Media Contact:
Kaitlyn McAvoy
Director of Communications
Landmarks Illinois
312-922-1742
kmcavoy@landmarks.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2023
2023 Preservation Forward will celebrate historic preservation & Landmarks Illinois Influencers on March 2
CHICAGO – Landmarks Illinois will host its highly attended annual spring fundraising event Preservation Forward on the evening of March 2, 2023, at one of Chicago’s most prominent landmarks, The Old Post Office.
The event, which features a cocktail reception, interactive food stations and an after-party, will celebrate the work of Landmarks Illinois, the only statewide organization in Illinois helping people save historic and culturally significant places in their communities.
Preservation Forward will also honor the 2023 Landmarks Illinois Influencers, five exceptional leaders who are helping move the preservation field forward, creating a more diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible movement. The 2023 Landmarks Illinois Influencers are:
- Calvin L. Holmes, President, Chicago Community Loan Fund
- Amy Mills, Owner, 17th Street Barbecue, Faye and The Factory at 17th Street
- Related Midwest, Represented by Sarah Wick, Senior Vice President, Affordable Housing
- Paola Aguirre Serrano, Urban Designer and Founding Partner, BORDERLESS
- Amanda Williams, Artist, Architect.
“Our 2023 Influencers represent our evolving preservation field – one that pushes the boundaries on how we go about saving places and whom we work with to save them,” said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. “These five innovators are reactivating places and stories from our past in new and exciting ways that deserve to be celebrated as well as replicated in our preservation practices.”
2023 Preservation Forward event details & registration
Now in its second year, Preservation Forward is a reimagining of Landmarks Illinois’ annual spring fundraiser previously called the Legendary Landmarks Celebration. The 2023 Preservation Forward event will take place at The Old Post Office, 433 W. Van Buren St. in Chicago, and begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by the main program at 7 p.m.
Guests will gather in The Old Post Office’s fully restored historic lobby and grand hall that features original fixtures from the 122-year-old, once-threatened building saved with the help of Landmarks Illinois’ sustained advocacy. Interactive food stations will serve chef-crafted fare, including that from the venue’s food hall From Here On and 17th Street Barbecue, a Murphysboro-based, award-winning restaurant owned by 2023 Influencer Amy Mills.
The 2023 Preservation Forward After-Party begins at 8:30 p.m. in The Telegram lounge on the second floor of The Post Office and will feature music by Bluewater Kings Band, cocktails as well as desserts from local bakers and pastry chefs.
Tickets are now on sale for 2023 Preservation Forward. Reservations for the full event are $500. Tickets for the after-party only can be purchased for $35-$95. A free, virtual attendance option is also available for the main program. Visit Landmarks.org/events/preservation-forward to register for the event and/or learn about sponsorship opportunities.
About Landmarks Illinois
We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based, historic preservation nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org.
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Learn more about 2023 Preservation Forward