5 Cubs Happy Ending T-Shirts
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from The Stretch
• $25 Gift Certificate from Wrigleyville North
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from The Stretch
• $25 Gift Certificate from Trace
• $25 Gift Certificate from Redmond’s
• ANOTHER $25 Gift Certificate from Redmond’s
• $20 Gift Certificate from Mullen’s
• ANOTHER $20 Gift Certificate from Mullen’s

T-Shirt and Stickers for Festa Parties Cover Your Bases Pub Crawl Taking Place Saturday, 4/27/2013, in Wrigleyville, Chicago

Festa Parties, a Chicago-based event planning company known for its festive pub crawl events including TBOX, The Twelve Bars of Xmas in Wrigleyville, hosted another lively event for friends, donating proceeds to Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. Festa Parties has been planning and organizing great Chicago party events since its first TBOX back in 1996.

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls began as St. Paul’s Home for Working Boys in 1887 above a Catholic library in downtown Chicago by Fr. Louis Campbell, a Chicago priest. In 1889, it moved just west of downtown, to what is still its current headquarters. With continued growth, Mercy Home opened a home for young women on Chicago’s South Side in 1987. That same year, Mercy Home’s Friends First mentoring program began matching trained adult volunteer mentors with children in need living throughout Chicago. In August 2003, Mercy Home opened the Rev. James J. Close residence hall for boys on its Hay Campus. This new facility, which increased their capacity by 40%, enabled Mercy Home to provide healing for more young people in need than ever before. In fact, “Its residential, aftercare, and mentoring programs provide a safe home, emotional healing, education, and life-changing opportunities for more than 600 young people every year,” according to Mark Schmeltzer, Director of Communications at Mercy Home.  

Schmeltzer continued to explain that, “young people come to Mercy Home in search of safe harbor from environments filled with abuse, neglect, abandonment, violence, poverty and other serious challenges. Mercy Home gives children like these stable, structured nurturing care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its expert professional childcare staff provides life-changing therapeutic, academic and vocational support so that children may heal from the traumas of their pasts, prepare for their futures, and become self-reliant and successful adults. The impact of this work on our community is seen in the success of our kids after they go forward and contribute.” In addition, Mercy Home’s admissions counselors “make professional referrals to hundreds more troubled kids in crisis every year whose specific needs may be better met at qualified social service programs other than Mercy Home.”

Mercy Home operates under the mission of answering the Gospel call by ministering to children and families in need. They strive to save young lives by providing a safe, nurturing home, opportunity for an excellent education, and means for personal growth; support healing for families; be committed to raising public awareness of youth in need and encourages support to help them; be sustained by benefactors who believe in the miracle of God’s mercy in action.

The not-for-profit agency is 99.7% privately funded. Schmeltzer noted, “One of the unique aspects about how we help kids is in fact our funding structure. We raise nearly all of the resources we need to operate from private sources, like donations from individual men and women from across the country, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships and so on.”  Their special events and campaigns, like Shamrocks for Kids, play a major role annually in securing the financial support. Throughout the month of March, the annual Shamrocks for Kids Campaign features family-friendly, Irish-themed events and activities to raise funds and awareness, including participation in four Chicago area parades – Forest Park, South Side, Downtown and Northwest Side – and culminating with hundreds of guests at the post St. Patrick’s Day Parade Celebration at the Hilton Downtown.  Volunteers also distribute Mercy Home Shamrocks all over Chicago in exchange for donations that help young people living at Mercy Home. “What’s more, these events give us the opportunity to engage our core supporters in our mission, attract new friends who will help our kids in a variety of ways, and celebrate as a community—in short, to have a good time for a good cause.” Other major annual events include their black-tie gala, Ringside for Mercy’s Sake held in the fall, Leader Council Graduates’ Luncheon in May, and Have Mercy, their Junior Board’s gala.  Mercy Home also either hosts or participates in dozens of smaller events throughout the year.

In March of 2011, Mercy Home ran the “Show Us Your Shamrock Smile” Contest on Facebook, granting the winner and friends access to ride aboard the Mercy Home float St. Patrick’s Day Parade float. Being a lifetime fan of the holiday, Christopher Festa, Owner and Founder of Festa Parties, decided to enter the contest, and he won the grand prize. “I have always wanted to ride on a float in a parade,” stated Festa. “I was very thankful to Mercy Home for giving me the opportunity. The contest helped raise my own awareness of the great efforts put forth by the wonderful organization, and inspired me to continue to get the word out.”

Festa continues to show his appreciation to Mercy Home by donating and raising over $1200, as well as new and used clothing, to the cause. In keeping with the St. Patrick’s Day spirit, Festa rented a bus for the day to take friends around the city to partake in the celebrations. In lieu of requesting payment for the bus, Chris asked each of the attendees to make a donation to Mercy Home. In addition, the group handed out Mercy Home Shamrock Stickers to promote awareness to other members of the community, while handing out promotional cards for upcoming Festa Parties events. Lindsey Glosniak was aboard the float two years ago, as well as the recent bus excursion. Glosniak commented, “It was a great experience, and a privilege to help represent such a wonderful organization. So, when I was invited to be a part of his charity bus trip this year, I couldn’t help but jump at the chance! It’s a simple recipe for philanthropic success: Take a group of fun-loving individuals who love their city, and love to give back to the community. Throw in some Shamrocks, and it’s a win-win situation for all parties involved!” Schmeltzer added, “We are blessed that many good-hearted people every year decide to support the Home by organizing their own fundraising events, or donate the proceeds from existing events, like Festa Parties.”

Festa Parties continues to contribute to several other charitable organizations as well, including Lakeview Pantry, CHICAGO Dance Marathon, and School Street Playlot.  By frequently scheduling different events, Festa is finding new ways to promote the importance of giving to the community, and raising awareness and donations to worthy causes.

Festa Parties produces lively and popular events like TBOX, BeadQuest, and Cover Your Bases and contributes extensively to the local charities and community organizations. Festa’s upcoming events include its next pub crawl, Cover Your Bases 2013, the 5th Annual Baseball-Themed event on April 27th, 2013 in Wrigleyville.

Festa Parties and Friends held their first-ever “CHARM MADNESS” party last Thursday at the Irish Oak, in which 32 contestants competed in a head-to-head single elimination tournament to separate, and then eat, our favorite holiday cereal, Lucky Charms!  The early rounds featured separating rainbows, hearts, moons, and stars, and in the final four, competitors had a straight-up chugging contest – of cereal, that is!  In the finals, our friend Caity upset Harold in the “pie-eating” off the table finals, winning a $50 Gift Certificate from Irish Oak.  All contestants and guests won beads, t-shirts, hoodies, sunglasses, and other great prizes, and on Friday, Mr. Festa drove his full car of cereal over to deliver the 163 boxes to Lakeview Pantry, totaling 539 for the year donated by Festa Parties and brought by friends at this party and January’s Sexiest Cereal Shot party at Rockwood Place.

Please Click Here to Read the Full Press Release

Festa Parties and Friends Contribute 163 Boxes of Cereal to Lakeview Pantry Charity at Charm Madness Party

CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO GOT ALL 9 BEADS – THE RESULTS OF OUR PRIZE DRAWING ARE BELOW!!!

CLICK HERE FOR FULL PHOTO ALBUM!

All 9 Beads!!

• $25 Gift Card for STRETCH in Wrigleyville – Ryan Techau
• $25 Gift Certificate for BEER ON CLARK – Nicole Mirjanich
• Pair of Cubs Rooftop Tickets courtesy of Murphy’s Rooftop Company – James Hopson
• $25 Gift Certificate for CLARK STREET BEACH BAR – Fred Hill
• $25 Gift Certificate for ROCKWOOD PLACE – Cassie Herard
• $25 Gift Certificate for REBEL – Nicki Mashek
• $25 Gift Certtificate for ROCKWOOD PLACE – Janice Lam
• $25 Gift Certificate for BAR CELONA – My-Phuong Ly
• $25 Gift Certificate for REBEL – Tyler Hardin
• $25 Gift Certificate for DUGOUT – Gersi Hoxha
• One Night Stay at RED ROOF INN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO – Justin Clifton
• $50 Gift Certificate for IRISH OAK – Michelle Pote
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Jennie Lee
• $25 Gift Certificate for FULL SHILLING – Laura Clawson
• $30 Gift Certificate for O’MALLEY’S LIQUOR KITCHEN – Laura Bonefeld
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Georgia Lambrou
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Mary Munoz
• $50 Gift Certificate for ROADHOUSE 66 – Malika Manouzi
• $20 Gift Certificate for BIG G’S PIZZA – Mayra Sotomayor
• $20 Gift Certificate for BIG G’S PIZZA – Nicole Skerjan
• $25 Gift Certificate for BAR CELONA -John Derkach
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Natasia Mora
• $25 Gift Certificate to RAW BAR – Tara Jennerjohn
• $25 Gift Certtificate for ROCKWOOD PLACE -Amy Fisk
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Amanda Helms
• $25 Gift Certificate for DUGOUT – Emily Vallee
• $50 Gift Certificate to CHEESIE’S PUB & GRUB – Tricia Snell
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Joe Czerwien
• $20 Gift Certificate to BIG G’S PIZZA – Ariel Mangana
• $25 Gift Certificate to JOHN BARLEYCORN- Mary Meyer
• $25 Gift Card to MOE’S CANTINA – Shelby Bridges
• $20 Gift Certificate for BIG G’S PIZZA – John Rudell
• $25 Gift Certificate for FULL SHILLING – Cassandra Ramirez
• $25 Gift Certificate for FULL SHILLING – Heidi Owen
• $25 Gift Certificate for HOUNDSTOOTH SALON – Jonathan Thornton
• $25 Gift Certificate for YAK-ZIES – Tamika Eriksen
• $25 Gift Certificate for DUGOUT – Laura Giovanni
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th -Megan McKnight
• $25 Gift Certificate for REDMOND’S – Sarah Haynes
• $50 Gift Certificate for RED IVY – Caroline Corcos
• $25 Gift Certificate for REDMOND’S – Kara Widell
• $25 Gift Certificate for DARK HORSE – Sara Kania
• 2 Comp Tickets for Festa’s Next Event, COVER YOUR BASES on April 27th – Brian Murray
• $25 Gift Certificate for IRISH OAK – Lisset Diaz
• $25 Gift Certificate for DUGOUT – Stephanie Samuel
• $25 Gift Certificate for MURPHY’S BLEACHERS – Bill Stockdale
• $50 Gift Certificate for RED IVY – Nicole Timm
• $25 Gift Card to MOE’S CANTINA – Tamira Miranowski

Winner!

Winner!